Christ's Descent Into Hades !!!

Christ's Descent Into Hades !!!

I now turn to the task of adducing a portion, and it can only be a portion (on account of my limited space), of the mass of evidence which exists, both direct and indirect, in favor of primitive Universalism. Our first class of proofs shall be drawn from the very remarkable doctrine of Christ's descent into Hades. The number of texts formerly alleged in proof of this was very large, e.g., from the Old Testament were quoted Is. ix. 2; xlv. 2, 3; xlix. 9, 25, Zech. ix. 11- 2; Ps. lxviii. 18; lxix. 33; cvii. s6. From the New Testament, not only S. Peter's famous statement, I Pet. iii. 21, but S. Matt. xii. 29; Phil. ii. 9, 10; Col. ii. 15; Eph. iv. 8, 9, were alleged. Very striking is the contrast between the universal acceptance of this doctrine in primitive days, and its universal disregards in our days. Very instructive, too, is this contrast; for, doubtless, the explanation is, that the Gospel preached to the dead, and still more to those who were in life disobedient to direct preaching (and who died so) was felt instinctively to strike a blow fatal to the traditional creed. To us this doctrine is thus of the highest interest; the more so when we regard the widespread belief of antiquity in the liberation from Hades of ALL SOULS by Christ. It is surely impossible to deny that this involves Universalism as a necessary conclusion. For if all the dead, without any exception, were delivered by the preaching of Jesus Christ; then, as an eminent writer has tersely put the case, "it argues absolute fatuity to suppose that those who lived after the Incarnation can be worse off than if they had lived before it." I do not mean that this view was everywhere held, nor do I mean that all the writers holding it were themselves Universalists. It is enough for our argument to show that the doctrine so held does logically involve Universalism.

A very early statement of this doctrine is that of the Gospel of NICODEMUS (perhaps of the second century). "Of course, to us, this fiction speaks with an authority no greater than that of the Pilgrim's Progress. But just as from BUNYAN'S great allegory we might very safely infer what the puritan conception of the Christian life was in the seventeenth century, so from this Gospel of NICODEMUS, we may very safely infer what conception the Christians of the second century formed of Christ's descent into Hades." - Salv. Mundi.

*For although adopted by nearly all commentators, it has never passed into the current theology of the day. Both Jews and early Christians seem to have taught that the spirits of the departed were in one common abode (Sheol - Hades - apud inferos), though with separate regions for the just and unjust. TERT, De anima lv.; ORIGEN. Hom. ii. in lib. reg.; &c.

The story is told dramatically. A great voice echoes through Hades, crying, "Lift up your heads, you gates, and the King of glory shall come in." Immediately the brazen gates are shattered, and all those bound come out; and Hades (personified) exclaims, "Not one of the dead has been left in me." Jesus then turns to ADAM, extending His right hand and raising him. Then to the rest He says, "Come all with me, as many as have died through the tree which he (ADAM) touched, for behold I raise you all up through the tree of the Cross."

We may note also that the antient (so-called) Acts of the Apostle THOMAS addressed Christ as the "Savior of every creature * * You Who went down even to Hades. And did bring out thence those shut in for many ages." A statement, perhaps even earlier, of the same fact is given by EUSEBIUS, as found by him at Edessa, in the archives, to the effect that Christ had descended into Hades and brought up the dead. ORIGEN, on Ps. lxviii. 18, says, that Christ drew up and set free from the recesses of Hades, the souls that were held in captivity. I quote next from an interesting homily, probably by EUSEBIUS of Alexandria, 289 A.D. He supposes that JOHN the Baptist announced in Hades the descent of Christ. - Hom. xiii.

*See also ch. vi. vii., Latin version (and a contradictory passage ch. ix. 2nd Latin vers). ed. Edin., 1870. This opinion is almost peculiar to Greek Fathers. Some writers teach that the Apostles also preached in Hades, e.g., CLEMENT- Strom. ii. p. 379; and vi. p. 637. Ccl. 1688: HERMAS, iii. ix. 156. Some say that the BLESSED VIRGIN did the same. Some even say that SYMEON went before Christ to Hades. - PHOTIUS - fide LEO. All. An old writer in EPIPHANIUS's works asserts the same of the archangels GABRIEL and MICHAEL. - In sep. Christi. - this curious homily is worth perusal.

