Did Jesus Go to Hell for Three Days and Then Rose Again

Christ's triumphant descent into the underworld

"Christ in Limbo" and "Descent into Hell" redirect here. For the novel by Charles Williams, see Descent into Hell (novel). For the 8th-century Anglo-Saxon liturgical play, come across Harrowing of Hell (drama).

Christ leads Adam by the hand, depicted in the Vaux Passional, c.  1504

In Christian theology, the Harrowing of Hell (Latin: Descensus Christi ad Inferos, "the descent of Christ into Hell" or Hades), is a period of time betwixt his crucifixion and his resurrection. In triumphant descent, Christ brought salvation to the souls held captive in that location since the beginning of the world.^[one]

Jesus Christ's descent into the world of the dead is referred to in the Apostles' Creed and the Athanasian Creed ( Quicumque vult ), which country that he "descended into the underworld" ( descendit advertisement inferos ), although neither mention that he liberated the dead. His descent to the underworld is alluded to in the New Testament in one Peter 4:half-dozen, which states that the "good tidings were proclaimed to the dead".^[2] The Catechism of the Catholic Church notes Ephesians 4:9, which states that "[Christ] descended into the lower parts of the earth", equally as well supporting this interpretation.^[3] These passages in the Bible have given ascension to differing interpretations.^[4] The Harrowing of Hell is commemorated in the liturgical calendar on Holy Saturday.^[5]

Co-ordinate to The Cosmic Encyclopedia, the story first appears conspicuously in the Gospel of Nicodemus in the section called the Acts of Pilate, which too appears separately at earlier dates within the Acts of Peter and Paul.^[6] The descent into Hell had been related in Quondam English poems continued with the names of Cædmon (e.grand. Christ and Satan) and Cynewulf. It is later repeated in Ælfric of Eynsham'south homilies c.  k AD, which is the start known inclusion of the word "harrowing". Eye English dramatic literature contains the fullest and most dramatic development of the subject.^[1]

As a subject field in Christian art, is also known every bit the Anastasis (Greek for "resurrection"), considered a creation of Byzantine civilisation and start appearing in the West in the early 8th century.^[7]

Terminology [edit]

The Greek wording in the Apostles' Creed is κατελθόντα εἰς τὰ κατώτατα , ( "katelthonta eis ta katôtata" ), and in Latin is descendit ad inferos . The Greek τὰ κατώτατα ( ta katôtata ,"the lowest") and the Latin inferos ("those below") may too be translated every bit "underworld", "netherworld", or "dwelling house of the dead."

The realm into which Jesus descended is called Hell, in long-established English usage, but is also called Sheol or Limbo by some Christian theologians to distinguish it from the Hell of the damned.^[8]

The word "harrow" originally comes from the Old English hergian significant "to harry or despoil", and is seen in the homilies of Aelfric, c.  yard.^[a] The term 'Harrowing of Hell' refers non only to the thought that Jesus descended into Hell, as in the Creed, simply to the rich tradition that adult later, asserting that he triumphed over inferos , releasing Hell's captives, especially Adam and Eve, and the righteous men and women of the Old Testament period.

Sources [edit]

Scripture [edit]

In Classical mythology Hades is the underworld inhabited by departed souls and the god Pluto is its ruler. The New Attestation uses the term "Hades" to refer to the abode or state of the expressionless. In some places information technology seems to correspond a neutral place where the dead awaited the death, burying, and resurrection of Jesus. Several passages from the New Attestation may imply that Christ descended into this realm of the dead to bring the righteous ones to Heaven. Other New Attestation passages imply it is a place of torment for the unrighteous, leading to speculation that information technology may be divided into two very different sections.

Verses containing the word "Hades" [edit]

The descent into Hell, from a 1609 Armenian Gospel miniature, via the Bodleian Library

In the New Male monarch James version of the New Testament, at that place are x references to Hades:

• Matthew 11:23: "And y'all, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in y'all had been done in Sodom, it would accept remained until this day."
• Matthew xvi:eighteen: "And I also say to you that you lot are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail confronting it."
• Luke 10:fifteen: "And yous, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought downwards to Hades."
• Luke xvi:23: "And being in tormented in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. (See article Abraham's bosom.)
• Acts ii:27: "For You lot will non leave my soul in Hades, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.
• Acts 2:31: "...he, foreseeing this, spoke apropos the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh meet corruption."
• 1 Corinthians 15:55: "O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?"
• Revelation one:18: "I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death."
• Revelation half dozen:viii: "So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the proper name of him who sat on it was Decease, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a quaternary of the earth, to impale with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth."
• Revelation xx:13: "The ocean gave upwardly the dead who were in information technology, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one co-ordinate to his works."
• Revelation 20:14: "And so Decease and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death."

