INTO HADES : A STUDY IN COMPARATIVE RELiaiON. 221 



by Abraham and the patriarchs.* Some of these are admittedly 

 late beliefs, but they represent a much older tradition. In 

 many Old Testament passages reference is made to prisoners 

 being released from the pit or the prison-house.f The idea of 

 release, and especially of release from Hades was in the air, 

 and it was easy to transfer it to our Lord's Descent. It was 

 native to Palestinian belief. Moreover, the idea of salvation 

 from the under-world found in Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, 

 and Christianity, is a natural deduction from man's thoughts of 

 mercy, nor need its place in the Christian scheme be ascribed 

 wholly to outside borrowings.t 



The G-nostic version of the Descent originates from Christian 

 tradition, but has connexion with pagan myths of a deliverer 

 who conquers hostile powers, while possibly throngli the later 

 Gnostic version some parts of the Christian Descent story may 

 have received that pagan colouring of which we have spoken. 

 The idea of preaching in Hades fitted in with the Gnostic 

 doctrine of enlightenment, but the Descent was from Heaven to 

 the dark earth world. The seon Christ descended to conquer the 

 world rulers, or the Cosmocrator ruling in earth as Satan 

 ruled in Hades,§ and through enlightenment to spoil them of 

 souls imprisoned in bodies. Passing through the spheres of the 

 heavens the Saviour took the forms of their rulers or became 

 invisible, to outwit them or rob them of their power. || Here we 

 almost certainly find pagan mythic fancies. The Gnostic descent 

 to earth had its parallel in the descent of the feon Christ out 

 of the Pleroma to rescue the fallen Sophia. The Gnostic use of 

 the Descent shows that unlike Christianity, Gnosticism was 

 little interested in the fate of those who died before Christ came. 



^ Weber, 342-4. 



t Zecli. ix, 11, 12 ; Isaiali xHi, 7 ; xlix, 9 ; cf. H, 14 ; Ixi, 1. 



X The idea of the transference of souls from torment to bliss at the 

 prayers of saints on earth was known to the Church. See Acts of Paul 

 and Thecla, c. 28 ; Passio Perpetuae, ch. 7 ; Test, of Ahmham, ch. 14. In 

 the Apocalypses of Paul and the Vii^gin, they with angels and saints pray 

 for remission of tortures to the lost. Christ descends and announces that 

 on the Lord's Day or Pentecost this will be granted. In Jewish belief 

 there was a respite of torments on the Sabbath and the tears of the 

 righteous cooled the pains of hell (Weber, 343, 347). 



§ Iren., i, 5, 4 ; i, 30, 8. 



II Iren., i, 23, 3 (Simonians) ; Hippo!., v, ii (Naassenes), viii (Docetae) ; 

 Iren., i, 30, 12 (Ophites) ; cf. Ascen. of Isaiah. In the Hymn of the Pearl 

 the youth sent to take the pearl puts on " clothes of Egypt " (/.e., of this 

 world) as a disguise. 



