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The Harrowing of Hell is a doctrine in Christian theology referenced in the Apostles' Creed and the Athanasian Creed (Quicumque vult), which states that Jesus "descended into Hell". Christian Theology is discourse concerning Christian faith Christian theologians use biblical Exegesis, rational analysis and argument The Athanasian Creed ( Quicumque vult) is a statement of Christian Trinitarian doctrine and Christology which has been used in Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) Hell, according to many Religious beliefs, is a location in the Afterlife, which may be described as a place of suffering His descent to the underworld has been termed the most controversial phrase in the Apostles' Creed. The descent to the Underworld is a Mytheme of Comparative mythology found in the Religions of the Ancient Near East up to and including [1]

Contents

Terminology

Christ's Descent into Limbo by Andrea Mantegna and studio, c. 1470.
Christ's Descent into Limbo by Andrea Mantegna and studio, c. See also Intermediate state Purgatory|Heaven|Sheol|Hades in Christianity|Hell in Christianity In Roman Catholic theology Limbo (Latin limbus Andrea Mantegna (c 1431 &ndash September 13, 1506) was an Italian Renaissance artist a student of Roman Archeology, and son in law of 1470.

The Greek wording in the Apostles' Creed is κατελθόντα εἰς τὰ κατώτατα, ("katelthonta eis ta katôtata"), and in Latin descendit ad inferos. Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. The Greek τὰ κατώτατα ("the lowest") and the Latin inferos ("those below") may also be translated as "underworld", "netherworld", or as "abode of the dead". In the study of Mythology and Religion, the underworld (gr κάτω κόσμος) is a generic term approximately equivalent to the lay term Afterlife Thus, sometimes this phrase is translated as "descended to the dead. " The first use of the English "harrowing" in this context is in homilies of Aelfric, ca. Ælfric may refer to Ælfric Cild, late 10th century Anglo-Saxon Ealdorman from Northamptonshire and Huntingdonshire Ælfric of Abingdon 1000. Harrow is a by-form of harry, a military term meaning to "make predatory raids or incursions"[2]. The term "Harrowing of Hell" refers not merely to the idea that Christ descended into Hell, as in the Creed, but to the rich tradition that developed later, asserting that he triumphed over inferos, releasing Hell's captives, particularly Adam and Eve, and the righteous men and women of Old Testament times. Adam (אָדָם ʼĀḏām, "dust man mankind" آدم; Ge'ez: አዳ and Eve (חַוָּה Ḥawwā, "living In Western Christianity, the Old Testament refers to the books that form the first of the two-part Christian Biblical canon.

Biblical sources

The doctrine is inferred from a particular interpretation of the following verses.

  • 1 Peter 3:19–20 says that Jesus "went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison, who in former times did not obey, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah…. "[3]
  • 1 Peter 4:6 says that the gospel was "proclaimed even to the dead…" (NRSV). The New Revised Standard Version ( NRSV) of the Bible, released in 1989, is a thorough revision of the Revised Standard Version (RSV ("εἰς τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ νεκροῖς εὐηγγελίσθη… ")

A reference in 2 Corinthians 2:14 has been interpreted by some to include the harrowing of Hell: "But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads in every place the fragrance that comes from knowing him"[4]

The Harrowing of Hell, depicted in the Petites Heures de Jean de Berry, 14th c. illuminated manuscript
The Harrowing of Hell, depicted in the Petites Heures de Jean de Berry, 14th c. illuminated manuscript
This is why it says: "When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men. An illuminated manuscript is a Manuscript in which the text is supplemented by the addition of decoration such as decorated Initials borders and Described by William Barclay as the "Queen of the Epistles" the Epistle to the Ephesians is one of the books of the Bible in the New " (What does "he ascended" mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the Heavens, in order to fill the whole universe). (NRSV)
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.
This is a truncated paraphrase adapting Psalm 68:18, with a changed point of view: "When you 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. Exegesis (from the Greek 'to lead out' involves an extensive and critical interpretation of an authoritative text, especially of a Holy The word for "lower parts" (the comparative form: τὰ κατώτερα) is similar to the word used for "Hell" in the Greek version of the Apostles Creed (the superlative form: τὰ κατώτατα, English: "lowest [places]"). Noted New Testament theologian Frank Stagg identifies three views of this passage from Ephesians:[5]
  • Jesus' burial, or
  • His descent into the underworld or Hell, or
  • His Incarnation as an act of deep humility. Incarnation which literally means embodied in flesh, refers to the conception and birth of a sentient creature (generally a human who is the (see Philippians 2)