Verses without "Hades" merely with doctrinal support [edit]

Although these verses practise not contain the give-and-take "Hades", theologians accept concluded that comparable terms are used as synonyms:

• one Peter 3:xix–20: (Jesus) "went and fabricated annunciation to the imprisoned spirits—to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water...."

In the original Greek: " ἐν ᾧ καὶ τοῖς ἐν φυλακῇ πνεύμασιν πορευθεὶς ἐκήρυξεν, ἀπειθήσασίν ποτε ὅτε ἀπεξεδέχετο ἡ τοῦ θεοῦ μακροθυμία ἐν ἡμέραις Νῶε… ."

• Ephesians 4:7-10 NIV: "But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. This is why it^{[or God]} says, 'When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.'^{[Psalm 68:18]} What does 'he ascended' mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions?^{[or the depths of the globe]} He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill up the whole universe."

In the original Greek: διὸ λέγει, ἀναβὰς εἰς ὕψος ᾐχμαλώτευσεν αἰχμαλωσίαν, ἔδωκεν δόματα τοῖς ἀνθρώποις. τὸ δὲ ἀνέβη τί ἐστιν εἰ μὴ ὅτι καὶ κατέβη εἰς τὰ κατώτερα [μέρη] τῆς γῆς; ὁ καταβὰς αὐτός ἐστιν καὶ ὁ ἀναβὰς ὑπεράνω πάντων τῶν οὐρανῶν, ἵνα πληρώσῃ τὰ πάντα.

Verse 8 above is a truncated paraphrase adapting Psalm 68:18, with a inverse point of view: "When yous ascended on high, you led captives in your train; you received gifts from men, even from the rebellious—that you, O LORD God, might dwell there."(NIV) The parenthetical verses 9–10 of Ephesians are widely read as an exegetical gloss on the text. The word for "lower parts" (the comparative form: τὰ κατώτερα ) is like to the word used for "Hell" in the Greek version of the Apostles Creed (the peak form: τὰ κατώτατα , English: "lowest [places]").

Frank Stagg writes that the entire passage Ephesians 4:one-xvi is a prayerful exhortation to the readers that they mensurate upwardly to their high calling in Christ. He takes "measuring up" to mean in terms of the unity and maturity of the one body which they already are (vv. 4,12,16). He says that in this long paragraph, the goal of redemption is the building up of the one torso of Christ. Verses 4 through 6 set forth their sevenfold unity: "one body, one Spirit, ... one promise, ... one Lord, i faith, one baptism, one God and Begetter of all, the one over all and through all, and in all." Without mentioning "harrowing", he writes that "The very Christ who ascended is and then described as the one who descended and who gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors, and teachers to the church.^{[10] : p.195}

• Philippians two:nine-10: "God exalted Him and gave to Him the proper noun that is to a higher place every name, so that at the name of Jesus, every knee joint should curve, of those in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth" (Emphasis added).

This can as well refer to the power of Jesus over Satan. The passage is poetic, and so demand non mean that Sheol is nether the earth.^[8]

• Romans 10:vi-8: "But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from in a higher place:) Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) But what saith information technology? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy eye: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;" refers to descending into the deep (the abyss) and this is contrasted with ascending into heaven.

These verses speak of the work of Christ as Himself having done all that is necessary, descending to the deep and ascending into heaven, existence complete and sufficient for all who believe in Him. This conservancy tin can therefore be received past religion in the word preached, without the need for persons to achieve information technology for themselves.

• Zechariah 9:11 refers to prisoners in a waterless pit. "Every bit for you, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will free your prisoners from the waterless pit."

The verses' reference to captives has been presented as a reflection of Yahweh'southward captives of the enemy in Psalm 68:17–18: "God's chariots were myriad, thousands upon thousands; from Sinai the Lord entered the holy identify. You went up to its lofty height; you took captives, received slaves as tribute. No rebels can live in the presence of God."

• Isaiah 24:21-22 besides refers to spirits in prison, reminiscent of Peter's account of a visitation to spirits in prison house: "And information technology shall come up to pass in that twenty-four hours, that the 50ORD shall punish the host of the high ones that are on loftier, and the kings of the earth upon the world. And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall exist close up in the prison, and after many days shall they exist visited."

