The Descent Into Hell

THE DESCENT INTO HELL

meaBniontgh otfhethBisibcloenfaensdsiotnheexCterneedds fcaornbfeesysonthdatwhCahtrimstaydibede.oBbsuetrvtehde othbrsoeurvgehs h"utmheanBeimblpeiriinccalludexesperinientchee. AafsfiFrmatahteiornKoafrlhRisahdneeart,h St.hJ.e, afuprptehaerrs atsosedretisocnriboef ahnisevdeenstcewnthicinhtotoohkellp."la1 cTe hbisetwlaetetner thaessedretaiothn oafndthreeswurorrekctoiofnreodfemCphtriiosnt. bTehtiwseienn ttuhren cprloascsesanidt atthetheemvpetryy thoemabrt. pArsimsiutcivheitChisurpcrho,f2esasnedd iisn ctohnetaAinpeodstlinesSCacrereedd, Swcarisptbuerleie.3veOdurincothnepcerornpohsietrioenisthnaott Cwhirtihst thdeescaecntdeodf ifnatiothhwelhlebreubtywwiteh atshseendtotcotrinthael content of that proposition. whicIhwraesfearssketdo tCohdriissctu'sssprthoicsladmoacttiroinne "intotetrhmessopfirIitsPewtehro 3w: e1re9-2in0 ptoristhoen,"livainndg IanPdetethre4-d6eawdh."ichFosrperaekassoonfs tthheatgowspilellsboeoinngbe"cpormeaechaepdapadreifnfte,reInbteplioeivnet tohfatviietwi.s Iimt spheorautlidvecotomeapapsronaochsutrhperisperotbolefmindfrothme golradnincearythrmoaunguhalasnoyf odfogtmheamtic rtehveeoallosgya ogfenliuttinlee hpeolpvehretyre.ofA mcaastutearl aonnytthhiisngqueliskteion".aThfuisndmaamyebnetalduceontosidtheeraftiaocnt thofat tfheew mofysthteermiesgivofe Christ's life in general."4 However that may be, it is my personal

19612)Opn. 6th5e. Theology of Death, tr. C. Kenkey (New York: Herder and Herder'

Dial2ogCufe. wSiatihntTrIgypnhaoti,us1,2-L9e9tt;erSaitont tIhreenMaeaugsn, eAsgiaanins,st 9H:2er;esSieasin, tboJouksti3n, cMhaaprty2ro'

n.

4
8

aCnfd.

BPo.okB4en, ociht,apO. 2.P2.,,

n". L1a.

Descente

aux

Enfers

selon

W.

Bieder,"

in'

Exé*gèKse. eRt aThhnéeorl,ogSi.eJ.,(PTahreiso:loLgeicsaÉl dIintvioenstsigdautioCnesr,f, t1r9. 6C1.) Evronl.st1,, O41P2-4(1B6.altim' ore-

Helicon Press, 1961) p. 11.