Early Christian teaching

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, as it always is in the East.
In Harrowing of Hades, fresco in the parecclesion of the Chora Church, Istanbul, c. The Chora Church ( Turkish Kariye Müzesi, Kariye Camii, or Kariye Kilisesi — the Chora Museum Mosque or Church) is considered to Istanbul (historically Byzantium and later Constantinople; see the other Names of Istanbul) is the largest city of Turkey 1315, raising Adam and Eve is depicted as part of the Resurrection icon, as it always is in the East.

The Harrowing of Hell was taught by theologians of the early church: St. Theology is the study of a god or the gods from a religious perspective Melito of Sardis (died ca 180) Homily on the Passion; Tertullian (A Treatise on the Soul, 55), Hippolytus (Treatise on Christ and Anti-Christ) and Origen (Against Celsus, 2:43). Saint Melito of Sardis (died c180 was the bishop of Sardis, near Smyrna in Asia Minor, and a great authority Jerome, speaking of the Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus, Anglicised as Tertullian, (ca For places named after the saint see Saint-Hippolyte Saint Hippolytus of Rome (c Origen ( Greek: Ōrigénēs, or Origen Adamantius, ca 185–ca Contra Celsus, or (in correct classical Latin Contra Celsum, is the title of a major work by the Church Father Origen of Alexandria, refuting the anti-Christian and, later, St. Ambrose (died 397) all wrote of the Harrowing of Hell. Saint Ambrose (c 338 &ndash 4 April 397) was a bishop of Milan who became one of the most influential ecclesiastical figures of the fourth century

The Gospel of Matthew relates that immediately after Christ died, the earth shook, the veil in the Temple was torn in two, and many people rose from the dead and walked about in Jerusalem testifying. According 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 Acts of Pilate (Latin Acta Pilati Greek Πράξεις Πιλάτου) is a book of the New Testament Pseudepigrapha Lazarus ( Hebrew: אלעזר Elʿāzār Eleazar "God (has helped" is the name of two separate men mentioned in the New Testament. The hymns proper to the weekend suggest that John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus in Hell by prophesying to those held there that Christ would soon release them, just as he prepared the way for Jesus on earth.

In the Acts of Pilate—usually incorporated with the widely-read medieval Gospel of Nicodemus—texts built around an original that might have been as old as the 3rd century A. The Acts of Pilate (Latin Acta Pilati Greek Πράξεις Πιλάτου) is a book of the New Testament Pseudepigrapha D. with many improvements and embroidered interpolations, chapters 17 to 27 are called the Decensus Christi ad Inferos. They contain a dramatic dialogue between Hades and prince Satan, and the entry of the King of Glory, imagined as from within Tartarus (see link below). The richest, most 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 separate scene to depict it, or in passing references in Dante's Inferno. Mystery plays and Miracle plays are among the earliest formally developed plays in Medieval Europe. The subject is found also in the Cornish mystery plays and the York and Wakefield cycles: see Mystery play. Mystery plays and Miracle plays are among the earliest formally developed plays in Medieval Europe. These medieval versions of the story do not derive from the bare suggestion made in the Epistle ascribed to Peter, but come from the Gospel of Nicodemus.

