|
Objection 1: It would seem that Christ descending into hell did not
deliver the holy Fathers from thence. For Augustine (Epist. ad
Evod. clxiv) says: "I have not yet discovered what Christ
descending into hell 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 Godhead." But had He
delivered them, He would have bestowed much upon them. Therefore it
does not appear that Christ delivered the holy Fathers from hell.
Objection 2: Further, no one is detained in hell 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 hell on Christ's descent thither.
Objection 3: Further, if you remove the cause, you remove the
effect. But that Christ went down into hell was due to sin which was
taken away by the Passion, as stated above (Question 49, Article
1). Consequently, the holy Fathers were not delivered on
Christ's descent into hell.
On the contrary, Augustine says in the sermon on the Passion already
quoted that when Christ descended into hell "He broke down the gate
and 'iron bars' of hell, setting at liberty all the righteous who
were held fast through original sin."
I answer that, As stated above (Article 4, ad 2), when Christ
descended into hell He worked through the power of His Passion. But
through Christ's Passion the human race was delivered not only from
sin, but also from the debt of its penalty, as stated above
(Question 49, Articles 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 Rm. 5 of which sin the penalty is the death of the body as
well as exclusion from glory, as is evident from Gn. 2 and 3:
because God cast out man from paradise after sin, having beforehand
threatened him with death should he sin. Consequently, when Christ
descended into hell, by the power of His Passion He delivered the
saints from the penalty whereby they were excluded from the life of
glory, so as to be unable to see God in His Essence, wherein man's
beatitude lies, as stated in the FS, Question 3, Article 8.
But the holy Fathers were detained in hell 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 hell He delivered the
holy Fathers from thence. And this is what is written Zach.
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 principalities and
powers," i.e. "of hell, 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 to Objection 1: Augustine is speaking there against such as
maintained that the righteous of old were subject to penal sufferings
before Christ's descent into hell. Hence shortly before the passage
quoted he says: "Some add that this benefit was also bestowed upon
the saints of old, that on the Lord's coming into hell 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 hell 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 Jn. 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 Godhead," that is, inasmuch as even
before Christ's coming they were happy in hope, although not yet
fully happy in fact.
Reply to Objection 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 Rm. 8:10: "The body indeed is dead, because of
sin; but the spirit liveth, because of justification."
Reply to Objection 3: Directly Christ died His soul went down
into hell, and bestowed the fruits of His Passion on the saints
detained there; although they did not go out as long as Christ
remained in hell, because His presence was part of the fulness of
their glory.
|
|