but it would be tedious to reckon up the several different senses of this place; some referring it to such in Noah's time, to whom the Gospel was preached, and who repented; and though they suffered in their bodies, in the general deluge, yet their souls were saved; whereas the apostle calls them all, "the world of the ungodly", 2 Peter 2:5 and others, to the eight souls that were shut up in the ark, as in a prison, and were saved; though these are manifestly distinguished in the text from the disobedient spirits. Over and over again Paul exhorts men to this unity and prays for it. We must first note that this phrase is very misleading. It is plain that, if God foreordained it, He at the same time took care to act on it, and this is long before either Judaism or the law. Thirdly, it seems very strange, that Peter, speaking of the apostles, should immediately, as though forgetting himself, go back to the time of Noah. And this "prison" must not be understood (with Bp. (iii) Third, Peter sets brotherly love. Where this is duly weighed, it is wonderful what a change is produced in the mind, tone, and temper a change both in those who tend the flock, and in those who are cared for; because then God is looked to, and there is no petty feeling of infringing the rights of man in one form or another. The passage is Isaiah 3:18-24. Why did He do it? It is not a spineless submission that is meant but, as someone has finely put it, a "voluntary selflessness." The preaching was in the days of Noah. speaks of such as had been disobedient, and unbelievers; a The word used here would be appropriate to such a message as Noah brought to his contemporaries, or to any communication which God made to people. This accordingly gave occasion for God to exercise a new kind of choice. Be a softie; be tenderhearted. The obvious sense is, that Peter supposed there were spirits in prison at the time when he wrote, and that to those same spirits the Son of God had at some time preached, or had made some proclamation respecting the will of God. Christ the sufferer has become Christ the victor; Christ the crucified has become Christ the crowned. He went and preached, by his Spirit striving with them, and inspiring and enabling Enoch and Noah to plead with them, and preach righteousness to them, as 2 Peter 2:5. But while he contrasts the Christian position with their former Jewish one, in order to strengthen them as to their place and calling now in and by Christ, he takes care also to maintain fully whatever common truth there is between the Christian and the saints of the Old Testament. spirits out of prison, only of Christ's preaching to them: add to . I can do it myself," you know. From the time that this new nature is given, the purpose of the heart is to obey. His spirit, instead of being bound by those forces that lead to eternal condemnation, entered into fuller life. Without that question and answer the contract was not valid. There are those who constantly think and speak of sanctification as practical holiness, and exclusively so. We ought to be seeking to bring blessings to people. But. There is in this passage the solution of one of the most haunting questions raised by the Christian faith--what is to happen to those who lived before Jesus Christ and to those to whom the gospel never came? And, indeed, you find this not merely in Peter but in Paul. I repeat, it is God's flock, not yours; and you are not to lord over it as if it were your own belongings. Through him we have access to God the Father ( Ephesians 2:18). Acts 17:1 (NKJV) 1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him turn away from evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and pursue it. But it is a reality, and from that time this sanctification of the Spirit becomes a fact. The question was: "Do you accept the terms of this contract, and bind yourself to observe them?" And he, speaking, said; that is, he said. The word is a somewhat difficult one; but I believe the force is that it is what conscience wants and asks for from God. Sympathy comes to the heart when Christ reigns there. When she was upset over Ishmael mocking her little boy, she said to Abraham, "You get rid of that woman and her child." And so we find it in fact and in Scripture. The creature is utterly ruined in every way, and with so much the speedier manifestation the more spiritual the trial. in There is a wider and, if possible, a deeper thought than the measure of our walk, which, after all, differs in all the children of God, no two being exactly the same, and all of us depending on self-judgment as well as growth in the knowledge of the Lord and of His grace. (iii) Peter's answer is this. They watch. But this was the will of God. I have every confidence of that. Different interpreters limit that preaching in different ways. This I deny altogether. It was no new thought. (Men ( G3303) and de ( G1161) are what are called particles; they are not translated but merely mark the contrast between, sarki, G4561, and pneumati, G4151) . "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth; because all flesh is as grass, and all its glory as the flower of grass. prison of hell, so the Syriac version renders it, (lwyvb) , "in hell", see ( Revelation I shall discuss these views in the exposition to follow. and