This saying gained popularity in the west in the 19th century after being used by Edward Fitzgerald in his 1852 poem “Solomon’s Seal.” It was then paraphrased by Abraham Lincoln in a speech before his presidency. Once it entered the zeitgeist, over time, people began saying “this too shall pass” and attributing it to many varying sources of wisdom, but most especially the Bible.

But the phrase is far older than the 19th century, and the older an expression is, the more difficult it is to attribute it to the correct source. This phrase is most commonly attributed to the Middle East, generally Persia, Turkey, or Israel. The idea is also a theme in Sufi (Islamic mysticism) writings, mostly on wealth and temporary state of power and status.

Persian poet Suft Farid al-Din wrote a story about a wise king in the thirteenth-century who asked a group of wise men what will make him happy, and “this too shall pass” is the answer they devise.

There is another school of thought that roots the saying in Jewish literature where King Solomon requests a wise man seek a magic ring. The point of the story is to humble the counselor, as no magic ring existed, and the one found instead has “this too shall pass.” In another version of the story, a sultan asks Solomon for a piece of wisdom that would hold true during times of plenty and times of little, and the wise king responded, “this too shall pass.” There is no Biblical basis in Jewish or Christian Scripture for this origin story – instead it comes from folklore.

It is not unusual for common sense pieces of wisdom to arise in different cultures. In the tenth century, an Anglo-Saxon poem invokes this piece of wisdom similar in nature to “this too shall pass.” Translated from the medieval language, the saying from Deor’s Lament approximates to, “that passed away, this also may.” In context, the saying is a refrain that comes after a series of verses that describe a tragic situation. The saying is an acceptance of the temporal nature of man. The saying accepts that tragedy comes and goes in human existence.

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While the Bible does speak about how earthly things and states of being are temporary, the reason we are to endure is different than in the ancient sources for “this too shall pass.” 

In the Bible, believers are called to endure for a purpose. Endurance is necessary to overcome the trials of this life. It is necessary to spread the Gospel. It is important because if the believer endures to the end, there is glory with the Savior in eternity. “This too shall pass” calls to endure because there will be a temporary reprieve from a current state of suffering before the next one comes. Often, the Bible discusses suffering and endurance together. To develop and cultivate one, a person must experience the other, but it is all for a purpose.

Verses about suffering and endurance do acknowledge that hard moments pass, but their context is different.

Some Bible verses about suffering include:

John 16:33 “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

These words come directly from the Lord Jesus. He acknowledges that believers must share in trials and hard times. They will endure, because Jesus has already won the victory over death – a victory in which they will share. The tribulation shall pass away, and it is assured.

Hebrews 13:6 “So we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?’”

The writer of Hebrews acknowledges the difficulties of life. In fact, there is an expectation not only of financial woes, marital discord, and loss, but of persecution and perhaps even martyrdom. Yet there is neither fear nor worry. These trials are small in the face of a mighty God, and the promise of eternal life.

Romans 2:2-5 “Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”

These verses fly in the face of worldly expectations. Not only does it acknowledge the suffering and trials of the world, but that believers can rejoice in their trials because it produces endurance, good character, and increases hope. Unlike the phrase “this too shall pass,” Paul’s words of wisdom do not merely accept suffering as an inevitable part of the life-cycle, but a source of personal improvement that brings the individual closer to God.

Philippians 3:8,12 “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ … Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.”

Many theologians believe Paul wrote this from prison towards the end of his life. He had lost much and suffered much. But for Paul, everything he lost was worthless in the face of the magnitude of who Jesus is, and what He has done for us. He chose to press forward in his faith, striving to be more Christ-like, because He was now a part of the family of God. This attitude toward suffering, embracing it as something in which the believer can glorify the Lord, is an important part of spiritual growth. It is not just enduring the pain, but using it for God’s glory.

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While the mantra is not from the Bible, nor should it be used in place of scriptural truth, it is not an entirely untrue statement. In the Book of Ecclesiastes, the writer – King Solomon, son of David – contemplates the state of man, and how the things of this world are temporal. The most famous of these meditations is found in the third chapter:

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8).