Another homily says "Christ will descend that in order that all, both on earth and in heaven and in Hades, may obtain salvation from Him." - Hom. xii. EUSEBIUS of Caesarea, 315 A.D., writes as follows: "Christ, caring for the salvation of ail * * and bursting the eternal gates, opened a way of return to life for the dead bound in chains of death." - Dem. evan. iv. 12. To S. ATHANASIUS is ascribed a treatise (certainly very antient) - De pass. et cruce Darn. It says, "While the devil thought to kill one he is deprived of all cast out of Hades, and sitting by the gates, sees all the fettered beings led forth by the courage of the SAVIOR." In a treatise, certainly genuine, this Father tells how Christ broke the bonds of the souls detained in Hades. - De Inc. Christi.

I quote next an antient homily - perhaps by BASIL of Seleucia. "That which happened to the visible tomb (of Christ - i.e., its being emptied on His rising), the same happened to Hades the invisible." - In sanc. Pascha. (apud ATHANAS. ed. Ca?. s686) I take next S. HILARY, 354 A.D., who says, "Christ ascending on high * * took (captured) those who had been captured by the devil." - In Ps. lxviii. 18. M. F. VICTORINUS, 360 A.D., says, "The Savior descends into Hades by that Passion of the Cross in order that He may set free. every soul." - In Eph. ch. iv. In a translation, or paraphrase, of DIDYMUS, 370 A.D. - De Spir. .Sanc., by S. AMBROSE, are these words: "In the liberation of all no one remains a captive; at the time of the Lord's Passion he alone (the devil) was injured, who lost all the captives he was keeping." S. BASIL, 370 A.D., seems to teach this universal liberation, for he says the true Shepherd brought out of the prison of Hades, and handed over to the holy angels, the sheep for whom He died. - In Ps. xlix. 14 

But Christ died for all. S. EPHREM (Syrus), as will be seen in the note on him in this chapter, teaches the liberation of all from Hades. From S. GREGORY of Nazianzus, 385 A.D., I take the following: "Until Christ loosed by His blood all who groan under Tartarean chains." - Carm. xxxv, v. 9, ed. Lyons, 1840. In this Father's works a remarkable poem is usually printed, entitled CHRISTUS PATIENS; it is of antient, but uncertain, authorship. Speaking of Christ's descent, it says: All of whom (i.e., the dead) You shall bring forth as Your spoils from Hades." - v. 1391-2. So again: "I believe You wilt bring forth from Hades as many mortals as it has imprisoned." - ib. V. 1934-5 From S. AMBROSE 375 A.D., I take the following: "The Lord descends to the infernal world, in order that even those, who were in the infernal abodes, should be set free from their perpetual bonds." - Enar. in Ps. xliv. Here note that perpetual bonds are really temporary. Elsewhere S. AMBROSE says, Christ, when amongst the dead, "gave pardon to those in the infernal abodes, destroying the law of death." - De Incarn. ch. v.

Quite as emphatic is the AMBROSIASTER in his teaching. "Christ descending to the infernal abodes condemned death, taking from him those whom he was keeping. "-In I Tim. ii. 6, 7. "Christ snatched from Hades all *** the devil, lost, together with Christ, all whom he was keeping." - In Rom. iii. 2 2-4. 

My next witness shall be an early treatise (wrongly ascribed to S. AMBROSE), which says: "Christ went down to the depths of hell (Tartarus) and recalled (the) souls, bound by sin, to life, out of the devil's jaws." The context seems to imply the rescue of all sinners. - De myst. Pasch. 

Next I take the words of an old writer (MAXIMUS of Turin?) whose sermons are bound in S. AMBROSE'S works. - Ed. Paris, 1569. He says: "hell (Tartarus) yields up those it contains to the upper world: the earth sends to heaven those whom it buries." - Serm. iii. 

S. JEROME, 378 A.D., bears clear testimony to the same effect: "Our Lord descends * * and was shut up in (the) eternal bars, in order that He might set free all who had been shut up." - In Jon. ii. 6. "In the blood of Your Passion You did set free those who were being kept bound in the prison of hell (inferni)." - In Zech. ix. ii. We may note that, in the context, S. JEROME asserts that DIVES was kept in this prison; the inference being, that in his opinion, the "great gulf" may be crossed by Christ. Indeed, the words that I next give, seem to say so quite plainly. "The Lord descended to the place of punishment and torment, in which was the rich man, in order to liberate the prisoners." - In Is. xlv. 7. This liberation of all (as it seems) is taught in an old document, perhaps by CAESURAS of Aries, printed in S. JEROME'S works. - Ed. Paris, 1623. "The eternal night of hell (infernorum) is illuminated as Christ descends * * the bonds of the damned, torn asunder, fell away every cry of the groaning is still * * The captive souls loosed from bonds go forth from hell (Tartarus), and the Apostle's words come true, i.e., in Jesus' name every knee bends of things in heaven, and earth, and under the earth." - De Res. Born. Here note that the eternal night is only temporary, - the whole is worth reading as a specimen of early teaching. 

