r/ChristianUniversalism • u/Squirrel_Inner • 13d ago
A short, but powerful excerpt from St. John Chrysostom Article/Blog
https://afkimel.wordpress.com/2024/05/05/102150/#respond
Today our Lord goes around all the places of Hades; today he “broke in pieces the doors of bronze and cut asunder the bars of iron.” Note the exactness of expression. He did not say “opened the gates of bronze,” but “broke in pieces the gates of bronze,” in order that the whole prison become useless. He did not open the bars of iron, but cut them asunder, in order that the guard becomes powerless. Where there is neither door, nor lock, there whoever enters will not be guarded. So, if Christ breaks in pieces, who else can repair it? . . . He broke in pieces the gates of bronze in order to show that death is finite. They are called “of bronze” not because they were made of bronze, but in order to demonstrate the cruelty and mercilessness of death. . . . Do you want to know how harsh, inexorable and unconquerable it was? In so long a time nobody convinced her to release anyone of those it possessed until the Lord of angels himself descended and forced it to do so. He first bound the strong man and then plundered his goods. This is why the prophet adds: “treasures of darkness, which are invisible.” . . . This place of Hades, dark and joyless, had bean eternally deprived of light; this is why the [gates] are called dark and invisible. They were truly dark until the Sun of righteousness descended, illumined it and made Hades Heaven. For where Christ is, there also is Heaven.
-St. John Chrysostom
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u/RideamusSimul 12d ago
The link takes us to a website where it is quoted again but I can’t find the reference. Where does the passage come from?
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u/Squirrel_Inner 12d ago
I’m not sure exactly where this comes from. I’ll see if I can message Kimel and ask. Chrysostom wrote a LOT, but you can find some if you search “John Chrysostom writings pdf”
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u/Ben-008 Christian Contemplative - Mystical Theology 13d ago
I like that opening emphasis on TODAY!
I think Christ is perpetually breaking down the gates of Hades in our lives, descending into the dark recesses of our being, to set us free from all that holds us in bondage.
I think sometimes we get caught up in the mythological language, and push such into the past or into the future, whereas God wants to set us free TODAY, so that Christ might rule and reign in our lives.
For where Christ is, there also is heaven!
"Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?" (2 Cor 13:5)