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Descent of Christ into Hell

Unknown

Chapter 6

About this work

Author: Unknown

Chapter 6 (22).

When this was seen by Hades and Death, and their

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impious

officers

,

along

with

their

cruel

servants

,

they

trembled

at

perceiving

in

their

own

dominions

the

clearness

of

so

great

a

light

,

when

they

saw

Christ

suddenly

in

their

abodes

;

and

they

cried

out

,

saying

:

We

have

been

overcome

by

thee

.

Who

art

thou

,

that

to

the

Lord

directest

our

confusion

?

Who

art

thou

,

that

,

undestroyed

by

corruption

,

the

uncorrupted

proof

of

thy

majesty

,

with

fury

condemnest

our

power

?

Who

art

thou

,

so

great

and

little

,

lowly

and

exalted

,

soldier

and

commander

,

wonderful

warrior

in

the

form

of

a

slave

,

and

the

king

of

glory

dead

and

alive

,

whom

slain

the

cross

has

carried

?

Thou

,

who

didst

lie

dead

in

the

sepulchre

,

hast

come

down

to

us

alive

;

and

in

thy

death

every

creature

trembled

,

and

the

stars

in

a

body

were

moved

;

and

now

thou

hast

been

made

free

among

the

dead

,

and

disturbest

our

legions

.

Who

art

thou

,

that

settest

free

those

who

art

held

captive

,

bound

by

original

sin

,

and

recallest

them

to

their

former

liberty

?

Who

art

thou

,

who

sheddest

a

divine

,

and

splendid

,

and

illuminating

light

upon

those

who

have

been

blinded

by

the

darkness

of

their

sins

?

In like manner, also, all the legions of the demons, terror-stricken with like fear from their fearful overthrow, cried out, saying: Whence art thou, O Jesus, a man so powerful and splendid in majesty, so excellent, without spot, and free from guilt? For that world of earth which has been subject to us always until now, which used to pay tribute for our uses, has never sent us such a dead man, has never destined such gifts for the powers below. Who therefore art thou, that hast so intrepidly entered our bounds, and who hast not only no fear of our punishments, but, moreover, attemptest to take all away from our chains? Perhaps thou art that Jesus of whom our prince Satan said, that by thy death of the cross thou wast destined to receive the dominion of the whole world.

Then the King of glory, trampling on death by His majesty, and seizing Prince Satan, delivered him to the power of Hades, and drew Adam to His brightness.

Notes

1
Some mss. have: Who art thou, O man, that to God directest thy prayer to our confusion? The correct reading may be: Who art thou, that bringest confusion upon our master?