[af_vet_1981]

Abraham's bosum. Should that be taken entirely literally?

Yes, it was a real place.

Paragraph 1. Christ Descended into Hell

632 The frequent New Testament affirmations that Jesus was "raised from the dead" presuppose that the crucified one sojourned in the realm of the dead prior to his resurrection.478 This was the first meaning given in the apostolic preaching to Christ's descent into hell: that Jesus, like all men, experienced death and in his soul joined the others in the realm of the dead. But he descended there as Savior, proclaiming the Good News to the spirits imprisoned there.479

633 Scripture calls the abode of the dead, to which the dead Christ went down, "hell" - Sheol in Hebrew or Hades in Greek - because those who are there are deprived of the vision of God.480 Such is the case for all the dead, whether evil or righteous, while they await the Redeemer: which does not mean that their lot is identical, as Jesus shows through the parable of the poor man Lazarus who was received into "Abraham's bosom":481 "It is precisely these holy souls, who awaited their Savior in Abraham's bosom, whom Christ the Lord delivered when he descended into hell."482 Jesus did not descend into hell to deliver the damned, nor to destroy the hell of damnation, but to free the just who had gone before him.483

634 "The gospel was preached even to the dead."484 The descent into hell brings the Gospel message of salvation to complete fulfilment. This is the last phase of Jesus' messianic mission, a phase which is condensed in time but vast in its real significance: the spread of Christ's redemptive work to all men of all times and all places, for all who are saved have been made sharers in the redemption.

635 Christ went down into the depths of death so that "the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live."485 Jesus, "the Author of life", by dying destroyed "him who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and [delivered] all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong bondage."486 Henceforth the risen Christ holds "the keys of Death and Hades", so that "at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth."487

Today a great silence reigns on earth, a great silence and a great stillness. A great 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. . . He has gone to search for Adam, our first father, 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 Adam in his bonds and Eve, captive with him - He who is both their God and the son of Eve. . . "I am your God, who for your sake have become your son. . . I order you, O sleeper, to awake. I did not create you to be a prisoner in hell. Rise from the dead, for I am the life of the dead."488

IN BRIEF

636 By the expression "He descended into hell", the Apostles' Creed confesses that Jesus did really die and through his death for us conquered death and the devil "who has the power of death" (Heb 2:14).

637 In his human soul united to his divine person, the dead Christ went down to the realm of the dead. He opened heaven's gates for the just who had gone before him.

[BlueDragon]

Yes, it was a real place.

It appears that you woefully misunderstood my intended meaning, which was --- is everyone present there LITERALLY leaning upon 'Abraham's bosum'

You just said it was a place. I had been speaking about it as it were a place (rather than a person). Jesus had obviously enough been speaking of Abraham's bosum, as it were a place using identifiable persons to describe the spiritual realities of the "place".

The only question now left here for myself regarding communications between the two of us, in my mind is; did you really misunderstand my intended meanings that badly, or are you just semi-faking it in order to make it look like you actually have something to say.

I was the one who had brought #633 to this thread, in the first place, I seem to recall. Perhaps it was some other ongoing thread, and I'm just mistaken.

If it is agreement you are looking for, whatever of that is available was already on the table prior to composition of your here reply, for I had placed the dish there by my own hand...

Dragging that back into discussion at this point, (with the few little extra added words you chose as intro) in my view, is rather pointless, and not entirely unlike one having refused to eat (when anyone was looking), then, after sneaking a few nibbles (when others are not looking) starts throwing the food around while posturing as if to be everyone not of their tribe's instructor, while they're at it.

Remind me to never invite you for sit-down dinner.

[Elsie]

A king is asleep??