What really happened while Jesus’s body was in the tomb?
First some context:
 Pre Christ people followed God and offered sacrifices. They lived and died but where did they go? The famous story of the rich man and the beggar gives a view of where.

Luke 16:22- 26 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side “Abraham’s bosom” (KJV). The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ 25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’

Abraham seen and talked to him, in heaven you won’t see the tormented because that would be sad. There is no sadness in heave. Yet the tormented  they will see you. This evidence  indicates two areas of Sheol “the place of departed souls/spirits.” (Abraham bosom and Hades), not Heaven

HEBREWS 10:4, 9,10,14 It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 9 Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first to establish the second. 10 And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 14 For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

 This shows that Old Testament sins were covered by sacrifice not removed. The New Testament says in John 3:13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.  John 14:2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? Once Jesus arose He went to prepare not build.

1 Peter 3:18-20 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. 19 After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits— 20 to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water,

Ephesians 4:8-10 This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.”9 (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? 10 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)

This would seem to indicate Jesus took with him the ones of Old testament time from Abraham’s bosom to heaven as the “sin price” was now paid and could be removed. It does not in anyway indicate Jesus went to hell, only the side of the believers.
The believers were truly not in heaven yet. This supports even further the belief that God has no contact with sin and that only after Christ paid the price could anyone be sin free and go to heaven.

When Jesus replied to the thief on the cross: Luke 23:43  And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.

He was just getting ready for a relocation of God’s people.
Jesus was, is, and always be the only true way to Heaven.

NOTE: All scriptures used in this article are from NIV unless otherwise stated.

7/01/2026

Garth Sparks AUTHOR

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