Summa Theologica Part IV (Tertia Pars) Part 89

Obj. 2: Further, nothing can be termed whole when its parts are severed. But the soul and body, which are the parts of human nature, were separated at His death, as stated above (Q. 50, AA. 3, 4), and it was after death that He descended into h.e.l.l. Therefore the whole (Christ) could not be in h.e.l.l.

Obj. 3: Further, the whole of a thing is said to be in a place when no part of it is outside such place. But there were parts of Christ outside h.e.l.l; for instance, His body was in the grave, and His G.o.dhead everywhere. Therefore the whole Christ was not in h.e.l.l.

_On the contrary,_ Augustine says (De Symbolo iii): "The whole Son is with the Father, the whole Son in heaven, on earth, in the Virgin's womb, on the Cross, in h.e.l.l, in paradise, into which He brought the robber."

_I answer that,_ It is evident from what was said in the First Part (Q. 31, A. 2, ad 4), the masculine gender is referred to the hypostasis or person, while the neuter belongs to the nature. Now in the death of Christ, although the soul was separated from the body, yet neither was separated from the Person of the Son of G.o.d, as stated above (Q. 50, A. 2). Consequently, it must be affirmed that during the three days of Christ's death the whole Christ was in the tomb, because the whole Person was there through the body united with Him, and likewise He was entirely in h.e.l.l, because the whole Person of Christ was there by reason of the soul united with Him, and the whole Christ was then everywhere by reason of the Divine Nature.

Reply Obj. 1: The body which was then in the grave is not a part of the uncreated Person, but of the a.s.sumed nature. Consequently, the fact of Christ's body not being in h.e.l.l does not prevent the whole Christ from being there: but proves that not everything appertaining to human nature was there.

Reply Obj. 2: The whole human nature is made up of the united soul and body; not so the Divine Person. Consequently when death severed the union of the soul with the body, the whole Christ remained, but His whole human nature did not remain.

Reply Obj. 3: Christ's Person is whole in each single place, but not wholly, because it is not circ.u.mscribed by any place: indeed, all places put together could not comprise His immensity; rather is it His immensity that embraces all things. But it happens in those things which are in a place corporeally and circ.u.mscriptively, that if a whole be in some place, then no part of it is outside that place. But this is not the case with G.o.d. Hence Augustine says (De Symbolo iii): "It is not according to times or places that we say that the whole Christ is everywhere, as if He were at one time whole in one place, at another time whole in another: but as being whole always and everywhere."

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FOURTH ARTICLE [III, Q. 52, Art. 4]

Whether Christ Made Any Stay in h.e.l.l?

Objection 1: It would seem that Christ did not make any stay in h.e.l.l.

For Christ went down into h.e.l.l to deliver men from thence. But He accomplished this deliverance at once by His descent, for, according to Ecclus. 11:23: "It is easy in the eyes of G.o.d on a sudden to make the poor man rich." Consequently He does not seem to have tarried in h.e.l.l.

Obj. 2: Further, Augustine says in a sermon on the Pa.s.sion (clx) that "of a sudden at our Lord and Saviour's bidding all 'the bars of iron were burst'" (Cf. Isa. 45:2). Hence on behalf of the angels accompanying Christ it is written (Ps. 23:7, 9): "Lift up your gates, O ye princes." Now Christ descended thither in order to break the bolts of h.e.l.l. Therefore He did not make any stay in h.e.l.l.

Obj. 3: Further, it is related (Luke 23:43) that our Lord while hanging on the cross said to the thief: "This day thou shalt be with Me in paradise": from which it is evident that Christ was in paradise on that very day. But He was not there with His body, for that was in the grave. Therefore He was there with the soul which had gone down into h.e.l.l: and consequently it appears that He made no stay in h.e.l.l.

_On the contrary,_ Peter says (Acts 2:24): "Whom G.o.d hath raised up, having loosed the sorrows of h.e.l.l, as it was impossible that He should be held by it." Therefore it seems that He remained in h.e.l.l until the hour of the Resurrection.

_I answer that,_ As Christ, in order to take our penalties upon Himself, willed His body to be laid in the tomb, so likewise He willed His soul to descend into h.e.l.l. But the body lay in the tomb for a day and two nights, so as to demonstrate the truth of His death. Consequently, it is to be believed that His soul was in h.e.l.l, in order that it might be brought back out of h.e.l.l simultaneously with His body from the tomb.

Reply Obj. 1: When Christ descended into h.e.l.l He delivered the saints who were there, not by leading them out at once from the confines of h.e.l.l, but by enlightening them with the light of glory in h.e.l.l itself. Nevertheless it was fitting that His soul should abide in h.e.l.l as long as His body remained in the tomb.

