-

V:\ I l DFR LOF: AB R

AHAl\r s
l - BosoM
n attentpts to d "' . . .
nunlber of its e tcrnune the fu . . b' h resemble those of VirgiJ.S Such lists mention, for example,
pan Th . . occupants th n c tlon of A
. e ans\vers all .' . c locatJon of h braham, -.. r1es w 1dc infants and soldiers killed on the field of battle. In Tertullian 's
potnt m the sa . t e region s bosorn
We will also me d~rection plays an . and the I decease
th t must have been magic. . 6 F or ' as syncreusuc
. . magic. developed,
with . see that in h.
gre,at U\\' 3f''l<Il • Js exeges·
. unpo
rtant
eyes e~s came to think of infants, young unmarried adults, dead gladi-
l
of t he allusive eh "" ess of t·t s mystery. Th .t,s ' A.ugustme
. sorcer executed crinuna
. 1s, an d oth er vtcttms
. . o f v10
. 1ent death as constitut-
unkno"~n · a I
A .arncter of the Bt. bl Js attttude is u dpproaches th
~or
ccord e wh · · n e e B1 ators, .
. a pool of the dtspossesse d upon w h om 1t · was poss1'bl e to call as in-
~~untarY helpers' .1 The lack of a burial or of offerings at the grave was
~~h eac~on ~nd aware~nd ·~w
tery increase to«e::g to DeKnijff the tch leads agai: standabJe in v·ble
continually behind They intensify the again to
approaches this t er pers pec ti ves I ot er. New per . ess of the rn e perilous.
Finally, in this introduction, we want to point out that it is debated
t~dles comaining an a . locz . It might be a ready totally eo o~r
subject whether Christ's descent into hell , mentioned by the early Christian
thts an Die
., .
~ exegesis of pa worthwhile to mmuted to .
ssages from the b examine his tt
theologians and in the Symbolum Apostolic um, actually has any founda-
Th . . ook of Gen . rnany tion in Scripture. W. Bieder and A. von Harnack think not. B W. Maas
e dlstmctive h ests from finds the differentiation between the New Testament and the early post-
biblical writings too radical. He recognizes in the Bible the germs of th.is
compare them . he
WJt theN
aracter of the th ree auth
· descensus, e.g. in Rom. 10, 7 and Matt. 2 7, 51 b-53; s urei y these verses
Kroll has not~~ht
provide the r · ew Testam
sort of climate f~ntors become
apocrypha. The as ~lear
when we suggest some kind of descensus at least in the background. He points
into 'hell' how the descrt'pt' r ~eflection
on Abp hcrypha do not out that neglected passages from Targumin and Midrashim could prove
are rem· · 10ns m h
Hercules dramas' tmscent of the Cerb t ese works of Jesm bosom.
ra a •
~ to be extremely important for more detailed answers to this question.9
When Maas acknowledges that Bieder admits to a 'transitory' descent in
much other an .. - Kroll and others h erus adventure in S us descent
gelium Nico ct.e~t material; for ave also shown t enaca's two the New Testament, we have seen enough, for none of our three authors
Adam Ab abdemr IS significant H example, the influe he presence of goes any further; however, Maas correctly demands a more exact defini-
' r am and I . . ere pr . nee of the E
Baptist, who. saxah joyful! d·
omment deceased van- tion of this ' transitory' character.lO
coming Sav· ts also the herald in thy Iscuss the coming men such as
Ior. e underworld . event. John the Irenaeus: the function and location of Abraham's bosom
' potnts decid dl
Before thi e Y to the In Adversus haereses ll,24,4 the bishop of Lyons argues that the num-
a s, the two · ber five has great significance in the Bible. According to him this is a
ppearance.3 We .Pnnces of hell much more important number than those in which the heretics are inter-
ested. In accordance with his custom of dealing with any subject exten-
refere ay fJnd himself in Ad role In this work sugg II a blend of classic sively, he even includes the significance of the number five in the whole
nee to , am's ests to
created universe.ll
ad inferos . ea so find the two . am. In the apocr m es no
of thi . Christ liberates Ad pnnces of hell And ypha1 Questions Irenaeus notes that Dives had five brothers, and that be requested that
s Js found in our th am, Abraham Is . at the descensus one of the dead, once he had a resurrected body, might be enabled to
ree authors ' aac and Jacob 4 B warn them on earth.12 In this interpretation of Luke 16, 19-31, the author
Nor has cl . · · ut none
appears to regard Abrabam's bosom as a temporary abode for souls
d asstcal reli .
gar to a distinction gion had any influe awaiting the Day of Judgment, when they will receive a resurrected
four categories: ma between various kind nee o~ our authors wit body. We shall see that Tertullian and Augustine think along similar

ments on th p nst. In c ary behe

dorus give aer haedo published byon:-ast_with this the
1St, frequently orvJD under th
those
p atomc corn-
Ne:e~s, an~ lines.
When be refers again to Luke 16 in Adversus haereses 11,34,1, he
quoted, of types of dea~ n!lme of Olympio- does so in the context of an examination of the properties of the soul
' tncl uding catego-

