The Catechism of the Council of Trent/Part 1: Article 5
ARTICLE V
" HE DESCENDED INTO HELL, THE THIRD DAY HE AROSE AGAIN FROM THE DEAD."
"HE DESCENDED INTO HELL"] To know the glory of the sepulture of our Lord Jesus Christ, of which we have last treated, is highly important; but of still higher importance is it to the faithful to know the splendid triumphs which he obtained, by having subdued the devil and despoiled the powers of hell. Of these triumphs, and, also, of his resurrection, we are now about to speak; and, although the latter presents to us a subject which might with propriety, be treated under a separate and distinct head, yet, following the example of the holy Fathers, we have deemed it judicious to imbody it with his descent into hell.
In the first part of this Article, then, we profess that, immediately after the death of Christ, his soul descended into hell, and dwelt there whilst his body remained in the grave: and also that the same Person of Christ was, at the same time, in hell and in the sepulchre. Nor should this excite our surprise; for we have already, frequently said, that although his soul was separated from his body, his divinity was never separated from soul or body.
But as the pastor, by explaining the meaning of the word hell, in this place, may throw considerable light on the exposition of this Article, it is to be observed, that by the word hell, is not here meant the sepulchre, as some have not less impiously than ignorantly, imagined; for, in the preceding Article we learned that Christ was buried: and there was no reason why the Apostles, in delivering an article of faith, should repeat the same thing in other and more obscure terms. Hell, then, here signifies those secret abodes in which are detained the souls that have not been admitted to the regions of bliss; a sense in which the word is frequently used in Scripture. Thus, the Apostle says, that, " at the name of Jesus, every knee should bend, of those that are in heaven, on earth and in hell;" [1] and in the Acts of the Apostles, Peter says, that Christ the Lord was again risen, " having loosed the sorrows of hell." [2]
These abodes are not all of the same nature, for amongst them, is that most loathsome and dark prison in which the souls of the damned are buried with the unclean spirits, in eternal and inextinguishable fire. This dread abode is called Gehenna, the bottom less pit, and, strictly speaking, means hell. Amongst them is also the fire of purgatory, in which the souls of just men are cleansed by a temporary punishment, in order to be admitted into their eternal country, " into which nothing defiled entereth." [3] The truth of this doctrine founded, as holy councils declare, [4] on Scripture, and confirmed by apostolical tradition, demands diligent and frequent exposition, proportioned to the circumstances of the times in which we live, when men endure not sound doctrine. Lastly, the third kind of abode is that into which the souls of the just, who died before Christ, were received, and where, without experiencing any sort of pain, and supported by the blessed hope of redemption, they enjoyed peaceful repose. To liberate these souls, who, in the bosom of Abraham, were expecting the Saviour, Christ the Lord descended into hell.
But we are not to imagine that his power and virtue only, but we are also firmly to believe that his soul also, really and substantially descended into hell, according to this conclusive testimony of David: " Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell." [5] But, although Christ descended into hell, his supreme power was still the same; nor was the splendour of his sanctity in any degree obscured. His descent served rather to prove, that what ever has been already said of his sanctity was true; and that as he had previously demonstrated by so many miracles, he was truly the Son of God.
This we shall easily understand by comparing the descent of Christ, in its causes and circumstances, with that of the just - They descended as captives: [6] He as free and victorious amongst the dead, to subdue those demons by whom, in consequence of primeval guilt, they were held in captivity they descended, some to endure the mos" acute torments, others, though exempt from actual pain, yet deprived of the vision of God, and of the glory for which they sighed, and consigned to the torture of suspense; Christ the Lord descended, not to suffer, but to liberate from suffering the holy and the just who were held in painful captivity, and to impart to them the fruit of his passion. His supreme dignity and power, therefore, suffered no diminution by his descent into hell.
