Old Testament prophecy fulfilled by Jesus.
Jesus, the Messiah, would be raised from the dead.
This prophecy is closely linked to the one I wrote about last week-that Jesus would not undergo decay. They are linked together through the words of David:
“For Thou wilt not abandon my soul to Sheol; neither wilt Thou allow Thy Holy One to undergo decay.” Psalm 16:10.
The word “sheol” is best understood to be the grave, or the place of the dead.
As I wrote last week, Jesus’s body would not and did not decay.
This week we focus on the first part of Psalm 16:10-Jesus would not be left in the grave (for Thou wilt not abandon my soul to Sheol).
If we just follow this one prophetic verse, we know that although Jesus died and was entombed. His body would NOT be left in the grave. His body would NOT decay.
There is only one way a dead body would not stay in a grave to decay: Jesus was raised from the dead.
Like last week, how do we know these words written by David more than a thousand years is a reference to Jesus? God inspired Luke to show the connection in Acts 2.
“And God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible Him to be held in its power. For David says of Him. ‘I was always beholding the LORD in my presence; for He is at My right hand, that I may not be shaken. Therefore My heart was glad and my tongue exulted; Moreover My flesh also will abide in Hope; Because Thou wilt not abandon My soul to Hades (Sheol in Psalms), nor allow They Holy One to undergo decay.’” Acts 2:24-27.
When David wrote Psalm 16:10 -the verses quoted in Acts 2-he used the Hebrew word sheol which means grave or place of the dead. Luke, the New Testament writer used Greek, not Hebrew. Luke translated the Hebrew word sheol to the Greek word “hades” when he quoted the verse in Acts 2:27.
The Greek word “hades” has different meanings. It can either mean grave-the place of the dead, or it sometimes means hell. Acts 2 is quoting Psalm 16, so I believe the appropriate meaning is: grave. In other words, I believe the meaning of Acts 2:27 is: Because Thou wilt not abandon my soul to the GRAVE.”
Why does the meaning of these words matter here? I believe the word choice of “Hades” in Acts 2:27 of the New Testament has caused some to think that Jesus went to hades / hell when he was in the tomb.
I do not believe that is what this verse teaches. I do not know any verse that teaches us that Jesus went to hell at any time.
But I do know a verse where Jesus describes where He will be after His death: in Paradise. When one of the thieves crucified beside Jesus believed in Him, this is what Jesus told him.
“And He said to him, ‘Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.’”
Carla Killough McClafferty