Conceptions of the afterlife

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.
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. Methuselah or Metushélach ( is the oldest person whose age is mentioned in the Hebrew Bible. King Solomon ( Ge'ez: ስለሞን Arabic: ar سليمان, Sulayman, all from the Triliteral root S-L-M, "peace" The Queen of Sheba (ንግሥተ ሳባ, 'מלכת שבא, ملكة سبأ) was the woman who ruled the ancient kingdom of Sheba and is referred to in Habeshan See also Adam and Eve Adam ( Hebrew: אָדָם was according to a literal interpretation of Genesis, the first man created by In Genesis, Eve is the first woman the wife of Adam. God created her from Adam's rib as his helpmate

The Old Testament states that Job and other righteous men went to Sheol when they died, as did David and the other psalmists. In Western Christianity, the Old Testament refers to the books that form the first of the two-part Christian Biblical canon. The Book of Job ( איוב) is one of the books of the Hebrew Bible. Sheol (pronounced "Sheh-ole" in Hebrew שאול (Sh'ol is the "abode of the dead" the " Underworld " "the common David, Arabic: داوود or داود dawud, "beloved" was the second king of the united Kingdom of Israel according to the Hebrew Bible Psalms ( Hebrew: Tehilim, תהילים, or "praises" is a book of the Hebrew Bible (the Christian Old Testament) included No Hebrew figure ever descended into Sheol and returned, although an apparition of the recently deceased Samuel briefly appeared to Saul when summoned by the witch of Endor. In the First book of Samuel (an ancient Jewish prophetic book included in the collection of texts known to Christians as the Old Testament) chapter, the Parts of the New Testament can be read as drawing a distinction between Sheol, the common "place of the dead" in Hebrew [sh°'ôl], and Gehenna, the lake of eternal fire where the evil dead are tormented. for the Polish film see Gehenna (film See also Jewish eschatology Gehennam (or gehenom or gehinom (גהינום is English accounts are not always mindful of this distinction, and the two destinations may both be rendered Hell.

The Hellenistic views of heroic descent into the Underworld and successful return follow traditions that are far older than the mystery religions popular at the time of Christ. Mystery Religions, Sacred Mysteries or simply Mysteries, were "religious cults of the Graeco-Roman The Epic of Gilgamesh includes such a scene, and it appears also in Odyssey XI. The Epic of Gilgamesh is an epic poem from Ancient Mesopotamia and is among the earliest known works of literary fiction. The Odyssey ( Greek: Ὀδύσσεια or Odússeia) is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. Writing shortly before the birth of Jesus, Vergil included it in the Aeneid. Publius Vergilius Maro ( October 15, 70 BCE &ndash September 21, 19 BCE later called Virgilius, and known in English as Virgil or For the group of nine Ancient Egyptian deities see Ennead. The Aeneid (əˈniːɪd in 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 important part of their liturgy. This article refers to the religious act For the album by Michael W The Eleusinian Mysteries (Ἐλευσίνια Μυστήρια were initiation ceremonies held every year for the cult of Demeter and Persephone The Mithraic Mysteries or Mysteries of Mithras (also Mithraism) was a Roman mystery religion which became popular among the military in the late A liturgy is the customary public worship done by a specific religious group according to their particular traditions Again, this has earlier parallels, in particular with the worship of Osiris. Osiris ( Greek language, also Usiris; the Egyptian language name is variously transliterated Asar, Aser, Ausar, Ausir The ancient homily on The Lord's Descent into Hell may mirror these traditions by referring to baptism as a symbolic death and rebirth. In Christianity, baptism ( Greek, "immersing" "performing Ablutions " is the ritual act with the use of water by which one is admitted (cf. Colossians 2:9–15) Or, these traditions of Mithraism may be drawn from early Christian homilies. The Epistle to the Colossians is a book of the Bible New Testament.

Interpretations of the doctrine

Roman Catholic

There is an ancient homily on the subject, of unknown authorship, usually entitled The Lord's Descent into Hell that is the second reading at Matins on Holy Saturday in the Roman Catholic Church. A homily is a commentary that follows a reading of scripture In the Roman Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion, and in the Eastern Orthodox Church Canonical hours are divisions of time developed by the Christian Church, serving as increments between the prescribed Prayers of the daily round Holy Saturday ( Latin: Sabbatum Sanctum) is the day after Good Friday.