Having explained these things, the pastor will, next, proceed to teach that the Son of God descended into hell, that, clothed with the spoils of the arch-enemy, he may conduct into heaven those holy fathers, and the other just souls, whose liberation from prison he had already purchased. This he accomplished in an admirable and glorious manner, for his august presence, at once shed a celestial lustre upon the captives; filled them with inconceivable joy; and imparted to them that supreme happiness which consists in the vision of God; thus verifying his promise to the thief on the cross: " Amen, I say to thee, this day thou shall be with me in Paradise." [7] This, deliverance of the just was, long before, predicted by Ozeas, in these words: " O Death! I will be thy death, Hell! I will be thy bite:" [8] and also by the prophet Zachary: " Thou, also, by the blood of thy testament, hast sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water ," [9] and lastly, the same is expressed by the Apostle in these words: " Despoiling the principalities and powers, he hath exposed them confidently, openly triumphing over them in himself." [10]
However, to comprehend still more clearly the efficacy of this mystery, we should frequently call to mind, that not only those who were born after the coming of the Saviour, but, also, those who preceded that event from the days of Adam, or shall succeed it to the consummation of time, are included in the redemption purchased by the death of Christ. Before his death and resurrection, heaven was closed against every child of Adam; the souls of the just, on their departure from this life, were borne to the bosom of Abraham; or, as is still the case with those who require to be freed from the stains of sin, or die indebted to the divine justice, were purified in the fire of purgatory.
Another reason, also, why Christ descended into hell is, that there, as well as in heaven and on earth he may proclaim his power and authority; and that " every knee of things in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, should bend at his name." [11] And here, who is not filled with admiration and astonishment when he contemplates the infinite love of God to man! Not satisfied with having undergone for our sake a most cruel death he penetrates the inmost recesses of the earth, to transport into bliss the souls whom he so dearly loved, and whose liberation from prison he had achieved at the price of his blood!
We now come to the second part of the Article, and how indefatigable should be the labours of the pastor in its exposition; we learn from these words of the Apostle to Timothy; "Be mindful that the Lord Jesus Christ is risen again from the dead:" [12] words no doubt, addressed not only to Timothy, but to all who have care of souls. But the meaning of the Article is, that after Christ the Lord had expired on the cross, on the sixth day and ninth hour, and was buried on the evening of the same day by his disciples, who with the permission of the governor Pilate, laid the body of the Lord, when taken down from the cross, in a new tomb, in a garden near at hand; his soul was reunited to his body, early on the morning of the third day after his death, that is on the Lord s-day; and thus he, who was dead during those three days, returned to life, and rose from the embraces of the tomb. By the word resurrection, however, we are not merely to understand that Christ was raised from the dead; a privilege common with him to many others: but that he rose by his own power and virtue, a singular prerogative peculiar to him alone; for it is incompatible with our nature, nor was it ever given to man to raise himself, by his own power, from death to life. This was an exercise of power reserved for the omnipotent hand of God, as these words of the Apostle declare; " for, although he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God." [13] This divine power, having never been separated, either from his body whilst in the grave, or from his soul whilst disunited from his body, existed in both, and gave to both a capability of reuniting; and thus did the Son of God, by his own power, return to life, and rise again from the dead. This David foretold, when, filled with the spirit of God, he prophesied in these words: " His right hand hath wrought for him salvation, and his arm is holy." [14] This we, also, have from the divine lips of the Redeemer himself: "I lay down my life," says he, " that I may take it again; and I have power to lay it down, and power to take it again." [15] To the Jews he also said, in confirmation of his doctrine: " Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." [16] Although the Jews understood him to have spoken thus of the magnificent temple of Jerusalem, built of stone: yet, as the Scripture, testifies in the same place, " he spoke of the temple of his body." [17] We sometimes, it is true, read in Scripture, that he was raised by the Father; [18] but this refers to him as man; as those passages, which, on the other hand, say that he rose by his own power, relate to him as God. [19]
It is also the peculiar privilege of Christ to have been the first who enjoyed this divine prerogative of rising from the dead, for he is called in Scripture the first begotten of the dead:" [20] and also, " the first born from the dead;" [21] the Apostle also says, " Christ is risen from the dead, the first fruits of them that sleep: for by a man came death, and by a man the resurrection of the dead: and, as in Adam all die, so, also, in Christ all shall be made alive; but every one in his own order; the first fruits Christ, then they that are of Christ, who have believed in his coming." [22] These words of the Apostle are to be understood of a perfect resurrection, by which we are resuscitated to eternal life, being no longer subject to death. In this resurrection Christ the Lord holds the first place; for, if we speak of resurrection, that is, of a return to life, subject to the necessity of again dying, many were thus raised from the dead before Christ; [23] all of whom, however, were restored to life to die again; but Christ the Lord, having conquered death, rose again to die no more, according to this clear testimony of the Apostle: " Christ rising again from the dead, dieth now no more, death shall no longer have dominion over him." [24]
"THE THIRD DAY"] In explanation of these additional words of the Article, the pastor will inform the people, that Christ did not remain in the grave during the entire of these three days, but, as he lay in the sepulchre during an entire natural day, during part of the preceding day, and part of the following, he is said, with strictest truth, to have lain in the grave for three days, and on the third day, to have risen again from the dead. To declare his divinity, he deferred not his resurrection to the end of the world; whilst at the same time, to prove his humanity, and the reality of his death, he rose not immediately, but on the third day alter his death, a space of time sufficient to prove that he had really died.
