Studies in 1 Peter

1. Studies in 1 Peter Presentation 08

2. The Structure of the Book 1v1-2 Salvation: grounded in the Godhead 1v3-5 Salvation: accomplished in their hearts 1v6-9 Salvation: confirmed by their suffering 1v10-12 Salvation: anticipated through history 1v13-21 Salvation: outworked in their lives 1v22-2v3 Salvation: and the Word of Truth 2v4-12 Living Stones - Chosen People 2v13-17 Submission to the State 2v18-25 Submission to Superiors 3v1-7 Wives and Husbands 3v8-17 The Believer and Suffering 3v18-22 Christ’s Victory 4v1-6 Responding to Christ’s Victory 4v7-11 Living for God 4v12-19 Suffering for Christ 5v1-11 Elders and Young Men 5v12-14 Final Greetings

3. Christ’s Victory Chap 3v18-22

4. Introduction At the heart of this epistle lies the call to suffer for Christ's sake and all along our willingness to do so has been grounded in the wonder of His willingness to suffer for us. [cf 2: 21-24]. In 3.18ff Peter adds a new emphasis to his teaching about the saving power of Christ's death and resurrection. Christ is victor and we enter into his triumph. When Christians suffer there are two aspects of the experience of Jesus to be kept in focus, one is the example of his meekness in suffering while the second is his exultation. His glorious triumph gives us boldness to face our accusers.

5. The Nature of Christ’s Triumph Christ's saving victory into which we enter as a result of his sacrifice is a, ‘once for all’, victory cf. Heb. 9 26-28..... Illustration: In boxing the world championship requires to be constantly defended, one fight after another. The champion's supporters live with the knowledge that one day their champion might be defeated. One day he will lose his championship belt which he had fought so hard to gain. Unlike Jesus, whose victory over sin is final and complete. Christ's championship belt made up of his redeemed people will never be taken from him - ours is a glorious security.

6. The Nature of Christ’s Triumph By his death Christ won life for his own people. His resurrection brings triumph after suffering, a triumph into which his followers enter. It is with this background of Christ's triumph that we are to understand Peter’s teaching about Jesus preaching to the spirits in prison. Luther says of this passage : “A wonderful text is this, and a more obscure passage perhaps than any other in the N.T., so that I do not know for a certainty just what Peter means”. Three major interpretations have been put forward with various modifications.

7. The Nature of Christ’s Triumph Jesus descended into hell and preached to the spirits of those who perished in the flood at the time of Noah. Some who hold this view argue that Jesus proclaimed the gospel in such a way that opportunity was offered to his hearers to repent. Others would have Jesus preaching to the righteous dead, proclaiming their release from prison where they awaited his coming. Others would understand his preaching to be heralding the doom of the wicked dead.

8. The Nature of Christ’s Triumph The second major interpretation is advanced by Augustine who held that Christ's preaching was done in the Spirit through Noah. cf1Pet. 1.11 where Peter speaks of the Spirit of Christ preaching thro the O.T. prophets. And that those to whom Noah preached were not in prison literally but spiritually. Or it might be said that those to whom Noah once preached are now spirits in prison.

9. The Nature of Christ’s Triumph A third interpretation understands the spirits in prison to refer to fallen angels rather than human beings. Jesus proclaims to them his victory and their doom. This is seen as taking place after the resurrection as Jesus ascends into heaven, Jesus confronts the principalities and powers and shows his victory over them. None if these explanations is free from difficulty. First we need to ask when did Christ do the preaching? Was it before the incarnation in the time of Noah? Was it after his death but before his resurrection? Was it after his resurrection or in the course of his ascension.

10. The Nature of Christ’s Triumph To answer these questions we need to ask what is meant in v18 by 'having been put to death with respect to the flesh, but made alive with respect to the spirit'. Peter is not saying that Christ died but that his spirit continued to live. He is saying that Christ died as to the natural physical sphere of existence and that Christ was given life as to the spiritual sphere of existence. The second phrase therefore does not refer to Christ disembodied but to Christ risen to life on a new plane.

