Lessons in the Small Catechism of Dr. Martin Luther For the Senior Department of Lutheran Sunday-Schools and for General Use · George Mezger
LESSON 26.
The Second Article. How Our Lord As Victor Descended Into Hell And Rose Again From The Dead. Which is the Second Article? _I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord.... He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead._ 1. We believe and confess in the Second Article of our faith that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, became also true man, born of the Virgin Mary, that He suffered, was crucified, died on the cross, and was buried. All this our Lord has done to redeem us lost and condemned creatures from all our sins, from death, and from the power of the devil, that He may be our Lord, that we may be His own and live under Him in His glorious kingdom and serve Him in everlasting righteousness and blessedness. Our Lord died and was buried for our sakes to redeem us. Is, then, our Lord still in death and in the grave? Do we believe in a dead savior? Do we serve a dead and helpless king? Thank God, we do not! _We know from Holy Writ that our Lord came to life again, that our living Lord descended into hell and on the third day after His death rose again from the grave._
2. We confess in the Second Article: _"He,"_ our Lord Jesus Christ, _"descended into hell."_ When our Lord descended into hell, He was no longer dead. It is true, when they took Him from the cross and buried Him, He was really dead. Nobody, indeed, had taken His life from Him, He had laid it down of Himself, of His own free will, laid it down for us that we might not suffer eternal death; _but in His grave Christ, the Son of God, took His life back again. "Christ was put to death in the flesh, but quickened_ [came to life again] _by the Spirit."_ 1 Pet. 3,18. As our living Lord He went down into hell, into the place whither the evil spirits, the devils and condemned men, have been banished. Christ did not enter the gates of hell _in order to be punished there for His sins;_ for our Savior was without sin and blemish. He did not descend into hell _to suffer the penalty for our sins;_ this He had already done on the cross. He descended into hell _to show that He had won the victory over the devil and all his hosts._ "He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them." Col. 2,15. As the triumphant Victor over all His enemies Christ entered hell, the abode of Satan. Now we are certain that the old Evil Foe cannot keep us in his power, that _we are free from hell and damnation._
3. _On the third day our Lord rose again from the dead._ You have often heard the Easter-Gospel, the joyful tidings of Christ's glorious resurrection: Our Lord is not dead, but He lives. When, very early in the morning, the women came to the grave to anoint the body of their Master, they did not find Him, the grave was empty, and an angel of God brought them the message: _"Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen."_ Luke 24,5.6. After His resurrection our Lord showed Himself to His disciples as their living Savior. They saw Him, they spoke to Him, and ate with Him. _The Lord convinced them that He was risen._ They are the witnesses of His resurrection. Even the _soldiers_ whom the enemies had placed around the grave as a watch, lest His disciples might come by night and steal the body, could not deny that the grave was empty, that the Lord had risen. Matt. 28,4.11-15. _We are sure that Christ, our Lord, is not dead, but lives; for God Himself tells us in His Word that Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father._ Rom. 6,4. Joyously we confess: _"I know that my Redeemer liveth."_ Job 19,25. 4. Christ is risen. He came forth from His sepulcher with _the same body_ that was laid in the grave. _The tomb was empty._ The disciples knew Him when He showed Himself. They saw the print of the nails in His hands and His feet and the wound in His side. He let them touch His body in order to convince them that He was not a spirit. Luke 24,39.40. But after His resurrection His body was _glorified;_ it was free from all human weakness and sufferings, free from death.
5. _The resurrection of our Savior is full of comfort and consolation for us. "If Christ be not raised, your faith is vain, ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable."_ 1 Cor. 15,17-19. This would be our sad lot if Christ were not risen. All our faith and hope in Him would be in vain. But He _is_ risen, and now we know _that He is the true Son of God._ We know that Christ _has gained the victory over all our enemies,_ sin, death, and the devil, who could not keep Him in their power. We know that Christ _has paid the penalty for our sins,_ that our sins are forgiven. We know that we have a _living_ Savior, _who is with us alway,_ to govern and protect us in His kingdom. We know that we shall not perish when we die, that our risen Lord will not leave us in the grave, but will _raise us again unto eternal life. "Because I live, ye shall live also."_ John 14,19. Our Lord is risen, and so we put our trust in Him both in life and death. "Jesus, my Redeemer, lives! I, too, unto life must waken Endless joy my Savior gives; Shall my courage then be shaken? Shall I fear, or could the Head Rise and leave His members dead?"
1. _Christ descended into hell to show Himself as Victor over our enemies, over the devil and all his hosts._ 2. _Christ is risen. We know that our Redeemer lives. We have a living Savior, our sins are forgiven. Our King lives forever; under Him we live in everlasting righteousness and innocence._ 3. _Christ is risen; He has conquered death. Though we must die, He will recall us from our graves and raise us to eternal life and everlasting blessedness._ _I know that my Redeemer liveth._ Job 19,25. _If Christ be not raised, your faith is vain, ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished._ 1 Cor. 15,17.18. _Because I live, ye shall live also._ John 14,19.
Text from Project Gutenberg, public domain in the United States.