111
J10
 .A T DER LOF: A B RA HA~1 ' s BO VAN DER LOF: ABRAHAM·s BOSOM
SOM

after
.I 3 death. TertuUian " 'ill do tb e same th . · /' uelut aqua effusa in te rram (ibid.). It is noteworthy that Irenaeus
J. . 4 .. 1 lrenaeus
. notes that Ch n.s t. tauaht at
. tng ln the same eo .
a _terrestnal body retain their ro ~
1 0 15' tes the martyrs with all great believers. Ubi aut em Spiritus Patris, ibi
engrh that the s ntex.t. In
VIOUS actions. That is how D.P perttes and they remembouJs Without homo uiuens (ibt'd.). I n th.ts extenston
equa · 1·1es a parallel with Augustine.
L-azarus. I3 Ives was able to recogn tze
. Abrah
er their pre..
am and In the matter of Jesus' descent into the underworld Irenaeus Jives in a
distinct tradition. He has heard about it a quodam presbytero (Adv. haereses
The story from Luke 16 15 . . {V,Z7 ,1). This presbyter makes a distinction in the underworld between the
Ill 14 3 h mentJoned ag · ·
. , '. • w ere it follows the parable . am In Adversus
nes built and intended to enJ·oy J' f of the nch man who had 1 haereses ordinal)' Jewish fai thful, the iusti, and the prophets and patriarchs: ... iusti
I e to the full · b . G arger gr
wou Id b e required of h. h . • ut od told hi h ana. et prophetae et patriarchae, quibus similiter ut nobis remisit peccata
il~ius qui reclusit qu::eti ~~~~ght pa':!a~oal~ s~~l
{Luke 12, 16-20): De his_ (Adv. haereses IV,27 ,2). He was referring to those who bad always put their
wtlh the story of another rich fue~ant. Irenaeus continues im ~IUitzs trust in him whom they proclaimed: . . . omnes qui sperabant in eum, id
does not call th' person, I.e. that of Diues and L medtate!y est, qui aduentum eius praenuntiauerunt (Adv. haereses IV,27,2).
· 1s a parable, but doe . . azarus. Ire
The prophets, according to this presbyter, had by their Old Testament
t~ . ~~ed thJs suggestion and translate, de :ne 'me ia ources Chrtiennes have predictions pointed to Jesus and bad fixed their hope on him. That they

thei~e c~n~e~t
e tshop of Lyons bad taken no . parabole du riche 14 were iusti did not rule out that their sins had to be forgiven. The example
{though these were not given of the of the biblical cha. te If
later~ ~s
of David and Solomon showed this (Adv. haereses IV,27,1). Like this
could easily have seen that Luke I 6- r;esent _dtVJSJOns until much
~i:Uilitudes. contam~ Je~use
presbyter, Irenaeus puts the Old Testament faithful together. Together
?ot The juxtaposition of exhortations given by they form one category, the disciples of Christ.t6 Irenaeus is sure that
mtutttve association in an extended e the ~"':'o nch men was the effect of a~ these disciples of Christ await the Day of Judgment in some invisible
Gospel. Adversus haereses IV2 3 h xposttwn of the significance of Luke's subterranean location, abibunt in inuisibilem locum (Adv. haereses
Luke I 6, Jesus was not just s;i' .s ows that Irenaeus himself states that in V,31,1). Bieder thinks that he means a place in Hades which is tolerable,
fabulam retulit nobis dnnm~ a yarn, ?ut was teaching: Non au;em viz. Abraham' s bosom.l7 This interpretation seems probable to me also.
IV.'., · se pr1mum
2 4) • Th.IS ·IS sufficient· ·ground . B qutdem d · (
ocutt Adv. haereses If so, then the beneficiaries are the great figures from the Old Testament,
mthtude either. This is rele , m ook Ill, not to think in terms of a si- New Testament, and Church history, excepting the martrys. For the mar·
seriousness of what Ire vant to our subject, insofar as it emphasizes th tyrs, he sticks to the interpretation of Revelation 6, 10. Irenaeus prob·
d naeus says about Abrah ' b e
tu e so.me aspects can be attributed to th am s ~som: for in a simili- ably regards all the others as being in Abraham's bosom, thus allowing
herent m any comparison. e measure of maccuracy that is in- bosom to hold more categories than other commentators do. Thus, the
first of our three authors attributes to Abraham's bosom the widest func-
. 0~ the strength of the story of Abraham' . tion.
With lts function but also with ..t b . . s bosom, Irenaeus deals not only
M h ' 1 8 enefJctaries It t · Tertullian: the function and location of Abraham's Bosom
oses, t e prophets, and the Old Testam .. ranspues that these are
J?wers of Moses and the prophets ts w, :nt
fatthful, that is to say, the fol- Bieder regards Tertullian as someone who in these matters stands on
twusly to make links with the fai;hf I e: :II
see how Augustine begins eau- the shoulders of Irenaeus, but more strongly opposes a group of Chris-
tians who expect reward or punishment immediately after death. Tertul-
by drawing on the New Testa t u o t e New Testament and the Church
men concept of pa d · 1 lian, moreover, regards all Christians as being in Hades, with the excep·
account the souls of the mart .. ra tse.. renaeus takes into
resurrection and the accomp yr~ wa•tm~ u~der the altar for the body of the tion of the patriarchs and martyrs (De anima 55). Within Hades he
scription of the contrast bet anymghretnbuhon (Revelation 6, 10) In his de distinguishes between the actual prison for the unbelieving pagans and
f h ween t e earthly and the h . - Abraham's bosom, which lies above Hades or is its upper part. In Abra-
o t e latter that God preserves his blood. . eavenly man, he says
rationalis in ultionem a Deo custodit m vtew of this retribution. Sanguis ham's bosom people enjoy a provisional blessedness,ts a finding which
of the earthly man on the contrary. us {Adv. haereses V,9,3). The blood will be confirmed in the next part. We must, however, point out that in
IS a stranger to reason. Sanguis irration-