11. The Nature of Christ’s Triumph What then is the connection between Christ's death and resurrection and proclamation to the spirits in prison? The Greek phrase which the NIV renders 'through whom' lit means 'in which' and may refer directly to the word 'spirit' or may refer to a time so 'in which time'. If it is the latter then it is a reference to after the resurrection and before Jesus appeared to the women at the tomb. This is how some have understood the apostle's creed, 'he descended into hell'. If however, the term 'in which' refers to 'spirit' then the preaching of the Spirit of Christ through Noah remains a possibility.

12. The Nature of Christ’s Triumph The next question we need to answer is to whom did Christ make this proclamation? Who are the spirits in prison? Are they fallen angels? cf 2Pet.2.4-5 where the context is Noah and the flood. cfJude v6... Can angels be described as ‘spirits who disobeyed long ago in the days of Noah’? Those who answer ‘yes’ point out that Jude quotes the apocryphal book of Enoch v14-15. This book tells us that Enoch was shown the place where fallen angels were kept under judgement. Also ‘the sons of God’ mentioned in Gen 6.2 are thought to be fallen angels, who took wives as they pleased from the daughters of men and their progeny were the Nephilim, the giants mentioned in the book of Joshua.

13. The Nature of Christ’s Triumph It would be a mistake to read into 1Pet. the fanciful descriptions of 1Enoch but the use of 1 Enoch in Jude and the passage about the doom of fallen angels in 2 Pet 2.4 help us to understand the terms used in 1Pet. Since the disobedient angels and their offspring were seen as the instigators of lawlessness before the flood it might be possible to speak of them as 'those who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah'. So that Christ's preaching to the spirit's in prison could be seen as his proclamation to angelic authorities and powers of his resurrection victory and of their doom. Noah was thus vindicated cfv16.

14. The Nature of Christ’s Triumph But a more natural explanation of those who 'disobeyed long ago' is a reference to those who perished in the flood. They rejected the offer of salvation made by Noah, scoffed at God’s judgement and rejected his patience. When there was opportunity for salvation they rejected it. The risen Christ then proclaimed his victory to those who had rejected his earlier pleading through Noah. They were not being offered a second chance. They had scoffed at the ark which was a ‘type’ of the salvation found in Christ just as many in Peter's day continued to scoff at the idea of salvation in Christ.

15. The Nature of Christ’s Triumph Peter draws our attention to the analogy between the ‘ark’ as a type of salvation and the salvation in Christ which is sealed to us in ‘baptism’. The significance of baptism is seen here as an outward sign which points to an inward work of grace, the putting off of the pollution of our sin and of the beginning of a new life in Christ. Notice to that both the type [the ark] and the sacrament involve water and speak of gaining life out of death. Noah and his family are not said to have been saved 'from water' but saved 'through water'. The water that destroyed the wicked also lifted up the ark.

16. The Nature of Christ’s Triumph When Peter speaks of the ‘pledge of a good conscience’, the word for ‘pledge’ means a response to formal questions - possibly those put to candidates for baptism. The sincerity of this commitment is in view. In baptism Christians agree with God’s judgement on sin and that to turn from their commitment would bring upon themselves God’s just judgment. Noah was delivered not because of his righteousness but because of God’s grace [Gen. 6.8] so too, our salvation in Christ rests upon God’s grace. Christ, the ark into which we run for shelter has saved us. God’s judgement has rained down on him. He absorbed what we deserved. His resurrection gives those sheltering in him not only assurance of forgiveness but of resurrection life.

17. The Nature of Christ’s Triumph Like circumcision, baptism symbolises cleansing. Peter says we are not saved by ‘putting off’ impurity. But baptism means much more. It points to union with Jesus in his death and resurrection. Christians need not fear the sword of Roman magistrates nor the fury of Satan. They belong to the risen Lord of Glory. The goal of Jesus death is to ‘bring us to God’ v18. He died to bring us to where he is now and at ‘God’s right hand’ v22. And by virtue of all that he has done for us through his death and resurrection nothing, neither human nor spiritual powers, will prevent him from achieving his goal. Hallelujah!