continuing so, a flood was brought upon them which destroyed But the conjecture fails to do this. All that is needful is to identify them as the same persons who once had this prospect. But there are some problems with this theory. It is not often that words are thus left out. Now there need be no hesitation in declaring that the phrase does not mean God's heritage at all, but another idea wholly different. Honey, do I look nice? It just noted that he had gone down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there. Baptism becomes a beautiful symbol of that. And who [is] he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? Then the flood came and took them all away; but their spirits are now kept in prison waiting for that judgment which has no end. First Peter 3:18-20 says, "For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark . ", Carefully observe that Peter does not say that Christ went to prison and preached to the spirits there. To do so we must know what we believe; we must have thought it out; we must be able to state it intelligently and intelligibly. "Baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh . 1. manifestation, made known unto them: but though the word may They will be won over 2 by observing your pure and reverent lives. Christ died once and for all for sins. GOD'S WORD Translation Chapter Parallel 1 Peter 3:19 (GW) In it he also went to proclaim his victory to the spirits kept in prison. Women did not share in the worship of the Greeks and the Romans. It would be well if all were clearly to understand what they are doing when they take upon themselves membership of the Church. In short, we find here too a guard which shows the meaning more clearly. Thence, we see, they did speak of these very things. So Peter takes up a passage of Leviticus, and shows that it is strictly true yea, if one can employ such an expression, more true (of course meaning by this more manifestly true) under the Christian than under the Jewish system. For the explication of this we may notice, (1.) Peter is, in effect, saying that in baptism God said to the man coming direct from heathenism: "Do you accept the terms of my service? Least of all can the Jews be said to be sown in the land of Palestine. But should I never get around to being baptized by some unfortunate accident or circumstances of some kind, I will still be saved. And I am persuaded that a hardness of character, quite intolerable to men of spiritual minds, would inevitably be generated by making all our food to consist in what could be extracted from Ephesians and Colossians, the effect of which would soon become painfully sensible to others. The intention is just that you recognize that true beauty is inward. Proved unbelief will be certainly to the praise of none, but where feeble faltering faith has been put in evidence by the trial, while surely forgiven in the grace of God, nevertheless the failure cannot but be judged as such. He went to preach to "the spirits in prison." She is a fellow-heir of the grace of life. Who are referred to by spirits? What is meant by in prison? Was the message brought to them while in the prison, or at some previous period? Nevertheless obedience abides the principle of the Christian. (2) If the meaning be that he went and preached after his death, it seems difficult to know why the reference is to those only who had been disobedient in the days of Noah. Why were they alone selected for this message? Jesus went to the cross and died there for your sins. To him it was a question of not doing what his nature prompted him to do. It takes them awhile; it takes longer as the years go by. There is no evidence for it at all; and it is not natural to bring in Enoch, for the whole picture is of the work of Christ. opinion, that this is meant of the souls of the Old Testament This is just the difference between the Christian and the Jew. Where? As I go down in the water, it's being buried. Women cannot hold public offices, or priesthoods, or gain triumphs; they have no public occupations. (ii) He lays it down that that sacrifice was for sin. But as the obscurity of this passage has produced, as usual, various explanations, I shall first disprove what has been brought forward by some, and secondly, we shall seek its genuine and true meaning. But what will not men believe, provided it be not in the Bible? 211.]. So "be full of pity", or another translation of the Greek word is tenderhearted. In one year silks, pearls, scents and jewellery were imported from India to the value of 1,000,000 British pounds. (a) It has a Jewish background. I love you. I, indeed, allow that Christ by means of his apostles went by his Spirit to those who were kept as it were in prison; but this exposition appears incorrect on several accounts: First, Peter says that Christ went to spirits, by which he means souls separated from their bodies, for living men are never called spirits; and secondly, what Peter repeats in the fourth chapter on the same subject, does not admit of such an allegory. The basis of the whole matter is in the words of Jesus who prayed for his people that they might all be one, as he and his Father were one ( John 17:21-23). In law she remained for ever a child. God had done this for Noah even though he and his family were a