This passage of Scripture is one of the most confusing and difficult to interpret passages in all of the New Testament. You’ve heard the expression, “He can’t see the forest for the trees.” When we step back and look at the surrounding context, we can see how this difficult section fits into Peter’s thought — encouragement to help persecuted and suffering believers endure for Christ’s sake.
Teaching Notes:
Principles to Help Us Suffer For Righteousness
1 Peter 3:18-22
Intro: Last week we discussed “How to Suffer for Righteousness” in 1 Peter 3:13-17. Peter’s counsel is to realize you are blessed, don’t fear man, reverence Christ, be ready to make a defense, and realize your sufferings are the will of God. In order to understand verses 18-22, we should look at the verses before and after to see the larger context. Notice that in verse 17 Peter says it is sometimes the will of God that we should suffer for doing what is right. Then he begins verse 18 with the word for. That tells us that what is to follow is an explanation or reason why it is sometimes God’s will that we suffer for righteousness. Now, notice 4:1 “Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose.” What purpose is Peter talking about? The purpose to suffer for doing what is right, like Christ died. So, if we look at the verses that come before our text, and the verse that comes after, it becomes obvious that this section (1 Peter 3:18-22) is all about suffering for doing what is right. In verses 18-22, Peter continues to speak of this theme of suffering for righteousness, but does so by telling us why we should. The emphasis goes from how to why.
Now, this may seem irrelevant to us Americans in 2009. We really don’t face much suffering for following Christ and doing what is right. However, that is really the exception rather than the rule. For most of the world and for most of history being a Christian has not been safe. American history comprises less than 5% of world history, and the current American population is less than 5% of the total world population. We are in an insulated bubble. If we lived in another part of the world, or at a different time of world history, we would likely be facing persecution for our faith. Today, many see their “rights” as Christians being taken away, and are shocked and outraged. Actually, this is normal. The apostle John wrote, “Do not be surprised, brethren, if the world hates you” (1Jn.3:13). Jesus said, “You will be hated by all nations because of My name” (Mt.24:9). When the world hates us, and strips us of our “rights” don’t be surprised – they are doing exactly what Jesus said they would do.
So, then, what the principles Peter gives us to help us suffer for doing what is right?
1. Christ Suffered For Righteousness: Notice that this verse begins with the word “for” which tells us Peter is giving us a reason why we should be ready and willing to suffer for doing what is right. The answer is that our Lord and Master also suffered for doing what is right. “For Christ also died [suffered] for sins.” Further, Jesus didn’t suffer because of His own sin. The text says, “the just for the unjust.” As His servants, we are to follow His example. Peter has already told us this in 1 Peter 3:21, “For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps.” The writer to the Hebrews says, “Jesus suffered outside the gate. So, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach” (Heb.13:12-13). Notice also Luke 14:27 “Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.” So the first principle is that your Lord suffered for righteousness, and you are called to follow in His steps.
2. Christ Brings Us To God: Why would anyone become a Christian, if it meant more suffering and less comfort in this world? The answer is there are things more important than being comfortable in this life. Being forgiven of all your sins, being able to stand before your Creator and Judge with no condemnation, experiencing eternal life and happiness and glory in the very presence of God – these are much more important than whether we experience discomfort in this life. When God opens someone’s eyes to see this, they will gladly and joyfully embrace Christ, in spite of the suffering they may experience because of it. “So that He might bring us to God” – there is our 2nd principle to help us to suffer for righteousness. We are born into this world alienated from God and enemies of God (Rom.5:10), but through faith in Christ crucified, we are reconciled to God. God is with us. He is near us. He is for us. Would you rather have some earthly comfort and be alienated from God, or would you rather have God and accept some earthly discomfort? The answer becomes obvious. We can lose everything in this world, but if we still have God, we have everything! We can gain everything in this world, but if we don’t have God, we don’t have anything!
