What really happened after Jesus died on the cross and before He rose from the grave? An ancient manuscript may offer a fascinating glimpse into how early Christians understood one of the greatest mysteries surrounding the resurrection.
A roughly 1,600-year-old papyrus fragment is making headlines after researchers deciphered passages that may describe Jesus’ descent into hell and rising again, pointing to a potentially lost account of Christ’s victory over death.
According to the Daily Mail, the Greek manuscript was preserved among unpublished papyri at the Austrian National Library in Vienna. Despite measuring just 2 by 3 inches, the fragment could contain portions of an ancient Christian sermon, hymn or religious writing that disappeared from historical records.
Researchers Marianna Thoma and Amphilochios Papathomas from the University of Athens examined the damaged text and discovered wording that appears to describe a figure descending into Hades, the realm of the dead, before ascending again.
“The sense of the passage is probably that only Jesus and no one else went into Hades and returned through his resurrection,” the researchers wrote, according to the Daily Mail’s translation from German.
They believe that the translation reads “…alone (?) he who descended (into Hades) ascended again (?)…”
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First Peter 3:18-20 describes Christ proclaiming to the spirits in prison, while Ephesians 4:8-10 refers to His descent and ascension. In Revelation 1:18, the risen Jesus declares that He holds the keys of death and Hades.
The researchers’ findings, published in January in the academic journal Tyche, are not without limitations, and much of the manuscript is missing. Still, the discovery appears to show something Christians already know to be true: Jesus triumphed over the grave.
For Christians, this find is a reminder that death does not have the final word. It has been defeated, and Jesus Christ rose again.
Abby Trivett is a writer and editor for Charisma Media and has a passion for sharing the gospel through the written word. She holds two degrees from Regent University, a B.A. in Communication with a concentration in Journalism and a Master of Arts in Journalism. She is the author of the newly released book, The Power of Suddenly: Discover How God Can Change Everything in a Moment. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact [email protected]. Learn more about Abby at abbytrivett.com.
