There’s a tradition of the Orthodox Church, not in the Bible, that John the Baptist went to Hades and preached about Jesus there. His mission wasn’t just to those on earth, but also to those awaiting the Messiah.
And of course, it makes perfect sense. What else would John do? He isn’t the sort of guy that kept quiet.
Once I learned that, the words of Christ opened up to me.
John 8:56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.
There are a great many truths which are not in the Bible but are found in Holy Tradition.
“So that he might descend to the lower regions and announce [preach] his coming. For everywhere the witness and forerunner of Jesus is John, being born before and dying shortly before the Son of God, so that not only to those of his generation but likewise to those who lived before Christ should liberation from the death be preached, and that he might everywhere prepare a people trained to receive the Lord.”
Origen, In Lucam Homily (Homily on Luke) 4, in PG 12:1811.
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