Reply Obj. 2: By the expression "bars of h.e.l.l" are understood the obstacles which kept the holy Fathers from quitting h.e.l.l, through the guilt of our first parent's sin; and these bars Christ burst asunder by the power of His Pa.s.sion on descending into h.e.l.l: nevertheless He chose to remain in h.e.l.l for some time, for the reason stated above.

Reply Obj. 3: Our Lord's expression is not to be understood of the earthly corporeal paradise, but of a spiritual one, in which all are said to be who enjoy the Divine glory. Accordingly, the thief descended locally into h.e.l.l with Christ, because it was said to him: "This day thou shalt be with Me in paradise"; still as to reward he was in paradise, because he enjoyed Christ's G.o.dhead just as the other saints did.

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FIFTH ARTICLE [III, Q. 52, Art. 5]

Whether Christ Descending into h.e.l.l Delivered the Holy Fathers from Thence?

Objection 1: It would seem that Christ descending into h.e.l.l did not deliver the holy Fathers from thence. For Augustine (Epist. ad Evod.

clxiv) says: "I have not yet discovered what Christ descending into h.e.l.l bestowed upon those righteous ones who were in Abraham's bosom, from whom I fail to see that He ever departed according to the beatific presence of His G.o.dhead." But had He delivered them, He would have bestowed much upon them. Therefore it does not appear that Christ delivered the holy Fathers from h.e.l.l.

Obj. 2: Further, no one is detained in h.e.l.l except on account of sin.

But during life the holy Fathers were justified from sin through faith in Christ. Consequently they did not need to be delivered from h.e.l.l on Christ's descent thither.

Obj. 3: Further, if you remove the cause, you remove the effect. But that Christ went down into h.e.l.l was due to sin which was taken away by the Pa.s.sion, as stated above (Q. 49, A. 1). Consequently, the holy Fathers were not delivered on Christ's descent into h.e.l.l.

_On the contrary,_ Augustine says in the sermon on the Pa.s.sion already quoted that when Christ descended into h.e.l.l "He broke down the gate and 'iron bars' of h.e.l.l, setting at liberty all the righteous who were held fast through original sin."

_I answer that,_ As stated above (A. 4, ad 2), when Christ descended into h.e.l.l He worked through the power of His Pa.s.sion. But through Christ's Pa.s.sion the human race was delivered not only from sin, but also from the debt of its penalty, as stated above (Q. 49, AA. 1, 3).

Now men were held fast by the debt of punishment in two ways: first of all for actual sin which each had committed personally: secondly, for the sin of the whole human race, which each one in his origin contracts from our first parent, as stated in Rom. 5 of which sin the penalty is the death of the body as well as exclusion from glory, as is evident from Gen. 2 and 3: because G.o.d cast out man from paradise after sin, having beforehand threatened him with death should he sin.

Consequently, when Christ descended into h.e.l.l, by the power of His Pa.s.sion He delivered the saints from the penalty whereby they were excluded from the life of glory, so as to be unable to see G.o.d in His Essence, wherein man's beat.i.tude lies, as stated in the Second Part (I-II, Q. 3, A. 8). But the holy Fathers were detained in h.e.l.l for the reason, that, owing to our first parent's sin, the approach to the life of glory was not opened. And so when Christ descended into h.e.l.l He delivered the holy Fathers from thence. And this is what is written Zech. 9:11: "Thou also by the blood of Thy testament hast sent forth Thy prisoners out of the pit, wherein is no water." And (Col. 2:15) it is written that "despoiling the princ.i.p.alities and powers," i.e. "of h.e.l.l, by taking out Isaac and Jacob, and the other just souls," "He led them," i.e. "He brought them far from this kingdom of darkness into heaven," as the gloss explains.

Reply Obj. 1: Augustine is speaking there against such as maintained that the righteous of old were subject to penal sufferings before Christ's descent into h.e.l.l. Hence shortly before the pa.s.sage quoted he says: "Some add that this benefit was also bestowed upon the saints of old, that on the Lord's coming into h.e.l.l they were freed from their sufferings. But I fail to see how Abraham, into whose bosom the poor man was received, was ever in such sufferings."

Consequently, when he afterwards adds that "he had not yet discovered what Christ's descent into h.e.l.l had brought to the righteous of old,"

this must be understood as to their being freed from penal sufferings. Yet Christ bestowed something upon them as to their attaining glory: and in consequence He dispelled the suffering which they endured through their glory being delayed: still they had great joy from the very hope thereof, according to John 8:56: "Abraham your father rejoiced that he might see my day." And therefore he adds: "I fail to see that He ever departed, according to the beatific presence of His G.o.dhead," that is, inasmuch as even before Christ's coming they were happy in hope, although not yet fully happy in fact.

