Soon we head out on the road to Pascha

Even though it's not even the beginning of Sarakostí (Lent), I'm already thinking of Pascha (the Lord's Passover).
I was trying to explain to an evangelical brother the problem caused by the Latins adding "filioque" to the original Symbol of Nicæa. He responded that he never heard of that one, but knew only of the controversy of "he descended into hell" being in the Nicene Creed. He said he thought it was probably unscriptural. What he didn't know is that the Symbol of Nicæa doesn't include these words; they're in the Latin baptismal formula called the "Apostles' Creed." Well, the two texts that refer to Christ's "descent into Hades (She‘ol)" are 1 Peter 3:18-19 and Ephesians 4:9-10. My purpose is never to dispute, but simply to report was has been handed over to us. But, as I say, it got me to thinking about the resurrection of Christ, which for us Orthodox Christians, is never more than a week away every day of the year. This reminded me of some beautiful passages from our Orthodox spiritual treasury, that I want to share especially with my evangelical brethren, since they are as much deserving of hearing them as we are, if not more so.

SOMETHING strange is happening.
There is a great silence on earth today, a great silence and stillness.
The whole earth keeps silence because the King is asleep.
The earth trembled and is still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh, and He has raised up all who have slept ever since the world began.
God has died in the flesh and she‘ol trembles with fear.

He has gone to search for our first parents, as for a lost sheep.
Greatly desiring to visit those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, He has gone to free from sorrow the captives Adam and Eve, He who is both God and the son of Eve.

The Lord approached them bearing the cross, the weapon that had won Him the victory.
At the sight of Him Adam, the first man He had created, struck his breast in terror and cried out to everyone:
“My Lord be with you all.”
Christ answered him: “And with your spirit.”

He took him by the hand and raised him up, saying:
“Awake, O sleeper, and rise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.
For I am your God, who for your sake have become your son.
Out of love for you and for your descendants I now by My own authority command—
all who are held in bondage to come forth,
all who are in darkness to be enlightened,
all who are sleeping to arise.

“I order you, O sleeper, to awake.
I did not create you to be held a prisoner in she‘ol.
Arise from the dead, for I am the life of the dead.
Arise, work of My hands.
Arise, O My likeness, you who were created in My image.
Rise, let us leave this place,
for you are in Me and I am in you.
Together we form only one person and we cannot be separated.

“For your sake I, your God, became your son;
For your sake I, the Lord, took the form of a slave;
For your sake I, whose home is above the heavens, descended to the earth and beneath the earth.
For your sake, for the sake of man, I became like a man without help, free among the dead.
For the sake of you, who left a garden, I was betrayed to the Jews in a garden, and I was crucified in a garden.

“See on My face the spittle I received in order to restore to you the life I once breathed into you.
See there the marks of the blows I received in order to refashion your warped nature in My image.
See on My back the marks of the scourging I endured to remove the burden of sin that weighs upon your back.
See My hands, nailed firmly to a tree, for you who once wickedly stretched out your hand to a tree.

“I slept on the cross and a sword pierced My side for you who slept in paradise and brought forth Eve from your side.
My side has healed the pain in yours;
My sleep will rouse you from your sleep in she‘ol.
The sword that pierced Me has sheathed the sword that was turned against you.

“Arise, let us leave this place.
The enemy led you out of the earthly paradise.
I will not restore you to that paradise, but I will enthrone you in heaven.
I forbade you the tree that was only a symbol of life, but see, I who am life itself am now one with you.
I appointed cherubim to guard you as slaves are guarded, but now I make them worship you as God.
You hid yourselves, as if naked, from God: but behold—hidden within you is the naked God.
The throne formed by cherubim awaits you, its bearers swift and eager.
The bridal chamber is adorned, the banquet is ready, the eternal dwelling places are prepared, the treasure houses of all good things lie open.
The kingdom of heaven has been prepared for you from all eternity.”