Chapter XXIX
.—
Concerning the Descent to
Hades.
The soul
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when it was
deified descended into Hades, in order that, just as the Sun of
Righteousness
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rose for those
upon the earth, so likewise He might bring light to those who sit under
the earth in darkness
and shadow of death
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: in order that just as He
brought the message of peace to those upon the earth, and of release to
the prisoners, and of sight to the blind
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, and became to those who believed the
Author of everlasting salvation and to those who did not believe a
reproach of their unbelief
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, so He might
become the same to those in Hades
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:
That every knee should bow to Him, of things in heaven, and things
in earth and things under the earth
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. And thus after He had freed those
who had been bound for ages, straightway He rose again from the dead,
shewing us the way of resurrection.
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Cf.
Ruf.,
Expos. Symbol. Apost
.;
Cassian, Contr. Nestor.,
bk. vi.;
Cyril, Catech.
14.
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Mal. iv. 2
.
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Is. ix. 2
.
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Is.
lxi. 1; St. Luke iv. 19
.
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1 Pet. iii. 19
.
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Iren.,
iv. 45;
Greg. Naz., Orat.
42.
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Phil. ii. 10
.