Before moving on, there are some tremendously important things we need to notice in verse 18. 1 Peter 3:18 gives us the gospel in miniature. It tells us some tremendously important things about the death of Christ.
1) The Death Of Christ Was Penal: “Christ also died for sins”. Sin was the reason He died. In other words, His death was a punishment for sins. He was taking the just punishment our sins deserved.
2) The Death Of Christ Was Sufficient: “once for all”. Christ only needed to die once for all time. No other sacrifice is every necessary. His death is sufficient to bring forgiveness for any person at any time who believes on Him. In contrast to the Old Testament animal sacrifices that were offered over and over, He dies once and it is good forever. He paid the debt in full which is why He cried, “It is finished!”
3) The Death Of Christ Was Substitutionary: “the just for the unjust”. Christ’s death was on behalf of unjust sinners. He died in their place and in their stead. A substitute teacher stands in the place of the regular teacher until he comes back to school. So, also Christ, as our Substitute, stood in our place, bearing the punishment and wrath of God that should have been upon us.
4) The Death Of Christ Was Redemptive: “so that He might bring us to God”. We were slaves to Satan, citizens of his kingdom, and held in his snare. Christ set us free from his dominion and brought us into God’s kingdom, and made us members of His family. Our sins had separated us from God. Jesus’ death solved the sin issue, and brought us into God’s favor!
3. Those That Did Not Heed Christ Are In Prison: 1 Peter 3:18b-20. This brings us to the portion of the text that has given rise to so many different interpretations. Martin Luther said of this passage, “A wonderful text is this, and a more obscure passage perhaps than any other in the New Testament, so that I do not know for a certainty just what Peter means.” William MacDonald wrote, “verses 19 and 20 constitute one of the most puzzling and intriguing texts in the New Testament. It has been made the pretext for such unbiblical doctrines as purgatory and universal salvation.” Let’s take it phrase by phrase.
Made alive in the spirit: I believe “spirit” refers to the Holy Spirit. The KJV at this point puts it, “being put to death in the flesh, but made alive by the Spirit, by which also he went…” The NIV says, “He was put to death in the body, but made alive by the Spirit, through whom also he went…”
In which also He went and made proclamation: I believe this text is telling us that Jesus, in the Spirit, was sent by God in the days of Noah to preach to the disobedient people through Noah. In 2 Peter 2:5, Noah is called a preacher of righteousness. In 1 Peter 1:11 we are told that the Spirit of Jesus was in the Old Testament prophets predicting His coming, sufferings and death. In the same way, the Spirit of Jesus was making proclamation through Noah to the ungodly of his own day.
Spirits now in prison: the word “now” is in italics in the NASB, which means it is not in the original Greek text. It has been supplied by the translators to help the reader with the sense of the passage. In other words, the spirits were not in prison when Noah preached to them, but they are in prison now. Now, we can either agree or disagree with this translation. I agree with it. Although the word “now” is not in the original, I think it is helpful in interpreting this sticky passage. If we don’t insert “now” we may come up with the idea that Jesus went to Hades after He died on the cross and preached to spirits there. In fact, many interpreters have come to that conclusion. Either they believe Jesus preached to lost souls, giving them another chance to be saved, or He preached to demons, proclaiming His victory over them.
Who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah: who are these people that Christ preached to in the Spirit? If Jesus went to the place of the dead to preach to them, why did He preach only to those who lived in Noah’s day? There were millions of other spirits in Hades, besides the ones who lived in the days of Noah. It seems completely inconsistent with the context to suggest that Jesus, after He died, went to Hades and preached to only some of Hades’ inhabitants.
Patience of God: Genesis 6:3 says “My Spirit will not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.” It seems from this text that God would patiently wait for man to repent for 120 years, and then the flood would come. The Spirit of Jesus spoke through Noah, that preacher of righteousness, to the people of his own generation for 120 years. They died in impenitence and unbelief. They were damned, went to Hades to await the Great White Throne Judgment. Were in prison, waiting.