Reply Obj. 2: The holy Fathers while yet living were delivered from original as well as actual sin through faith in Christ; also from the penalty of actual sins, but not from the penalty of original sin, whereby they were excluded from glory, since the price of man's redemption was not yet paid: just as the faithful are now delivered by baptism from the penalty of actual sins, and from the penalty of original sin as to exclusion from glory, yet still remain bound by the penalty of original sin as to the necessity of dying in the body because they are renewed in the spirit, but not yet in the flesh, according to Rom. 8:10: "The body indeed is dead, because of sin; but the spirit liveth, because of justification."

Reply Obj. 3: Directly Christ died His soul went down into h.e.l.l, and bestowed the fruits of His Pa.s.sion on the saints detained there; although they did not go out as long as Christ remained in h.e.l.l, because His presence was part of the fulness of their glory.

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SIXTH ARTICLE [III, Q. 52, Art. 6]

Whether Christ Delivered Any of the Lost from h.e.l.l?

Objection 1: It would seem that Christ did deliver some of the lost from h.e.l.l, because it is written (Isa. 24:22): "And they shall be gathered together as in the gathering of one bundle into the pit, end they shall be shut up there in prison: and after many days they shall be visited." But there he is speaking of the lost, who "had adored the host of heaven," according to Jerome's commentary. Consequently it seems that even the lost were visited at Christ's descent into h.e.l.l; and this seems to imply their deliverance.

Obj. 2: Further, on Zech. 9:11: "Thou also by the blood of Thy testament hast sent forth Thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water," the gloss observes: "Thou hast delivered them who were held bound in prisons, where no mercy refreshed them, which that rich man prayed for." But only the lost are shut up in merciless prisons.

Therefore Christ did deliver some from the h.e.l.l of the lost.

Obj. 3: Further, Christ's power was not less in h.e.l.l than in this world, because He worked in every place by the power of His G.o.dhead.

But in this world He delivered some persons of every state.

Therefore, in h.e.l.l also, He delivered some from the state of the lost.

_On the contrary,_ It is written (Osee 13:14): "O death, I will be thy death; O h.e.l.l, I will be thy bite": upon which the gloss says: "By leading forth the elect, and leaving there the reprobate." But only the reprobate are in the h.e.l.l of the lost. Therefore, by Christ's descent into h.e.l.l none were delivered from the h.e.l.l of the lost.

_I answer that,_ As stated above (A. 5), when Christ descended into h.e.l.l He worked by the power of His Pa.s.sion. Consequently, His descent into h.e.l.l brought the fruits of deliverance to them only who were united to His Pa.s.sion through faith quickened by charity, whereby sins are taken away. Now those detained in the h.e.l.l of the lost either had no faith in Christ's Pa.s.sion, as infidels; or if they had faith, they had no conformity with the charity of the suffering Christ: hence they could not be cleansed from their sins. And on this account Christ's descent into h.e.l.l brought them no deliverance from the debt of punishment in h.e.l.l.

Reply Obj. 1: When Christ descended into h.e.l.l, all who were in any part of h.e.l.l were visited in some respect: some to their consolation and deliverance, others, namely, the lost, to their shame and confusion. Accordingly the pa.s.sage continues: "And the moon shall blush, and the sun be put to shame," etc.

This can also be referred to the visitation which will come upon them in the Day of Judgment, not for their deliverance, but for their yet greater confusion, according to Sophon. i, 12: "I will visit upon the men that are settled on their lees."

Reply Obj. 2: When the gloss says "where no mercy refreshed them,"

this is to be understood of the refreshing of full deliverance, because the holy Fathers could not be delivered from this prison of h.e.l.l before Christ's coming.

Reply Obj. 3: It was not due to any lack of power on Christ's part that some were not delivered from every state in h.e.l.l, as out of every state among men in this world; but it was owing to the very different condition of each state. For, so long as men live here below, they can be converted to faith and charity, because in this life men are not confirmed either in good or in evil, as they are after quitting this life.

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SEVENTH ARTICLE [III, Q. 52, Art. 7]

Whether the Children Who Died in Original Sin Were Delivered by Christ?

Objection 1: It would seem that the children who died in original sin were delivered from h.e.l.l by Christ's descending thither. For, like the holy Fathers, the children were kept in h.e.l.l simply because of original sin. But the holy Fathers were delivered from h.e.l.l, as stated above (A. 5). Therefore the children were similarly delivered from h.e.l.l by Christ.

Obj. 2: Further, the Apostle says (Rom. 5:15): "If by the offense of one, many died; much more the grace of G.o.d and the gift, by the grace of one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many." But the children who die with none but original sin are detained in h.e.l.l owing to their first parent's sin. Therefore, much more were they delivered from h.e.l.l through the grace of Christ.