113
112
 VAN DER LOF: ABRAHAM'S BOSOM VAN DBR LOF: ABRAHAM' S BOSOM
--------

De anima 55 Bieder could have found Irenaeus' prophets in ad .. .

·n
dom of heaven WI
not be opened until after the great change in the
the patriarchs and martyrs; so too, TertuJlian and Augustine dihon to }dng d (55 .3).23
1
han1 's bosom in the upper parts of Hades. This seems to hav ocbate Abra~ worl · h. h h tl
. opznro.
1nunrs . . e een eo 1n~ 11' then also brings in Revelation 6. 9-10, In w tc t . e apos e
Tertu tan f the martyrs under the altar (55.4). 24 In thts passage
1 0
1. De Anima. onlY sa.w the so~h~ lace 'paradise', connecting it with what follows, the
Tertulhan calls , p .. on on the day of her death. She too saw only mar-
Tertullian discusses our subject at length in De anima. He is h
storY of Perp.etua ~ ~lSl h in this remark Tertullian may possibly be mis-
.
· one o f hIS · t he corporeal nature of the soul ere nd~
· ho bb y- h orses, VIZ.,
tng
1
.
tyrs in paradtse, a tl o~gn,) Passio Perpetuae 13 says that it was Saturus
context be points out that in the story of Luke 16 Dives in th · ndthts ( e my cone usto · . h d'd
world had a tongue and Lazarus a finger, while Abraham ' e
had ab un er ~ taken se rs not Perpetua. However, tn chapter 4, s e 1 see can-
who saw. I?artyl , which surely means the martyrs. And chapter 13 ~oes
Such .features a~so make it po~sible to rec~gnize the martyrs und~~~~ didati m!lza mu ta, us saw only martyrs, but quotes him as saymg,
not s.ay th.at. Sat~~tos fratres cognosoere, et martyres,25 as ha~ been
altar m Revelatwn 6.9-10: thetr souls had mdividual features. The soul
coepzmus zllzc m Waszink and others. Yet Waszink is too rash m co~­
was formed and has grown fro1n the outset in conformity with the bod
The soul forms the seed not only of its entire substance but also of ii'~ noted correctly by lr . gned an exceptional status to the martyrs, m
further condition (An. 9.8).19This description of the 'soul-body' as a cor~ jecturing that Tertu tan l~sst to heaven immediately after death.26 They
pus sui generis combines the two passages where the Bible refers to our he sense that they wou go . .
subject. t
go on Y
1 to paradise at least for the time betng.
'
. tar data about paradise in the Old and New
Tertullian had already spoken on similar lines of the function and Io~ Trying to tie up .the fragmen y t that the sword that guards the en-
cation of Abraham's bosom in 7.4. In this passage he asks what it is that Testaments, Tertulhan ventures to suggles h had died in Christ: Nisi quia
is taken to the underworld after the separation from the body what can d' . lds to no one un ess e
trance to para tse yte . . . . . d't nini qui in Christo decesser-
the soul be other than a corpus? (7 .3).20 So the function here is as a place nullis romphaea paradzsz zanztrzx oe z'
where souls await the Day of Judgement. This place is inferna. int . .. (55.4).
. . 6 nl martyrs are found under the
If therefore Tertullian continues the soul experiences provisionally With Tertullian, as In Revelation ,bo 1. yvers Augustine also adds the
either punishment or refreshment, in the prison or in the temporary abode, in . p etuae adds great e te . h t
altar. The Passzo e:p . ed them with the patriarchs and prop e s
the fire or in Abraham's bosom, then this should prove its corporeal nature, apostles, as he readtly asso~tat. d a better grip on the fragmentary ma-
for a disembodied non-corporeal substance experiences nothing either bad or of Abra~am's .bosom: he ha t1~:oeus process in action.
good (7.4).21 terial, d1scern1ng a more con

