7 or, “ ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).
7 or,
The “or” introduces another negative alternative. As there is no need for the esoteric approach to go to heaven directly to get the message from God, so there is no need to go to the grave for that purpose either.
“ ‘Who will descend into the abyss [without bottom]?’ ”
This sentence is a reference to Deuteronomy 30:13. Man does not have the power of life and death. The “abyss” was the place of those who died. There is no need to go to the extreme of bringing someone from the dead, because Christ is already raised from the dead.
(that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).
Jesus has already gone to the grave and returned again by bodily resurrection.
PRINCIPLE:
People do not have to go to great lengths to obtain salvation.
APPLICATION:
Any self-righteous attempt to gain salvation will end in failure. There is no human means that man can concoct to earn salvation. There is no need for any superhuman attempt at salvation.
