Question: Did Jesus go to hell?

Question: Recently I read that when Jesus died spiritually, He took both the first and second death—the grave and the Lake of Fire—upon Himself. I have also heard the claim that Jesus died spiritually. Was the Trinity separated? If the Spirit of God died, who was in charge of the universe while God was dead?

Response: Confusion arises because “Jesus Died Spiritually” is the label attached to the heresy taught by Kenneth Hagin, Kenneth Copeland, and other “word-faith teachers.” They claim that our redemption comes not from Christ’s death upon the cross but from His being tortured by Satan in hell for three days and nights. Copeland, for example, says: 

“He allowed the devil to drag Him into the depths of hell as if He were the most wicked sinner who ever lived…. Every demon in hell came down on Him to annihilate Him…they tortured Him beyond anything that anybody has ever conceived…. In a thunder of spiritual force, the voice of God spoke to the death-whipped, broken, punished spirit of Jesus with resurrection power! Suddenly, His twisted, death-wracked spirit began to fill out and come back to life…. He was being reborn before the devil’s very eyes…. Jesus Christ dragged Satan up and down the halls of hell…. Jesus…was raised up a born-again man…. The day I realized that a born-again man had defeated Satan, hell, and death, I got so excited…!” (Believer’s Voice of Victory, September 1991)

It is both fanciful nonsense and heresy to teach that our redemption comes through Satan torturing Jesus in hell. That would make Satan our co-redeemer! If he didn’t torture Jesus enough, we wouldn’t be saved—and if he did, do we thank him? Blasphemy! Satan isn’t the proprietor of hell. Nor will Satan torture the damned but will himself be tortured with “everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew:25:41Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
See All...) when death and hell have been “cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation:20:14And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
See All...).

Before He died, Jesus cried in triumph, “It is finished!” (John:19:30When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
See All...), indicating that our redemption had been accomplished on the Cross. Christ told the thief on the cross who believed in Him, “Today shalt thou be with me in paradise” (Luke:23:43And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
See All...), not in hell! He said, “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit” (Luke:23:46And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.
See All...). Yet Hagin, Copeland, et al., say He ended up, instead, in the hands of Satan in hell.

Did Jesus die “spiritually”? The Bible says that He “taste[d] death for every man” (Hebrews:2:9But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
See All...). All that we deserved He endured, which must have included death to His human body, soul, and spirit. God the Father and the Holy Spirit didn’t die; Christ did. Was the Trinity, then, separated? No, God is One.

Yet Jesus did cry in agony, “My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Psalm:22:1(To the chief Musician upon Aijeleth Shahar, A Psalm of David.) My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?
See All...; Matthew:27:46And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
See All...; Mark:15:34And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
See All...). It is a mystery beyond our comprehension, as is the statement that “it pleased the Lord [Yahweh] to bruise him, he hath put him to grief…when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin” (Isaiah:53:10Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
See All...). We only know and believe that the full penalty demanded by God’s infinite justice was paid by Christ upon the cross, and that “He who knew no sin was made to be sin for us” (2 Corinthians:5:21For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
See All...). Christ was punished by God as though He were sin itself so that we could be forgiven and have eternal life as a free gift of His grace.