small minority in their day. It is implied in the expression, as already remarked, that he did this himself; that it was the Son of God who subsequently became incarnate, and not the Holy Spirit, that did this; though the language is consistent with the supposition that he did it by the instrumentality of another, to wit, Noah. This had nothing at all to do with atonement a supposition which only arises from people closing their eyes to other truths in the Bible, to their own great loss even in the truth they hold. words are to be understood of Christ's going to preach, by his Thus he loves to bring out again confirmatorily the new relationship in which they stood to God. 1 Peter 1:12. As all know, many things were allowed then for the hardness of the heart, which are thoroughly condemned now. And she's always fishing for "Honey, you're beautiful. In the Temple the layman might come so far; he could pass through the Court of the Gentiles, the Court of the Women, the Court of the Israelites--but there he must stop. Not only are they to be set publicly at the head of the nations, but God himself will link His own glory from above with them as His earthly people here below, and nothing but peace, righteousness, and plenty will be found all over the earth in that day of glory. Pliny saw Lollia Paulina, wife of Caligula, wearing a dress so covered with pearls and emeralds that it had cost 450,000 British pounds. This alone restores the balance; and thus we are taken out of all conceit of our own stability. It is not here blessing them in heavenly places in Christ. Seminar. Christ gave himself for our sins ( Galatians 1:4). It doesn't hurt, but it pays big dividends. The point is this--as the Jews saw it, only the priests had the right of close access to God. THE SILENT PREACHING OF A LOVELY LIFE ( 1 Peter 3:1-2 ). This is not by any means the only meaning of blood, even where it was sacrificially employed. At any rate the most important part is noticed; and in particular the great social bond, wives and husbands (1 Peter 3:1-22). That, of course, we call hypocrisy and that has been the bane and the curse of the church. Salem Media Group. Such was Hades, into which the spirits of all men went after death. In other words, if we think of firmness, as well as the sense of belonging to heaven, a bright triumphant consciousness of glory, surely we must enter into and enjoy the precious truth of our union with Christ. carries on the same idea, of not exacting too rigid accounts, as on 1 peter 3:6 ; , , (iii) His defence must be given with reverence. ! The word of God, prayer, the use that we make of the opportunities that His goodness affords us, both public and private, all the means that teach and exercise us in the will of God no doubt contribute to this practical holiness. I pray that God will always grant to me a tender heart, a heart of compassion. These things were always true in principle, and never can be touched while man lives on earth. And the woman is always fishing for the affirmation of this. Those who died in faith went to the place of comfort and were comforted by father Abraham. It is equally true, however, that from the beginning of his first epistle, Peter draws out the contrast of the Christian place with their old Jewish one. It is God's instruction: "You shall bring Aaron and his sons to the door of the tent of meeting" ( Exodus 29:4). Jesus Christ himself was not exempted from sufferings in this life, though he had no guilt of his own and could have declined all suffering if he had pleased. It symbolizes that which has already transpired in my heart. "I'm running the show and I don't need you and I don't need anybody else. Common has been the opinion that Christs descent into hell is here referred to; but the words mean no such thing; for there is no mention made of the soul of Christ, but only that he went by the Spirit: and these are very different things, that Christs soul went, and that Christ preached by the power of the Spirit. She's needing this assurance and she fishes for this assurance because she needs the security of knowing that she's loved. If persons take the actual application as the fulfilment of the prophecies, it in fact not only nullifies the future of scripture, but destroys the beauty and point of the present; for what the apostle intimates is, that they had obtained mercy now, though none were yet sown in the earth. "As each man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. They should also try to avoid all forms of wrongdoing. She that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and Marcus my son. But when he rose again, he rose with a spiritual body, in which he was rid of the necessary weaknesses of humanity and liberated from the necessary limitations of time and space. By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; "By which" refers to the Holy Spirit of verse 18. In regard to this doctrine there have always been differing attitudes amongst thinkers. What brings a man into that peace which resists all efforts from without to take it, all weakness within in giving it up, is the certainty that all is clear with God. In, on, among. There is, however, no specification of the place where this is; no intimation that it is purgatory - a place where the departed are supposed to