The Crucified Community: Meditation Seven

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The artwork  is from Steve Prince 'Urban Stations' 

Transcript

Meditation Seven: The Harrowing of Hell

Matthew 27:51–54 (ESV): And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!” 

This is the terror: to have emerged from nothing, to have a name, consciousness of self, deep inner feelings, an excruciating inner yearning for life and self-expression - and with all this yet to die.” 

― Ernest Becker, The Denial of Death

Hebrews 2:14–15 (ESV): 14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.

The knowledge of impending death is a somber certainty for the crucified, and for many, this impending death is perceived as a liberating release from the shackles of earthly suffering. The torment, the anguish, and the relentless struggle of human existence is brought to an end.

Yet, for others, death is viewed with trepidation and fear; it represents the finality that extinguishes the potential and promise of a life fully lived, a potentiality which many of the crucified have never known.

The diverse myths, dreams, and theological beliefs about the afterlife significantly influence our perception of death. For some, the grave remains a mysterious abyss, an uncharted realm awaiting exploration. Others envision it as a realm of eternal bliss, where the soul finds solace and sanctuary, no longer overwhelmed by the storms of life. Conversely, there are those who see death as the ultimate full stop at the end of life's narrative, a punctuation mark denoting finality. Yet, another perspective is that the grave leads to a place of judgment, where the righteous ascend to the company of angels, while the wicked are consigned to a realm ruled by the powers of darkness.

The profound mystery of the cross, where Jesus gave up his life, is not immediately followed by the events of resurrection. Between the crucifixion on Good Friday and the resurrection on Easter Sunday, there exists the enigma of Holy Saturday. During this period, Jesus' lifeless body lies in the tomb, his disciples grieve, and heaven seems silent. 

However, as we turn to 1 Peter, and here, as we look into a mythic fog which has no scholarly consensus, we have a story in which the spirit of Jesus descended into uncharted territory—no-man's land, the abode of the dead.

1 Peter 3:18–19 (ESV): being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison.

A few paragraphs later Peter expands on this by saying ‘1 Peter 4:6 (ESV): the gospel was preached even to those who are dead’

Let us take a moment to sketch out the ancient Jewish views on the afterlife. It is essential to recognize that this view is not monolithic; the Hebrew Scriptures and other Jewish writings preceding the New Testament present a rich tapestry of beliefs. Within the Old Testament, we encounter Sheol, a realm of shadowy existence, but we also find texts that allude to the resurrection of the dead. These texts envision a future time when the faithful will be bodily resurrected to partake in the age to come.

Psalm 6:5 (ESV): For in death there is no remembrance of you; 

in Sheol who will give you praise? 

Isaiah 5:14–15 (ESV): Therefore Sheol has enlarged its appetite 

and opened its mouth beyond measure, 

and the nobility of Jerusalem and her multitude will go down, 

her revelers and he who exults in her. 

15 Man is humbled, and each one is brought low, 

and the eyes of the haughty are brought low. 

Daniel 12:1–4 (ESV): 2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. 4 But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, until the time of the end

1 Enoch 26

In those days the earth will return that which has been entrusted to it, and Sheol will return that which has been entrusted to it, that which it has received, and destruction will return what it owes. And he will choose the righteous and holy from among them, for the day has come near that they must be saved … And in those days the mountains will leap like rams, and the hills will skip like lambs satisfied with milk, and all will become angels in heaven. Their faces will shine with joy [or: like kids satiated with milk. And the faces of all the angels in heaven shall glow with joy], for in those days the Chosen One will have risen; and the earth will rejoice, and the righteous will dwell upon it, and the chosen will go and walk upon it.

With these texts and perspectives in mind let’s return to 1 Peter where we read. ‘being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison (1 Peter 3:18-19)….. gospel was preached even to those who are dead’ (4:6)

As we reflect on this place where Jesus descends into hell, we witness a remarkable display of divine solidarity with all who have faced mortality. On the cross, he identified with the suffering, and in his death, he stands as a participant in the realm of the grave, bridging the gap between life and death. 

The bars and gates of Sheol, the mythic land of murky shadows, shattered as the crucified one arrived. Upon entering the prison of mortality, the spirit—or, we may say, the soul—of Jesus, while his body remained in the tomb, overwhelmed those who were keeping the spirits in captivity. The spirit of the God-Man Jesus was far from passive; it took on the active role of a preacher, proclaiming the gospel to those who inhabited this realm. The one who held the keys of death and Hades conquered death, liberating those who had been held captive. This 'harrowing of hell' served as a press conference to power and marked the beginning of Jesus's victory over the gatekeepers of death, a triumphant moment in the heavenly realm.

Revelation 1 17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand upon me, saying, "Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18 and the living one; I died, and behold I am alive for evermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades."

Ephesians 4 8 Therefore it is said, "When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men." 9 (In saying, "He ascended," what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He who descended is he who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)

Acts 2:27–28 (ESV): For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, 

or let your Holy One see corruption. 

28 You have made known to me the paths of life; 

you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’ 

Decades after the death of Jesus we find a Christian community reflecting on the liberation which Jesus brings to those entrapped by death.

Sheol saw me and was shattered,

And death ejected me and many with me.

I have been vinegar and bitterness to it,

And I went down with it as far as its depth.

Then the feet and the head it released,

Because it was not able to endure my face.

And I made a congregation of living among his dead;

And I spoke with them by living lips;

In order that my word may not be unprofitable.And those who had died ran towards me;And they cried out and said, “Son of God, have pity on us.And deal with us according to Thy kindness,And bring us out from the bonds of darkness.And open for us the doorby which we may go forth to you,

for we perceive that our death does not touch Thee.May we also be saved with you,

because you are our Savior.” (Odes of Solomon 42:11–18)

Nathan had been through hell and lived in fear. He had witnessed first hand the death of his brother, his defiant screams that refused to go silently into the night. And now with a terminal diagnosis he had plenty of time to reflect on his life and what he thought awaited him. He called the priest and made his confession but found little solace in the words of forgiveness she spoke. 

One night he read afresh the gospels and as he fell asleep that night Nathan dreamed he was crucified next to Jesus. The cross represented his suffering and torment, but in that place he heard the words of Jesus say ‘today you will be paradise with me’. Awakening from his dream he had the realisation that Jesus was with him in both life and death, and that the death of of Jesus was neither the end of Jesus or the end of his life. Yes, the grave may take him, he thought, but Jesus has conquers the grave .