He emphasizes that this abode is provisional and temporary. In a later 2. Tertullian' s other writings. t . expositions as extensive as in
passage in De anima he also brings the prophets into view. He declares h ·tings do not con atn ,
Tertullian's ot er wn . 3 4 11 he locates Abraham s
that Christ descended into the depths of the earth in order to make the . I 0 IV Adversus Marozonem . T -
the De anzma. h d world 27 Auaustine does the same. er
patriarchs and prophets participate in his being. Therefore, he concludes, bosom in the upper part oft ehun ~r a dl. ff.erenc; between inferi and Abra-
we must believe in a real place under the earth, in the underworld, where h' · w that t ere ts
tullian gives as ts .vte looked up and called from afar (34.12).28
refreshment in Abraham's bosom allows the souls to wait for the resur- hae sinus. Thus, Dtves .
rection (55.2).22
. tullian oints out that the lives of Dlves and
In De idolatna 13.4, Ter hp e been totally changed: Lazarus ob-
The patriarchs and prophets are in Abraham 's bosom. Augustine also of Lazarus in Abrah~m s b:~~:::'s ~~som, and Dives being in the torment
mentions this combination. Christ's arrival there does not yet bring the
complete redemption, but merely makes those present compotes sui. The
of fire, a ba ance 'b t' n 29 [The Hebraic form Eleazar occurs tn n. . '
an equalizing retrt u to .

115
114
 ---------------V~A~N~D~ER~~L~OF: ABRAH , VAN DER LOF: ABRAHAM'S BOSOM

the Syriac form Lazarus is used . R e across any biblical text where the abode of the souls of the right-
story of Dives and Lazarus see;;s tes. 17 .2.30] It is note
description of a real event as he o be regarded by 't Worthy that th cotn is referre d to as 'he11' ·.... non
· dum me znvemsse
· · confiteor in•eros
influence;~syt~renaeus
assert a few year~r:ullia.n as the
eo u5 b. . . .
where he was certainly appe ll atos. u 1 zus tor~m anzmae requtescun (De Gen. ad litt. ;J
I

(Ad h ater A e 10
:x::x::Xll1·63). And. there IS a great gulf betw:en Abraham's bosom and
H v. aere n 7
ere too Tertullian accepts the f ses 2. 55) 3, , ose who accordmg to Luke 16.22-26 are bemg tormented in hell; Ab ra-
However, owing to a need for eo ragm~ntary nature of th . 11 vel ille pauper ~n
than'l . .
smu .
ezus ... nee apud inferos esse dicti sunt
by the justice done to Lazarus in ':::~atl~ such as he had, h: ~aterial. (XX:xiii.63). Au~ustme cannot se~ how anyone could find grounds in
the martyrs under the altar were still a~
s bosom, a justice f IS struck the canonical Scnptures for declanng that Abraham's bosom is in hell:
been painfully aware of this differen crymg out. Tertullian or Which Et ideo quimodo eam apud inferos credamus esse non video (XXXIII,
does not try to smooth out what ce, bu~
he keeps silent a::ust. have
cannot eas 1Iy be sm h out tt. H
64). This bosom may pre-eminently be called 'paradise': Quanto magis
I . oot ed out e ergo post hanc vitam etiam sinus ille Abrahae paradisus dici potest
t should fmally be noted that 't . . (XXXIV, 65).
~seom th~ wh~~~
the comforts in Abraham's b ertulhan does not yet ment'
arrives there. They will not protection by angels among That Abraham's bosom must not be confused with the inferna is
and the beginning of the fifth c~~~twned until at the end of the ~zarus shown by Augustine when he speaks of the how and why of the sojourn
make great play of the battle
.
betwe:~·tpocryphal gospels in
emons and angels.32
parti~~~th
ar
of Christ's soul in hell. Augustine's letter to Evodius gives an illustra-
tion.35 This letter dates from 415-416. Augustine conspicuously no lon-
ger looks for the identity of Abraham's bosom or the paradise promised
Augustine: .the function and location of Abraham's boso to the man on the cross. His emphasis lies on the presence of Christ with
Augustine
th'nk: b throuahout
~ h'IS l I'fe remained
. d .m his wisdom, which brings salvation. But, on the contrary, Christ came to
.I a out the nature of Abraham's b un ecided about what to hell with his authority as the Judge (Ep. 164. III.8). In his letter to Dar-
him any data. He was always firm! osom, as the. Scripture did not give danus from 417 he broaches the question of why Christ, during his de-
;nl e~tremely realistic interpretatio~ o!1os~d t~ either a materialistic or scent into hell, should not have visited those who were in Abraham's
~ d I~ Abraham's garment, but a l~ce ra am s b~som is to him not a bosom. From that time Abraham's bosom was to him nothing other than
his potnt of departure but he 1 p of a mysterious nature.33 This ~· s the penitent murderer's paradise. Paradise is after all the general term
· ·
exannrung its function. ' earns more ab t h·
ou t IS mysterious place by for the abode of blessedness (Ep. 187 ,ll.6). Augustine reduces Christ's
presence in paradise and in Abraham' s bosom to his omnipresence. He
1. Identical with paradise. does this in order to be free ab his omnibus ambiguitatibus )6 The loca-
The m_ysterious place is identical with . . tion remains a question, but one should concentrate on the function. That
Abrahae IS mentioned by A . . paradise. The fust time sinus
which was promised to th ugusttne Jt already has the same sense as that way one avoids ambiguity.
e repentant murder h We should be aware that Augustine is not speaking of seeing face to
autem recte dixit· quz·a etz'a . . er on t e cross: , Usque adhuo,
· m sz sznt [' · ·
16.23), et latro ille cum Domino in a z~uz zam in sinu Abrahae (Lk. face as Paul did in 1 Corinthians 13. This vision will be granted to all
' .
die quo credidit dol d . pa:adzso constitutus (Lk. 23.43) illo the faithful simultaneously at the resurrection. In short, the mystenous
LXVII.v.22).34 He
d
~ses theere estzte~zt
same combmat'
(De div. q uaes t. LXXXIII
h •
abode referred to as Abraham's bosom is paradise, where people are
eceased friend Nebridius who h th' ks ~on at t e commemoration of his
made blessed through Christ's divine nature. The next question is, who
whatever its nature may b;. Nu~ ~ll In. .' ~~ now also in Abraham 's bosom are eligible for this?
est d 'll . c ' e vzvlt zn sinu Ab h '
• quo ' o significatur sinu ibi N b 'd' ra ae, quidquid illud
According to Augustine, Christ does not grant the perfect salvatio~ in
(Conf. IX.iii.6). , e rz zus me us vivit ... sine fine felix 2. Which people are eligible?
paradise. This view will remain prevalent in Christendom for centu.nes.
.Augustine stresses that Abraham 's .
ratmg heaven and hell, but only parad'bos~m IS not a hereafter incorpo-
For the first time, the constitution Benedictus Deus of Pope Bened1ctus
tse. e declares that he has never

