Editing First Epistle of Peter (section)

==The Harrowing of Hell==
{{Main|Harrowing of Hell}}
The author refers to Jesus, after his death, proclaiming to spirits in prison (3:18–20). This passage, and a few others (such as Matthew 27:52 and Luke 23:43), are the basis of the traditional Christian belief in the descent of Christ into hell, or the [[harrowing of hell]].<ref name="ODCC Descent">Cross, F. L. 2005, ed. "Descent of Christ into Hell."  ''The Oxford dictionary of the Christian church''. New York: Oxford University Press.</ref> Though interpretations vary, some theologians{{Who|date=June 2012}} see this passage as referring to Jesus, after his death, going to a place (neither heaven nor hell in the ultimate sense) where the souls of pre-Christian people waited for the Gospel. The first creeds to mention the harrowing of hell were Arian formularies of [[Fourth Council of Sirmium|Sirmium]] (359), Nike (360), and [[Council of Constantinople (360)|Constantinople]] (360). It spread through the west and later appeared in the [[Apostles' Creed]].<ref name="ODCC Descent"/>