Captivity Captive
Ephesians 4:8-10
8Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. 9(Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? 10He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
Many claim that this passage states that after the cross, Yeshua went to sheol. While He was there, He preached to the Old Testament saints. This lead to them accepting salvation and going to heaven with Him. People still believe this even though, it is out of context with the rest of the chapter. This page and those following will compare scripture with scripture to understand, Ephesians 4:8
8Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
It is believed that the statement captivity captive refers to those in Hell. From the study on Sheol and Hell, when people die, they go to sheol. This is a place of unconscious rest, refer to Unconscious State. They are unable to hear or even speak when in sheol.
Ephesians 4:8 is actually a quote from the Hebrew Scriptures, Psalm 68:18.
18Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them.
Ephesians 4:8 is only part of Psalm 68:18. Since the Bible is a consistent book, a verse would have the same meaning whether it was found in the Old or the New Testament. Psalm 68 is not referring to dead people. This can be easily determined, because it states, LORD God might dwell. God does not dwell among the dead, God dwells among the living. Yeshua declared in Matthew 22:32:
32I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.
Clearly Psalm 68:16 was speaking about the living. There is no reference to living with the dead. As such, Ephesians 4:8 would be referring to the living.
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