HOPE THROUGH REMEMBRANCE
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We may not be able to solve all the problems in this section, but we do want to get Peter’s practical help to encourage Christians in difficult days.
The section presents three different ministries. If we understand these ministries, we will be better able to suffer in the will of God and glorify Christ.
1. REMEMBER OUR LORD - The Ministry of Christ
Everything else in this paragraph is incidental to what Peter had to say about Jesus Christ. This material is parallel to what Peter wrote in 2:21ff. Peter presented Jesus Christ as the perfect example of one who suffered unjustly, and yet obeyed God.
A. THE DEATH OF CHRIST
18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
In verse 17, Peter wrote about suffering for well-doing rather than for evil-doing; and then he gave the example of Jesus Christ. Jesus was the "just One" (Acts 3:14), and yet He was treated unjustly. Why? That He might die for the unjust ones and bring them to God! He died as a substitute (1 Peter 2:24) and only once (Heb. 9:24-28). In other words, Jesus suffered for well-doing; He did not die because of His own sins, for He had none (1 Peter 2:22.
The phrase "bring us to God" is a technical term that means "gain audience at court. Because of the work of Christ on the cross, we now have open access to God (Eph. 2:18; 3:12). We may come boldly to His throne Heb. 10:19ff)! We also have access to His marvelous grace to meet our daily needs (Rom. 5:2). When the temple’s veil was torn, it symbolized the new and open way to God through Jesus Christ.
B. THE PROCLAMATION OF CHRIST
19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
The phrase "made alive by the Spirit" (kiv, sco) creates a problem for us. In the Greek manuscripts, there were no capital letters, so we have no authority to write "Spirit" rather than "spirit." Greek scholars tell us that the end of verse 18 should read: "Being put to death regarding the flesh, but made alive concerning the spirit." The contrast is between flesh and spirit, as in Matthew 26:41 and Romans 1:3-4, and not between Christ's flesh and the Holy Spirit.
Our Lord had a real body (Matt. 26:26), soul John 12.27), and spirit (Luke 23:46). He was not God inhabiting a man; He was the true God-Man.
When He died, He yielded His spirit to the Father Luke 23:46, and see James 2:26). However, it seems evident that, if He was "made alive in the spirit," at some point His spirit must have died. It was probably when He was made sin for us and was forsaken by the Father (Mark 15:34; 2 Cor. 5:21).
The phrase "quickened in [with reference to] the spirit" cannot mean resurrection, because resurrection has to do with the body.
So, on the cross, our Lord suffered and died. His body was put to death, and His spirit died when He was made sin. But His spirit was made alive and He yielded it to the Father. Then according to Peter, sometime between His death and His resurrection Jesus made a special proclamation to "the spirits in prison."
This raises two questions: Who were these 'spirits" that He visited? What did He proclaim to them?
Those who say that these "spirits in prison" were the spirits of lost sinners in hell, to whom Jesus brought the good news of salvation, have some real problems to solve. To begin with, Peter referred to people as "souls" and not "spirits" (3:20).
In the New Testament, the word "spirits" is used to describe angels or demons, not human beings; and verse 22 seems to argue for this meaning. Further-more, nowhere in the Bible are we told that Jesus visited hell. Acts 2:31 states that He went to
"Hades" (NASB), but "Hades" is not hell. The word
"Hades" refers to the realm of the dead, a temporary place where they await the resurrection.
Read Revelation 20:11-15
Hades is a temporary place.
When a Christian dies, he goes to neither place but to heaven to be with Christ Phil. 1:20-24
20 According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.
21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
22 But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not.
23 For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:
24 Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.
Our Lord yielded His spirit to the Father, died, and at some time between death and resurrection, visited the realm of the dead where He delivered a message to spirit beings (probably fallen angels; see Jude 6, who were somehow related to the period Before the flood. Verse 20 makes this clear.
The word translated "preached" means "to announce as a herald, to proclaim." It is not the word that means "to preach the Gospel" that Peter used in 1:12 and 4:6. Peter did not tell us what Jesus proclaimed to these imprisoned spirits, but it could not be a message of redemption since angels cannot be saved (Heb. 2:16).
It was probably a declaration of victory over Satan and his hosts (see 1 Peter 3:22 and Col. 2:15.
How these spirits were related to the pre-flood era, Peter did not explain. Some students believe that "the sons of God" named in Genesis 6:1-4 were fallen angels who cohabited with women and produced a race of giants, but I cannot accept this interpretation. The good angels who did not fall are called "sons of God," but not the fallen angels (Job 1:6; 2:1, and note that Satan is distinguished from the "sons of God"). The world before the Flood was unbelievably wicked, and these spirits undoubtedly had much to do with it (see Gen. 6:5-13 and Rom 1:18ff).
C. THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST (IPeter 3:21
21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
Since death comes when the spirit leaves the body (James 2:26), then resurrection involves the spirit returning to the body (Luke 8:55). The Father raised Jesus from the dead (Rom. 6:4; 8:11), but the Son also had the authority to raise Himself (John 10:17-18).
It was a miracle!
Because of His resurrection, Christians have the "living hope" (1 Peter 1:3-4). We shall see later how the resurrection of Christ relates to the experience of Noah.
We must never minimize the importance of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It declares that He is God (Rom. 1:4), that the work of salvation is completed and accepted by the Father (4:25), and that death has been conquered (1 Thess. 4:13-18; Rev.
1:17-18). The Gospel message includes the resurrection (I Cor. 15:1-4), for a dead Saviour can save nobody. It is the risen Christ who gives us the power we need on a daily basis for life and service (Gal.
2:20).
D. THE ASCENSION OF CHRIST
22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.
Forty days after His resurrection, our Lord ascended to heaven to sit at the Father’s right hand, the place of exaltation (Ps. 110:1; Phil. 2:5-11; Heb. 12:1-3; Acts 2:34-36). Believers are seated with Him in the heavenlies (Eph. 2:4-6), and through Him, we are able to "reign in life" (Rom. 5:17). He is ministering to the church as High Priest (Heb. 7:25; 4:14-16) and Advocate
(1 John 1:9 -2:2). He is preparing a place for His people (John 14:1-6) and will one day come to receive them to Himself.
But the main point Peter wanted to emphasize was Christ's complete victory over all "angels and authorities and powers" (1 Peter 3:22), referring to the evil hosts of Satan (Eph. 6:10-12; Col. 2:15). The unfallen angels were always subject to Him. As Christians, we do not fight for victory, but from victory the mighty victory that our Lord Jesus Christ won for us in His death, resurrection, and ascension.
2. REMEMBER OUR HEROES - The ministry of Noah
As for the most popular name of 2023 so far, Noah, ranked third in 2022, has risen to the top of this year's list for baby boys.
The patriarch Noah was held in very high regard among Jewish people in Peter's day, and also among Christians. He was linked with Daniel and Job, two great men, in Ezekiel 14:19-20; there are many references to the Flood in the Psalms and the Prophets. Jesus referred to Noah in His prophetic sermon (Matt. 24:37-39, and see Luke 17:26-27), and Peter mentioned him in his second letter (2:5 and see 3:6). He is named with the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11:7.
What relationship did Peter see between his readers and the ministry of Noah? For one thing, Noah was a "preacher of righteousness" (2 Peter 2:5) during a very difficult time in history. In fact, he walked with God and preached His truth for 120 years (Gen. 6:3), and during that time, he was certainly laughed at and opposed.
The early Christians knew that Jesus had promised that, before His return, the world would become like the "days of Noah" (Matt. 24:37-39
37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
and they were expecting Him soon (2 Peter 3:1-3). As they saw society decay around them, and persecution begin, they would think of our Lord's words.
Noah was a man of faith who kept doing the will of God even when he seemed to be a failure. This would certainly be an encouragement to Peter's readers. If we measured faithfulness by results, Noah would get a very low grade. Yet God ranked him very high!
But there is another connection: Peter saw in the Flood a picture (type) of a Christian's experience of baptism. No matter what mode of baptism you may accept, it is certain that the early church practiced immersion. It is a picture of our Lord's death, burial, and resurrection. Many people today do not take baptism seriously, but it was a serious matter in the early church. Baptism meant a clean break with the past, and this could include separation from a convert’s family, friends, and job. Candidates for bap-ism were interrogated carefully, for their submission in baptism was a step of consecration and not just an "initiation rite" to "join the church.»
The Flood pictures death, burial, and resurrection. The waters buried the earth in judgment, but they also lifted Noah and his family up to safety. The early church saw in the ark a picture of salvation.
Noah and his family were saved by faith because they believed God and entered into the ark of safety.
So sinners are saved by faith when they trust Christ and become one with Him.
When Peter wrote that Noah and his family were "saved by water," he carefully explained that this illustration does not imply salvation by baptism.
Baptism is a "figure" of that which does save us, namely, "the resurrection of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 3:21. Water on the body, or the body placed in water, cannot remove the stains of sin. Only the blood of Jesus Christ can do that (1 John 1:7-2:2).
However, baptism does save us from one thing: a bad conscience.
Peter had already told his readers that a good conscience was important to a successful witness (see 1 Peter 3:16), and a part of that "good conscience" is being faithful to our commitment to Christ as expressed in baptism.