117
116
 VAN DER LOF: ABRAHAM'S BOSOM VAN DER LOP: ABRAHAM'S _B_O_SO
_M_ _ _ _ _ _ __

XII (29 January, 1336) declared the immediate vision of . t devotees o f t he Egyptian gods would put on, gravestones,
0
ately after death, a dogma of faith.37 It is not necessa od, tm.rnecti~ · Rorne t ah ater' so Meyer regards Abraham s bosom as a
10 . • • you coo1 w · . 1· ·
longer for the fulfillment of 1 Corinthians 13. ry to Watt any ' Oslns give . f the ancient Egyptian concept.42 Tertul1an tn par-
Christian verstOn ~ appreciated this refreshing aspect of Abraham's
In paradise, Augustine expects the temporary presence f . ticular appears to ave
. 0 patnarch
prop h ets, apostIes, an d goo d b e ]1evers. God has promised to th s, bOSOID·
resurrection of the body.38 In this list of the faithful the ord emh all the . 1 ation of Abraham's bosom drags the New Testa-
. ' er s ows u
that they are the great believers of the Old Testament, the New 't s The sub~erran~~. ~~e Old Testament paradise in Genesis 2.8-25 l~y
ment, and the Church. esta- ment paradise do abode of the souls of the martyrs unde: the ce~estJ~l
on the earth. The d der the earth. That was not Its locatton tn
. also drago-ed own un
3. The location according to Augustine. altar ts o
Revelation 6. 9. .
Mayer points out39 that Augustine in En. in Ps. 85.18 makes refe
l . f p 1 rence . bat Bastiaensen following d' Ales and Waszmk,
to an a La opuzco tn respect o sa m 85.13: Eruisti animam mem e · as ml· s~aken in his quotation from the
A • •

