DEATH’S DEFEAT: THE HARROWING OF HELL1
The legend of Christ’s descent into Hell during the three days between his death on Good Friday and his resurrection from the tomb on Easter Sunday is one of the most popular stories in the Christian tradition, but like the Apocalypse of Paul, it was never recognized as part of the authoritative canon of Christian scriptures. Attributed to a sympathetic Pharisee named Nicodemus, who visited with Jesus during his ministry (John 3.1–29) and later helped Joseph of Arimathea prepare his body for burial (John 19.38–42), the legend was most likely composed in Greek many centuries after the death of Christ. By the early Middle Ages, it had been translated into Latin and several other languages and circulated widely in western Europe as part of a story cycle known as the Gospel of Nicodemus.
The Gospel of Nicodemus recounted Christ’s dramatic trial before Pontius Pilate and the machinations of the Jewish high priests Annas and Caiphas, who successfully sought the humiliation and execution of Jesus, whom they viewed as a rival to their religious authority. It concluded with the Harrowing of Hell, being an account of Christ’s rescue of Adam and the Old Testament patriarchs and prophets from the underworld and the defeat of Satan and Death by his sacrifice on the cross. Much to the dismay of Annas and Caiphas, many people swore that they had seen Jesus alive after his crucifixion and had witnessed his ascension into Heaven. Moreover, when he freed the patriarchs and prophets from the underworld, Jesus also resurrected from their tombs many local individuals, including the twin sons of the high priest Simeon. The last section of the Gospel of Nicodemus reported the oath-bound testimony of these two brothers, who were rescued from Hell by Jesus and provided a firsthand account of their experience in the afterlife.
Similar to Hades in Greek and Roman thought, the Gospel of Nicodemus depicted the underworld as a holding pen for the dead, in this case only Adam and the righteous Jewish patriarchs and prophets, who foretold the coming of Christ and through their faith avoided punishment in the afterlife. This subterranean realm was under the dominion of Inferus, a personification of Hell, who ruled over a host of impious minions in a featureless kingdom protected by impenetrable gates of bronze. At the side of Inferus was the fallen angel Satan, “prince of perdition and duke of death.” The relationship between these infernal allies deteriorated as Christ approached Hell, trampled its gates, and emptied the underworld of the righteous dead. At the end of the story, the patriarchs and prophets ascended to Heaven with Jesus, leaving Satan bound in solitary confinement as the last prisoner of Hell until the Day of Judgment.
And rising up, Joseph of Arimathea said to Annas and Caiphas, “You are truly and well amazed because you have heard that Jesus was seen alive after being dead and has ascended into Heaven. Indeed, it is even more amazing because not only has he risen from the dead, but he has also restored to life from their tombs many others who have died, and they have been seen by many people in Jerusalem. And hear me now, for we all know blessed Simeon, the high priest, who held Jesus in his hands in the Temple when he was an infant. And Simeon himself had two sons, twin brothers, and we were all there when they were laid to rest and buried. Go, therefore, and see their tombs, for they are open because Simeon’s sons have been raised from the dead and behold, they are now alive in the city of Arimathea. They can be heard crying out in their prayers, but otherwise they speak with no one; indeed, they are as silent as the dead. But come, let us go to them with all honor and decorum and let us bring them to Jerusalem. And under oath, perhaps they will tell us about the mystery of their resurrection from the dead.”
Hearing this, everyone rejoiced. And setting out, Annas, Caiphas, Nicodemus, Joseph, and Gamaliel did not find the brothers in their tombs, but going to the city of Arimathea, they found them there praying on bent knees. And kissing them with all due veneration and fear of God, they led them to the synagogue in Jerusalem. And after the doors had been closed, lifting up the law of the Lord, they placed it in their hands, binding them by oath by the God of Adonai and the God of Israel, who spoke to our fathers through the law and the prophets, “If you believe that this is the one who restored you from the dead, tell us how you have been raised from the dead.”
