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1 Peter 3:18-21
[quoteit]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: 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.
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:
[/quoteit]
King James Version: Commentary
Verse 18
[quoteit] 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[/quoteit]
For Christ also hath once suffered for sins. Some texts have “died for sins,” but most interpreters opt for suffered because it fits the context better and is a very common word in this epistle. The word for translates three different Greek words in the verse; some translations have four “for's.” The reason for the advice in verse 17 is, “Because Christ suffered” (Gr hoti). Christ suffered “concerning” (Gr peri) sins, and He suffered on our behalf, the Just One “in place of” (Gr hyper) unjust sinners. It is made very clear that His suffering was not just an exemplary suffering; it was vicarious, and it was an atonement for our sins. Its purpose was to bring us to God.
Verse 19
[quoteit]By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;[/quoteit]
By which also he went and preached connotes the agency of the Holy Spirit if we retain the AV translation, by the Spirit (vs. 18). In this view, maintaining the continuity between verse 18 and verse 19, the same Holy Spirit who raised Christ from the dead had enabled him to preach to the men of Noah's day through Noah himself. While this interpretation fits the context and is legitimate by twentieth-century standards, it does require some juggling of one's natural understanding of the original text. The alternative interpretation is to understand that before the resurrection someone “made alive” the human spirit of Jesus so that in this form He preached to the spirits in Hades.
This interpretation has problems too; for example, the content of the preaching is supposed to be an announcement of victory rather than the preaching of the gospel message, but the wrong word is used (Gr keµryssoµ). Also, according to 4:6, the gospel is preached to the dead, and the word there definitely means “preach the gospel” or “evangelize” (Gr euangelizomai).
Verse 20 - 21
[quoteit]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.
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:
[/quoteit]
The ark … wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. The mention of Noah and the ark provides the perfect opportunity to expound on the figurative correspondence between the ark and baptism, which doth also now save us. Technically, of course, it is not true that baptism saves; the merely mechanical performance of the religious rite would only make a sinner into a very wet sinner. Peter means to explain this with not the putting away of the filth of the flesh. What it means is just as the ark had something to do with the deliverance of those people from the judgment of the Flood, so baptism, assuming that a person has accepted Christ as Saviour and desires to obey in this ordinance, has something to do with deliverance from sin. It's only a picture, a type, and the correspondence is very close.
Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Commentary
Verse 18
once for sins: Christ's death on the Cross was a once-for-all event. He died once for our sins; He does not have to be “recrucified” each time we sin. that He might bring us to God: Christ died so that we can be reconciled to God.
Verse 19 - 20
3:19, 20 There are various interpretations of the meaning of these verses, primarily because of the ambiguity of the phrase spirits in prison. The Greek term translated spirits can refer to human spirits, angels, or demons. There are three main interpretations: (1) Some interpret these verses as describing Jesus going to the place where fallen angels are incarcerated and declaring His final victory over evil in His work on the Cross. These commentators suggest that Peter is referring to the days of Noah because these fallen angels were typified by the gross immorality of those “spirits” who married human women at that time (Gen. 6:1–4; 2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 1:6). Depending on the commentator, this proclamation is assigned to the time between Christ's crucifixion and resurrection, or to a time after Christ's ascension to heaven. (2) Others hold that spirits refers to human spirits.
Thus, Christ preached to human beings who had died in Noah's day and were in the realm of the dead (hell or Hades). Although some have insisted that Christ's preaching included an offer of salvation to these people, this is at best unlikely and at worst misleading, for Scripture never concedes a “second chance” for sinners after death. The content of Christ's preaching was most likely a proclamation of His victory over sin. (3) Finally, another major interpretation understands this passage as describing Christ preaching through Noah to the unbelievers of his day. Since they rejected Noah's message of salvation, they were presently in prison—that is, hell.
Verse 21
an antitype which now saves us: The symbolic act of baptism is the answer of a good conscience of one who has been saved from the penalty of sin (Rom. 4:1–6) by trusting in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ (Rom. 6:4, 5). The floodwaters symbolize the baptismal waters, which in turn symbolize the salvation that can be obtained through Christ's death (Matt. 28:19, 20; Acts 2:38).
