Gates of Hell in the Christian understanding according to Matthew and John of Damascus

Beneath the shattered gates of hell, through which Christ leads out Adam and the righteous dead before the Resurrection, we see evil, hideous and cowering, cast down by the power of Christ.

The gates of hell in the Christian sense are first mentioned in the Gospel of Matthew: "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." John of Damascus explains that by the Cross of Christ original sin has been abolished, resurrection bestowed, hell robbed of its prey, and the gates of hell thrown open.

Let us recall what these gates actually are. They are usually imagined quite literally, as the entrance to hell. The very wide gate that stands opposite the narrow gate leading to the Kingdom of Heaven. It is far easier to pass through the gates of hell, and that is where the greater part of mankind is drawn.

The gates of hell cannot prevail against the Church for as long as there remain people who do not submit to them. The gates of hell can be overcome by spiritual life.