Section 3
righteousness which is out of faith speaks in this way, Do not say in your heart, Who will ascend into heaven? That is, to bring Christ down. Or, Who will descend into the abyss? That is, to bring Christ up from among the dead." Paul's writing is very deep. Apparently these verses do not men tion the incarnation and resurrection of Christ; actually both are included in this portion. Paul quotes Deuteronomy 30:12 saying, "Do not say in your heart, Who will ascend into heaven?" He then points out that this means "to bring Christ down," and that this refers to Christ's incarna tion, for Christ came down from the heavens in His incarnation. Furthermore, Paul says that we should not ask, "Who will descend into the abyss?" To "descend into the abyss" means "to bring Christ up from among the dead," and this refers to Christ's resurrection. To descend into the abyss means to die and to enter into Hades. When Christ died He descended into the abyss, and in resurrection He was brought up from among the dead, that is, out of the abyss. Christ is the One who has passed through incarnation and resurrection. Therefore, we may say that He is the "processed" Christ, Christ incarnated and resurrected.
Christ has passed through a long process from