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 death for us conquered death and the devil 'who has the power of death' (Heb 2:14). The Catechism of the Catholic Church, or CCC, is an official exposition of the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church and the twenty-two In his human soul united to his divine person, the dead Christ went down to the realm of the dead. He opened Heaven's gates for the just who had gone before him. "[6]

As the Catechism says, the word "Hell" — in Latin, infernus, infernum, inferi; in Greek, ᾍδης (Hades); in Hebrew, שאול (Sheol) — is used in Scripture and the Apostles' Creed to refer to the abode of all the dead, whether righteous or evil, unless or until they are admitted to Heaven (CCC 633). Hades (from Greek, Hadēs, originally, Haidēs or, Aidēs, probably from Indo-European *n̥-wid- 'unseen' refers both to the ancient This abode of the dead is the "Hell" into which the Creed says Christ descended. His death freed from exclusion from Heaven 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 Catechism, 1,6,3. During the Catholic Reformation, the Council of Trent commissioned the Roman Catechism (or Catechism of the Council of Trent published 1566) to expound His death was of no avail to the damned.

Conceptualization of the abode of the dead as a place, though possible and customary, is not obligatory (Church documents, such as catechisms, speak of a "state or place"). When used, this involves assigning to different sections of it the souls of people whether good or evil. In this case it can be said that Christ did not go to the imagined place of the damned, which is what is generally understood today by the word "Hell". For instance, Thomas Aquinas taught that Christ did not descend into the "Hell of the lost" in his essence, but only by the effect of his death, through which "he put them to shame for their unbelief and wickedness: but to them who were detained in Purgatory he gave hope of attaining to glory: while upon the holy Fathers detained in Hell solely on account of original sin, he shed the light of glory everlasting. See also Intermediate state Limbo|Heaven|Sheol|Hades in Christianity|Hell in Christianity Purgatory, in the original sense is the condition or process of purification Original sin is according to a doctrine in Catholic theology, humanity's state of Sin resulting from the Fall of Man. "[7]

Eastern Orthodox

Russian icon of Christ leading the righteous out of Hades (17th century, Solovetsky Monastery).
Russian icon of Christ leading the righteous out of Hades (17th century, Solovetsky Monastery). General history The use and making of Icons entered Kievan Rus' following its conversion to Orthodox Christianity in 988 A Hades (from Greek, Hadēs, originally, Haidēs or, Aidēs, probably from Indo-European *n̥-wid- 'unseen' refers both to the ancient Solovetsky Monastery (Соловецкий монастырь was the greatest Citadel of Christianity in the Russian North before being turned into a special

Saint John Chrysostom's Paschal Homily also addresses the Harrowing of Hades, and is typically read during the Paschal Vigil, the major service of the Eastern Orthodox celebration of Pascha (Easter). This article refers to the Christian saint For other uses of the name see Chrysostomos. The Paschal homily or sermon (also known in Greek as Hieratikon or as the Catechetical Homily) of St John Chrysostom is read aloud The Easter Vigil, also called the Paschal Vigil or the Great Vigil of Easter, is a service held in many Christian churches as the first official celebration Easter ( Greek: Πάσχα Pascha or Pasxa) is the most important religious feast in the Christian Liturgical year.

In the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Harrowing of Hades is celebrated anually on Holy and Great Saturday, during the Vesperal Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil. The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world Holy Saturday ( Latin: Sabbatum Sanctum) is the day after Good Friday. Vespers is the evening Prayer service in the Roman Catholic, Eastern (Byzantine Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox, liturgies of the The Liturgy of Saint Basil or more formally the Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great, is a term for several Eastern Christian celebrations of the Divine At the beginning of the service, the hangings in the church and the vestments worn by the clergy are all somber Lenten colours (usually purple or black). An antependium (Latin "to hang before" pl antependia) more commonly known as a hanging, or when speaking specifically of the hanging Vestments are liturgical garments and articles associated primarily with the Christian religions especially the Latin Rite and other Roman Catholics Great Lent, or the Great Fast, is the most important Fasting season in the Church year in Eastern Christianity, which prepares Christians Then , just before the Gospel reading, the liturgical colors are changed white and the deacon performs a censing, and the priest strews laurel leaves around the church, in celebration of the harrowing of Hades then taking place, and in anticipation of Christ's imminent resurrection. This article is about the canonical books of the New Testament Liturgical colours are those specific colours which are used for Vestments and hangings within the context of Christian Liturgy. A thurible is a metal Censer suspended from chains in which Incense is burned during Worship services

