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You shall be brought down to Hades. For one who is brought down somewhere is brought down there by others. Therefore no one among the dead would be free, of those who are dragged or led by others to the place of the dead, but Jesus alone, laying down his own soul by himself, with no one taking it from him, has become free among the dead. And further: since All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being released from life, they have come to be in Hades with bonds that have a difference in degree, with the sole exception of him who committed no sin and knew no sin, and who became free among the dead so as to also loose the bonds of death for the other dead in order to raise and make them alive. For just as among those on earth he alone is the liberator from sins, bestowing forgiveness—for he says, If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed—so also, having come to be in Hades with freedom, he freed the souls that were held captive, striking fear into those holding them. For the gatekeepers of those places cowered when they beheld his authority and his freedom. It would be fitting also to interpret the preceding verses as spoken by Christ. The Savior therefore says to his own Father: Although I happen to be the Savior of the world, having come to seek and to save the lost, having become the cause of eternal salvation for all, yet, O Father, you are God of this salvation which I provide to those who are being saved; for by your will I bestow it. Therefore, becoming an advocate to you on behalf of those who have sinned, I will save them, interceding for them. And you will understand what follows in accordance with what has already been said. 872 Ps 87,6bc For no one will be able to snatch the one guarded by the mighty hand of God, says the Savior; for as long as he is held by God, he remains unconquered by those who wish to plot against and snatch him. But when someone who has become wicked through his sins becomes unworthy of his hand, he is cast off, being no longer worthy to be held and remembered by God. 873 Ps 87,7 Since he came to Hades and to death not according to his own works but for the sake of others, tasting death on their behalf, referring the cause of his having reached the lowest pit and the very heart of the earth to them, he says, 'They placed me,' instead of 'They made me go into the lowest parts of the pit,' so that I might also draw up those in its depths and transfer them from there, in order to bring them into the paradise of God. And they placed me in dark places and in the shadow of death. For though I have come to be in death for their sake, yet it was not in death itself in the proper sense, but in its shadow (for I was resurrected on the third day), and in the same way, having been placed by them in dark places, I illuminated them, so that they might no longer live in darkness but in me, the light. 874 Ps 87,8-10a The wrath of God, being like a fire, has sins for its food and fuel. Therefore, as long as these exist, it is also active; but when they are consumed, it also departs with them. Since human iniquities happened to be many, the wrath of God was brought against them, but the Savior, being a benefactor, submitted himself to the wrath of God, so that it rested upon him, no longer moving or being active because it found no fuel. Hence it came to be extinguished, not being fed by the one on whom it rested, since he had known no sin, having been tempted in all things without sin. And he brought upon him also all his billows, which are temptations and afflictions, so that, having struggled and been tempted in all things, he might be shown approved, so that we should no longer be subject to the billows. For he made them disappear. And they are called 'of God,' since they are brought on by his judgment for a beneficial purpose. The acquaintances of the Savior, those knowing him and being known by him, happened to be those of the circumcision, when they were devoted to the Law and the Prophets, but they have become far from him, having fallen away and been shown to be his betrayers, the Father having cast out and