73

74

The Descent Into Hell

paperpseuaarsiwonithitnhatthethfreaminetwelolirgkibolfe "csoalnvtaetnitono-fhistthoerym."ystery will best DanTiehleou,mSa.jJo.,robfasecrtsveso,f5 etvheentshiwsthoircyh, oaflthsoaulgvhatitohneyaorcec,urasbuFt aotnhceer, cfahcatnogreinftooretvheer rtehleaticoonurosfe mofanspwiriitthuaGl ohdi.stIonrythbeyOilndtrToedsutcaimngenat,ntehwe cwoevreenaenvtenwtsithofAbthraishakmin, dth. eIncovtheneanNteowf STiensatia,mtheenet,leactlilonthoinfgDs atvhiadt, hdaapypHeneedwaisntathkeenliufepoffroCmhrtihsetir"fmroidmst,thweerbeapatlsisomevoefntJsohofn tuhnistikl inthde. cBeuntteirt iosfptrheecisneelwy wecitohninomthyeocfomsapllveaxtioofn,thtehaPtasthcheadl eMscyesntteroyf, Cathrtihset hinetoaphpeellarheads. meaning both for himself and for those before whom tureT.6hJeusftacats ohfisCahprpiseta'rsandceeatfhorisfocrlteyardlayyscoanfttaeirnehdis irnesSurarcercetdioSncwripaspbroodoyf rtehmataihneedreainllythroesetofmrobmwtahsepdreoaodf, tshoattoohethreeatlhlyreedideady. sAtnhdatjuhsist athsehbisurrieasluwrraesctmioonrewtahsanmoareprothoafnthaatprCoohfristthadtieCd.hErivstenlivtheod,ugsho ttohoe bthordeye odfayCshirtiswt awsadsepnroitvetdo osfeelicfeo,rrsuepptairoanted(Afcrtosm2:its27so-3u1l,),ansdtillevfeonr cthaolluegdhahycpadoastvaetri,caallydeuanditebdodtyo. tShoe bWesoirdde,sitbecionugldanin inalclontrtuesthtabblee bpruoroiafl tohfaJtesCuhsriinsdt icpaatsessedthetheroxutrgehmeanlimauitthoefntthiec Wstaotred'sofemdepatythin,gthoef himself for our salvation. I coHmomweenvder,mfyromspitrhiet,"moampernotblCehmrisatrissaeisd,w"hFiachth,eirn, ihnitso dtahyy, hSaanidnst hGorwegoOryurofLNorydssdai,sftroirbmuuteldatehdiminsetlhfesinetwo otrhdrse:e"pItlabceecsoamtesonucset:o ianstko othfeGboodw, ealss hofe tthoeldetahrethg,oaosdhtehiteofl:datnhde ipnhtoaritshseeehsa:nidnstoofthheispFaraatdhiesre,

19558)Cpf.p.T1h8e3-L2o0r2d. of History, tr. N. Abercrombie (London: Green and Co., « Cf. P. Benoit, loc. tit.

75 The Descent Into Hell

ains tietrims ssaoifdphlaecree.w"7ilAl nbye dasiscuunsssaitoinsfaofctothrey daessacnenitntoefrpCrhertiasttioinntoofhheilsl cahscaenngseiotnooikn ptlearcmesinofhisspsaocuel?wAhitchthceanmnoomt beentunofdeCrshtoroisdt'smdeerealtyh ina rteartemds forfomlochails mboodvyemitenbte.cFamore ffruolmly tghleormiooums eanntdhtirsiusmouplhwanats.8 seJupas-t aassceitnsiisonn,owsoqtuhietree aicscnepotagboloedtoreasspoenakwohfy awneinmvaisyibnleotanspdeaakvoisfibalne i"nFvaitshibelre, ainndtovtihsyiblheagnldosriIficcaotmiomn.eTndhums,yCshpriirsitt',s"pwraoyuelrd obne tahneswcreorsesd, wthaeymtohmeenfitrshte fbreugiatnohfisCpharsissat'gserferdoemmpthtiivsewosralcdritfoicethewonuelxdt. bIne tthhies pmloenmietundteheof"bdoiwviendehliisfehewadithanwd hdiicehd.h"iAs nsdouals wCahsrisetndwoawsetdhenat wtihthe wthoerdFsathheera,ddsore,stsoeod, ttoheDgiosmodast,hiCefhrwisotueldffebcetewdiathtrCahnrsiistti,onfofrrobmy tthhee J"eYwoiushshhoaplle boef pwairtahdimsee.t"o AthnedCshoristtoioan, nhoowpe, otofduanyi,onhowdiiteh, Cathrtihsits: imnosmheeonlt,foCrhtrhiset iwnaausgaulrsaotiwonithofththeesomuelssoifanthice kjuinsgtdwomho. were waiting in tThihsecsoonudlitoiof nC, hhreistapwpaesargeldoriifniedthaetmthidesmt oofmtehnet soofuhlsisodfetahteh jaunsdt., wHaiss atpopeefafreacntctheewirasstfaotur sthiemmmaendieavteelnyt aonf dprfoofroualnldesteigrnniiftyic.aTncheeywhhiacdh been waiting to claim an inheritance which was theirs by right but