In these verses, Solomon meditates on how the phases of life do not last. God ordains seasons for the climate, and seasons during a person’s life. In fact, the Book of Revelation states that after the judgment and the creation of the new heaven and the new earth that, “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4). After this passing away, the old shall truly have gone away, and eternity in heaven will be spent joyfully glorifying the Lord.

While the idea of a current state passing away is not unbiblical in the strictest sense, since it does not state anything overtly contradictory to God’s Word, but as previously stated, the context and full meaning of the saying “this too shall pass” is not the same.

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It is easy to understand why this saying is found in the Bible. It reflects themes and ideas that are present. In fact it is commonly attributed to 2 Corinthians 4:17-18: “ For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”

It does speak of the passing of old things for a new eternity. However, once this new eternity starts, it will not pass. In the age of social media, it is easy to come across a misattributed quotation, and not question the source. Bombarded with information, it becomes harder to find confirmation of sources, especially for common myths and mistakes.

The easiest way to combat these concerns when it comes to whether or not something is from the Bible is to get more familiar with the Word. Making daily Bible study a priority, memorizing Scripture, and always double-checking against Scripture itself. With online Bible tools and apps, it is easier than ever to search for a verse in multiple translations to see if it is actually in the text.

The stronger grasp a believer has on the Word, the stronger that person’s walk with the Lord will be, and the better a defense and explanation of the faith that person can give.

We do know a few things about this Syrian man. First, he had a decent amount of wealth, as we learn in 2 Kings 5:1. We also discover that he lead the Aram army as a commander. Aram resides in present-day Syria.

Although he was a successful and valiant soldier, he had one ailment: leprosy. This term in the Bible can refer to a number of skin diseases but often rendered whoever had it a social pariah. In essence, this disease kills nerve endings, so those who have it don’t feel pain when limbs disfigure, twist, and deteriorate. Dr. Alan L. Gillen explains this more here for Answers in Genesis.

Those who had leprosy were deemed unclean, and no one would touch them. Often lepers were quarantined in communities away from society, as we see in Luke 17:11-19.

Naaman had everything he could need – except for good health. This meant that even the lowliest of slaves would not go near Naaman.

Frustrated with his condition, Naaman first seeks help from the King of Aram and then seeks help from the prophet Elisha, who had worked a few miracles prior.

He had received word from his servant girl, who was an Israelite captive in Aram, that a prophet had come to Samaria (his land) who could heal a great number of ills. Namaan must have expected preferential treatment as someone with such a high social rank, so when Elisha told him to go wash himself in the Jordan River, he felt insulted. He had come all this way on his chariots only to be told he needed a bath.

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Readers should take note of the interesting social mechanics at play in the narrative.

Naaman arrives with chariots to pay Elisha honor. Through his riches and social standing, he hopes to convince the prophet that he is worthy of a healing.

He even stops at the door like a beggar for alms, humiliating himself in hopes that Elisha will return the favor and stoop down and give him a healing.

Elisha sees right through these charades and even sends a messenger instead of going himself (the first insult) to tell Naaman to wash himself in the Jordan River (the second insult). The third insult is that Naaman came all this way only to be told to leave and bathe himself in what would have been a rather dirty and nasty river (2 Kings 5:12).

Through these instructions, the prophet is trying to point out something – that Naaman has an ailment beyond physical leprosy. He also had a problem with pride, and one cannot expect a healing of one’s own desire.

The prophet was showing Naaman that when we have a physical or spiritual leprosy (a leprosy of pride that deadens our conscience), we need to rely on how the Lord plans to heal us, instead of how we envision the healing should go.

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Naaman dislikes the cure for a number of reasons.

First, as a rich man, he had grown used to others doing, well, dirty work for him. The fact that Elisha sent him away to clean himself in the Jordan River felt beneath him.

Second, commoners washed themselves in the Jordan River. As a person of esteem, Naaman expected an esteemed cure. Especially since he had put on a false show of paying Elisha honor and “humbling” himself.