Hearing this oath, Karinus and Leucius trembled and groaned, troubled in their hearts. And looking up toward heaven together, they made a small sign of the cross with their fingers on their tongues and immediately they spoke as one, saying, “Give to each of us a roll of parchment and let us write down what we have seen and heard.” And sitting down, each of them wrote in this way, saying,
“Jesus Christ, Lord God, the resurrection of the dead and life itself, allow us to declare your mysteries through your death of the cross, for we are sworn to you. For you have ordered your servants to reveal to no one the secrets of your divine majesty, which you wrought in Hell. When we were placed with all of our fathers in the depths in the blackness of the shadows, suddenly there appeared the golden glow of the sun and a regal, purple light shining upon us. At once, Adam, the father of all humankind, with all the patriarchs and prophets rejoiced, saying, ‘That light is the author of everlasting light, who has promised to send his eternal light to us.’ And Isaiah cried out and said, ‘This is the light of the Father, the son of God, just as I foretold when I was alive on earth, “The land of Zabulon and the land of Neptalim across the river Jordan of the race of Galilee; a people who dwelled in darkness will see a great light and a light will shine upon those in the region of the shadow of death.”2 And now he has arrived and enlightened those of us who dwell in death.’”
And while we were all rejoicing in the light that shone upon us, our father Simeon came and rejoicing, he said to everyone, “Glorify the Lord Christ, Son of God, because I took him up in my hands as a newborn child in the Temple and, moved by the Holy Spirit, I said to him, confessing, ‘Now my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for the revelation of the Gentiles and the glory of your people Israel.’”3 Hearing these things, the entire multitude of saints rejoiced even more.
And after this there approached a man who looked like a little hermit and everyone asked, “Who are you?” Responding to them, he said, “I am John, the voice and prophet of the Most High, the herald before the face of his arrival to prepare his ways to give knowledge of salvation to his people for the forgiveness of sins. And seeing Jesus approach me, moved by the Holy Spirit, I said, confessing, ‘Behold the Lamb of God, behold the one who takes away the sins of the world.’4 And I baptized him in the river Jordan and I saw the Holy Spirit descending upon him in the form of a dove, and I heard a voice from heaven, saying, ‘This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’5 And now I have come before his face and have come down to announce to you that the Son of God will visit us soon like the dawn from on high, coming to us who dwell in the darkness and the shadow of death.”
And when the first-created man, our father Adam, had heard these things, that Jesus was baptized in the river Jordan, he called out to his son Seth and said, “Declare to your sons, the patriarchs and the prophets everything you heard from the archangel Michael when I sent out to the gates of Paradise to entreat God to send to you his angel, to give to you oil from the tree of mercy, so that you might anoint my body when I was sick.” Then Seth, approaching the patriarchs and prophets, said, “When I was praying to the Lord at the gates of Paradise, behold, the angel of the Lord, Michael, appeared to me, saying, ‘I have been sent to you by the Lord; I am appointed to preside over the human body. Indeed, I say to you, Seth, do not labor with tears in praying and entreating God for oil of the tree of mercy, so that you may anoint your father Adam to relieve his body’s pain, because you cannot obtain it from Him by any means until the very last days, after five thousand and five hundred years have passed. Then Christ, the most beloved son of God, will come upon the earth; he will raise up the body of Adam and raise up with him the bodies of the dead and heal every sickness. And he himself will co
me to the river Jordan and be baptized. When he has come out of the water of the Jordan, then he will anoint everyone who believes in him with the oil of mercy and that oil of mercy will be for the generation of those borne from the water and the spirit into eternal life. Amen. Then coming down to earth, Christ, the most beloved son of God will lead your father Adam into paradise to the tree of mercy.’”
When all the patriarchs and prophets heard all these things from Seth, they rejoiced with great joy.
