The Apostles’ Creed was established in 100 – 150 A.D. and had virtually the same text as is used today. It is reasonably certain that from the year 390 AD, it has existed in the form:
I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth;
And in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost; the Holy Catholic Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.
In Methodist Churches, this Creed is typically recited during Sunday morning church services. However, the phrase ‘He descended into hell’ is usually omitted. ‘DESCENDIT AD INFERNOS’ was added in the late fourth century but without controversy or objection. It is generally understood to mean that, subsequent to His crucifixion but prior to His resurrection, Jesus Christ went to the location of the intermediate state of the dead, preached to them, and led away into Paradise those who would follow Him. This has been described as the ‘harrowing of hell.’ In this context, the word ‘hell’ signifies the realm of departed souls. It refers to the Greek Hades and its Hebrew complement, Sheol, signifying the place where disembodied souls exist after death.
But not all Christians accept this explanation. Calvin and the Heidelberg Catechism regarded the expression ‘He descended into hell’ as referring to the intensity of Christ’s suffering on the cross where he may have tasted the pains of hell for sinners. The Westminster scholars held that the expression meant that Christ continued dead, as far as this world is concerned, for three days. Methodists are uncertain about the meaning and simply remove it from the Apostles’ Creed. All these positions are based on various interpretations of Biblical text such as Ps 16:10; Acts 2:27- 31, 13:37; 1 Pet 3:18-20 and Eph 4:8-9. (Wiley, v2, p 201; v1 p 41)
(See also Sections 1.6 and 1.12 of Theology Corner)
