Hades (ᾍδης) refers to the ancient Greek god of the underworld, the dead, and riches, as well as the name of his dark realm itself, synonymous with the abode of departed spirits or "the unseen world". The name means "the Unseen One," and in biblical contexts, it's a Greek term for the realm of the dead (Sheol), often seen as a temporary state before judgment, distinct from Hell.
In ancient Greek mythology, Hades is the god of the underworld. Among other interpretations, the name Hades has been thought to mean the 'Unseen One. ' Hades is the first born son of the Titan Kronos and brother to the Olympian gods Zeus, Poseidon, Hera, Hestia, and Demeter.
The Greek word translated “grave” is hadēs. Hades was the Greek word used to represent the Hebrew word sheol, which was the state of being dead.
In the Bible, Hades is the Greek term for the abode of the dead, directly corresponding to the Hebrew Sheol in the Old Testament, meaning simply "the place of the dead" or the grave, where both the righteous and wicked go after death. It's often an intermediate, temporary state before the final judgment, with compartments for torment (like the rich man in Luke 16) and comfort (Lazarus), and Jesus's resurrection means He was not ultimately "abandoned to Hades".
Hades refers to the outer darkness, the realm of sense, in contrast to the inner or luminously spiritual. To live in the outer is to live outside the body, as it were; hence Hades came to be considered the realm of discarnate souls.
In poetry and literature, a shade (translating Greek σκιά, Latin umbra) is the spirit or ghost of a dead person, residing in the underworld.
Jesus tells the folks of Capernaum that they “will go down to Hades” (Matthew 11:23). And he holds “the keys of death and Hades” (Revelation 1:18). Then we have Jesus' “parable” of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16, where in the afterlife Lazarus is with Abraham and the rich man is in Hades (not “hell”).
As the Catechism of the Catholic Church explains, “Jesus did not descend into hell to deliver the damned, nor to destroy the hell of damnation, but to free the just who had gone before him” (§633). “The just who had gone before him” is a reference to the souls in limbo.
Hades, according to various Christian denominations, is "the place or state of departed spirits", borrowing the name of Hades, the name of the underworld in Greek mythology. It is often associated with the Jewish concept of Sheol.
Some Apostles used “Hades” as an equivalent to “Sheol” from the old Testament. In the following verse, hades just means the grave or being dead. “Because Thou wilt not abandon my soul to Hades, Nor allow Thy Holy One to undergo decay.
Apollo, the god of sun and music, is considered the patron of same sex love, as he had many male lovers and was often invoked to bless homosexual unions. He is also called "the champion of male love" by Andrew Callimach.
Hades, formerly known as Yaipheon, is an ancient and powerful Archdemon named after the Greek Underworld, Hades. He is also one of the Kings of Hell.
Hestia was known to be very gentle and mild. She was kind, forgiving, and content. She chose the life she wanted — a life that did not include marriage or wild adventures. She was able to provide for others and to devote her life to her family and community.
Hades, in the Greek Old Testament, translation of the Hebrew Sheol, the dwelling place of the dead. See hell.
Hades is a New Testament (Greek) term that is used to refer to Sheol. Hades/Sheol refer to the same place, but there is a noticeable difference in the way the OT and the NT speak of Sheol/Hades. The OT speaks of Sheol inclusively, and even the righteous dead descend there.
The name Hades finds its origins in ancient Greek mythology, where it refers to the god ruling over the underworld, the realm of the dead. Derived from the Greek word aides meaning unseen, sightless, or invisible, it embodies the concept of an unseen world beyond the realm of the living.
Ephesians 4:8-10
First, Jesus descended to the region below the earth – which could be Hades. This interpretation would give credit to the Apostles' Creed.
Biblical Sheol
The Hebrew Bible reflects the belief of the Israelites in an arguably Hades-like afterworld, where both the righteous (see Samuel) and the unrighteous continue to exist in a miserable manner.
“Hades,” though here used for hell, can, again, be used as “the place of the dead,” as is sheol in Hebrew. We see this in texts like Acts 2:27, 31 and Rev. 20:13-14. But the point is, it is, at times, used for the place of eternal torment we call hell.
It was frequently used in the Bible as a synonym for hell or the grave (Psalm 9:17; 55:15; 116:3). As Jesus used it in Matthew 16:18, Hades seems to refer to the powers of evil that resisted Jesus, including Satan's ultimate weapon of physical death.
When the believer dies, the body goes into the grave; the soul and spirit go immediately to be with the Lord Jesus awaiting the body's resurrection, when they're joined together to be forever with the Lord in eternal bliss. Sadly, many fear their souls will have to wait indefinitely for heaven.
In direct language, this verse indicates that the earthquake caused by Jesus' death breaks open some of the graves holding bodies of "saints." In this context, that would mean god-honoring people from Israel. We aren't given further details on who these people were.
Hades in the Bible is the temporary abode of the dead (Acts 2:27). It consists of two compartments: a place of comfort (also called Abraham's bosom) and a place of torment that will be cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:14.
The Gates of Hades, mentioned in Matthew 16:18, represent a powerful biblical concept tied to death and resurrection. In this episode, we explore the promise Jesus makes to His church: the gates of Hades will not prevail.