An old homily in EPIPHANIUS' works (Paris, 1622,) says, "Christ, like a swift-winged hawk, snatched away all that He bad from the beginning, from the devil and left him deserted." - In Assump. Christi. Another homily affirms that "Christ arose, and the prison of Hades was emptied." - In Res. Christi. 

I take next the testimony of S. CHRYSOSTOM, 398 A.D. (from whom further evidence will be quoted in the next chapter). He writes: "While the devil imagined that he had got hold of Christ (in Hades), he lost all in fact whom he was keeping." - In Col. ii. In this Father's works are usually included some homilies of antient, but uncertain, authorship. Anonymous writings of this sort, of which I have already quoted a few, afford excellent proof of the beliefs then current among Christians. "The wood of the Cross recalls from Hades those who went down thither."- In sacr. Pascha. "I see the earth trembling * * (the) dead preparing their escape ** Jesus Christ receives all." - In sanc. et magn. Par. Another homily teaches that Christ puts forward (pretends) fear to draw on the devil, so that, attacking Him as man, he should be routed, and all be set free who were held captive by him. - De sanc. Trin. This whole description is highly characteristic and suggestive. A passage perhaps even more striking is the following: "The fire of hell (Gehenna) is extinguished, the sleepless worm (evidently the 'worm that dies not') dies those who were in Hades. are set free from the bonds of the Devil" - In trid. Res. 

Another witness is S. ASTERIUS, Bishop of Amasea, 401 A.D., who writes: "Death swallowed up life, and becoming sick, vomited forth even those it had previously swallowed." - Hom. xix. Few Fathers have taught the deliverance of all from Hades more clearly, (see especially his Paschal homilies,) than CYRIL of Alexandria, 412 A.D. He describes Christ as having spoiled Hades, and "left the devil there solitary and deserted." - Hom. Pasch. vii. And again, "Christ, wandering down even to Hades, has emptied the dark, hidden, unseen treasuries."- Glaphy in Gen. lib ii. I understand MAXIMUS of Turin, 422 A.D., to teach the same. "Christ," he says, "carried off to heaven man (mankind) whose cause He undertook, snatched from the jaws of Hades." - In Pent. Horn. ii. From THEODORET, 430 A.D., I take the following: Christ says to the devil, "I mean to open the prison of death for the rest, but will shut up you only You were justly despoiled of all your subjects." - De prov. Or. x. My next quotations are from S. PETER CHRYSOLOGUS, 433 A.D.: "The rule of hell perishes * and all obtain pardon (?)" (constat de venia jam totum). - Ser. lxxiv. PROCLUS, 434, A.D., Bishop of Constantinople, says: "Today Christ emptied the entire treasury of death." - In Dom. Pass. Or. xi. "All the dead, wondering at His Passion, cry for joy, 'we are healed by His stripes.' "-In Dom. Res. Or. xii.

My readers can now judge of the significance rightly attaching to such a catena of authorities, (which I might increase,) comprising as it does almost all the greatest names in the first four or five centuries. Fresh evidence might very easily be given down to the tenth or eleventh century, did space permit. I am wholly unable to perceive any reasonable grounds on which the argument can be met, which regards Universalism as the logical outcome of such teaching. If Christ delivered from Hades EVERY SOUL OF ADAM'S RACE up to the time of His Incarnation; if, e.g., every murderer, if every blasphemer and adulterer, though dying unrepentant, were at last evangelized and saved by Christ, then on what grounds can it be fairly or reasonably asserted that less mercy will be extended to that half of our race, who differ in this, that by no fault of their own they were born after the Incarnation? Is salvation - the final salvation or damnation of millions of immortal spirits - a question of chronology?

Those who are students of this subject may be asked to draw their own inference from the significant silence in which writers, on the traditional side, e.g., Dr. PUSEY, have left this branch of the question. I have already noticed the very striking fact of the disappearance, practically, in modern days, of this truly primitive and scriptural doctrine; and will now sum up, in the following beautiful lines of WHITTIER:

"Still Your Love, O Christ arisen,
Yearns to reach those souls in prison:
Through all depths of sin and loss,
Props the plummet of Your Cross;
Never yet abyss was found
Deeper than that Cross could sound."

Reference -:

Christ Triumphant

or 

Universalism Asserted 

as the Hope of the Gospel on the Authority 

of Reason, the Fathers, and Holy Scripture 

by 

Thomas Allin 

Reprint of the Ninth Edition 

Published in cooperation with the Saviour of All Fellowship 

by the Concordant Publishing Concern 

Christ Triumphant by Thomas Allin Ebook PDF

http://www.tentmaker.org/books/ChristTriumphant.htm