Here the Fathers of the first Council of Constantinople added the words, "according to the Scriptures," which they received from Apostolical tradition, and imbodied with the creed, because the same Apostle teaches the absolute necessity of the mystery of the resurrection, when he says: " If Christ be not risen again, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain, for you are yet in your sins." [25] Hence, admiring our belief of this Article, St. Augustine says: " It is of little moment to believe that Christ died; this, the Pagans, Jews, and all the wicked believe; in a word, all believe that Christ died; but, that he rose from the dead is the belief of Christians; to believe that he rose again, this we deem of great moment." [26] Hence it is, that our Lord very frequently spoke to his disciples of his resurrection; and seldom or never of his passion without adverting to his resurrection. Thus, when he said: "The Son of Man shall be delivered to the Gentiles, and shall be mocked and scourged and spit upon; and after they have scourged him, they will put him to death?" he added; " and the third day he shall rise again." [27] Also, when the Jews called upon him to give an attestation of the truth of his doctrine by some miraculous sign, he said: " A sign shall not be given them but the sign of Jonas the Prophet: for as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly, so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the bosom of the earth." [28]
To understand, still better, the force and meaning of this Article, there are three things which demand attentive consideration: first, the necessity of the resurrection; secondly, its end and object; thirdly, the blessings and advantages of which it is to us the source. With regard to the first, it was necessary that he should rise again, in order to manifest the justice of God; for it was most congruous that he, who, through obedience to God, was degraded, and loaded with ignominy, should by him be exalted. This is a reason assigned by the Apostle in his Epistle to the Philippians: " He humbled himself," says he, " be coming obedient unto death; even unto the death of the cross; for which cause God, also, hath exalted him." [29] He rose, also, to confirm our faith, which is necessary to justification: the resurrection of Christ from the dead by his own power, affords an irrefragable proof of his divinity. It also nurtures and sustains our hope, for, as Christ rose again, we rest on an assured hope, that we too, shall rise again; the members must necessarily arrive at the condition of their head. This is the conclusion which St. Paul draws from the reasoning which he uses in his epistles to the Corinthians, [30] and Thessalonians; [31] and Peter, the prince of the Apostle, says: Blessed be God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to his great mercy, hath regenerated us unto a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, unto the inheritance incorruptible." [32] Finally, the resurrection of our Lord, as the pastor will inculcate, was necessary to complete the mystery of our salvation and redemption: by his death, Christ liberated us from the thraldom of sin, and restored to us, by his resurrection, the most important of those privileges which we had forfeited by sin. Hence these words of the Apostle: " He was delivered up for our sins, and rose again for our justification." [33] That nothing, therefore, may be wanting to perfect the work of our salvation, it was necessary that, as he died, he should, also, rise again from the dead.
From what has been said we can perceive the important advantages which the resurrection of our Lord has conferred on the faithful; in his resurrection, we acknowledge him to be the immortal God, full of glory, the conqueror of death and hell; and this we are firmly to believe and openly to profess of Christ Jesus.