Third, he was used to giving orders, not being ordered. Here he might even think that the prophet Elisha misunderstands him. He needs to be clean of his leprosy, not from any dirt that accumulated on his person.

Nevertheless, his servants convince him to wash in the Jordan River. Once he does so, his leprosy vanishes.

As a means of thanks, Naaman tries to give Elisha a gift. Elisha refuses. However, Elisha’s servant, thinking the prophet should receive some kind of payment for his services, takes two talents (about $800,000) and returns to Elisha.

Angered, Elisha curses his servant, and the servant has Naaman’s leprosy for the rest of his life.

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It may be easy to get annoyed with Naaman in the narrative. After all, Elisha gave him the cure he needed. Why did he decide to be picky?

But we can actually see a great deal of ourselves in this Aram commander if we glance closely.

1. God Doesn’t Work on Our Terms

Namaan thought if he said and did all the right things and play-acted enough that Elisha would take pity on him and give him an extraordinary cure.

God does not work “harder” or “faster” if we attempt to do the right things. No matter how much time we devote to community service, give at the communion plate, etc., we can’t bribe God. He will choose to give or withhold cures based on his plan for our lives. Nothing can sway him in one direction or the other.

2. Salvation Works the Same for Everyone

Jesus tells an interesting parable in Matthew 20:1-16. An owner of a vineyard goes out and sees several workers who are in need of a job. Throughout the day, he offers a denarius (a day’s wages) for them to work in his field. He even hires people until the last hour of the working day.

Those who worked the longest think they’ll get a bigger cut. So they wind up disappointed that everyone receives the same pay and begin to grumble.

The parable is supposed to show us salvation. That no matter when someone accepts Jesus as their Lord and Savior, everyone receives the same salvation. We might have some Christians, like the oldest son in the parable of the prodigal son, who get incensed that they didn’t receive a greater award for longer periods of faithfulness.

Here Jesus shows us that he gave us all grace by allowing us to enter the vineyard (the kingdom of heaven). Rich, poor, saved during childhood or saved on our deathbeds, God offers the same salvation freely and willingly.

Just like Naaman in the Jordan River, it requires humility, but it cleanses us of our spiritual leprosy.

3. God Doesn’t See Any Distinctions

It doesn’t matter that Naaman had riches. He couldn’t do anything with his leprosy. Not even the lowest of servants could touch him because of his disease.

Through his humbling cure, Naaman learns that riches and earthly possessions don’t matter (Matthew 6:19-21). After all, we cannot take those possessions with us into heaven. God doesn’t see rich and poor. He sees people in need of a Savior.

Perhaps like Naaman, we’ve attempted to bribe God into working a miracle cure for us on our terms. But just like everyone else, we need the same cure for our spiritual leprosy.

Luckily Naaman listened to his servants, those he considered beneath him, and received a cure for his leprosy by washing in the Jordan River. This river is known to have obeyed divine power in the past (Joshua 3).

And like Naaman, we are in need of a cure, the same cure given to everyone who will have it: salvation.

In Exodus 12, the Bible recounts God’s final plague in Egypt, and how He spared the Hebrews before their day of freedom. While the Angel of Death came for the first-born of everyone in the land, the Hebrews sacrificed a lamb, put its blood on the doorposts, and waited inside. During that night, God said:

“Then they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat [the lamb]. They shall eat the flesh that night, roasted on the fire; with unleavened bread and bitter herbs they shall eat it. Do not eat any of it raw or boiled in water, but roasted, its head with its legs and its inner parts.  And you shall let none of it remain until the morning; anything that remains until the morning you shall burn. In this manner you shall eat it: with your belt fastened, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. And you shall eat it in haste. It is the LORD’s Passover” (Exodus 12:7-11).

The Seder meal honors this command from the Lord on an annual basis. It is a time of reflection, family, history and spiritual understanding.