Early on Christian instruction [edit]

The Harrowing of Hell was taught past theologians of the early church building: St Melito of Sardis (died c. 180) in his Homily on the Passover and more than explicitly in his Homily for Holy Sat, Tertullian (A Treatise on the Soul, 55; though he himself disagrees with the idea), Hippolytus (Treatise on Christ and Anti-Christ) Origen (Against Celsus, two:43), and, afterwards, St Ambrose (died 397) all wrote of the Harrowing of Hell. The early on heretic Marcion and his followers also discussed the Harrowing of Hell, as mentioned by Tertullian, Irenaeus, and Epiphanius. The 6th-century Christolytes, every bit recorded by John of Damascus, believed that Jesus left his soul and trunk in Hell, and just rose with his divinity to Heaven.^[eleven]

The Gospel of Matthew relates that immediately after Christ died, the earth shook, there was darkness, the veil in the Temple was torn in two, and many people rose from the dead, and later the resurrection (Matt. 27:53) walked about in Jerusalem and were seen by many people there. Co-ordinate to the apocryphal Gospel of Nicodemus, the Harrowing of Hell was foreshadowed by Christ's raising of Lazarus from the dead prior to his own crucifixion. The hymns proper to the weekend suggest that as he did on Earth, John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus in Hell by prophesying to the spirits held there that Christ would presently salvage them.

In the Acts of Pilate – usually incorporated with the widely-read medieval Gospel of Nicodemus – texts congenital effectually an original that might have been every bit old as the 3rd century Advert with many improvements and embroidered interpolations, chapters 17 to 27 are called the Decensus Christi advertizing Inferos. They contain a dramatic dialogue between Hades and Prince Satan, and the entry of the Rex of Celebrity, imagined as from within Tartarus.

The richest, near circumstantial accounts of the Harrowing of Hell are found in medieval dramatic literature, such as the four great cycles of English Mystery plays which each devote a carve up scene to depict it, or in passing references in Dante's Inferno. The subject is found also in the Cornish Mystery plays and the York and Wakefield cycles. These medieval versions of the story do not derive from the bare suggestion fabricated in the Epistle ascribed to Peter, simply come from the Gospel of Nicodemus.^[12]

Conceptions of the afterlife [edit]

The Old Attestation view of the afterlife was that all people, whether righteous or unrighteous, went to Sheol when they died. No Hebrew figure always descended into Sheol and returned, although an apparition of the recently deceased prophet Samuel briefly appeared to Rex Saul when summoned by the Witch of Endor. Several works from the Second Temple period elaborate the concept of Sheol, dividing it into sections based on the righteousness or unrighteousness of those who have died.

The New Attestation maintains a distinction between Sheol, the mutual "place of the expressionless", and the eternal destiny of those condemned at the Concluding Judgment, variously described equally Gehenna, "the outer darkness," or a lake of eternal fire. Mod English language translations of the Bible maintain this distinction (e.1000. by translating Sheol as "the Pit" and Gehenna as "Hell"), but the influential King James Version used the discussion "hell" to translate both concepts.

The Hellenistic views of heroic descent into the Underworld and successful return follow traditions that are far older than the mystery religions pop at the fourth dimension of Christ. The Ballsy of Gilgamesh includes such a scene, and it appears also in Odyssey XI. Writing shortly earlier the nascency of Jesus, Virgil included it in the Aeneid. What little we know of the worship in mystery religions such as the Eleusinian Mysteries and Mithraism suggests that a ritual death and rebirth of the initiate was an of import function of their liturgy. Again, this has earlier parallels, in particular with the worship of Osiris. The ancient homily on The Lord'due south Descent into Hell may mirror these traditions by referring to baptism equally a symbolic death and rebirth (cf. Colossians two:9–15). Or, these traditions of Mithraism may be fatigued from early Christian homilies.

Interpretations of the doctrine [edit]

Catholicism [edit]

Christ leads the patriarchs from Hell to Paradise, by Bartolomeo Bertejo, Spanish, ca 1480: Methuselah, Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, and Adam and Eve lead the procession of the righteous behind Christ.