And while all of the saints were rejoicing, behold, Satan, the prince and captain of death, said to Inferus, “Prepare yourself to receive Jesus himself, who boasts that he is the Christ, the son of God, [when in fact] he is a man who fears death, saying, ‘My soul is sorrowful, even unto death.’6 And he has opposed me in many ways, doing many evil things to me, and many whom I made blind, lame, bent, leprous, and tormented, he healed with a word, and those whom I brought to you dead, he has taken away from you alive.”
Responding to Satan the prince, Inferus said, “How is this one so powerful when he is a man who fears death? For all of the powers of the earth have been made subject to my power, which you have brought down [to me] subject to your power. But if you are powerful, how is it that this man Jesus, who fears death, stands against your power? If he is so powerful in his human nature, truly I say to you that he is all-powerful in his divine nature and no one can resist his power. And if he says that he is afraid of death, he wished to ensnare you and woe it will be for you forever.” Satan, the prince of Tartarus, said in response, “Why have you expressed doubt and fear to receive this Jesus, my adversary and yours? For I have tempted him, and I have stirred up my ancient people the Jews with jealousy and anger against him. I sharpened the spear for his suffering; I mixed the gall and vinegar to offer him a drink; I prepared the cross to crucify him and the nails to pierce him; and last of all I caused his death, so that I may lead him to you, subject to you and to me.”
Responding, Inferus said, “You told me that this is the man who took away the dead from me. Indeed, there are many who have been kept here by me who, while they lived on earth, took the dead from me, not by their own powers, but by divine prayers; and their almighty God took them from me. Who then is this Jesus, who by his word took the dead from me without prayers? Perhaps he is the same person who raised Lazarus to life, whom I held as a dead man stinking and rotting for four days, whom I returned alive by the word of his power.” Satan said to him in response, “That man is Jesus himself.” Hearing this, Inferus said to him, “I order you by your powers and mine not to bring that man to me. For at that time, when I heard the power of his word, I trembled, terrified with fear, and all of my impious officials were likewise disturbed like me. And we were not able to detain Lazarus, but shaking himself like an eagle, he leaped up with all agility and swiftness and departed from us, and the very earth that had housed the dead body of Lazarus returned him alive. So now I know that that man, who can do these things, is God, strong in his power, mighty in his humanity, and the savior of humankind. And if you lead this man to me, he will set free everyone who is locked up here in the prison of their disbelief and bound with the unbreakable chains of their sins, and by the power of his divinity he will lead them to life everlasting.”
And while Prince Satan and Inferus were talking about these matters to each other, there was a voice like thunder and an unearthly sound, “Lift up your gates, O princes, and rise up, everlasting gates, and the King of Glory will enter.” Hearing these things, Inferus said to Prince Satan, “Depart from me! Go forth from my abode! If you are a mighty warrior, fight with the King of Glory. What have you to do with him?” And Inferus cast Satan out from his abode. And Inferus said to his impious officials, “Close the cruel bronze gates and set in place the iron bars and resist bravely so that we captors are not taken as captives.”
Hearing these things, the whole multitude of saints rebuked Inferus, saying, “Open your gates so that the King of Glory may enter!” And David cried out, saying, “While I was alive on earth, did I not foretell to you, ‘Let them confess to the Lord his mercy and his wonders to the sons of men, for he has crushed the bronze gates and broken the iron bars. He has taken them up from the path of their iniquity.’?”7 And likewise, after this Isaiah said to all of the saints, “While I was alive on earth, did I not foretell to you, ‘Let the dead rise and let those in their tombs rise and let those on earth rejoice, because the dew that is salvation from the Lord is in them.?’8 And again I said, ‘Death, where is your sting? Inferus, where is your victory?’”9
Hearing these things from Isaiah, all of the saints said to Inferus, “Open your gates! Now you will be defeated, weak and powerless.” And there was a great voice like thunder, saying, “Lift up your gates, O princes, and rise up, everlasting gates, and the King of Glory will enter.” Inferus, seeing that they cried these things twice, as though he did not understand, asked, “Who is this King of Glory?” Responding to Inferus, David said, “I recognize those words of acclamation because I foretold them through his spirit. And what I said previously I will now say to you, ‘The Lord is strong and powerful. The Lord, mighty in battle, is himself the King of Glory. And the Lord himself has looked down from heaven upon the earth to hear the groaning of the prisoners and to free the sons of those appointed to die.’10 And now, most filthy and fetid Inferus, open your gates so that the King of Glory may enter!” While David was saying these things to Inferus, the King of Glory approached in the form of a man, the Lord of Majesty, and illuminated the eternal darkness, and broke the unbreakable chains. With the aid of his invincible power, he visited those of us residing in the darkness of our failures and in the shadow of the death of our sins.
