The Gates of Hell

Ray Vander Laan does a lecture on this topic at Caesarea Phillipi and equates the gates of Hell with some caves in the large rock. By doing so he uses the surroundings to show just what the diciples would have seen and understood during this discourse. I wish I could remember it well enough to explain it.

In any event, even though we normally regard gates as a defensive mechanism and Jesus was using "gates" as an offensive mechanism, the message is clear that Christ's Church will not be overcome by the powers of darkness.

 

The gates will not stop the advancement of the church.

 

No Power, on Earth or in Hell Can Prevail . . .

. . . against the church. It is a spiritual promise that nothing placed in our path, or thrown at us by the world, or Satan himself, can stop the forward progression of the Gospel message. That is a promise, we need to hold tight to when we are under attack or being tempted.

Great post HAMel! :thumbs:

Shalom,

Pastor Paul :type:

 

A seminary professor convinced me that the "gates of hell" referred to a siege weapon used to breech the high walls of a city.

The weapon was a tall tower on wheels with a gate at the top. An enemy would push the tower against the wall, the "draw bridge/gate" at the top would fall open and allow those inside the tower to breech the city wall.

I am convinced this is the only interpretation that makes good sense in the context.

peace to youraying:

 

Cities in the plains had to be walled because of their visual vulnerability.

The gates were obviously for entrance and exit.

Military were there to prevent unwanted entrance and exit.

Civil officials were there to authorize entrance and exit.

Merchants were there to exchange monies, buy and sell.

The gates of a city were a place of socializing.

The "gates of a city" were the symbols of that city's power and authority.

Samson tore down the gates of Gaza and the Philistines were humiliated and vowed to kill him.

The power and authority of hell will not prevail against the church.

Jesus said "the gates of hell will not prevail" He did not say "the gates of hell will be powerless against" the church indicating an ensuing battle (and IMO an intense battle).

Ephesians 6

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.​

We are at war with the power and authority of hell.

HankD

 

The gates of hell are stationary, defensive. The church is attacking. With Christ as our head, we will prevail.

Relevant passage in Jude: 21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. 22 And of some have compassion, making a difference: 23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

 

Problems with this interpretation: (1) Christ referenced the Roman military for an illustration in no other place. Why would He do so here? (2) And how in the world would an uneducated Jews like Peter know what the reference meant without further explanation if Jesus were talking about Roman seige equipment?

 

A former pastor of mine used to joke that this verse means we can make war on hell with a water pistol.

 

Will the church pass through the gates of hell?

 

Actually, I think the term gates of hell is symbolic or metaphorical. Probably refers to the forces of Satan. We have to remember Satan is not in Hell right now, nor are the demons.

 

I was going to post just that...

The gates of a city were anchored in bed-rock and intended to be invincible against attack. It is the CHURCH that is supposed to be moving, not the gates, and all the far-fetched explanations of how the gates move or moved are nothing more than a simple mis-reading, and an assumption that the church is static.

The church (universal -- yup, unavoidable here) will not "enter" the gates of hell. She, with Christ at her helm, will annihilate those gates just as God led His people to do likewise to Jericho, the fortified city of Canaan. God gave us the types and shadows in the OT to let us know how all that is supposed to work out, but we are too contained in the way we read the Scriptures (microscope versus telescope) that we do not often see what God placed plainly before us.

 

Mt. 16:18 is a pivotal scripture in the history of Christendom. The holy see stands or falls on what this scripture means. If Peter is the first pope, all the separated brethren are usurpers. The papacy never gave any authority to protest, reform or be separate.

It is interesting how things fall from the authority tree. Some have called it the trilemma. If Rome has no divine authority, her daughters have none either, for the same reason: Rome never had any to give--or take.

The gates of hell: the Prince of the Power of the air; the god of this world still tries to defile The Bride. He has failed to prevail.

This is a wonderful promise of the perpetuity of the Bride of Christ. He has kept Her, just like He promised.

Peace,

Bro. James

 

Jesus gave us an antidote for your supposed trilemma above (not really the trilemma, which is actually about Christ, not the gates of hell, but that is for another thread).

It is found in Matt 28:

Mat 28:18-20 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, [even] unto the end of the world. Amen.

When the church "goes" against the "gates of hell" (again, implying movement of the church and not the gates) we go in the "all power" granted us by our Lord and King. We go "doing" what our Lord and King told us to do. And, we go "knowing" that no matter where we go, doing what He asked us to do, that we would not be alone in our fight. He is with us, even to the end of the world. Amen indeed!

 

Will the church pass trough the gates of hell?

 

No, it's a symbolic statement, a short parable if you will. No need to extrapolate more than Jesus literally said.

 

He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell,

What gate do you think Jesus went through to arrive in hell?

Does not this verse say the same thing as Jesus said?
O death, where [is] thy sting? O grave, where [is] thy victory?
When this is stated to whom it applies were they not the church and did the gate (death) to hell not prevail over them because they were resurrected to eternal life?

 

I don't believe that He ever went to Hell. The Scripture you are referencing does not teach that (Acts 2:27-31). The Greek word used there twice is hades, the place of the dead, not gehenna or tartaros, words used specifically for Hell. Hades can sometimes be translated as "Hell," depending on the context, but in this context Peter is specifically talking about Christ's resurrection, and the fact that Christ's body did not see corruption (v. 31). It is not talking about Hell, a place of punishment.