There is an aboriginal homily on the bailiwick, of unknown authorship, usually entitled The Lord's Descent into Hell that is the 2nd reading at the Function of Readings on Holy Saturday in the Roman Catholic Church.^[13]

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: "By the expression 'He descended into Hell', the Apostles' Creed confesses that Jesus did really die and through his expiry for us conquered expiry and the devil 'who has the power of death' (Hebrews ii:xiv). In his human soul united to his divine person, the dead Christ went downwards to the realm of the expressionless. He opened Sky'south gates for the merely who had gone before him."^[14]

Every bit the Catechism says, the word "Hell"—from the Norse, Hel; in Latin, infernus, infernum, inferni; in Greek, ᾍδης (Hades); in Hebrew, שאול (Sheol)—is used in Scripture and the Apostles' Creed to refer to the dwelling house of all the expressionless, whether righteous or evil, unless or until they are admitted to Heaven (CCC 633). This dwelling of the dead is the "Hell" into which the Creed says Christ descended. His death freed from exclusion from Sky the just who had gone before him: "It is precisely these holy souls who awaited their Savior in Abraham's bosom whom Christ the Lord delivered when he descended into Hell", the Catechism states (CCC 633), echoing the words of the Roman Canon, 1,6,3. His decease was of no avail to the damned.^{[ commendation needed ]}

Conceptualization of the dwelling house of the dead as a place, though possible and customary, is not obligatory (Church documents, such as catechisms, speak of a "state or place"). Some maintain that Christ did not become to the identify of the damned, which is what is generally understood today by the discussion "Hell". For case, Thomas Aquinas taught that Christ did non descend into the "Hell of the lost" in his essence, but only by the issue of his expiry, through which "he put them to shame for their unbelief and wickedness: just to them who were detained in Purgatory he gave hope of attaining to glory: while upon the holy Fathers detained in Hell solely on business relationship of original sin, he shed the light of celebrity everlasting."^[fifteen]

While some maintain that Christ just descended into the "limbo of the fathers", others, notably theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar (inspired by the visions of Adrienne von Speyr), maintain that information technology was more than than this and that the descent involved suffering by Jesus.^[xvi] Some maintain that this is a affair on which differences and theological speculation are permissible without transgressing the limits of orthodoxy.^[16] However, Balthasar's signal here has been forcefully condemned past conservative Catholic outlets.^{[17] [18]}

Orthodoxy [edit]

In Harrowing of Hades, fresco in the parecclesion of the Chora Church, Istanbul, c. 1315, raising Adam and Eve is depicted as part of the Resurrection icon, every bit information technology ever is in the East.

Saint John Chrysostom'south Paschal Homily besides addresses the Harrowing of Hades, and is typically read during the Paschal Acuity, the climactic service of the Orthodox celebration of Pascha (Easter).

In the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Harrowing of Hades is celebrated annually on Holy and Keen Sat during the Vesperal Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil, equally is normative for the Byzantine Rite. At the start of the service, the hangings in the church building and the vestments worn by the clergy are all somber Lenten colours (unremarkably purple or black). Then, merely before the Gospel reading, the liturgical colors are changed to white and the deacon performs a censing, and the priest strews laurel leaves effectually the church, symbolizing the cleaved gates of Hell; this is done in commemoration of the harrowing of Hades so taking place, and in apprehension of Christ'south imminent resurrection.

The Harrowing of Hades is generally more common and prominent in Orthodox iconography compared to the Western tradition. It is the traditional icon for Holy Saturday, and is used during the Paschal flavor and on Sundays throughout the twelvemonth.

The traditional Orthodox icon of the Resurrection of Jesus, partially inspired by the apocryphal Acts of Pilate (quaternary c.), does not draw simply the concrete deed of Jesus' coming out of the Tomb, simply rather it reveals what Orthodox Christians believe to be the spiritual reality of what his Death and Resurrection accomplished.

The icon depicts Jesus, vested in white and gold to symbolize his divine majesty, continuing on the brazen gates of Hades (also chosen the "Doors of Death"), which are broken and take fallen in the form of a cross, illustrating the belief that by his death on the cross, Jesus "trampled down expiry past death" (run across Paschal troparion). He is holding Adam and Eve and pulling them upwardly out of Hades. Traditionally, he is non shown holding them by the hands but by their wrists, to illustrate the theological teaching that flesh could not pull himself out of his original or bequeathed sin, but that it could come about simply past the work (energia) of God. Jesus is surrounded by various righteous figures from the Old Testament (Abraham, David, etc.); the bottom of the icon depicts Hades equally a chasm of darkness, oft with various pieces of cleaved locks and chains strewn about. Quite oftentimes, ane or 2 figures are shown in the darkness, spring in chains, who are more often than not identified every bit personifications of Decease or the devil.

