In verses 17-22, Peter called the attention of his readers to how
Christ Jesus responded to His unjustified persecution. Again his intention was
to empower his readers with the determination to confidently rededicate
themselves to follow God's will for their lives. Here, he also assured them of
their ultimate triumph in Christ.
In verse 18, Peter skillfully used the conjunction “for” to
connect verses 18-22 to verses 13-17. He also resumed 1 Peter 2:21-25 and used
Christ as an illustration of suffering. The phrase “once for all” tells of the
efficacy of Christ’s death for believers. His death was a once for all act. It
speaks of the finality of the atonement of Christ and debunked the teaching that
one can work for his or her salvation. “The just for the unjust” speaks of
Christ’s vicarious suffering on the believers’ behalf. In the three words “in
order that”, Peter showed the purpose for Christ’s vicarious suffering and
atoning sacrifice. He did it to bring believers to God. How? By being put to
death in the flesh but made alive in the Spirit. The statement “in the flesh” means Christ in His
human form. The term “in the spirit” means
Christ in His heavenly spiritual realm of existence, including His physical
resurrected form. In saying that Christ was “made alive in the spirit”, Peter meant that Christ was raised
from the dead in the realm where the Spirit and power of God are displayed
without hindrance or human limitation. It does not mean that only His Spirit is
made alive but not His body.
Peter’s point is simply this: Jesus Christ, through His suffering,
was the Victor and not the victim. Like Jesus Christ, believers now share that
victory. Hence, they should be encouraged. They should also emulate Jesus and
commit themselves to God’s will. Like Jesus Who was vindicated by His resurrection,
so they too would be vindicated ultimately.
This section also contains some of the most difficult interpretive
problems. Who are the spirits that Christ
went to hades to proclaim to? When did Jesus make this proclamation? What was the
content? Why did Peter mention Noah? In what sense does baptism save us? Did
Peter mean that Jesus went to the realm of the dead and preached to Noah's
contemporaries between His crucifixion and His resurrection? Did He offer
salvation to them? Did He go there to preach the Good News to the saved among
them? Is this verse talking about Jesus preaching through Noah to his sinful
generation while Noah was living on the earth? Did Jesus go there to proclaim
His victory on the Cross to fallen angels?
The Bible has no indication that the dead would be given another
opportunity to hear and respond to the Gospel. This interpretation is further thrown
off by the word “proclamation”. The word “preached” used in the King James
Version also complicates the issue. A better term is the word “announcement”. It
is very likely that Peter simply meant that Christ went to Hades in between His
death and resurrection to announce to the spirit world that He is now the Lord
of both life and death.
Another difficult issue would be whether or not baptism saves a
believer. The word “correspondingly” indicates that Noah’s ark was a type of water
baptism. Note here that Peter made clear
that baptism does not cleanse a believer from physical and spiritual
defilement, thus saving the believer. Just as the ark of Noah was an indication
of faith in God, so also would the baptism indicates one’s faith in Jesus
Christ. Baptism is seen here as a pledge of a good conscience, a conscience now
made right with God. He was talking about baptism as a public indication of one
placing faith in the Resurrected Christ, Who is now enthroned at the right hand
of God, and made ruler over all angels, powers and authorities.
Jesus is Lord! O'er sin the mighty
conqueror,
From death He rose; and all His foes shall
own His name.
Jesus is Lord! Jesus is Lord!
Praise him with alleluias, for Jesus is
Lord!
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