Harrowing of Hades, an icon by Dionisius, from the Ferapontov Monastery.
Harrowing of Hades, an icon by Dionisius, from the Ferapontov Monastery. Dionysius, also spelled Dionisy or Dionisius the Wise, was acknowledged as a head of the Moscow school of Icon painters at the turn of the 15th The Ferapontov convent (Ферапонтов монастырь in the Vologda region of Russia, is considered one of the purest examples of Russian medieval

The Harrowing of Hades is generally more common and prominent in Orthodox iconography compared to the Western tradition. Iconography is the branch of Art history which studies the identification description and the interpretation of the content of images It is the traditional icon for Holy Saturday, and is used during the Paschal season and on Sundays throughout the year. An icon (from Greek εἰκών eikōn, "image" is a religious work of art most commonly a painting from Eastern Christianity. Holy Saturday ( Latin: Sabbatum Sanctum) is the day after Good Friday. Eastertide, or the Easter Season, or Paschal Time, is the period of fifty days from Easter Sunday to Pentecost Sunday Sunday is the day of the week between Saturday and Monday. In the Jewish law it is the first day of the Hebrew calendar week

The traditional Eastern Orthodox icon of the Resurrection of Jesus does not depict simply the physical act of Jesus' coming out of the Tomb, but rather it depicts what Orthodox Christians believe to be the spiritual reality of what his Death and Resurrection accomplished. Within the body of Christian beliefs the resurrection of Jesus is a core event on which much of Christian doctrine and theology depend The Church of the Holy Sepulchre (Sanctum Sepulchrum also called the Church of the Resurrection, ( Greek: Ναός της Αναστάσεως Naos tis Anastaseos

The icon shows Jesus, vested in white and gold to symbolize his divine majesty, standing on the brazen gates of Hades (also called the "Doors of Death"), which are broken and have fallen in the form of a cross, illustrating the belief that by his death on the cross, Jesus trampled down death (see Paschal troparion). He is holding Adam and Eve and pulling them up out of Hades. See also Adam and Eve Adam ( Hebrew: אָדָם was according to a literal interpretation of Genesis, the first man created by In Genesis, Eve is the first woman the wife of Adam. God created her from Adam's rib as his helpmate Traditionally, he is not shown holding them by the hands, but by their wrists, to illustrate the theological teaching that mankind could not pull himself out of his ancestral sin, but that it could come about only by the work (energia) of God. Ancestral sin (προπατορική αμαρτία or el προπατορικό αμάρτημα more rarely el προγονική αμαρτία is the object of a Christian doctrine The Energia (or Energiya, Энергия in Russian, meaning Energy) Rocket was a Soviet rocket that was designed Jesus is surrounded by various righteous figures from the Old Testament (Abraham, David, etc. In Western Christianity, the Old Testament refers to the books that form the first of the two-part Christian Biblical canon. Abraham ( Ashkenazi   Avrohom or Avruhom; ابراهيم, {{Unicode|Ibrāhīm}}; Ge'ez: David, Arabic: داوود or داود dawud, "beloved" was the second king of the united Kingdom of Israel according to the Hebrew Bible ); the bottom of the icon depicts Hades as a chasm of darkness, often with various pieces of broken locks and chains strewn about. Quite frequently, one or two figures are shown in the darkness, bound in chains, who are generally identified as personifications of Death and/or the Devil. Death is the termination of the biological functions that define living Organisms It refers both to a specific The Devil is the

Protestant

Martin Luther, in a sermon delivered in Torgau in 1533, stated that Christ descended into Hell. Martin Luther (November 10 1483 February 18 1546 was a German Monk, theologian, university professor Father of Protestantism, and church reformer

The Formula of Concord (a Lutheran confession) states, "we believe simply that the entire person, God and human being, descended to Hell after his burial, conquered the devil, destroyed the power of Hell, and took from the devil all his power. Formula of Concord ( 1577) ( Latin: Formula concordiae, " Harmony Concord " also the " Bergic Book " is an authoritative " (Solid Declaration, Art. IX)

Lutherans believe that Jesus went to Hell to celebrate his victory over Satan and to preach to the spirits in prison. (1 Peter 3:18-20) He did not suffer in Hell because his suffering ended when he said, "It is finished. " (John 19:30) Christ's atonement for sin was over on the cross.