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Εως ᾳδου καταβιβασθήσῃ. ὁ γὰρ καταβιβαζόμενός που ὑφ' ἑτέρων ἐκεῖσε καταβιβάζεται. οθεν οὐδεὶς ἐν νεκροῖς ἐλεύθερος ειη τῶν πρὸς αλλων ἑλκομένων η ποδηγουμένων εἰς τὸν τῶν νεκρῶν τόπον, μόνος δὲ ̓Ιησοῦς ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ θεὶς τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ, οὐδενὸς λαβόντος αὐτὴν ἀπ' αὐτοῦ, ἐν νεκροῖς ἐλεύθερος γέγονε. καὶ ετι· ἐπεὶ Πάντες ημαρτον καὶ ὑστεροῦνται τῆς δόξης τοῦ θεοῦ, ἀπαλλαττόμενοι τοῦ βίου μετὰ δεσμῶν διαφορὰν ἐχόντων τὴν κατὰ τὸ μᾶλλον καὶ ηττον ἐν τῷ ᾳδῃ γεγένηνται, μόνου τοῦ ἁμαρτίαν μὴ πεποιηκότος καὶ μὴ γνόντος ἁμαρτίαν καὶ ἐν τοῖς νεκροῖς ἐλευθέρου γεγενημένου ὡς καὶ λύειν τῶν ἑτέρων νεκρῶν τὰ δεσμὰ τοῦ θανάτου ἐπὶ τῷ ἀναστῆσαι καὶ ζωοποιῆσαι αὐτούς. ὡς γὰρ τῶν ἐπὶ γῆς μόνος αὐτὸς ἐλευθερωτὴς ἁμαρτημάτων αφεσιν δωρούμενος, λέγει γοῦν ̓Εὰν ὁ υἱὸς ὑμᾶς ἐλευθερώσῃ, οντως ἐλεύθεροι γενήσεσθε, ουτως καὶ ἐν ᾳδῃ γεγενημένος μετ' ἐλευθερίας τὰς κατεχομένας ψυχὰς ἠλευθέρωσε, φόβον ἐμποιήσας τοῖς αὐτὰς κατέχουσιν· επτηξαν γοῦν καὶ οἱ πυλωροὶ τῶν τόπων ἐκείνων, τὴν αὐθεντίαν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐλευθερίαν αὐτοῦ θεασάμενοι. ̓Ακόλουθον δ' αν καὶ τοὺς προάγοντας στίχους ἑρμηνεῦσαι ὡς εἰρημένους ὑπὸ Χριστοῦ. λέγει τοίνυν ὁ σωτὴρ πρὸς τὸν ἑαυτοῦ πατέρα· Εἰ καὶ σωτὴρ τοῦ κόσμου τυγχάνω ἐληλυθὼς ζητῆσαι καὶ σῶσαι τὸ ἀπολωλὸς αιτιος σωτηρίας αἰωνίου πᾶσι γενόμενος, ἀλλά γε, ω πάτερ, ταύτης ης παρέχω τοῖς σῳζομένοις σωτηρίας θεὸς ὑπάρχεις· βουλήματι γὰρ τῷ σῷ χαρίζομαι αὐτήν· οθεν καὶ παράκλητος γινόμενος πρὸς σὲ ὑπὲρ τῶν ἡμαρτηκότων σώσω αὐτούς, ἐντυγχάνων ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν. ̓Ακολούθως δὲ τοῖς ηδη προειρημένοις νοήσεις καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. 872 Ps 87,6bc Τὸν γὰρ ὑπὸ τῆς τοῦ θεοῦ κραταιᾶς χειρὸς φρουρούμενον ἁρπάσαι οὐδεὶς δυνήσεται, φησὶν ὁ σωτήρ· οσον γὰρ περιέχεται τοῦ θεοῦ, ἀήττητος τοῖς ἐπιβουλεῦσαι καὶ ἁρπάσαι θέλουσι διαμένει. οταν δέ τις φαῦλος γεγενημένος δι' ων ἁμαρτάνει ἀνάξιος τῆς χειρὸς γένηται, ἀπωθεῖται οὐκέτι αξιος ων κρατεῖσθαι καὶ μνημονεύεσθαι ὑπὸ θεοῦ. 873 Ps 87,7 ̓Επεὶ οὐ κατὰ τὰ ἑαυτοῦ εργα ηλθεν εἰς τὸν ᾳδην καὶ τὸν θάνατον ἀλλὰ αλλων ενεκα ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν γευόμενος θανάτου, εἰς ἐκείνους ἀναφέρων τὴν αἰτίαν τοῦ εἰς τὸν κατώτατον λάκκον καὶ εἰς αὐτὴν τὴν καρδίαν τῆς γῆς ἐφθακέναι φησὶ τὸ Εθεντό με, ἀντὶ τοῦ ̓Εποίησάν με εἰς τὰ κατώτατα τοῦ λάκκου ἰέναι, οπως καὶ τοὺς ἐν βάθει τούτου ἀνιμησάμενος μεταγάγω ἐκεῖθεν ἐπὶ τῷ εἰσαγαγεῖν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸν θεοῦ παράδεισον. Εθεντο δέ με καὶ ἐν σκοτεινοῖς καὶ ἐν σκιᾷ θανάτου. εἰ γὰρ καὶ ἐν θανάτῳ αὐτῶν ενεκα γεγένημαι, ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ κυρίως θανάτῳ ἀλλ' ἐν τῇ σκιᾷ αὐτοῦ (εφθασα γὰρ τριήμερος ἀναστάς), τῷ αὐτῷ δὲ τρόπῳ καὶ ἐν σκοτεινοῖς ὑπ' αὐτῶν τεθειμένος κατηύγασα αὐτούς, ὡς μηκέτ' αὐτοὺς ἐν σκότει διάγειν ἀλλ' ἐν ἐμοὶ τῷ φωτί. 874 Ps 87,8-10a ̔Ο τοῦ θεοῦ θυμὸς ἐοικὼς πυρὶ τροφὴν καὶ υλην εχει τὰ ἁμαρτήματα. ἐφ' οσον ουν ὑφέστηκε ταῦτα, καὶ αὐτὸς ἐνεργεῖ· ἀναλουμένων δὲ αὐτῶν συναπέρχεται καὶ αὐτός. πολλῶν ουν τυγχανόντων ἀνθρωπίνων ἀνομημάτων, ἐφέρετο κατ' αὐτῶν ὁ θεοῦ θυμός, ἀλλ' ὁ σωτὴρ εὐεργέτης ων ὑπέβαλεν ἑαυτὸν τῷ θεοῦ θυμῷ, ὡς ἐπιστηριχθῆναι αὐτὸν ἐπ' αὐτὸν μηκέτι κινούμενον η ἐνεργοῦντα τῷ μὴ εὑρίσκειν υλην. οθεν καὶ σβεσθῆναι αὐτὸν συνέβη οὐ τραφέντα παρ' ῳ ἐπεστήρικτο, ἁμαρτίαν οὐκ ἐγνωκότος αὐτοῦ τῷ πεπειρᾶσθαι κατὰ πάντα χωρὶς ἁμαρτίας. ̓Επήγαγε δ' ἐπ' αὐτὸν καὶ πάντας τοὺς μετεωρισμοὺς αὐτοῦ πειρασμοὺς καὶ θλίψεις οντας, οπως ἀγωνισάμενος καὶ πειρασθεὶς περὶ πάντων δόκιμος ἀναδειχθῇ ὡς μηκέτι ἡμᾶς ὑποκεῖσθαι τοῖς μετεωρισμοῖς. ἐξηφάνισε γὰρ αὐτούς· θεοῦ δὲ ειρηνται ουτοι, ἐπεὶ κρίσει αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ συμφέροντι ἐπάγονται. Γνωστοὶ τοῦ σωτῆρος οἱ γινώσκοντες αὐτὸν καὶ γινωσκόμενοι ὑπ' αὐτοῦ ἐτύγχανον οἱ ἐκ περιτομῆς, οτε τῷ νόμῳ καὶ τοῖς προφήταις ἐπανεῖχον ἀλλὰ μακρὰν αὐτοῦ γεγένηνται ἀποστήσαντες καὶ προδόται αὐτοῦ ἀποδεδειγμένοι, τοῦ πατρὸς ἐκβαλόντος καὶ