We finally mention t 11'

ferno inferiore. He distinguishes here between a pars inferior and a ;~n­ h
does not t tn
. k that Tertu 1an w b'
F l' ·r ( 43 The details do not concern our su ~e.ct,
superior. Abraham's bosom is then located in the upper part of the i~~ Passio Perpetuae et e .zcz a .zs: tant· 'Perpetua's vision of Paradtse
fern a: ergo inter ista duo fortasse inferna, quorum in uno qui runt animae f h . bservattons 1s tmpor · . . fH
but one o ts. o 'd . milia multa fits the descnptlon o eaven
iustorum, in altero torquentur animae impiorum. with the mentton of candz atz . be said that Tertullian made no
. 7 9 14' 44 Hence tt can .
in Revelation : - . . . ~h Passio on behalf of De anzma.
Mayer is right in observing that the terms, sinus, caelum, and mistake in quoting Perpetua In e
paradisus suggest primarily spatial notions. Consequently, Augustine? . f de arture for the idea of purgatory
taking aU three terrns together, calls themfutura loca sanctorum. But in Abraham's bosom: pomt o P ard the function of Abraham's boso~ as
the final r.esort all tlrree words refer to God: qui (scil. deus) nos tuetur in Since our authors clearly reg . If· '11 not Hades where Dtves
loco vitae huius, ipse post illam vitam sit locus noster (En.on Ps. 30. . f suggests ttse · Wt ' • d
temporary, thts ques ton b d ? For one thing, thts woul cor-
2.3.8). In the allegorical-Christological exegesis of the parable in finds himself, also be a tem~orary a torpea.rts one to the other. This argu-
Quaestiones ~angeL 1, he also identifies sinus Abrahae with secretum . as bemg coun e
relate the two regtons h y of our three authors.
patris . ment follows from the t eo 1og . .
. b Luke himself. Dives three umes
Conclusion A second argument is provided yh calls him 'son'. Does this hint
Our thliee authors have led us far from Abraham •s bosom: from the calls Abrabam 'father'' and once Abra am
place of bonor in Luke 16 to a region. Meyer, in KitteJ's Dictionary. at a conversion at the last hour? L k
shows that KO:A..OOO' in ancient literature means a guest's pJ ace of honori Testament suggest a third argument. u , e
The vocabulary of the New,., t ent writers call the place of eternal
and then. al5o an intimate relationship.. The 'bosom' of the earth was fur- B 0 t the New 1 es am d t Maas
speaks of Hades. . h hell of fire after the Ju gem en ·
l~ used as a term for a grave..40 The three writers have clearly carried
Punishment Gehenna. This lS t ef ndamental distinction between Hade_s
on from tbe Jatter sense~ tbat of a grave. Mayer discerns in Luke 16 the . N Testament a u · · ·h ent unt1l
detects 1n the ew · k d suffer temporary punts m
two nuances of tbe fiat ~ense: the place of bonor at a meal and an inti-
mate relationsbip.4J
and Oehenna. In Hades the ;:11; :ill
be cast into the lake of fire (Rev.
the Last Judgement, ~he~t~e; hand is the eternal place of p~;s;;;~~
Meyer afso mentions the continued influence of ancient Egyptian 20 14 ). Gehenna on t e . 5 22 29 30· 10.28, 30, 42. 50; . • •
tho-ught on. the delicious coolness in Abrabam's bosom, Lazarus has a
AJppJy of fre~h water. while Dives is parched with tbir•t in Hades . The 25.41; Mark 8.43: uand the Dutch nederdaling ter helle can
idea of a refrigerium. a refreshment of the dead in the hereafter~ is an o1d m an Hollenabs~tfegl t anslations of descensus ad inferos.
.l:'
praton- ·,.d as beauu u r
Egyptian religious coocept, Thu notion wu so widely dissenrinated that

119
J JS
 VAN DER LOF: ABRAHAM'S BOSOM
VAN DER LOP: ABRAHAM, S BOSOM

Con1parison with Jeremias's article on a811c; in Kittel's . .