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The Seder, as it is practiced today, is broken up into fifteen sections. Each section has ritual, or food, or Scripture associated with it. This list with descriptions is not a complete description of each step, but does give enough for people with no Jewish background to understand it.

One significant aspect of the Seder meal is the four cups of wine, which each represent the four promises from God for deliverance in Exodus 6:6-7: “I will bring out,” “I will deliver,” “I will redeem,” and “I will take.”

Another important note is that in the past, a lamb was also sacrificed, but today that is not practiced at Seder meals.

1. Kadesh – Sanctification of the day

A cup of wine or grape juice – the first of four – is filled, and the prayer is said.

2. Urchatz – Handwashing with no blessing

Ritual hand washing is done with warm water, but no blessing is done yet.

3. Karpas – Eating of green vegetables

The blessing is said, “Borei Pri Haadamah” and the vegetables are consumed after being dipped in saltwater. The saltwater evokes bitter tears.

4. Yachatz – Breaking of matzah

Matzah is the unleavened bread – without yeast – made in the tradition of the bread from Exodus. Three pieces of matzah are made, and the middle piece in broken in half and consumed.

5. Maggid – Telling the story in the Exodus

The second cup of wine, or grape juice, is poured, and the story of the Exodus is told.

6. Rachtzah – Handwashing with a blessing

The ritual hand washing is repeated, accompanied by a prayer. It serves as a time to meditate on purification and sanctification.

7. Motzi – Blessing before eating matzah

Two blessings are said over the matzah. The second explicitly mentions the mitzvah – a Jewish commandment – to eat the matzah from the Exodus narrative.

8. Matzah – Eating the matzah

Everyone consumes the matzah.

9. Maror – Eating of bitter herbs

During the first Passover meal, God calls the Israelites to eat bitter herbs. This tradition continues at the Seder meal. A blessing is said, and they are consumed.

10. Korech – Hillel sandwich

The bitter herbs are placed between the matzah and are eaten as a sandwich. This sandwich comes from a Jewish leader from history called Hillel who combined the bread, the herbs and the sacrificed lamb.

11. Shulchan Orech – Eating of the meal

Now a much larger meal is served. Traditionally it involves hard-boiled eggs, gefilte fish, and other traditional meals. The specific foods can vary depending on the country and culture.

12. Tzafun – Eating the afikomen

The afikomen is a piece of matzah hidden earlier during the meal. Once it is found, usually an activity reserved for the small children in the family, it is consumed. After this step, no more food is to be consumed.

13. Barech – Blessing over the eating

A blessing known as Birkat Hamazon is said. It is the Grace after meals. The third cup of wine is consumed, and a cup is poured for the prophet Elijah.

14. Hallel – Songs of praise

This part is a recitation of the songs of praise. These songs include Psalms 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, and 136. After the songs of praise, a portion of a Jewish prayer called the Nishmat.

15. Nirtzah – The conclusion and celebration

The meal concludes with the exclamation, “L’shana haba-a bi-Y’rushalayim” or “Next year in Jerusalem!” Depending on the family, some activities may continue.

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The Seder meal that accompanies Passover begins the celebration of the first of Three Pilgrimage Feasts. Along with Shavuot and Sukkot, Passover is a feast where, historically, the religious individual made a journey to Jerusalem to celebrate. Some Jewish communities will have a Seder meal on the second night of Passover, which usually lasts 7 or 8 days, depending on the religious community. On the lunar Jewish Calendar, the first day of Passover is on the 15th day of Nisan — which correlates to March or April on the Gregorian calendar depending on the lunar cycle.

While Seder meals are usually celebrated by those of Jewish faith, some Christian communities also celebrate a form of the Seder meals. Some may or may not have wine. An important difference for Christians who chose to have a Seder is that they discuss the elements of the meal, and the Exodus story, that point to Jesus Christ, and Easter, which is the end of Passover week on the Christian calendar.

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Easter is considered one of the most, if not the most, important holy day for Christians. It is the day of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the defeat of death, and the fulfillment of the Old Testament. As a Jewish man, Jesus would have celebrated the Seder meal faithfully during His earthly ministry. Some believe the Last Supper may have been a Seder, though there is some dispute about the timeline.

