What is the "Gates of Hell" in Matthew 16:18?

And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (Matthew 16:18 – KJV)

In Matthew 16:18, Jesus declares that the Gates of Hell never will triumph over the church. To be sure, these are comforting words to the believer, but what is the meaning of the phrase “Gates of Hell”?

1. In Greek, the word “Hell” (Hades): has three meanings: 1) The place of the dead (Acts 2:27); 2) The prison where unbelieving souls await judgment (Luke 16:23); or 3) A personification of that which follows after death (Revelation 6:8).

2. The “Gates of Hell” does not refer to Satan’s kingdom. Many falsely assume that Satan is the king of Hell, but this is untrue. According to Scripture, Satan roams the earth (Job 1:7; 1 Peter 5:8) and he is the prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2). Scripture affirms that Hell is not his kingdom. Rather, the Lake of Fire is his future place of torment: And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. (Revelation 20:10).

3. Phrases similar to the “Gates of Hell” appear in other Bible texts. They help us to understand the term’s meaning. Here are two examples:

Be gracious to me, O LORD; See my affliction from those who hate me, You who lift me up from the gates of death. (Psalm 9:13)

A writing of Hezekiah king of Judah after his illness and recovery:  I said, "In the middle of my life I am to enter the gates of Sheol; I am to be deprived of the rest of my years."  (Isaiah 38:10)

4. The “Gates of Hell” in Matthew 16:18 refers to physical death. The point is that 1) Death has no power over the church; and 2) Just as death could not hold Jesus, death cannot hold believers because we have been granted eternal life.

How wonderful to know that as believers, no matter what happens, our hope is in Jesus and we will be with Him forever!

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)