Lutheranism [edit]

Martin Luther, in a sermon delivered in Torgau in 1533, stated that Christ descended into Hell.

The Formula of Concord (a Lutheran confession) states, "we believe simply that the entire person, God and human existence, descended to Hell after his burial, conquered the devil, destroyed the power of Hell, and took from the devil all his ability" (Solid Annunciation, Art. IX).

Many attempts were made post-obit Luther's death to systematize his theology of the descensus, whether Christ descended in victory or humiliation. For Luther, however, the defeat or "humiliation" of Christ is never fully separable from His victorious glorification. Some argued that Christ'due south suffering was completed with His words from the cross, "Information technology is finished."^{[ citation needed ]} Luther himself, when pressed to elaborate on the question of whether Christ descended to Hell in humiliation or victory responded, "It is enough to preach the commodity to the laypeople as they take learned to know it in the by from the stained glass and other sources."^{[ citation needed ]}

Calvinism [edit]

John Calvin expressed his concern that many Christians "have never earnestly considered what information technology is or means that nosotros accept been redeemed from God's judgment. However this is our wisdom: duly to experience how much our salvation toll the Son of God."

Calvin's conclusion is that "If any persons have scruples almost admitting this article into the Creed, it will before long exist fabricated plain how of import it is to the sum of our redemption: if it is left out, much of the do good of Christ's death will be lost."^[xix] Calvin strongly opposed the notion that Christ freed prisoners, as opposed to traveling to Hell equally part of completing his sufferings (Institutes of the Christian Faith, Book 2, affiliate 16, sections viii-10),

The Reformed interpret the phrase "he descended into Hell" equally referring to Christ's pain and humiliation prior to his expiry, and that this humiliation had a spiritual dimension every bit part of God's sentence upon the sin which he bore on behalf of Christians. The doctrine of Christ'south humiliation is also meant to clinch believers that Christ has redeemed them from the pain and suffering of God'south judgment on sin.^[20]

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints [edit]

The Harrowing of Hell has been a unique and important doctrine among members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since its founding in 1830 by Joseph Smith, although members of the church building (known as "Mormons") usually call information technology past other terms, such as "Christ'due south visit to the spirit world." Like Christian exegetes distinguishing between Sheol and Gehenna, Latter-solar day Saints distinguish between the realm of departed spirits (the "spirit world") and the portion (or state) of the wicked ("spirit prison"). The portion or state of the righteous is often referred to every bit "paradise".

Perchance the most notable aspect of Latter-24-hour interval Saint beliefs regarding the Harrowing of Hell is their view on the purpose of it, both for the just and the wicked. Joseph F. Smith, the sixth president of the Church building, explained in what is now a canonized revelation, that when Christ died, "there were gathered together in ane identify an innumerable company of the spirits of the merely, ... rejoicing together because the twenty-four hour period of their deliverance was at hand. They were assembled awaiting the advent of the Son of God into the spirit world, to declare their redemption from the bands of death" (D&C 138:12,fifteen-xvi).

In the Latter-day Saint view, while Christ announced freedom from physical decease to the just, he had some other purpose in descending to Hell regarding the wicked. "The Lord went not in person among the wicked and the disobedient who had rejected the truth, to teach them; but behold, from among the righteous, he organized his forces … and commissioned them to get forth and comport the lite of the gospel to them that were in darkness, even to all the spirits of men; and thus was the gospel preached to the dead, ... to those who had died in their sins, without a noesis of the truth, or in transgression, having rejected the prophets" (D&C 138:29–30,32). From the Latter-mean solar day Saint viewpoint, the rescue of spirits was not a one-time event but an ongoing procedure that yet continues (D&C 138; 1 Peter 4:six). This concept goes hand-in-hand with the doctrine of baptism for the dead, which is based on the Latter-day Saint belief that those who cull to accept the gospel in the spirit world must still receive the saving ordinances in order to dwell in the kingdom of God (Marker 16:16; John 3:five; i Peter 3:21). These baptisms and other ordinances are performed in Latter-mean solar day Saint temples, wherein a church fellow member is baptized vicariously, or in behalf of, those who died without beingness baptized by proper potency. The recipients in the spirit world and then have the opportunity to accept or reject this baptism.^[21]