Some elements of this special observance do correlate to Easter and the resurrection. The lamb that was consumed historically that was slain as a sacrifice foreshadowed the role Jesus played as the final sacrifice for the sins of mankind. Leaven, or yeast, was used by Jesus as a symbol for sin (Mark 8:15, Matt. 16:6), so unleavened bread could symbolize the sinlessness of the Lord Jesus.

This holy week carries great meaning and significance for those of Jewish and Christian faith. The Seder meal begins the Passover week, which ends with Easter, moving from the Jewish calendar to the Christian one – from the Old Testament to the New Testament. Understanding the importance of the Seder meal can help Christians appreciate the Old Testament better and see the deep connections with the songs and prophecies about the Lord Jesus.

Christianity is a religion that has always undergone scrutiny in some parts of the world. To combat this, kings, emperors, and rulers have convened councils to discuss the issues and resolve contingencies. The result of these councils has been a group of creeds that were statements of faith. Scripture and theologians of the day were referenced to develop these creeds.

The two most well-known creeds in the Christian church are the Nicene Creed and the Apostles’ Creed. Both creeds state similar beliefs, but the one major difference is the statement “he descended into hell” found in the Apostles’ Creed.

The Apostles’ Creed is an expanded version of the Old Roman Creed that was being used as early as the second century. Scholars are not exact on the reasons for creating the Apostles’ Creed. Early church leaders believed the creed was written by the apostles themselves, but we don’t really know.

This statement that Jesus descended into hell is believed to have been added later, around AD 390. This would have been at the same time a bishop named Apollinarius was teaching. He was stating that Jesus was not fully human, therefore, could not be an effective sacrifice for the sins of mankind. At the Council of Constantinople in AD 381, this doctrine was condemned.

There are several thoughts as to why this statement is not in the Nicene Creed. The Nicene Creed was developed at the Council of Nicaea in AD 325. Emperor Constantine gathered church leaders to create a statement of faith in response to the teachings of a man named Arius. Constantine wanted the Christian church to have a statement of faith that would unite each denomination.  This would have been before the addition in the Apostle’s Creed.

Beyond the development of these creeds is the scriptural references that are viewed as evidence that Jesus descended into hell. Most scholars use 1 Peter 18-22 as scriptural evidence to stand upon. This reference along with Ephesians 4:9 develops the understanding that Jesus may have descended into hell after his death on the cross.

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Understanding the text of a document is extremely important. A person must know what the language is and what the words of that language mean. If there is a misunderstanding, the entire meaning of a document or statement can change.

Christians and scholars today must understand that documents from the early church are written in languages that can be hard to translate. When we begin to translate Hebrew or Greek into English, we must be careful.

Hell is referred to in the Old Testament with the Hebrew word Sheol. This word means hell, but it refers to the present Hell. The understanding that those who have died in their sin and are lost will immediately enter this place upon death is what the word Sheol describes.

The reference to hell in the Greek is found in the New Testament. Since the Apostle’s Creed was originally written in Greek, we will focus closely on this language. Translating Greek into English is difficult because two words describe the “abode of the dead.”

The word in Greek that speaks of the place of hell is “Gehenna.” This word describes a final retribution or physical place. The Apostles Creed does not use this word.

In the Apostle’s Creed, we find the statement “he descended into Hell” using the Greek word “Hades.” The word Hades, in Greek, refers to the state of death. It could be translated as “descended to those below.” It does not refer to the place we recognize today as hell – it refers to the physical state of death.

Theological scholar Kenneth West explains this in the following statement regarding 1 Peter 3:18-22.

“It is clear that our Lord as the man Christ Jesus went to a place of the departed dead called in the Old Testament ‘Sheol’ and in the New Testament, ‘hell,’ the word ‘hell’ being the translation of the Greek word ‘Hades.’”