7 8

HFierrset wSeermaroenapopnlytihnegRteosuthrreecmtiyosnteroyf

oCfhrthiset,dPesGc,envtool.f 2C5h, rciostl.in41to0.hell

the

"ocbesserrvéaflteioxnionPs. sBurenloeit,moOd.Pe.,dme al'dAesciennsrioegnarsdugtgoèrtehnet munyestedreyrnoièfretheet absiceennsuiotinle:

lmeçooinns. fErallgeislesnosuusr ilnavictoennsttituàtinoen pdaes cgeremvoerndec,e emtyestnèrpeartdi'ciumlaiegrinàatinoenspapslules lioeur

det'unpeérfiamçéoen." néInces"sLai'Aresceetncsoiomnp,"rominettEaxnétge—èseauxet Tvhueeoslodg'uiene (Pcoasrmiso:loLgeies aEndciiteinonnes

du Cerf, 1961) I, 408.

de 9m"éaripterèr,s leastmoprlte,inle'âmmeentduglCohrireiusts,edéegt agtréieomdepshalinetnes, duellceorepsst evtivaifyiaéne,t alachevviée

gSluoprpieleumseenst'épaaunoDuiicttioennnaeilrlee."deJ.BiCbhlea,înveo,l."D2,es4c1e8n.te du Christ aux Enfers," in

76

The Descent Into Hell

wSohibcehtwuepenunhtiisl dneoawth tahnedy rheasdurrbeecetnionpoCwherrilsetssdetsocetnadkeedpionstsoeshseiollnaonfd. borroduerghtot lteoadthtehesmoutlos Gofodth. eSajiunsttTthhoemeafsficsaeceys tthhiesiracgtriavcitey loafckCedhriisnt ionrihgeinllalassdinelivaenrdanctheeofhethaelisnegjuosft mtheen fdreofmecttuhse rceoctmums upnoiesnaaeffdeucetintgo htiuomn aonf nthaetulriefeaosfsugclohrayn.1d0 consisting of physical death and deprivamidTsth.isFolirfeforofmglothrye wmaosmthenetirsheasdsioeodn, saaslvCahtiroinst faoprpetahreedjuisnt twhehior sporencoewde,dtohdiamy,whaosdcieo,ntshuemymwaetered,wtihtheirhirmedaenmdpthieonwwasaswaitchhitehveemd.. AAnndd jtuhsetrehasdeetmoswtaoitbtewonodagyoso,d11 orerafsoorntyf-otwr osadyainygs,1t2hbaetfothree esnotuelrsinogf inthtoe pthoesskesinsigodnomof otfhehebaevaetinf.icIfvihseioanveans ias csotantcee,ivthedenofitams iaghptlabcee panodssitbhlee tBoudtiasstinsogounishastwhee erenftirnaenctheeinlotocaolnmeeftraopmhotrhsethpaotsswesesiaorne ofofrctheed otothuesre. innotshpinegakminogreoforthleessnethxat nwothrladt, tihtespeoemsssessaisonthoofugGhodthieny thareebseaaytiifnigc vteisxito,nthies wsohualt owf eCcharlilsthewaovuenld, asttillleabset tehsesefnitrisatllhyu.mEavnensoinulthtoisecnotnerhtheiasverenasaonnd tthoe pgoesnseesrsatitohnes gwlohriychanpdrehceadpepdineCshsriosft hheaadvetno. wAanidt ffoorr hthiseredesaetehmasntdo bbuerinaol breeafosoren efnotrertihnegmintotohtahvee jhoayds toof wheaaivt efno.r Bthuet cporerppoarreald asfcoernstihoenmoffCrohmristthbeeffooruentdaaktiinogn poofssetshseionwo"orlfd.t"heFkoirngtdhoemir

1 1 SS.aTi.n,t ITIIh,o5m2a,sSw; o7u, ladd hIa;ve8,Cahdri3s.t remain in hell until the moment of the

lriemsubrorecntoiotn.byAcdceolridvienrgingtothtehme AfrnogmelicheDll obctuotr, byChirmistmelidbieartealtyed bethsetowsoinugls oinn

them
12

t"hLeesbejautsitfeisc dveismioenu.rèCref.ntIldl,on5c2,e4n,coarde 1q.uarante-deux

jours

dans

les

limbes,

seanbljeouàissla'enncteréetouatuefociiesl."duH.boQnuhielulirey,de"Dlaesvciesnioten daeveJcesluesdaruoxit Eancqfeuriss,"etininaDmTiCs-,

vol. 4, p. 619.