The Calvinist position is that if Christ had descended into Hell (place of eternal suffering), he would have had to bear God's Curse. Calvinism (sometimes called the Reformed tradition, the Reformed faith, or Reformed theology) is a theological system and an approach to the Dammit redirects here to see the Opeth album see Damnation (album. John Calvin expressed his concern that many Christians "have never earnestly considered what it is or means that we have been redeemed from God's judgment. John Calvin (or Jean Calvin) (10 July 1509 – 27 May 1564 was a French Protestant theologian during the Protestant Reformation and Yet this is our wisdom: duly to feel how much our salvation cost the Son of God. " Calvin's conclusion is that "Christ's descent into Hell was necessary for Christians' atonement, because Christ did in fact endure the penalty for the sins of the redeemed. The atonement is a doctrine found within both Christianity and Judaism. [8]

Latter-day Saints

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 ("Mormons") usually call it by other terms, such as "Christ's visit to the spirit world. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the fourth largest Christian denomination in the United States and the largest and most well-known " Like Christian exegetes distinguishing between Sheol and Gehenna, Latter-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 as "paradise".

Perhaps the most notable aspect of Latter-day 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, explained in what is now a canonized revelation, that when Christ died, "there were gathered together in one place an innumerable company of the spirits of the just, . Joseph Fielding Smith Sr ( November 13, 1838 &ndash November 19, 1918) was the sixth president of The Church of Jesus Christ . . rejoicing together because the day 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, 15-16).

In the LDS view, while Christ announced freedom from physical death to the just, he had another 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 go forth and carry the light 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 knowledge of the truth, or in transgression, having rejected the prophets" (D&C 138:29-30, 32).

In literature

The Harrowing of Hell, by Michael Burghers (1647/8–1727)
The Harrowing of Hell, by Michael Burghers (1647/8–1727)

References

  1. ^ D. Bruce Lockerbie, The Apostle's Creed: Do You Really Believe It ( Victor Books, Wheaton, IL) 1977:53-54, on-line text.
  2. ^ OED
  3. ^ New Revised Standard Version. The Oxford English Dictionary ( OED) published by the Oxford University Press (OUP is a comprehensive Dictionary of the English In the original Greek: "ἐν ᾧ καὶ τοῖς ἐν φυλακῇ πνεύμασιν πορευθεὶς ἐκήρυξεν, ἀπειθήσασίν ποτε ὅτε ἀπεξεδέχετο ἡ τοῦ θεοῦ μακροθυμία ἐν ἡμέραις Νῶε… . "
  4. ^ NRSV "τῶ δὲ θεῶ χάρις τῶ πάντοτε θριαμβεύοντι ἡμᾶς ἐν τῶ χριστῶ καὶ τὴν ὀσμὴν τῆς γνώσεως αὐτοῦ φανεροῦντι δι᾽ ἡμῶν ἐν παντὶ τόπῳ. "
  5. ^ Stagg, Frank. New Testament Theology. Nashville: Broadman, p. 311.
  6. ^ Catechism of the Catholic Church 636–7
  7. ^ Summa Theologica, III, 52, art. 2
  8. ^ Center for Reformed Theology and Apologetics

See also

External links

Christian mythology ( μῦθος (mythos in Greek is the body of traditional Narratives associated with Christianity. The descent to the Underworld is a Mytheme of Comparative mythology found in the Religions of the Ancient Near East up to and including

Dictionary

Harrowing of Hell

-phrase

  1. (Christian theology) The freeing of the souls of the dead from Sheol (or Hades; traditionally called hell) by Christ between his death and resurrection.
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