. .“HE DESCENDED INTO HELL ON THE THIRD DAY HE ROSE AGAIN”: . .
ARTICLE 5
“HE DESCENDED INTO HELL ON THE THIRD DAY HE ROSE AGAIN”
633
"It is precisely these holy souls, who awaited their Savior in Abraham’s bosom, whom Christ the Lord delivered when he descended into hell."482 Jesus did not descend into hell to deliver the damned, nor to destroy the hell of damnation, but to free the just who had gone before him.483
637
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.
old.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt1sect2chpt2art5.shtml
Holy Scripture cited as source for CCC 631-637:
Ephesians 4: 9 (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? 10 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)
Psalm 6: 6 I am weary with my moaning; every night I flood my bed with tears; I drench my couch with my weeping.
Psalm 88: 11 Is your steadfast love declared in the grave, or your faithfulness in Abaddon? 12 Are your wonders known in the darkness, or your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness? 13 But I, O LORD, cry to you; in the morning my prayer comes before you.
Acts 3: 15 and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses.
Romans 8: 11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
1 Corinthians 15: 20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
1 Peter 3: 18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, 19 in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison,
Philippians 2: 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
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Acts 2:
24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.
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Revelation 1: 18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.
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Ephesians 4:
9 (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth?
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Psalm 89: 49 Lord, where is your steadfast love of old, which by your faithfulness you swore to David?
1 Samuel 28: 19 Moreover, the LORD will give Israel also with you into the hand of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons shall be with me. The LORD will give the army of Israel also into the hand of the Philistines.”
Ezekiel 32:17-32
Luke 16:22-26 22 The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried, 23 and in Hades, being in torment, . . .
Matthew 27: 52 The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, 53 and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.
1 Peter 4: 6 For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does.
John 5: 25 “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.
Matthew 12: 40 For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
Romans 10: 7 “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).
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Ephesians 4:** 9 (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth?
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Hebrews 2:** 14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.
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Acts 3:** 15 and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses.
Revelation 1: 18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.
Philippians 2: 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
With all the Scriptures quoted as a source for this section of the CCC; why does the quote from 1 Peter 3 end with verse 19? Verse 20 indicates that Christ proclaimed to the disobedient spirits who formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared.
1 Peter 3: 18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, 19 in which he went and
proclaimed to the spirits in prison, 20 because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water.
So, wouldn’t that mean Christ proclaimed his salvation to the disobedient and not only to the “just” in the prison of the dead? Please help me to understand.
Peace,
Anna