77 The Descent Into Hell sseopual roafteCdhsriosutlsbetothheavfiersetnttoereendtehreathveerne,.it sufficed that the separated the Trohlies oifnvhiissibbloedgillyorriefiscuartrieocntioofn Cinhrtihset'scosnotuelxtinofnosawlvisaetiodnim-hiinsitsohreys. pTohretarnecseu.rrAecntdioEnawstielrl awliwllaystsilbl erermegaainrdtehdeassumanmeitveanntdocfencatepritaofl itmhetlihtruoruggichalthyeeaCr.huTrhche bgylorhifeircatteiaocnhionfgCohnritshtewrielslubrerecmtiaonni.feUstnetdiltotheuns Ccahnri"sbt eahpopledartsh,ehpelraecbeewlohwe,rewitthheyhilsabidodhyimp.r"esMenotreinovthere, ttohmisbisanndotalal qmuoersttiiso, n Cohf rmisterewaasppdeeaaradncaensd bhuitsofrerseuarlrietyct.ioFnor fdroumringthethedetardidusutimll rinemhaisinbslohoisd-vsitsaiibnleedvbicotdoyry. over death, not only in his sinless soul but intoItheilsl innowtertmimseoftoI ePxeptlearin3:w1h8y-2I0,hwavheicnhorteaddisscuasssefodllothwes:descent
jFuosrt, CtohrbirsitnsguuffserteodGfoodr.sAinlsthoonucgeh fpourtatlol, dtheaethjuisnt tfhoer ftlheeshuhnewmaasdebrhoiusgphrtoctolamliafetioinn tthoethsepirsipt.irIitns tihnepsripsiorint, hwehowernetfuasnedd oNboeadhiendcuerinlogngthaegobuwilhdiilnegGoofdtwheaitaerdk.patiently in the days of oIfr omnoedgelrann,cietswtihlrlobuegnhotthede cthoamtmtheenrteariisesonoen pIoPinetteorf, awghreetehmeernatnwciheennt dthifefilceualrtn;emdoasutthadomrsitcotmhaet tiot tirseoant eofof3:t1h9e:maollstagdrieffeictuhlatttetxhtes tienxtthies Nsweewpt Tthesetawmoernldt. oWf heixleegevteasriofurosmfatsimhieontso otfimien,tefrrpormetactieonnturyhavtoe tchernotuugryh, tihteisaghea-rldongtodfiisncdusasinoyn ootfhetrhepoteinxtt.o13f Saignrceeemtheentexpeegressiisstinogf
Apo1s3tolCofr.umU. (HPoalrzism:eLisettehr,ielSle.Ju.r,, C19o3m7m) epnpta.r7iu9s-17i9n. MEp.ísEto.laBsoi5sn5a.rdP,etOri.Pe.,t QJuuadtaree HduymCneesrf, B1a9p6t1is)maplpe.s Sd7a-1n0s9.laEP. reGm.ieSreelwEypni,treThede FPiriestrreEp(iPstaleris:ofLSeasinEtdiPtieotnesr (CLhorinsdtioann: BMaapctimsma:lliana aSntuddyCoo.,f 1I94P6e).teBr o3:R1e9ickaen,dTIhtes DCiosonbteexdtien(tCoSppeirnithsagaennd: Munksgaard).

