Texts in Conversation
Matthew’s reference to the “gates of Hades” resembles the Wisdom of Solomon, where God leads mortals down to and back from Hades. Both reflect Jewish traditions, influenced by Hellenism, that describe the underworld as a walled realm of the dead.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
Wisdom of Solomon 16:13
Deuterocanon
10 But your children weren’t overcome by the very fangs of venomous dragons, for your mercy passed by where they were and healed them. 11 For they were bitten to put them in remembrance of your oracles, and were quickly saved, lest, falling into deep forgetfulness, they should become unable to respond to your kindness. 12 For truly it was neither herb nor poultice that cured them, but your word, O Lord, which heals all people. 13 For you have authority over life and death, and you lead down to the gates of Hades, and lead up again. 14 But though a man kills by his wickedness, he can’t retrieve the spirit that has departed or release the imprisoned soul.
Date: 50 BCE – 50 CE (based on scholarly estimates)
Matthew 16:18
New Testament
13 When Jesus came to the area of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 They answered, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “You are blessed, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father in heaven! 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you release on earth will have been released in heaven.” 20 Then he instructed his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.
Date: 70–90 CE (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
"... The gates of Sheol are mentioned several times in the Hebrew Bible (Isaiah 38:10; Psalm 9:14[13], 107:18; Job 38:17; compare Jeremiah 15:7) in accord with the gates and guardian gatekeepers prominent in the Egyptian, Mesopotamian, and Anatolian conceptions of the netherworld. (The same concept continues in later Jewish (Wisdom of Solomon 16:13; 3 Maccabees 5:51) and Christian (Matt 16:18; compare Revelation 1:18) literature) ... Similarly Jonah 2:7[6] describes the ‘bars’ (berihim) of the underworld. Both of these images have to do with the imprisoning power of Sheol and its impassable nature, which prevents escape ..."
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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