Wish-dom

In all my intelligence, I was talking to an acquaintance on the phone just a while ago, and I was rather interested in the interpretation of the resurrection of Jesus. It is claimed in some versions of the story - the collected works, or the Bible, that he descended into hell, and on (a few days later - conflicting number) rose again. So I asked :"He went to hell?"

To that I was told that he wasnt actually in hell, but rather, just among the dead. Or as I clarified, those who did not have eternal life. Or so I am presuming that my acquaintance, who has spent a considerable amount of time reading the compilation of stories, knows better than me. Who's to say where he went, but anyhow, assuming that he is right, then I think that will disprove the whole theory of hell.

If this is true, then perhaps there is an afterlife - (heaven)
OR
there is no afterlife - (hell)... Right?

What is the context in which the collected books were written? How did the authors want it to be interpreted?