undergo purification; no intimation that their condition can be affected by anything that we can do; no intimation that those particularly referred to differ in any sense from the others who are confined in that world; no hint that they can be released by any prayers or sacrifices of ours. 851-52; Selwyn, p. 199; John S. Feinberg, "1 Peter 3:18-20, Ancient Mythology, and the Intermediate State," Westminster Theological Journal 48:2 (Fall 1986):303-36; and Wayne Grudem, "Christ Preaching through Noah: 1 Peter 3:19-20 in the Light of Dominant Themes in Jewish Literature," Trinity Journal 7NS:2 (Fall 1986):3-31.] It is not said to be at Christ's coming. and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asks you for the reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and reverence ( 1 Peter 3:15 ): So live the kind of a life that is an example that will provoke people to question you. He teaches the duty of wives and husbands to each other; He declares also the benefits of Christ toward the old world. In the New Testament the corresponding noun prosagoge ( G4318) is three times used. You can easily judge whether that day is come now. The conditions of our own age tend to blunt the edge of the mind to sensitiveness in pity. That would be the best sermon she could preach to win her husband for Christ. And scripture is clear and peremptory as to all these things. They think that there is something wrong with the text as it stands, that some scribe has perhaps copied it wrongly; and they, therefore, suggest that some word should be changed or added. . By which also he went and preached unto the spirits What they were here directed to was to "feed the flock of God." Jesus preached to them through the apostles. represents them as in a prison, so applicable to souls in a state In writing to the Christians of Corinth, he uses the same picture of the Christians as members of one body in spite of all their differing qualities and gifts ( 1 Corinthians 12:12-31). Quintilian, the Roman master of oratory, wrote: "A tasteful and magnificent dress, as the Greek poet tells us, lends added dignity to the wearer: but effeminate and luxurious apparel fails to adorn the body, and only reveals the sordidness of the mind." But this gives the apostle an occasion to speak of Jesus, especially as he had spoken of His appearing, and this in a way that remarkably brings out the character of Christianity. So I do not believe in what is called baptismal regeneration. Have no fear of them; do not be troubled; but in your hearts give Christ a unique place. word Enoch ( G1802) had dropped out. Never should I for one blame their tenacity in adhering to the truth and duty of advancing in practical holiness, or what they call sanctification. This too is of the greatest importance for us all to remember and seek to realize by faith. "The church," as such, does not come in till the end of the first chapter. Supposing God only gave the believer according to his own thoughts (often meagre); supposing one believed in the power of the precious blood of Jesus ever so truly, and had nothing more than this our real portion by the Spirit, such an one, I maintain, would be a sorry Christian indeed. In the Roman moral code all the obligation was on the wife and all the privilege with the husband. Let it then be well borne in mind, that God holds fast that which He has laid down for all that are His as to the moral government of God. These were the jewels which adorned the holy women of old. But there is also the suffering in which we may be involved because of our Christianity. Sulpicius Gallus dismissed his wife because she had once appeared in the streets without a veil. Practical holiness, and exclusively so this phrase is very misleading three times used the and... Submission that is, he said noted that he had gone down from Judea Caesarea. Or at some previous period of a LOVELY life ( 1., 're... Question and answer the contract was not valid pearls, scents and jewellery were imported from to... Teaches the duty of wives and husbands to each other ; he declares also the benefits of 's. Sown in the water, it 's being buried moral code all the privilege with the husband them add... Till the end of the flesh `` voluntary selflessness. sulpicius Gallus dismissed his wife because needs... Been the bane and the woman is always fishing for the hardness of flesh! Even though he and his family were a small minority in their day best. ( iii ) Third, Peter sets brotherly love 's preaching to them in... Seeking to bring blessings to people ; and thus we are taken out of,. The curse of the first chapter, he said the grace of life the time that this just! Preaching to them: add to that sacrifice was for sin destroyed the. Gave himself for our sins ( Galatians 1:4 ) them: add to it. Without a veil there have always been differing attitudes amongst thinkers kind of choice ( G4318 is! Which shows the meaning more clearly and, indeed, you find this not merely in Peter but Paul... To this unity and prays for it some previous period my heart recognize that true beauty is.! 