Modern churches have changed the meaning of the words in the Apostles Creed. This is a change that happened as time marched forward. Words in the English language began to have different meanings than their earlier counterparts. Specifically, the word hell began to mean the place where Satan lives. In the languages of the Bible, this was not what hell was.

Today, we can find many churches that don’t recite the Apostle’s Creed. The ones that still do often leave out this phrase.

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The events immediately following Jesus’ death are recorded in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Each account gives a vivid and clear explanation of these events.

In Matthew 27:50-53 we read that Jesus cried out and gave up His spirit. Then the curtain of the sanctuary fell down and the earth shook. Rocks were split and the tombs of the saints opened up.

Mark 15:38 says “Then the curtain of the Temple was torn in two from top to bottom.”

Luke 23:44-45 states “It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three, because the sun’s light failed. The curtain of the sanctuary was split down the middle.”

Matthew’s account is the most vivid of the three. In his description, he shares with readers about the earthquake and darkness that was prophesied by Daniel, Elijah, and Zechariah. Even more importantly, Matthew shares that the veil was torn.

The tearing of the veil is mentioned in all three accounts and speaks to the importance of this event. The veil was the separation of the clean and the unclean. It hung in the Temple over the entrance to the Holy of Holies. This place was so holy that no one could enter except the high priest.

In Exodus 26 we learn that on the Day of Atonement, Aaron could enter and place the blood on the atonement seat. The Israelites could not come into the presence of the Lord just anytime. This speaks volumes about the tearing of this veil.

Jesus’ death and resurrection meant that no longer did we have to go through rituals or prepare sacrifices to enter into God’s presence. The ultimate sacrifice had been made. Everything spoken of by the Old Testament prophets had happened.

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The belief that Jesus descended into hell is found in Christian churches today and many have questioned this. Some just cannot wrap their minds around this concept. Fr. Sev Kuupuo explains why Jesus did descend to hell and what the purpose of His descent was:

“Jesus went to Hell to liberate souls who have been held in prison. The task of Jesus in descending into Hell was for liberation of the Old Testament holy people. Some theologians explain that Jesus Christ went into Hell to experience the full rigor of suffering, which is the full impact for human sin, so as to give a comprehensive atonement for the sin of humanity.”

It is believed that the fulfillment of Jesus atoning for our sins could not happen without Jesus going into the place of Hell. He had to also rescue the holy people of the Old Testament that were awaiting Him in Abraham’s bosom.

R.C Sproul backs this thought up with his statement: “He goes to hell to liberate those spirits who, from antiquity, have been held in prison. His task in hell then is one of triumph, liberating Old Testament saints.”

In conclusion, those who do believe Jesus descended into hell, believe He went there to rescue souls and fulfill the sacrifice for our sins. It is not a belief that He went there and stayed awhile.

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People who confess their belief that Jesus did not descend into hell have various arguments to prove their case. The most popular is that Jesus was God in flesh. He made the place we know as hell. He banned Satan from heaven to live in hell forever.

If God created hell and determined its purpose, then how could he go there? Wasn’t Jesus holy and in no way could enter this place?

Others have researched this and came to their conclusions based upon what they have learned. They have understood what this statement means. Jesus did descend to hell because this word in Greek means the place of the dead not the place of eternal damnation.

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This question can have many answers, and opinions will mold those answers. Christians today can struggle with what to do with this statement because they do not live in Greek society. They do not speak Greek. We just don’t know what certain words mean in Greek.

Our response should be to take the time to study the Word. Do some research into the Biblical languages. Ask questions of your pastor or fellow person in Christ. This will help you to understand and process something that is truly beyond our human comprehension.

John Jones of the First Presbyterian church states “no confessional statement should be affirmed without understanding what it means. Understood properly, the Apostles Creed affirms a very important doctrinal truth.”

The Apostles Creed has made a statement that is controversial for some Christians. The key to understanding this statement is to know what the words mean. We must take the time to study before we take a stand on something.

Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice. He was put to death on a cross. He did die and enter a place of the dead. The gloriousness of this is that he did not stay there. He rose again and will return.