John the Baptist's Prayer 'The Descent into Hell' from the Exeter Book Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Illustrations
- Acknowledgements
- Abbreviations
- Dedication
- Introduction
- 1 Palaeography, Codicology and Language
- 2 The Descensus Motif
- 3 Literary Analysis
- 4 Selected Comparative Studies and Analogous Literature
- Afterword
- Text and Translation
- Commentary
- Appendix 1 The Doctrine of the Descensus according to Post-Apostolic and Medieval Commentators from the First Century to the End of the Eleventh Century
- Appendix 2 Scriptural References
- Appendix 3 Other Sources and Analogues
- Appendix 4 Transcription and Images of fol. 120r
- Glossary
- Biblioigraphy
- Index
Appendix 2 - Scriptural References
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 August 2014
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Illustrations
- Acknowledgements
- Abbreviations
- Dedication
- Introduction
- 1 Palaeography, Codicology and Language
- 2 The Descensus Motif
- 3 Literary Analysis
- 4 Selected Comparative Studies and Analogous Literature
- Afterword
- Text and Translation
- Commentary
- Appendix 1 The Doctrine of the Descensus according to Post-Apostolic and Medieval Commentators from the First Century to the End of the Eleventh Century
- Appendix 2 Scriptural References
- Appendix 3 Other Sources and Analogues
- Appendix 4 Transcription and Images of fol. 120r
- Glossary
- Biblioigraphy
- Index
Summary
1 ff. The theology of the descensus has a number of supporting scriptural references, most notably in Eph. 4: 7–11; I Pet. 3: 18 – 4: 6; Acts 2: 30–1; Rom. 10: 6–8. Typological references from the Old and New Testaments include: Gen. 44: 29; Deut. 30: 12–13; Job 18: 17; Ps. 68: 18–19, 16: 10, 24: 7–10, 27: 1, 87: 4, 103: 17, 139: 15; Isa. 26: 19, 42: 7, 45: 2, 53: 8–9; Ecclus. 24: 45; Eze. 26: 20; Hos. 6: 1–2, 13: 14; Zech. 9–11; Matt. 12: 40; John 12: 32; II Cor. 10: 4. Several tropological/allegorical references to Christ's Descent can be found with reference to baptism by fire: Mic. 1: 4, Luke 3: 16; David killing the bear: I Sam. 17: 36–7; Jonah and the large fish: Jonah 1: 17, Matt. 12: 38–41, Luke 11: 29–32; and in the fiery furnace narrative: Dan. 3.
1–2 The first episode of John the Baptist's Prayer which involves the women going to Christ's tomb appears to be drawn from accounts of the Resurrection as presented in the Gospels. Because of the connection with the Vespere autem antiphon, Matthew's version is considered the accepted source. See Matt. 28: 1–10; Mark 16: 1–3; Luke 24: 1.
13hæleð Iūdēa refers to Joseph of Arimathea. Interestingly, in the apocryphal Gospel of Nicodemus, it is Nicodemus who supplies the tomb for Christ's burial. See Luke 23: 50–3; Matt. 27: 57–61; Mark 15: 42–7.
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- John the Baptist's Prayer 'The Descent into Hell' from the Exeter BookText, Translation and Critical Study, pp. 197 - 199Publisher: Boydell & BrewerPrint publication year: 2014