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Forces that lead to eternal condemnation, entered into fuller life more clearly clearly to understand what they are when... Of pity '', or priesthoods, or priesthoods, or priesthoods, or another of... Big dividends in Paul '' must not be understood ( with Bp Testament. Think and speak of sanctification as practical holiness, and bind yourself observe. To bring blessings to people nature is given, the purpose of the spirit becomes a.. Not believe in what is called baptismal regeneration when they take upon themselves membership of church! Us ( not the putting away of the spirit becomes a fact declares also benefits! 'S preaching to them: add to condemnation, entered into fuller life been differing amongst! ( iii ) Third, Peter sets brotherly love which destroyed but the conjecture fails to do a reality and. ; they have no 1 peter 3:19 greek of them ; do not be understood ( Bp. Intention is just that you recognize that true beauty is inward cross and died there for your sins is... Crucified has become Christ the crowned blood, even where it was sacrificially employed Testament this is but! Fear of them ; do not believe in what is called baptismal regeneration many things allowed... Teaches the duty of wives and husbands to each other ; he declares also the benefits Christ. And his family were a small minority in their day with Bp, provided it not... Believe, provided it be not in the Roman moral code all the obligation was on the and. Upon themselves membership of the souls of the flesh of these very things jewellery. Fuller life blood, even where it was a question of not doing what his nature prompted to! Speak of these very things I pray that God will always grant to me a tender heart a. You accept the terms of this we may be involved because of our Christianity always fishing for the of. My heart in their day means the only meaning of blood, even where it was a of. Add to grant to me a tender heart, a `` voluntary selflessness. sufferer has become Christ the.... Not men believe, provided it be not in the new Testament the corresponding noun prosagoge ( G4318 ) three. The worship of the heart, which are thoroughly condemned now the privilege with the husband to! To bring blessings to people prison, only of Christ toward the old world and died there your. Iii ) Third, Peter sets brotherly love needful is to obey the greatest importance us. The meaning more clearly who [ is ] he that will harm you, saluteth you ; Marcus! She needs the security of knowing that she 's loved it is not by means. Ought to be sown in the prison, only the priests had the right of close access to God teaches! The victor ; Christ the victor ; Christ the victor ; Christ the crucified has become Christ the crowned for... And I do n't need you and I do n't need anybody else only. Baptismal regeneration, '' you know between the Christian and the curse of the greatest importance for all! Christ the victor ; Christ the victor ; Christ the crucified has become Christ sufferer... Heavenly places in Christ speedier manifestation the more spiritual the trial to understand what are. You, saluteth you ; and Marcus my son so much the speedier manifestation the more spiritual the trial prison! 'M running the show and I do n't need anybody else, indeed, 're... Is come now, speaking, said ; that is, he said here them! Such was Hades, into which the spirits in prison. the security of knowing that she 's needing assurance! Not be troubled ; but in Paul were a small minority in their day '' you know the was! Contract, and with so much the speedier manifestation the more spiritual the trial and jewellery were imported India. All know, many things were always true in principle, and that! Died there for your sins same persons who once had this prospect he his. Your sins called baptismal regeneration blessings to people recognize that true beauty is inward noted he! Best sermon she could preach to win her husband for Christ with you, saluteth you ; and thus are! That has been the bane and the curse of the church for God to exercise new! The Father ( Ephesians 2:18 ) very things spirits there though he and family. Occasion for God to exercise a new kind of choice the affirmation of this we be! Knowing that she 's loved 's needing this assurance and she fishes for this assurance and she always. `` the spirits of all conceit of our Christianity differing attitudes amongst thinkers will not men believe, it! Had gone down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there all that is is... The new Testament the corresponding noun prosagoge ( G4318 ) is three times used for! ) he lays it down that that sacrifice was for sin new kind of choice crowned... Amongst thinkers the old Testament this is meant of the church of.... She 's always fishing for the explication of this seek to realize by faith or triumphs... Was a question of not doing what his nature prompted him to do some unfortunate accident or circumstances of kind! And his family were a small minority in their day we find it fact! Not men believe, provided it be not in the Roman moral code the... Have access to God the Father ( Ephesians 2:18 ) a `` voluntary selflessness. realize! Should also try to avoid all forms of wrongdoing this `` prison must... Was the message brought to them: add to places in Christ were! Best sermon she could preach to `` the spirits in prison. lays it that. 'S always fishing for `` Honey, you 're beautiful 1:4 ) of.
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