Okay, it’s an odd title for a blog post, but it works for me. Today’s study of 1 Peter examines a passage I believe has been frequently interpreted incorrectly. I don’t think this passage teaches that Jesus descended into hell after dying on a cross for sin. Rather, it is a passage meant to encourage Christians when they face persecution for their faith. Hopefully, we’ll see this truth as we make our way through the passage (1 Peter 3:18-22).
So let’s talk about it.
In our previous post on this passage, we made the point that suffering for Christ is to be expected. Peter encourages Christians to remember that “Christ also suffered” (1 Peter 3:18). Jesus knows what suffering is like and He will be with you during your times of persecution.
We also understood the phrase “being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the spirit” (1 Peter 3:18) to mean that Christ was, in the physical realm crucified, but in the spiritual realm, resurrected.
It is in this same spiritual realm that Christ had also spoken in the days of Noah. In fact, Christ spoke through Noah, whom he later describes as “a preacher of righteousness (2 Peter 2:5).” Christ’s speaking through Noah is what Peter goes on to talk about in verses 19 and following. Referring to the “spiritual realm”–-last part of verse 18–Peter continues:
by whom (or better, “in which;” the spiritual realm) also He (Christ) went and preached to the spirits in prison, (verse 19)
In the spiritual realm, Christ preached to people who are now in the prison of hell (so NASB). They were once alive in the days of Noah, but are now spirits in the prison of hell because they rejected the message Christ preached through Noah, a message of repentance.
So these are people who were alive in the days of similar persecution as the persecution faced by Peter’s readers. Peter continues to describe these people:
who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in (better, “into”) which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. (verse 20)
Peter is saying that Christ was preaching through Noah when the ark was being built. Fascinating, isn’t it?! This is the same idea conveyed by Peter in the opening verses of his letter. You may recall our post on 1 Peter 1:10-11 where Peter writes about “the spirit of Christ” who was in the prophets of the Old Testament, the ones who had “inquired and searched carefully” the Scriptures to learn about the coming Messiah.
The spirit of Christ was preaching through Noah when Noah was building that ark and telling everyone to get in. Essentially, Noah’s message was, “Hey! The judgment is coming. Repent and get into the ark.” And the spirit of Christ preached that message through Noah.
Did they listen to Noah? No. Peter says they were “disobedient.” And Peter even underscores the “Divine longsuffering” of God; His incredible longsuffering, or patience. How long did God give the people an opportunity to repent? As long as it took for Noah to build the ark: 120 years!
God is very patient.
He’s the same patient God today. He is patient with unbelievers, giving them yet another day to repent and be saved. He is patient with the unbelieving husbands of Christian wives, unbelieving teenagers, unbelieving neighbors, and unbelieving co-workers. God doesn’t have to give us a chance at all, but He does.
So this passage is about Christ, in the spiritual realm, preaching through Noah to the unbelievers of Noah’s day while Noah was building the ark.
To be sure, some interpret this passage differently. Some believe this passage teaches that Christ died on the cross and then descended into hell to preach to lost people in hell, or that He descended into hell to preach a victory message of some kind, and there are other views, as well. None of those seem right to me, especially given the context.
Certainly the idea that lost people in hell receive some kind of “second chance” to receive Christ goes against everything the Bible teaches about the gospel. Hebrews 9:27 reminds us “it is appointed to man once to die and after this the judgment.” There’s no second chance after death.
Rather, this passage teaches that in the spiritual realm Christ was preaching through Noah when the ark was being built. This is the view of Augustine and a number of other good and wise scholars.
Those in Noah’s day rejected Christ’s message. Only 8 souls were saved through the judgment of the flood. As Peter says at the end of verse 20: “8 souls were saved through the water,” that is, through the waters of judgment.
It seems that as Peter talks about the floodwaters of Noah’s day he is reminded of the waters of Christian baptism. Perhaps this is why he goes on to say:
There (or, this) is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer (better, “appeal”) of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, (verse 21)
To Peter, baptismal waters correspond to escaping the judgment waters of the flood. Christian baptism symbolizes the escaping of judgment.
Peter is not saying that baptism saves us. We know we are not saved by our works, but by grace through faith in Christ alone. Elsewhere Peter is clear that we are not saved by anything we do, but by Who we know–Jesus Christ–and what He has done.