Again, the resurrection of Christ effectuates our resurrection, n. not only as its efficient cause, but also as its model. Thus with regard to the resurrection of the body, we have this testimony of the Apostle: " by a man came death, and by a man the resurrection of the dead." [34] To accomplish the mystery of our redemption in all its parts, God made use of the humanity of Christ as its efficient instrument, and hence, his resurrection is the efficient cause of ours. It is also, the model: his resurrection was the most perfect of all; and as his body, rising to immortal glory, was changed, so shall our bodies also, before frail and mortal, be restored and clothed with glory and immortality: in the language of the Apostle; " we look for the Saviour our Lord Jesus Christ, who will reform the body of our lowness, made like to the body of his glory." [35]
The same may be said of a soul dead in sin: how the resurrection of Christ is proposed to such a soul as the model of her resurrection, we learn from the same Apostle, when he says; " Christ is risen from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we also may walk in newness of life; for if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection;" and a little after, " knowing that Christ, rising from the dead, dieth no more, death shall no more have dominion over him; for in that he died to sin, he died once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. So do you also reckon, that you are dead to sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus our Lord." [36]
From the resurrection of Christ, therefore, we should derive two important lessons of instruction; the one, that, after we have washed away the stains of sin, we should begin to lead a new life, distinguished by integrity, innocence, holiness, modesty, justice, beneficence, and humility; the other, that we should so persevere in that newness of life, as never more, with the divine assistance, to stray from the paths of virtue on which we have once entered.
Nor do the words of the Apostle prove only that the resurrection of Christ is proposed as the model of our resurrection; they also, declare that it gives us power to rise again; and imparts to us strength and courage to persevere -in holiness and righteousness, and in the observance of the commandments of God. As his death not only furnishes us with an example, but also sup plies us with strength to die to sin; so also, his resurrection invigorates us to attain righteousness; that worshipping God in piety and holiness, we may walk in the newness of life to which we have risen; for the Redeemer achieved principally by his resurrection, that we, who before died with him to sin, and to the world, may rise, also, with him again to a new discipline and manner of life.
The principal proofs of this resurrection from sin which demand observation, are comprised in these words of the Apostle: " If you be risen with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God." [37] Here, he distinctly tells us, that they, whose desire of life, honours, riches, and re pose, are directed chiefly to the place in which Christ dwells, have truly risen with him: but when he adds: " Mind the things that are above, not the things that are on the earth;" [38] he gives this, as it were, as another standard, by which we may ascertain if we have truly risen with Christ; for as a relish for food indicates a healthy state of the body: so, with regard to the soul, if we relish " whatever is true, whatever is modest, whatever is just, whatever is holy," [39] and experience within us a sense of the sweetness of heavenly things; this we may consider a very strong proof, that with Christ we have risen to a new and spiritual life.
- ↑ Philip, ii. 10.
- ↑ Acts ii. 24.
- ↑ Apoc. xxi. 27.
- ↑ Trid. Conc. Sess. 25.
- ↑ Ps. xv. 10.
- ↑ Ps. lxxxvii. 5, 6.
- ↑ Luke xxiii. 43.
- ↑ Ozeas xiii. 14.
- ↑ Zach. ix. 1 1.
- ↑ Col. ii. 15
- ↑ Phil. ii. 10.
- ↑ 2 Tim. ii. 8.
- ↑ 2 Cor. xiii. 4.
- ↑ Ps. xcvii. 2.
- ↑ John x. 17, 18
- ↑ John ii. 19.
- ↑ John ii. 21.
- ↑ Acts ii. 24; iii. 15.
- ↑ Rom. viii. 34.
- ↑ Apoc. i. 5.
- ↑ Col. i. 18.
- ↑ 1 Cor. xv. 20-23.
- ↑ 3 Kings xvii. 22. 4 Kings iv. 34.
- ↑ Rom. vi. 9.
- ↑ 1 Cor. xv. 14. 17.
- ↑ August in Ps. cxx. 4.
- ↑ Luke xviii. 32, 33. Matt. xvi. 21.
- ↑ Luke xi. 29. Matt. xii. 39, 40.
- ↑ Philip, ii. 8, 9.
- ↑ 1 Cor. xv. 12.
- ↑ 1 Thes. iv. 14.
- ↑ 1 Peter i. 3, 4.
- ↑ Rom. iv. 25.
- ↑ 1 Cor. xv. 21.
- ↑ Phil. iii. 20, 21.
- ↑ Rom. vi. 4-6. 9-11.
- ↑ Col. iii. 1.
- ↑ Col. iii. 2.
- ↑ Phil. iv. 8.