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
We sanctify God before others, when our conduct invites and encourages them to glorify and honour him. What was the ground and reason of their hope? We should be able to defend our religion with meekness, in the fear of God. There is no room for any other fears where this great fear is; it disturbs not. The conscience is good, when it does its office well. That person is in a sad condition on whom sin and suffering meet: sin makes suffering extreme, comfortless, and destructive. Surely it is better to suffer for well-doing than for evil-doing, whatever our natural impatience at times may suggest.
The example of Christ is an argument for patience under sufferings. In the case of our Lord's suffering, he that knew no sin, suffered instead of those who knew no righteousness. The blessed end and design of our Lord's sufferings were, to reconcile us to God, and to bring us to eternal glory. He was put to death in respect of his human nature, but was quickened and raised by the power of the Holy Spirit. If Christ could not be freed from sufferings, why should Christians think to be so?
God takes exact notice of the means and advantages people in all ages have had. As to the old world, Christ sent his Spirit; gave warning by Noah. But though the patience of God waits long, it will cease at last. And the spirits of disobedient sinners, as soon as they are out of their bodies, are committed to the prison of hell, where those that despised Noah's warning now are, and from whence there is no redemption. Noah's salvation in the ark upon the water, which carried him above the floods, set forth the salvation of all true believers. That temporal salvation by the ark was a type of the eternal salvation of believers by baptism of the Holy Spirit.
To prevent mistakes, the apostle declares what he means by saving baptism; not the outward ceremony of washing with water, which, in itself, does no more than put away the filth of the flesh, but that baptism, of which the baptismal water formed the sign. Not the outward ordinance, but when a man, by the regeneration of the Spirit, was enabled to repent and profess faith, and purpose a new life, uprightly, and as in the presence of God.
Let us beware that we rest not upon outward forms. Let us learn to look on the ordinances of God spiritually, and to inquire after the spiritual effect and working of them on our consciences. We would willingly have all religion reduced to outward things. But many who were baptized, and constantly attended the ordinances, have remained without Christ, died in their sins, and are now past recovery. Rest not then till thou art cleansed by the Spirit of Christ and the blood of Christ. His resurrection from the dead is that whereby we are assured of purifying and peace.
[quoteit]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: 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.
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:
[/quoteit]
King James Version: Commentary
Verse 18
[quoteit] 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[/quoteit]
For Christ also hath once suffered for sins. Some texts have “died for sins,” but most interpreters opt for suffered because it fits the context better and is a very common word in this epistle. The word for translates three different Greek words in the verse; some translations have four “for's.” The reason for the advice in verse 17 is, “Because Christ suffered” (Gr hoti). Christ suffered “concerning” (Gr peri) sins, and He suffered on our behalf, the Just One “in place of” (Gr hyper) unjust sinners. It is made very clear that His suffering was not just an exemplary suffering; it was vicarious, and it was an atonement for our sins. Its purpose was to bring us to God.
Verse 19
[quoteit]By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;[/quoteit]
By which also he went and preached connotes the agency of the Holy Spirit if we retain the AV translation, by the Spirit (vs. 18). In this view, maintaining the continuity between verse 18 and verse 19, the same Holy Spirit who raised Christ from the dead had enabled him to preach to the men of Noah's day through Noah himself. While this interpretation fits the context and is legitimate by twentieth-century standards, it does require some juggling of one's natural understanding of the original text. The alternative interpretation is to understand that before the resurrection someone “made alive” the human spirit of Jesus so that in this form He preached to the spirits in Hades.
This interpretation has problems too; for example, the content of the preaching is supposed to be an announcement of victory rather than the preaching of the gospel message, but the wrong word is used (Gr keµryssoµ). Also, according to 4:6, the gospel is preached to the dead, and the word there definitely means “preach the gospel” or “evangelize” (Gr euangelizomai).
Verse 20 - 21
[quoteit]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.
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:
[/quoteit]
The ark … wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. The mention of Noah and the ark provides the perfect opportunity to expound on the figurative correspondence between the ark and baptism, which doth also now save us. Technically, of course, it is not true that baptism saves; the merely mechanical performance of the religious rite would only make a sinner into a very wet sinner. Peter means to explain this with not the putting away of the filth of the flesh. What it means is just as the ark had something to do with the deliverance of those people from the judgment of the Flood, so baptism, assuming that a person has accepted Christ as Saviour and desires to obey in this ordinance, has something to do with deliverance from sin. It's only a picture, a type, and the correspondence is very close.
Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Commentary
Verse 18
once for sins: Christ's death on the Cross was a once-for-all event. He died once for our sins; He does not have to be “recrucified” each time we sin. that He might bring us to God: Christ died so that we can be reconciled to God.
Verse 19 - 20
3:19, 20 There are various interpretations of the meaning of these verses, primarily because of the ambiguity of the phrase spirits in prison. The Greek term translated spirits can refer to human spirits, angels, or demons. There are three main interpretations: (1) Some interpret these verses as describing Jesus going to the place where fallen angels are incarcerated and declaring His final victory over evil in His work on the Cross. These commentators suggest that Peter is referring to the days of Noah because these fallen angels were typified by the gross immorality of those “spirits” who married human women at that time (Gen. 6:1–4; 2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 1:6). Depending on the commentator, this proclamation is assigned to the time between Christ's crucifixion and resurrection, or to a time after Christ's ascension to heaven. (2) Others hold that spirits refers to human spirits.
Thus, Christ preached to human beings who had died in Noah's day and were in the realm of the dead (hell or Hades). Although some have insisted that Christ's preaching included an offer of salvation to these people, this is at best unlikely and at worst misleading, for Scripture never concedes a “second chance” for sinners after death. The content of Christ's preaching was most likely a proclamation of His victory over sin. (3) Finally, another major interpretation understands this passage as describing Christ preaching through Noah to the unbelievers of his day. Since they rejected Noah's message of salvation, they were presently in prison—that is, hell.
Verse 21
an antitype which now saves us: The symbolic act of baptism is the answer of a good conscience of one who has been saved from the penalty of sin (Rom. 4:1–6) by trusting in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ (Rom. 6:4, 5). The floodwaters symbolize the baptismal waters, which in turn symbolize the salvation that can be obtained through Christ's death (Matt. 28:19, 20; Acts 2:38).
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
We sanctify God before others, when our conduct invites and encourages them to glorify and honour him. What was the ground and reason of their hope? We should be able to defend our religion with meekness, in the fear of God. There is no room for any other fears where this great fear is; it disturbs not. The conscience is good, when it does its office well. That person is in a sad condition on whom sin and suffering meet: sin makes suffering extreme, comfortless, and destructive. Surely it is better to suffer for well-doing than for evil-doing, whatever our natural impatience at times may suggest.
The example of Christ is an argument for patience under sufferings. In the case of our Lord's suffering, he that knew no sin, suffered instead of those who knew no righteousness. The blessed end and design of our Lord's sufferings were, to reconcile us to God, and to bring us to eternal glory. He was put to death in respect of his human nature, but was quickened and raised by the power of the Holy Spirit. If Christ could not be freed from sufferings, why should Christians think to be so?
God takes exact notice of the means and advantages people in all ages have had. As to the old world, Christ sent his Spirit; gave warning by Noah. But though the patience of God waits long, it will cease at last. And the spirits of disobedient sinners, as soon as they are out of their bodies, are committed to the prison of hell, where those that despised Noah's warning now are, and from whence there is no redemption. Noah's salvation in the ark upon the water, which carried him above the floods, set forth the salvation of all true believers. That temporal salvation by the ark was a type of the eternal salvation of believers by baptism of the Holy Spirit.
To prevent mistakes, the apostle declares what he means by saving baptism; not the outward ceremony of washing with water, which, in itself, does no more than put away the filth of the flesh, but that baptism, of which the baptismal water formed the sign. Not the outward ordinance, but when a man, by the regeneration of the Spirit, was enabled to repent and profess faith, and purpose a new life, uprightly, and as in the presence of God.
Let us beware that we rest not upon outward forms. Let us learn to look on the ordinances of God spiritually, and to inquire after the spiritual effect and working of them on our consciences. We would willingly have all religion reduced to outward things. But many who were baptized, and constantly attended the ordinances, have remained without Christ, died in their sins, and are now past recovery. Rest not then till thou art cleansed by the Spirit of Christ and the blood of Christ. His resurrection from the dead is that whereby we are assured of purifying and peace.