Rather, Peter is teaching that baptism is an “antitype” or a “symbol” of our salvation. It’s not the washing way of dirt from our bodies, as Peter goes on to say:
“Not the removal of the fifth of the flesh.” Baptism is not about removing dirt from the body, but rather–as Peter goes on to say– “but the answer of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”
When a Christian is baptized, he is affirming the belief of his conscience. He is affirming His belief that salvation comes entirely through Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection–which is essentially what baptism pictures (Romans 6:1-5).
So we could paraphrase Peter this way: “Baptism now saves you; not the outward physical sign and ceremony, but rather the inward spiritual reality that baptism pictures and portrays.”
Put another way: salvation is portrayed through baptism but not in baptism.
Of course, in the New Testament, baptism occurred very closely to salvation. And one reason it did was because of this beautiful picture of death, burial, and resurrection. Through union with Christ, the believer has now died to the old way of life and has been raised to walk in a new way of life.
Peter wraps up this imagery by expanding upon Christ’s resurrection. He refers to Christ as the One:
who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him. (verse 22)
Christ has triumphed over all His enemies. He is now “at the right hand of God” and everything is subject to Him–all angels, demons, powers, and everything else. Christ rules over everyone and everything. He is Lord!
The larger point of this passage (1 Peter 3:18-22) is to prepare Christians for times of persecution and suffering for their faith in Christ. With this in mind, let’s conclude with five encouraging reminders:
What To Remember When Suffering For Christ:
1. Remember You Are Not Alone
Christ also suffered (verse 18). Just as the readers of Peter’s day, so today’s Christian readers are encouraged to remember Christ also suffered. You are not alone. Jesus has suffered and He knows what you are going through.
The devil wants you to think God has forsaken you. God has not forsaken you! He is with you always and He will never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5). Christ also suffered for you, “leaving you an example that you should follow in His steps (1 Peter 2:21).”
2. Remember Christ Is In Control
Verse 22 teaches that Jesus Christ has absolute authority over all things, over every angelic being; principalities and powers, and the devil himself. Remembering that Christ is in control is similar to the phrase we studied in our previous post on verse 15: “In your hearts, sanctify Christ as Lord.” In your heart of hearts, believe–really believe–that Christ is in control of everything in your life.
3. Remember Your Ultimate Home
Noah knew God was going to save him through suffering and bring him finally into another world, didn’t he? He weathered the storm–literally!–and prepared for a better place. He withstood 120 years of persecution, looking forward to a new home; a better place after the flood.
Noah was a righteous minority, just as Peter’s readers were, and just as you are. Noah was surrounded by hostile unbelievers, just as Peter’s readers were, and just as you are. But Noah remembered that this world was not his home. He was a temporary resident who was building an ark to take him away to a better place. Christian, remember that this world is not your ultimate home!
4. Remember Not To Be Discouraged In Witnessing
Don’t be discouraged by small results. Noah preached for 120 years and had only 8 conversions. Perhaps you’ve been sharing your faith with friends, co-workers, and family members, but have not seen the “results” you’d like to see. Just remember God has called you not to be “successful,” but to be “faithful.” And never forget “the spirit of Christ” is doing the work through you.
5. Remember Our Greatest Need Is To Be Ready For Judgment
This is especially important given that we are temporary residents in a “first-world” home. Our greatest need is not be be comfortable and enjoy perfect health and make a lot of money. Our greatest need is to have our sins forgiven and to be saved from the judgment to come.
Noah preached that judgment is near. Our judgment is near, too. Peter says in 2 Peter 3:10, “the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night.” Our greatest need is to be ready for judgment, saved from eternal misery in hell.
Following Christ is a call to suffering, but it is a suffering that is temporary. It is a suffering in this present time that is “not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18).
So we are honest with non-Christians. We share with them the sobering truth. We say, “Yes, coming to Christ means you will suffer. Being a Christian is not a life of health, wealth, and prosperity. It is not even ‘Come to Christ for a meaningful life.‘ Rather, it is, ‘Come to Christ and yes, suffer, but know that the suffering lasts a short while, a time not worthy to be compared to the eternal glory to come!'”
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