Rejection of the doctrine [edit]

Although the Harrowing of Hell is taught past the Lutheran, Catholic, Reformed, and Orthodox traditions, a number of Christians reject the doctrine of the "harrowing of hell", claiming that "there is scant scriptural evidence for [it], and that Jesus's own words contradict it".^[22] John Piper, for case, says "in that location is no textual [i.east. Biblical] basis for assertive that Christ descended into hell", and, therefore, Piper does non recite the "he descended into hell" phrase when proverb the Apostles' Creed.^[23] Wayne Grudem also skips the phrase when reciting the Creed; he says that the "single argument in ... favor [of the "harrowing of hell" clause in the Creed] seems to be that it has been around and so long. ...Simply an old mistake is however a mistake".^[22] In his book Raised with Christ, Pentecostal Adrian Warnock agrees with Grudem, commenting, "Despite some translations of an ancient creed [i.e. the Apostles' Creed], which suggest that Jesus ... 'descended into hell', there is no biblical evidence to suggest that he really did and then."^[24]

Augustine (354–430) argued that 1 Peter 3:19–20, the chief passage used to support the doctrine of the "harrowing of hell", is "more than allegory than history".^[22]

Christian mortalism [edit]

The above views share the traditional Christian belief in the immortality of the soul. The mortalist view of the intermediate land requires an alternative view of the Acts two:27 and Acts 2:31, taking a view of the New Attestation employ of Hell every bit equivalent to employ of Hades in the Septuagint and therefore to Sheol in the Old Testament.^[25] William Tyndale and Martin Bucer of Strassburg argued that Hades in Acts ii was merely a metaphor for the grave. Other reformers Christopher Carlisle and Walter Deloenus in London, argued for the article to be dropped from the creed.^[26] The Harrowing of Hell was a major scene in traditional depictions of Christ's life avoided by John Milton due to his mortalist views.^[27] Mortalist interpretations of the Acts 2 statements of Christ being in Hades are besides found among later Anglicans such as Due east. W. Bullinger.^[28]

While those holding mortalist views on the soul would hold on the "harrowing of hell" apropos souls, that in that location were no conscious dead for Christ to literally visit, the question of whether Christ himself was also dead, unconscious, brings different answers:

• To most Protestant advocates of "soul slumber" such as Martin Luther, Christ himself was not in the aforementioned condition as the dead, and while his body was in Hades, Christ, as second person of the Trinity, was conscious in heaven.^[29]
• To Christian mortalists who are besides non-Trinitarian, such as Socinians and Christadelphians,^[30] the proverb "the dead know nothing" includes also Christ during the three days.

Of the 3 days, Christ says "I was dead" (Greek egenomen nekros ἐγενόμην νεκρὸς, Latin fui mortuus).^{[Revelation one:18]}

In culture [edit]

Drama [edit]

• The earliest surviving Christian drama probably intended to exist performed is the Harrowing of Hell found in the 8th-century Book of Cerne.

Literature [edit]

• In Dante's Inferno the Harrowing of Hell is mentioned in Canto 4 by the pilgrim's guide Virgil. Virgil was in Limbo (the first circle of Hell) in the first place considering he was not exposed to Christianity in his lifetime, and therefore he describes in generic terms Christ as a "mighty ane" who rescued the Hebrew forefathers of Christianity, but left him and other righteous pagans behind in the very same circle. It is clear that Virgil does not fully understand the significance of the outcome, as Dante does.
• An incomplete Middle English language telling of the Harrowing of Hell is constitute in the Auchinleck manuscript.^[31]
• Although the Orfeo fable has its origin in pagan antiquity, the Medieval romance of Sir Orfeo has often been interpreted as drawing parallels betwixt the Greek hero and Jesus freeing souls from Hell,^{[32] [33]} with the explication of Orpheus' descent and return from the Underworld as an allegory for Christ'south as early on as the Ovide Moralisé (1340).^[34]
• In Stephen Lawhead's novel Byzantium (1997), a young Irish monk is asked to explain Jesus' life to a group of Vikings, who were particularly impressed with Jesus' "descent to the underworld" (Helreið).

Parallels in Jewish literature refer to legends of Enoch and Abraham's harrowings of the Underworld, unrelated to Christian themes. These have been updated in Isaac Leib Peretz's brusk story "Neilah in Gehenna", in which a Jewish hazzan descends to Hell and uses his unique voice to bring about the repentance and liberation of the souls imprisoned there.