The word "answer" in verse 21 is a legal term meaning "a pledge, a demand." When signing a contract, he would be asked, "Do you pledge to obey and fulfill the terms of this contract?" His answer must be "Yes, I do" or he could not sign. When converts were prepared for baptism, they would be asked if they intended to obey God and serve Him, and to break with their sinful past. If they had reservations in their hearts, or deliberately lied, they would not have a good conscience it, under pressure of persecution, they denied the Lord. (Peter knew something about that!) So, Peter reminded them of their baptismal testimony to encourage them to be true to Christ.
‘The chronology of the Flood is closely related to our Lord's day of resurrection. Noah's ark rested on Ararat on the 17th day of the 7th month (Gen. 8:4). The Jewish civil year started with October; the religious year started with the Passover in April (Ex. 12:1-2), but that was not instituted until Moses' time. The 7th month from October is April. Our Lord was crucified on the 14th day, Passover (Ex. 12:6), and resurrected after 3 days. This takes us to the 17th day of the month, when the ark rested on Mt. Ararat. So, the illustration of Noah relates closely to Peter's emphasis on the resurrection of the Saviour.
There is a sense in which our Lord's experience on the cross was a baptism of judgment, not unlike the flood. He referred to His sufferings as a baptism (Matt. 20:22; Luke 12:50). He also used Jonah to illustrate His experience of death, burial, and resurrection (Matt. 12:38-41). Jesus could certainly have quoted Jonah 2:3 to describe His own experience:
"All Thy billows and Thy waves passed over me."
3. REMEMBER OUR MINISTRY - THE MINISTRY OF EVERY BELIEVER
It is easy to agree on the main lessons Peter was sharing with his readers, lessons which we need today.
First of all, Christians must expect opposition.
As the coming of Christ draws near, our well-doing will incite the anger and attacks of godless people. Jesus lived a perfect life on earth, yet He was crucified as a common criminal. If the just One who did no in was treated cruelly, what right do we who are imperfect have to escape suffering? We must be careful, however, that we suffer because of well-doing, for righteousness* sake, and not because we have disobeyed.
A second lesson is that Christians must serve God by faith, not trust in results.
Noah served God and kept only seven people from the Flood, yet God honored him. From those seven people, we take courage! Jesus appeared a total failure when He died on the cross, yet His death was a supreme victory.
His cause may seem to fail today, but He will accomplish His purposes in this world. The harvest is not the end of a meeting but the end of the age.
Third, we can be encouraged because we are identified with Christ's victory.
This is pictured in baptism, and the doctrine is explained in Romans 6. It is the baptism of the Spirit that identifies a believer with Christ (1 Cor. 12:12-13), and this is pictured in water baptism. It is through the Spirit's power that we live for Christ and witness for Him (Acts 1:8
8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Satan energizes the opposition of men, and Christ has already defeated these principalities and powers. He has "all authority in heaven and on earth (Matt. 28:18, NIv), and therefore we can go forth with confidence and victory.
Baptism identifies us with Christ and gives witness that we have broken with the old life (see 1 Peter 4:1-4) and will, by His help, live a new life.
Baptism is a pledge to God that we shall obey Him. To use Peter's illustration, we agree to the contract’s terms. To take baptism lightly is to sin against God. Some people make too much of baptism by teaching that it is a means of salvation, while others minimize it. Both are wrong.
If a believer is to have a good conscience, he must obey God.
"Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another" (Rom. 14:19).
"Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind"
(14:5).
It is important that each Christian vows devotion to Christ and makes it a definite act of commitment. Most Christians do this in baptism, but even the act of baptism can be minimized or forgotten. In taking up our cross daily, we prove we are true followers of Jesus Christ.
Finally, Jesus Christ is the only Saviour; the lost world needs to hear His Gospel.
Some people try to use this complex passage of Scripture to prove a "second chance for salvation after death." Our interpretation of "spirits in prison" proves that these wore angelic beings, not the souls of the dead.
But even if these "spirits" were those of merved booblo. this passpoo save not
their salvation why did Peter use the verb "proclaim as a herald" instead of the usual word for preaching the Gospel?
27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
makes it clear that death ends the opportunity for salvation.
This is why the church needs to get concerned about evangelism and missions, because people are dying who have never even heard the Good News of salvation, let alone had the opportunity to reject it. It does us no good to quibble about differing interpretations of a difficult passage of Scripture, if what we do believe does not motivate us to want to share the Gospel with others.
Peter made it clear that difficult days give us multiplied opportunities for witness.
Are we taking advantage of our opportunities?
Additional Note to 1 Peter 3:19-20
A popular explanation of these verses states that Jesus by His Spirit preached through Noah to sinners who (when Peter wrote were imprisoned in Hades.
This explanation ignores the contrast in verse 18 between "in the flesh" and "in the spirit" and, without any biblical authorization, capitalizes the word "spirit." The Greek verb translated "went" in verse 19 means "to make a personal visit." It does not mean "to visit by means of a representative or substitute." The simplest view is that Jesus Himself went and did the preaching.