Bible Discussion Thread

 
  • Earl on 1 Peter 3 - 3 years ago
    in 1Peter 1:19-20 where was the spirits he preached to and what was the message
  • Chris - In Reply on 1 Peter 3 - 3 years ago
    1 Peter 3:13-22 is a passage essentially on a believer's suffering at the hands of wicked men (suffering for righteousness' sake, receiving false accusations, suffering for doing well: vv 14,16,17). Likewise, Christ too suffered at the hands of wicked men, died for our sins & brought to life by God's Spirit (v18).

    v19: by this self-same Spirit, Christ went & preached to the spirits in prison. The reason for Peter to bring up this matter is as a lead-in to the next verses on water baptism. So, as Jesus preached to the spirits bound from the days of Noah, & as Noah was saved on the Ark on water, so our baptism in water (as the saving water under the Ark) also now also saves us (not by washing away sins but of an answer of a good conscience towards God).

    I realize that we generally connect Jesus' preaching to the spirits in prison as an event after his death & resurrection. But I also see the emphasis on the preaching to them at maybe some other point in time & not necessarily at the resurrection. I can't be certain though. Others may offer their opinion.

    Where were these spirits? The Greek word indicates that it was a prison & those that are under guard - some see this as Hell, Hades, Sheol, but the Greek doesn't indicate that.

    Who were these spirits? They were the spirits of all those who rejected God's warning about the coming flood & they continued on in their wicked living & even mocking Noah during the Ark's construction.

    And what was the message? We're not told, but it could have been an announcement of the reason for their chained up plight & that eight souls were found righteous from among them, whom God had chosen to save. Or, if after the Resurrection, that those spirits & all other spirits bound there, received the announcement that Christ's death & resurrection has brought victory over sin & death. We're just not told any more, but as I said, I think this is just a side matter: the real issue in this portion of Scripture is about baptism.



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