78

The Descent Into Hell

pthoiosr tmexetthiosdnoolot gyyettounaatnteimmoputsltyo aegsrteaebdlisohn,thIe fdeoltcttrhinatalitcownotuelndt boef an article of faith on a disputed text. posiItniona Icohmamveenotuatrlyinoedn thheirse tiesxts,uFbsattahnetriaGllyalotth,aSt .Jo.f, tfheeelsauththaotrthofe IsouPnedtebr.u14t Fpearthhaepr sGeaxleogte'sticpaolsliytiopnremstraitkuerse.mIte wasoubldeinsgeemthe-aoslotghiocualglhy sthtoeodcoinntrtaesrtmbsetowf e"ebnod"fyleasnhdasnoduls.p"irTiht"isinwothueldtebxetmcaankninogt abeHuenbdreewrsfrpoemakrelickeenta eGxergeeekti.caHl oswtuedvieers, oofnethoeftethxet itshitnhgesfwachticthhahtatsheemauertgheodr hAapsobcreyepnhcaol nwsiodrekrsa,blsyucihnflausenthceedBboyokapoofcrEynpohcahl, ligtreardautuarlelyolfohsitsctriemdeit. iNnepwatrTisetisctatmimeenst. Awnrditelirtserawtuarse wrehgiacrhdefdormaesd tshuespbeacctk, grwoausndlaorfgtehlye nfoeugrlethc-tecdenatunrdy loCshtu. rTchheanBdoowk aosf loEsntocfrhomfelvl iienwtoudnitsiflavitorwwasithagathine dtuisrcyo.v16erHed. CinhaarnlesEltihsitospfieiftym-eainguhstcrpiapstsalgaetes iinn tthhee NeiegwhteTeensthtamceenn-t wwhhoiclhe arecfcloeucnt titosfinthfeluednecscee16ntanodf KCharrilstScinhteolklheelploiinntIs Pouetterthiast ctahset ". . . in mythologischer Einkleidung."11 a peTnheetrtahteinoglogsitcuadlysiogfnitfhiceanbceelieoff tohfisthpehepnroimmietnivoen cishutrhcehbmuraddeen boyf Ptia. nDismanei.élTohui,s Sis.Ja.,stiundyaofbowohkatehnatsitlteodbeTthhéeolfoirgsiteatdtuemJputdteoo-fCorhmrius-wlaates eaxpCrhersissetdianin tthheeoltohgoyu.gIhtt icsatneogtoroienslycuorfreSnetmaitticthoartigtiinmeb.uTt haelssoe were by and large supplied by the apocryphal literature of the time.

Revu1 4e CTfh.éoJl.ogGiqauleo,t,83S.J(1.,96"1L)appD.e4sc7e1n-4te91d. u Christ aux Enfers," in Nouvelle 19611 6) pCpf.. 1F4.S-W6.. Beare, The First Epistle of Peter (Oxford: Basil Blackwell, (Ox1f6orCdf:. 1R9.13H). vCohla. r2le,s,ppA.po1c8r0y-p1h.a and Pseudepigraphia of the Old Testament men1t7arCzf.umK.NeHu.enScTheeslktalem,en"Dt ie(HPeerdtreurs:brFireefieb,"urignimHeBrdreerissgatuh,eo1l9o6g1is)chpe.r10K7.om-

79 The Descent Into Hell AStnrdippinedthoisf citosntmexytthtihceayl dcilsoctuhsinsegd, tthhee ddeosccterinnte ofofCthhreistdeinsctoenht eollf. CChhrriisstt'sinvtiocthoerlyl oasvebreldieevatehd, isnint,haendprSimatiatinv.eHCehpurrocchlaiismseimd phliys vthicattooryf uovnererpSenattaannt bbyy scuobnjfeicrtminingghtihmeirtosehnitsenpcoew, earn, dovbeyr ltihboesreatiwnhgo thdoiesde who died believing in the coming of a Messiah. aspeTchtse. Esiancghleomf tyhsetseerystorefssCehsraispt'sarpt aosfsitnhge tLoortdh'es Fsaavthinegr whoasrk.mTanhye tdhiveiirnehpisotworeircaolf tpheershpyepctoivstea,ticthueniionndiwviadsupalresaecntts inofalslaolvfatthioenm.aIrne ignrtoeugpr,ali.ep.a,ratss oafctaiounnsifuiseeddwinhsotlreu.mBeunttawllhyenbythtehye adrievicnoenspiodwereerd, tahsena tshoeuyls aorfethpeotjeunsttiawl epraertesndoofwtehde woniteh stahveinbgeaatcifti.cIvnistihoins bcyonmteexatn,sthofe rtheme aeifnfeicdiehnyt pinossttrautimcaelnlytalunciatuesdaltiotythoef pCehrrsiosnt'sofsetphaeraWteodrds.ouBluwt hliickhe owuhriscehlveths,e thboeydilmyursetsustrirlelcatiwoanitotfheCh"rreisdtemisptbiootnh otfhetheeixrembopdlaiers"anodf efficient instrumental cause.
SBtE.RMTIiNchFaAeRl'sRELML,onCa.sPte. ry Union City, New Jersey