Seeing these things, Inferus and Death and their impious officials with their cruel ministers were seized with fear in their own kingdoms once the brightness of such a great light had been discerned. When they saw Christ appear so suddenly in their midst, they cried out, saying, “We have been conquered by you. Who are you who has been directed by the Lord to cause us such confusion? Who are you who, with no taint of corruption, the irrefutable evidence of your majesty, condemns our power with rage? Who are you, at once so great and so small, so humble and so grand, soldier and emperor, an esteemed warrior in a servant’s guise, and the King of Glory, dead yet alive, whom the cross carried off to death? You lay dead in the tomb, yet you have come down to us alive. And upon your death every creature trembled and all of the stars were shaken. And now you have your freedom among the dead and you confound our legions. Who are you who frees those captives who have been detained, bound by original sin, and summons them back to their former freedom? Who are you who imbues those blinded by the darkness of their sins with a divine light so splendid and dawn-bright?” Likewise, all of the legions of demons were seized with horror and creeping dread and cried out in one voice, saying “How is it, Jesus, that you are a man so strong and splendid in your majesty, so glorious without stain and pure beyond reproach? For that earthly world that has been subject to us until now, which sent us tributes for our use, has never sent such a dead man to us, never directed such gifts to Hell. Therefore, who are you who has entered our borders with such courage? Not only do you not cower before our torments, but you also attempt to free everyone from their chains. Perhaps you are that Jesus, concerning whom our prince Satan said that through your death on the cross he was going to receive the power of the entire world.”
Then the King of Glory, the Lord, trampling Death with his majesty, seized Prince Satan, delivered him to the power of Inferus, and led Adam to his brightness.
Then Inferus, taking hold of Prince Satan, said to him with great indignation, “O prince of perdition and duke of death, Beelzebub, scorn of God’s angels, spittle of the just, why did you want to do this? Why at the destruction of this man did you promise so many spoils of his death to us? Like a fool, you did not know what you were doing. Behold, now with the splendor of his divinity this Je
sus puts to flight all of the shadows of death, and breaks the sturdy prison, and evicts the captives, releasing those who were bound. And everyone who used to groan under our torments now abuses us, and they topple our empires and overthrow our kingdoms with their prayers and the human race fears us no longer. Furthermore, the dead who were never insolent with us and the captives who had abandoned all joy now threaten us boldly. O prince Satan, father of the evil, impious and outcast, why did you want to do this? Among those who from the beginning until the present had no hope of salvation and life, now none of their usual moans is heard, nor do any of their groans resound, and no hint of tears can be found on their faces. O prince Satan, keeper of the keys of Hell, all of your riches, which you had acquired through the forbidden tree and the loss of paradise, you have now lost through the wood of the cross and all of your joy has perished. When you crucified this Christ, the King of Glory, you acted against your own interest and mine. Now recognize how many eternal torments and infinite punishments you are going to suffer in my everlasting custody. O prince Satan, author of death and source of pride, you should have first found a cause of sin in this Jesus. And when you found no blame, why did you dare to crucify him unjustly without a reason and why did you bring an innocent and just man into our kingdom, and why have you lost the guilty, the impious, and the unjust of the entire world?”
The Penguin Book of Hell Page 6