Music [edit]

• The Harrowing of Hell is the subject of several baroque oratorios,^{[ citation needed ]} and notably of Salieri's Gesù al Limbo (1803) to a text past Luigi Prividali.^[35]

Fine art [edit]

• A follower of Hieronymus Bosch depicts Christ in Limbo in a vivid composition, now endemic by the Indianapolis Museum of Art.^[36]

Television set [edit]

• The harrowing is mentioned in the eponymous episode of the British dark comedy anthology series Inside No. 9.

See besides [edit]

• Christian mythology
• Naraka, in Buddhism (Mahayana (Chinese Hell (Due east Asian Hell)), Vajrayana, Theravada)
  • Yulanpen Sutra
  • Mulian Rescues His Female parent
  • Yama
  • Youdu
  • Erlik
  • Heibai Wuchang
  • Jiang Ziwen
  • Kshitigarbha
  • Maalik
  • Meng Po
  • Avīci
  • Ox-Head and Horse-Face
  • Haw Par Villa, Singapore
  • Yamantaka (Manjushri)
  • Yomi (Nihon)
  • Yama (Buddhism)
  • Ghost Festival
  • Hell coin
  • Chinese ghosts
• Descent to the Underworld

Notes [edit]

1. ^ 'Harrow' is a by-course of 'harry', a military term meaning to "brand predatory raids or incursions"^[ix]

References [edit]

1. ^ ^{a b} Warren, Kate Mary. "Harrowing of Hell." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. seven. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910.three Mar. 2013 Observe that the Latin give-and-take is inferos Non infernos. Inferos pregnant below, infernos significant flames of burn down.<http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07143d.htm>.
2. ^ The New Attestation : a translation. Hart, David Bentley. New Oasis. January 2017. ISBN9780300186093. OCLC 1002687102. {{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
3. ^ https://world wide web.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p122a5p1.htm%7C Section 631
4. ^ D. Bruce Lockerbie, The Apostle'due south Creed: Exercise You Actually Believe It (Victor Books, Wheaton, IL) 1977:53–54, on-line text Archived 2012-07-09 at annal.today.
5. ^ Michael Keene (1995). The Christian Experience. Nelson Thornes. p. 112. ISBN978-0-7487-2188-vii.
6. ^ New Testament Apocrypha, Vol. i by Wilhelm Schneemelcher and R. Mcl. Wilson (Dec one, 1990) ISBN 066422721X pages 501-502
7. ^ Leslie Ross, entry on "Anastasis", Medieval Art: A Topical Dictionary (Greenwood, 1996), pp. 10–eleven online.
8. ^ ^{a b} Most, William Grand. "Christ's Descent into Hell and His Resurrection". Retrieved seven March 2013.
9. ^ OED
10. ^ Stagg, Frank. New Testament Theology. Nashville: Broadman, 1962. ISBN 0-8054-1613-7
11. ^ "History of Science: Cyclopædia, or, An universal dictionary of arts and sciences: Chose - clause". digicoll.library.wisc.edu . Retrieved 2017-09-29 .
12. ^ "The Apocryphal New Attestation" edited by Prof JK Elliott 1993 ISBN 0-19-826182-9 pp164
13. ^ "From an aboriginal homily for Holy Saturday: The Lord's descent into hell". www.vatican.va . Retrieved 2020-07-28 .
14. ^ Canon of the Cosmic Church building, p. 636–vii.
15. ^ "SUMMA THEOLOGIAE: Christ's descent into hell (Tertia Pars, Q. 52)". www.newadvent.org . Retrieved 2020-07-28 .
16. ^ ^{a b} Reno, R.R. (Oct 15, 2008). "Was Balthasar a Heretic?". First Things . Retrieved 2020-05-24 .
17. ^ "Massa Damnata". ChurchMilitant.TV.
18. ^ Did Christ Suffer in Hell When He Descended into Hell?. Taylor Marshall.
19. ^ "Centre for Reformed Theology and Apologetics". reformed.org . Retrieved 2020-07-28 .
20. ^ Allen, R. Michael (2012). Reformed Theology. pp. 67–68.
21. ^ "Why exercise Mormons perform baptisms for the dead?", Frequently Asked Questions, Mormon.org, LDS Church, archived from the original on 2016-02-13
22. ^ ^{a b c} Daniel Shush, 'What did Jesus do on Holy Sabbatum?' in The Washington Post, April 2, 2012 (accessed 14/01/2013)
23. ^ John Piper, 'Did Christ E'er Descend to Hell?' in The Christian Post April 23, 2011 (accessed fourteen/01/2013)
24. ^ Adrian Warnock, Raised with Christ (Wheaton: Crossway, 2010), p. 33-34
25. ^ Burns, Norman T. (1972). Christian Mortalism from Tyndale to Milton. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. p. 180. ISBN0-674-12875-3.
26. ^ Bromiley, Geoffrey W. (1979). "Descent into Hell". In Bromiley, Geoffrey Westward. (ed.). International Standard Bible Encyclopedia: A–D. pp. 926–927. ISBN0-8028-8161-0.
27. ^ Hunter, William Bridges. Milton'south English language poetry: beingness entries from A Milton encyclopedia. p. 151.
28. ^ Bullinger, E. West. "Hell". A Critical Lexicon and Concordance to the English and Greek New Testament. pp. 367–369.
29. ^ Hagen, Kenneth (1974). A theology of Attestation in the immature Luther: the lectures on Hebrews. Leiden: Brill. p. 95. ISBNninety-04-03987-2. For Luther it refers to God's abandonment of Christ during the iii days of his death:
30. ^ Whittaker, H. A. (1984). Studies in the Gospels. OCLC 43138946.
31. ^ "Auchinleck manuscript". Auchinleck.nls.united kingdom of great britain and northern ireland.
32. ^ Henry, Elisabeth (1992). Orpheus with His Lute: Poetry and the Renewal of Life. Bristol Classical Press. pp. 38, 50–53, 81. et passim
33. ^ Treharne, Elaine (2010). "Speaking of the Medieval". The Oxford Handbook of Medieval Literature in English language. Oxford University Press. p. 10.
34. ^ Friedman, John Cake (2000). Orpheus in the Middle Ages. Syracuse University Press. pp. 125–126. ISBN0-8156-2825-0.
35. ^ Recording and essay with Il Giudizio Finale; Te Deum. dir Alberto Turco, Bongiovanni
36. ^ "Christ in Limbo". Indianapolis Museum of Fine art . Retrieved 17 March 2016.