So, what is the Principle to Help us Suffer for Righteousness? Just this – would you rather be like Noah, who was faithful to God, but underwent mocking and reviling from the people of his day, but was ultimately saved from God’s judgment, or would you like to be like the ungodly people of Noah’s day, who were swept away in the flood, and then put in the prison of Hades awaiting everlasting hell? The answer becomes obvious doesn’t it?
4. We Will Be Saved From Judgment: notice 3:20b “in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water.” Your sufferings for righteousness’ sake put you in the same category that Noah was in. You are the small, rejected minority. But Noah and his family were the only ones saved from God’s judgment out of all the people in the entire world! I wonder if Noah and his family felt a little confusion, doubt, and insecurity. After all, how could they be right and everyone else be wrong? So the point is, if you are the rejected minority that is suffering for righteousness, you will be saved from God’s judgment too.
5. Our Sufferings Are Not The Wrath Of God: 3:21 “Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you.” The flood of Noah’s day reminds Peter of Christian baptism. Back in 3:18 Peter taught us that Christ died for sins and brought us to God. But who is us? According to 3:21, the us is those who are baptized. But Peter knows that if he doesn’t clarify this statement, there will be widespread misunderstanding, so he explains himself “not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience.” Here we have what is the closest thing in the New Testament to a definition of baptism. It is an outward expression of an inward appeal to God for cleansing. When we are baptized, in effect we are saying, “Lord I am trusting you to take away my sins by Christ’s death and bring me through death and judgment into everlasting life through Christ’s resurrection.” Because baptism was by immersion, it might remove the dirt from our bodies, but that’s not why we it saves. It saves, because it is an expression of our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and an appeal to God for cleansing through Christ’s blood. Take away the faith, and the baptism has no power to accomplish anything! Over in Romans 10:13, Paul reminds us that “whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Well, in baptism, we are calling upon the name of the Lord to save us.
Now, how does this strengthen us to suffer for righteousness? When we are baptized we are identifying with Jesus Christ in His death and resurrection. We have come through death and judgment just like Noah did in the flood, and we have risen with Him in newness of life. Judgment, wrath, punishment, and hell are past. The sufferings we are experiencing cannot be the wrath of God. That was borne by Christ. Our baptism is a constant reminder, that the worst suffering has been averted by Jesus. We will never have to come into judgment, because “there is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus!” Thus, our present sufferings are not the wrath of God, but His loving fatherly discipline, and preparation to live with Him forever in glory.
6. Demons Are Not Free To Do As They Please: We come finally to the last phrase of this tremendous section of Scripture: “who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.” The final way Peter helps us to suffer for righteousness is by show us that Christ is at the right hand of God, ruling over all angels, authorities, and powers. Now, who are these angels, authorities, and powers. These words describe Satan, and his demons that continually seek to destroy God’s people. This one thought will help you immensely when you suffer for righteousness – no demon in hell, when he accuses, condemns, condemns or harasses you, can do as he wishes. He is subject to Jesus Christ! Notice 1 Peter 5:8-9. We are to resist Satan, firm in our faith. Well, what faith? The faith that Satan and all the demons are subject to Jesus Christ! Satan is just a big cat on a chain! He can do nothing without God’s permission. And God will only give you permission if He knows that Satan’s devices will turn out for my good and His glory.
So, let’s sum up Peter’s argument as to why we should be ready to suffer for righteousness:
- Because Christ suffered for righteousness, and He is our Great Example
- Because Christ brings us to God, so ultimately it doesn’t matter if we experience some earthly sufferings.
- Because those that would not suffer for righteousness are now in the Prison of Hades.
- Because those that suffer for righteousness are the rejected minority that will be saved from judgment.
- Because our sufferings are NOT an expression of God’s wrath.
- Because our sufferings are allowed by our sovereign God for our good and His glory.
Let’s remember these principles next time we find ourselves suffering for doing what is right!
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