This passage serves as the scriptural basis for the phrase in
the Apostles’ Creed that speaks of Jesus between death
and resurrection: “He descended into hell.” All too often our
response to this clause of the creed is one of bewilderment:
What can this possibly mean? In some cases this clause is
actually left out of the creed. Yet it, like the text from First
Peter, points us to the astonishing character of our hope
by asserting that all barriers to God’s life-giving love are
shattered on the cross.
The barrier shattered here is the one that separates the
living from the dead, those who die without hope from
those who live in hope. The passage speaks of those who
died in the flood whereby God sought to cleanse the earth
of its defilement by violence and violation. Those who were
swept away had no hope of transformation. Yet it is precisely
to these, to all who had died, to all who have fallen under
the just judgment of God, that Christ makes proclamation
between his “death in the flesh” and his resurrection.
Because of this descent into the prison house of souls,
we dare to have hope for all who seem to be separated from
the gospel through death or judgment. For not even death or
the wrath of God can prevent the gracious announcement of
hope for all based upon the death and resurrection of Christ.
So strong is our resurrection hope that we cannot give
up hope for anyone, however far he or she may seem from
Christ; for whether in life or in death, Christ has drawn near
to them.
By Theodore W. Jennings from The Upper Room: 60 Days of Prayer for General Conference 2016