n1akes it clear that our four authors follow the New Test 01 ~honary 3. !{roll, 89.
they write about Hades and about the disembodied souls t~ment In .what 4. Kroll ,
72
' 'T tullian and the ahori'. Vigiliae Christianae IV (1950) 136.
temporary reward or punishment during the time between dere ~ecetving 5. A. D. Nock , er
urrection. They also follow the New Testament in locating ~td an~ res. 6· Nock 136.
bo\vels of the earth. According to J eremias, the entire New 1i a es In the ' 13 5 . cf . Rose, Harvard Theological Review 43 (1950).
7 · N ock, · · Abh an dl ungen
' D · 11. stellung von der Hollenfahrt Jesu ch nstt.
in agreement that the duration of Hades is limited. This follo:st;ment is B 1'eder ze vor · ·· · h 1949) 129
W
strict separation between Hades and Gehenna. Gehenna rep la r~ the
8 8. · . ' des Alten und Neuen Testaments. (Zunc .
r Theologte · · (B' 1' d 1
as the final place of punishment (Rev. 19.20; 20.10, 14f). 46 ces ades zu
9. W. Maas, Gott un
d d' Holle. Studien zum Descensus Chnstt. tns te en
te
1979) 34.
For these three reas.ons it is not surprising that Augustine began to think
of a purgatory. In En..zn Ps. 37.3, of 395, he speaks of a fire that rec 10 Maas, 34. h',. L'
. . 10rms . t L Doutreleau lrenee de Lyon. Contre les erestes. 1vre
people. In 403, 1n En.zn Ps. 80.20f, he returns to the subject. He states h 11. A. RoiuSssearuce: Chretiennes 293 (Paris 1982) 168.
Il Tome . ou . t
that salvation through fire is possible only for Christian who were too e:t~ . . d . nferos ait habere se quinque fratres, ad quos unum 1re roga
tached to worldly possessions or were engaged in lawsuits with their brother. 12 Tile dtves apu 1 II 24 4)
. rtuis resurgentem. (Adv. haereses . . . . .
Similarly in En. in Ps. 29.2, from 314/315, in the end the whole human race ex mo . . minus docuit ... animas ... et caracterem corpons tn
will be tested by fire. Also De fide et operibus from 412/413. In De civ. Dei 13. Pl~ntsstme autem ~~todire eundem, et meninisse eas operum quae egerunt
quo ettam adap~an~~ Elazarum post mortem et Abraham autem
this fire becomes more spiritual and is differentiated from the fires of hell. h' in qua a1t dtvttem cognoscere
Augustine here speaks of an interim period. Likewise in the Enchiridion ~c : ··~ (Adv haereses Il. 34.1)
1
sunt t er. . 1 I , ee de Lyon Contre les heresies. Livre
XVID.67. J. Barbel to whom we owe this survey of Augustine notes in 14. A. Rousseau et L. Doutre eau, .ren .
connection with these two writings that Augustine is still reticent.47 All sin- Ill. Tome II (Paris 197 4) 271. . . . t . tarn nobis
. F'l' D . qui resurrextt a mortuts e vt
ners must be purged by fire. For the unbelievers this is an eternal process. 15 · · · · ipsi praed1cassent I turn ~1, . 'd est Abraham et Moysen
b t t a esse omn1a 1
For the believers the duration of the fire varies. Not all those who after death don at, et demo~stra~ ex una su .s a~ 1 ui resurrexi~ a mortuis, in quem et ere-
receive temporary punishment receive eternal punishment after the Judge- et prophetas, ettam tps.um DoJ?~nu q . et Moysen et prophetas audiunt prae-
ment. Many people will be forgiven in eternal life sins which had not yet dunt multi qui sunt a cu cumc1stone, qu• IV 2 4)
. F'l" D · (Adv haereses · · ·
been forgiven in the present life (De civ. 21.13). Augustine is silent about the dicantes adventlu~ t 11 et . der Hollenfahrt Jesu Christi. Abhandlun-
nature of these punishments. 48 16 W. Bieder, Dte Vorstellung von t (ZUrich 1949) 184.
ge~ zur theologie des Alten und Neuen Testamen s.
This interest in purgatory shows Augustine's charitableness in the 17. Bieder, 185.
difficult exegesis of Abraham's bosom and related passages. We find the
18. Bieder, 189 · . . per·t· digitus et sinus Abrahae,
same kindness, for example, in his attitude towards heretics.49 · f hngua est et pau ' . ·
19 Sic et diviti apud 1ll eros b a'ltar1· t' ntwe1li ountur. A primordto entm
· · martyrum su o · · t n
Per has lineas et antmae . . . nima ut totius substantiae, rta e eo -
Here Tertullian is a forerunner of Augustine. According to Tertullian, in Adam concreta et conft~urata corpon a '
souls are kept in prison in Hades, from which even the righteous will not . . . . · en effectt. (An. 9.8 ). . . . ·
dtttonts 1SUUS sem . ad inferna transfertur post dtvoruum corp_ons,
be released until the smallest of their delinquencies are paid off before 20 Quid est autem 1llud, qu?d . . dicii reservatur, ad quod et Chns~us
the resurrection (An. 35.3).
q u~d detinetur illic, quoddtn d~:s 1puatriarcharum), si nihil anima sub terns ?
dit (puto a ant
d
moriendo es_ce n ' us ' An. 7 .3). ·
Nihil enim, SI non corp . _( . l .. anima praecerpit in carcere seu diver·
Notes 21 Igitur si quid to~melnt~ stvAebsr~~~~l probata erit corporalitas animae. Incor-
1. H. W. De Kniff (citing the Dutch theologian 0. Noordmans), De bijbel: .. . rum in ign1 ve stnu ,
so no tnfe . ' ihil pattitur. (An. 7.4 ).
monument of boodschap'. Kwartaalblia over Bijbelwerk 12 (1993) 2. poralites entm n
2. J. KroiJ, Gott und Holle. Studien der Bibliothek Warburg (Leipzig 1932) V.

121
120
 VAN DER LOP: ABRAHAM'S BOSOM
VAN DER LOP: ABRAHAM'S BOSOM

22. nee ante ascendit in sublimora caelorum, quan desce d . . .

