Part IV (Tertia Pars) Part 88 (1/2)

Reply Obj. 2: As Augustine says (De Trin. iv; cf. De Consens. Evang.

iii), Christ rose with the dawn, when light appears in part, and still some part of the darkness of the night remains. Hence it is said of the women that ”when it was yet dark” they came ”to the sepulchre” (John 20:1). Therefore, in consequence of this darkness, Gregory says (Hom. xxi) that Christ rose in the middle of the night, not that night is divided into two equal parts, but during the night itself: for the expression ”early” can be taken as partly night and partly day, from its fittingness with both.

Reply Obj. 3: The light prevailed so far in Christ's death (which is denoted by the one day) that it dispelled the darkness of the two nights, that is, of our twofold death, as stated above.

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QUESTION 52

OF CHRIST'S DESCENT INTO h.e.l.l (In Eight Articles)

We have now to consider Christ's descent into h.e.l.l; concerning which there are eight points of inquiry:

(1) Whether it was fitting for Christ to descend into h.e.l.l?

(2) Into which h.e.l.l did He descend?

(3) Whether He was entirely in h.e.l.l?

(4) Whether He made any stay there?

(5) Whether He delivered the Holy Fathers from h.e.l.l?

(6) Whether He delivered the lost from h.e.l.l?

(7) Whether He delivered the children who died in original sin?

(8) Whether He delivered men from Purgatory?

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FIRST ARTICLE [III, Q. 52, Art. 1]

Whether It Was Fitting for Christ to Descend into h.e.l.l?

Objection 1: It would seem that it was not fitting for Christ to descend into h.e.l.l, because Augustine says (Ep. ad Evod. cliv.): ”Nor could I find anywhere in the Scriptures h.e.l.l mentioned as something good.” But Christ's soul did not descend into any evil place, for neither do the souls of the just. Therefore it does not seem fitting for Christ's soul to descend into h.e.l.l.

Obj. 2: Further, it cannot belong to Christ to descend into h.e.l.l according to His Divine Nature, which is altogether immovable; but only according to His a.s.sumed nature. But that which Christ did or suffered in His a.s.sumed nature is ordained for man's salvation: and to secure this it does not seem necessary for Christ to descend into h.e.l.l, since He delivered us from both guilt and penalty by His Pa.s.sion which He endured in this world, as stated above (Q. 49, AA.

1, 3). Consequently, it was not fitting that Christ should descend into h.e.l.l.

Obj. 3: Further, by Christ's death His soul was separated from His body, and this was laid in the sepulchre, as stated above (Q. 51).

But it seems that He descended into h.e.l.l, not according to His soul only, because seemingly the soul, being incorporeal, cannot be a subject of local motion; for this belongs to bodies, as is proved in _Phys._ vi, text. 32; while descent implies corporeal motion.

Therefore it was not fitting for Christ to descend into h.e.l.l.

_On the contrary,_ It is said in the Creed: ”He descended into h.e.l.l”: and the Apostle says (Eph. 4:9): ”Now that He ascended, what is it, but because He also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?” And a gloss adds: ”that is--into h.e.l.l.”

_I answer that,_ It was fitting for Christ to descend into h.e.l.l.

First of all, because He came to bear our penalty in order to free us from penalty, according to Isa. 53:4: ”Surely He hath borne our infirmities and carried our sorrows.” But through sin man had incurred not only the death of the body, but also descent into h.e.l.l.

Consequently since it was fitting for Christ to die in order to deliver us from death, so it was fitting for Him to descend into h.e.l.l in order to deliver us also from going down into h.e.l.l. Hence it is written (Osee 13:14): ”O death, I will be thy death; O h.e.l.l, I will be thy bite.” Secondly, because it was fitting when the devil was overthrown by the Pa.s.sion that Christ should deliver the captives detained in h.e.l.l, according to Zech. 9:11: ”Thou also by the blood of Thy Testament hast sent forth Thy prisoners out of the pit.” And it is written (Col. 2:15): ”Despoiling the princ.i.p.alities and powers, He hath exposed them confidently.” Thirdly, that as He showed forth His power on earth by living and dying, so also He might manifest it in h.e.l.l, by visiting it and enlightening it. Accordingly it is written (Ps. 23:7): ”Lift up your gates, O ye princes,” which the gloss thus interprets: ”that is--Ye princes of h.e.l.l, take away your power, whereby hitherto you held men fast in h.e.l.l”; and so ”at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,” not only ”of them that are in heaven,”

but likewise ”of them that are in h.e.l.l,” as is said in Phil. 2:10.

Reply Obj. 1: The name of h.e.l.l stands for an evil of penalty, and not for an evil of guilt. Hence it was becoming that Christ should descend into h.e.l.l, not as liable to punishment Himself, but to deliver them who were.