I'm studying the New Testament teachings on Christ's descent into Hades. I've listened to David Bercot's messages on Life After Death and Christ's Descent Into Hades. To summarize what I understood the early church view to be, Jesus descended into Hades when he died. He preached to a specific group of people in the lower part of Hades (mentioned in 1 Peter 3) and presumably took some of those to the upper region (Abraham's bosom) with Him. My question is this: Abraham told the rich man that there was a great, uncrossable gulf between them. How does this accord with the view that some of those from the lower region of Hades ended up in the upper region (Abraham's bosom)? Is there any further insight from the early church? Or maybe someone has thought this through and can shed light on the issue?