Bibliography [edit]

• Trumbower, J. A., "Jesus' Descent to the Underworld", in Idem, Rescue for the Dead: The Posthumous Salvation of Non-Christians in Early on Christianity (Oxford, 2001) (Oxford Studies in Historical Theology), 91-108.
• Brinkman, Martien East., "The Descent into Hell and the Phenomenon of Exorcism in the Early on Church", in Jerald D. Gort, Henry Jansen and Hendrik M. Vroom (eds), Probing the Depths of Evil and Skilful: Multireligious Views and Case Studies (Amsterdam/New York, NY, 2007) (Currents of Encounter - Studies on the Contact betwixt Christianity and Other Religions, Beliefs, and Cultures, 33).
• Alyssa Lyra Pitstick, Lite in Darkness: Hans Urs von Balthasar and the Catholic Doctrine of Christ'due south Descent into Hell (One thousand Rapids (MI), Eerdmanns, 2007).
• Gavin D'Costa, "Part IV: Christ's Descent into Hell", in Idem, Christianity and World Religions: Disputed Questions in the Theology of Religions (Oxford, Wiley-Blackwell, 2009),
• Georgia Frank, "Christ's Descent to the Underworld in Aboriginal Ritual and Legend", in Robert J. Daly (ed), Apocalyptic Idea in Early Christianity (Grand Rapids (MI), Baker Academic, 2009) (Holy Cantankerous Studies in Patristic Theology and History), 211-226.
• Hilarion Alfayev, "Christ the Conqueror of Hell: The Descent into Hades from an Orthodox Perspective". St Vladimirs Seminary Pr (Nov twenty, 2009)

External links [edit]

• Cosmic Encyclopedia: Harrowing of Hell
• Encyclopædia Britannica: Harrowing of Hell
• Gospel of Nicodemus: Descensus Christ ad inferos
• The Gospel of Nicodemus including the Descent into Hell
• Harrowing of Hell in the Chester Cycle
• Le Harrowing of Hell dans les Cycles de York, Towneley et Chester, by Alexandra Costache-Babcinschi (ebook, French)
• Lord'due south Descent into Hell, The
• Russian Orthodox iconography of the Harrowing of Hell
• Summa Theologica: Christ'southward descent into hell

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Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harrowing_of_Hell