!
rarun1. ut iHic patriarches et prophetas compotes sui facere~ ~t ~n lOferiora ler-
• • • • • •
. ·m es t resurrec uo etlam carnts, mortts consumptto, v1ta aeterna
i nierun1 subterranea *? credere ... in Abrahae si nu expecta· da es e t regionern prorntssa ~~ ~ Hoc o mnes simul accepturi sunt (In /oh. Ev. XLIX.1 0). Solignac
cum A~!~.
1
solacium capere. (An. 55.2). n ae resurrectionis 1 be Gen. ad litt. XII.XXXV. 68-XXXVI. 69; In Ps. 36.1.10; In Ps.
comP e ' 0 3 12 1· Sermo 328.6.
23. C u m transactione e nim rnundi reserabuntur regna caelorurn. (An 43.5; 5 erm . '
'
:..4. Et quomo d o Ioannt. 1n. s ptntu · revelata, quae s b. ·. 55 ·3) ·
. . para d'ISI· reg1o 39 Mayer, Col. 3 1.
n.ullas alias ani m as ap ud se pra~t~r rnartyru~ ostendi t ? QuomodouP~~l~r altari, 40· G . K 1' tt e 1, Th eologisches Worterbuch zum Neuen Testament (Stuttgart
Jh
ttssu11a martyr, subdte passtont s In reveJattone paradisi, nisi qui in t_ua, for- 3
19 8 ), Band Ill, 824.
cesseri nt, non in Adam . (An. 55.4). n sto de-
4 1. Kittel , 825 .
25. J. H . Waszi n k, Tertullian De anima. it Einleitung, Uebersetzung d IC 42. Kittel , 826. . .
men tar. T hesis Liden . A msterdam 1993. 281. an om-
43 A. R . Bastuaensen 'Tertullian's Refernce to. the Pass1? Perpetuae _tn. De
26. Waszink, 281 . : A-55 4' Studia Patristica. Vol. XVII Part 2. Edtted by Ehzabeth A. Llvtng-
antma · ·
27 . Aliud en im i nf eri, u t p uto a liud q uo que A b r ahae sinus (IV Adv. M stone (Oxford 1982) 791.
3 4 . 11 ). arc. 44 . Bastiaensen, 791 .
28. Sed n~c adle va.sset d ives. ocul os et 9uide m. de I~nginquo.• n.isi in superiora 45 Maas, 129.
et de altudtnts lo ngtnquo per tnmensam lllam dt stanh am s ubhmltatis et profun- 46 ·. 0 . Ki ttel , Th eo logisches Worterbuch zum Neuen Testament (Stuttgart
ditatis (IV Adv. Marc 34. 12).
1933) B and I, 148 sq. . . .
J. H . Waszink and J. 0 . M . van Winden, Te rtullianus, De idolatria. Supple- 47. J . Barbel, A urelius Agusutinus. Enchiridion. De fzde, spe et cantate. Testi-
ments to Vigiliae Christiannae I (Leiden, New York, Kobnhavn , Koln 1987) 47. monia. B and I (Dtisseldorf 1960) 232.
30. Idem. 227.
48. Barbel, 232. . , . e
31. Idem. 27 . L J Van der Lof, 'Tertullian and Augustine on Tltu~ 3.10-11 . Augustzn .
32. J acqueline A mat Songes et visions . L' au - dela dans la littrature latine
'i!hari~t~ria
Augustiniana, ed. Josepho Oroz Reta. (M adrid 1993) 525.
tardive (Paris 1985) 377.
33. A. Solignac . ' Les Confessions VIII-XIII'. B.A. 14 (Paris 1962) 549. He
quotes: sinum Abahae, id est in secretum ubi erat Abraham ; nolite enim carnali-
ter intelligere quod velut in sinum tunicae Abrahae levatus sit pauper; sinum
erat, quia secretum erat. (Sermo 14.!11.4; Cf. Contra Faust. XXXIII.VI).
34. Thus registered in Biblioteque Augustinienne, Vol. 10. In otner editions it
may be LXVII. V. 7.
35. C. Mayer, Augustinus-Lexikon. Vol. I (Bael-Stuttgart 1986) col. 31. He
quotes: Non utique sinus ille Abrahae, id est secretae cuius dam quietis habita-
tio aliqua pars inferorum esse credenda est. Quamquam in his ipsis tanti magis-
tri verbis, ubi ait dixisse Abraham: 'inter nos et vos chaso magnum firnatum
est' saris, ut opinor, appareat non esse quandam partem et membrum inferorum
tantae illius felicitatis sin urn (Ep. 164. Ill. 7).
36. Solingnac, 550. He quotes: Deus vero idem ipse Christus ubique semper est ....
Ubicumque ergo sit paradisus, quisquis beatus ibi est, cum illo est qui ubique est (Ep.
187.III.7).
37. Solignac, 550.
38. Reccepti sunt in pace sanoti patriarchae, prophetae, apostoli, martyres,
boni fideles; omnes tamen adhuc in fine accepturi sunt quod promisit Deus:

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