Thesis 6 Jesus’ Descent into the Sheol
6.1 Explain the Biblical foundation of this Doctrine
The Old Testament believed that the dead whether good or bad, continued to exist in the
netherworld. It means that every person who will die will come to Sheol. Sheol is a place
where the souls of those who have died are held captive after death. (Schonborn).
However, in the late Old Testament Sheol is now distinguished. There is a place of Good
and the wicked in the Sheol where they are separated with impassible gulf which can be
clearly observed on the story of Lazarus and the rich man. In post exilic Judaism, there is
a belief that Gehenna Gk: Tartarus where sinners would be put at the end of the world.
(Notes). The sheol is a place deprived of the vision of God (ccc 633), there is no
remembrance of Yahweh (Ps 6:6), No work, no though, no wisdom.
There are to sense to speak about hell.
o Hell - in the context of the Hebrew is Sheol which means abode of the souls after
death
o Hell – in the strict sense is Gehenna which is the place of the Damned
New Testament biblical foundation of Descent into Sheol
Mt 12:40, Just as Jonah spent 3 days and 3 night in the belly of the whale, so will the son
of man spend 3 days and 3 nights in the bowels of the earth. Bowels of the earth speaks
of the netherworld. This biblical witness confirms that Christ’s descent to the dead
(Sheol) was a genuine experience of death, the most profound expression of solidarity
with men.
Acts 2:24, God freed him from death’s bitter pangs, however and raised him up again, for
it was impossible that death should keep its hold on Him. The breaking of the pangs of
birth only symbolizes the liberation of the dead from the underword.
6.2 Schonborn uses the Anastasis Icon to explain this doctrine as the Victory of Jesus over
Death.
The icon portrays the redeemer taking adam’s hand with his right hand and the latter has
already set one foot outside the realm of the death.
This portrays that the silence of holy Saturday is the whole earth’s attitude of expectation,
reminding us of the silence before the creation of the world when everything was waiting
for God to act in power.
It shows that Jesus had jpined all the line of ancestors of the sinful Human raise of men
so as to redeem them all, as far back as adam.
Christ call’s adam “Where are you” (in the abode of the dead), it means Christ is not
calling the dead with whom he has desired to be in death, has also choses to live with him
and to form the community in heaven.
His enter into the sheol became a triumphal procession it means that Jesus has truly died
and far from his friend from the world.
The Anastasis icon makes that clear and visible for us. The resurrection is depicted
against the background of hades. So Christ has had to descend there. There, in the
midst of the domain of death, Christ overcame death.
6.3 Explain the soteriological effect of this act of Jesus on Human Beings, creation and History
Every act of Jesus has saving effect on us. He descended into the realm of the dead in His
obedience to father’s will and out of love. Everything that is born out love is redemptive
(Personal reflection).
In death Jesus is exposed to voluntary total helplessness-wholly at God’s disposal
Effects on Man
By Dying, Jesus entered the company of those who had died before him and in the
true sense shared with them what he had achieved. Our death because of our sin has
been redeemed so that we will be able experience in death the vision of God.
His presence in sheol was an active one, “The gospel was preached even to the dead”.
The descent to the dead brings the Gospel message of Salvation to complete
fulfillment.
Christ went down into the depths of death so that the dead wll hear the voice of the
son of God and those who hear will live
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.
By descending to and ascending, Jesus has destroyed the kingdom of Death and has
opened up the way of life for Humanity.
Effects on creation
Sheol is part of creation, by descending into sheol, Jesus made himself present in the
whole of creation. Walang lugar sa sangnilikha ang nakaranas ng kaligtasan dahil lahat ay
naliwanagan ng presensya ni Kristo.
Effects on History
Dahil sa kasalanan naisara ang langit para sa atin, kaya ang mga tao na nabuhay bago pa
isilang si Kristo ay napagsarahan ng pinto ng langit. Kaya noong nagkaroon ng
kaligtasan, nadamay ang mga namatay na sa Kaligtasang ito ngunit sa pamamagitan lang
ni Kristo kaya magbubukas ang langit para sa mga nailigtas na ito.
Heaven is only possible because Xt made it possible through his resurrection.
6.4 Offer a suggestion on How Catholics can be more engaged in celebrating this mystery.
