"By whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison"
In 1 Peter 3:19-21 Peter focuses on two great judgments:
1) the judgment of Noah’s day and
2) the judgment of fallen angels.
Peter presents the ark of Noah’s day as the type of Christ’s suffering on the cross. In verse 21 he gives the antitype (the reality behind the type) as salvation by Christ’s baptism at Calvary.
By whom also
The remainder of this chapter is very difficult to interpret. The best interpretation is that Christ descended into Hades after his crucifixion to proclaim to fallen angels that their fall was unnecessary (2 Peter 2:4-5). This interpretation would equate the fallen angels with the “sons of God” in Genesis 6:1-2.”By whom” refers to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit transported Jesus to Tartarus and enabled him to preach to fallen angels.
He went and preached to the spirits in prison
“He” refers to the Lord Jesus.”Went” — to be transported. The Holy Spirit transported Jesus to Tartarus, the residence of fallen angels. Tartarus is not hell but an underworld for demons (2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6).
We better translate the word “preached” as, made an official announcement. This is different from the usual word to preach. It means to make an official announcement by a public crier. The issue is not the gospel here but a victorious proclamation to fallen angels that they did not have to fall because Jesus did not fall. Verse 20 clearly indicates to whom he made the announcement.
Jesus here asserts his triumph over the sin issue. Jesus came to undo the original fall — the fall of angels. Angels were tested and failed. Jesus was tested and succeeded.
“Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it” (Colossians 2:15).
“To the spirits in prison” — fallen angels of Genesis 7 (2 Peter 2:4). This was an angelic infiltration into the human race. These angles could not repent but they were brought to subjection (verse 22).
Principle:
God will one day vindicate Himself.
Application:
God demonstrates His vindication of Christ in the resurrection. In His ascension, God seated Him above all angelic powers. As we embrace new life in Christ, we too overcome what brought the angels down.
Thank you for such a direct and instructive interpretation of a difficult verse.
Thanks Gavin
Thank you for this iterpreation.
Does 1 Peter 3:19 deny the existance if hell as a place of fire and brimstone in which unrependent sinnes will reside throuhoiut eternity?
Charles, no, it does not deny it or affirm it. This passage is dealing with a different subject than hell per se. Other passages such as Revelation 20 or 2 Thessalonians 1:8,9 deal with hell as a place of fire.
Thanks for your question.
Grant,
In a commentary I read recently it also said that He preached to the off spring of fallen angels that were created during their time on earth during Noah’s time. Now this is getting into sketchy territory and sounding like the book of Enoch. I was wondering if you had any input and verses that would prove or disprove that.
Thanks so much
I am out of town until next week. Will reply then.
Thanks Grant
Here is a little Study that I put together about 1 Peter 3:18-20 so enjoy!
1 Peter 3:18-20 (New King James Version)
18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, 19 by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison,
Many sadly take these verses and misapply the preaching to Jesus, When infact it is the Holy Spirit doing the preaching through Noah! For it says: BY THE SPIRIT, BY WHOM ALSO HE WENT AND PREACHED! {BY THE SPIRIT, BY WHOM}.
2 Peter 2:5
5…. Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness,2 Peter 2:5
20 who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.
Next lets look at the spirits in prison, Now that we know that the Holy Spirit Preached or Spoke through Noah to the Antidulvian World then it would go to say that these Spirits in prison are infact the Antidulvians! For it says {Who formerly were disobedient}
Compare with (Spirits) in prison!
1 Corinthians 14:31-33 (New King James Version)
31 For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. 32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. 33 For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.
1 John 4:1 (New King James Version)
1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
Proverbs 16:2 (New King James Version)
2 All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes,
But the LORD weighs the spirits.
The Holy Spirit Instructs as in the days of Noah!
Nehemiah 9:20 (New King James Version)
20 You also gave Your good Spirit to instruct them,
And did not withhold Your manna from their mouth,
And gave them water for their thirst.
Ezekiel and Noah both were used by the Holy Spirit to speak with the people!
Ezekiel 11:5 (New King James Version)
5 Then the Spirit of the LORD fell upon me, and said to me, “Speak! ‘Thus says the LORD: “Thus you have said, O house of Israel; for I know the things that come into your mind.
The Holy Spirt Prophesied and Spoke by the mouth of David and Did the same through Noah!
Acts 1:16 (New King James Version)
16 “Men and brethren, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus;
The Holy Spirit Spoke through Isaiah/Noah!
Acts 28:24-26 (New King James Version)
25 So when they did not agree among themselves, they departed after Paul had said one word: “The Holy Spirit spoke rightly through Isaiah the prophet to our fathers, 26 saying,‘ Go to this people and say:
“ Hearing you will hear, and shall not understand;
And seeing you will see, and not perceive;
The Spirits in (Prison) is referring to those who are bound by sin and are its captives and slaves!
Psalm 69:33 (New King James Version)
33 For the LORD hears the poor,
And does not despise His prisoners.
The Lord gives freedom to those who are held in the prison of sin!
Psalm 146:6-8 (New King James Version)
6 Who made heaven and earth,
The sea, and all that is in them;
Who keeps truth forever,
7 Who executes justice for the oppressed,
Who gives food to the hungry.
The LORD gives freedom to the prisoners.
8 The LORD opens the eyes of the blind;
The LORD raises those who are bowed down;
The LORD loves the righteous.
Isaiah 42:6-7 (New King James Version)
6 “ I, the LORD, have called You in righteousness,
And will hold Your hand;
I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people,
As a light to the Gentiles,
7 To open blind eyes,
To bring out prisoners from the prison,
Those who sit in darkness from the prison house.
For they would not walk in His ways,Nor were they obedient to His law and are inprisoned by sin!
Isaiah 42:21-24 (New King James Version)
21 The LORD is well pleased for His righteousness’ sake;
He will exalt the law and make it honorable.
22 But this is a people robbed and plundered;
All of them are snared in holes,
And they are hidden in prison houses;
They are for prey, and no one delivers;
For plunder, and no one says, “Restore!”
23 Who among you will give ear to this?
Who will listen and hear for the time to come?
24 Who gave Jacob for plunder, and Israel to the robbers?
Was it not the LORD,
He against whom we have sinned?
For they would not walk in His ways,
Nor were they obedient to His law.
Jesus came to set the Prisoners and those in Darkness Free!
Isaiah 49:8-9 (New King James Version)
8 Thus says the LORD:
“ In an acceptable time I have heard You,
And in the day of salvation I have helped You;
I will preserve You and give You
As a covenant to the people,
To restore the earth,
To cause them to inherit the desolate heritages;
9 That You may say to the prisoners, ‘Go forth,’
To those who are in darkness, ‘Show yourselves.’
“ They shall feed along the roads,
And their pastures shall be on all desolate heights.
Isaiah 61:1-3 (New King James Version)
1 “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me,
Because the LORD has anointed Me
To preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD,
And the day of vengeance of our God;
To comfort all who mourn,
3 To console those who mourn in Zion,
To give them beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
That they may be called trees of righteousness,
The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.”
We are either Prisoners to Jesus or Prisoners to Sin! This was the Case with the Antidulvians they were Spirits in prison!
Ephesians 3:1 (New King James Version)
The Mystery Revealed
1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles—
John 8:31-36 (New King James Version)
31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?”
34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. 36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.
Romans 6:15-17 (New King James Version)
15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! 16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? 17 But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered.
Conclusion: The Holy Spirit Preached through Noah to the Antediluvian World for a 120 years for God was long suffering toward them and where in only eight persons were saved! The Spirits in Prison were those trapped by there sins and wouldn’t repent!
Thanks a lot, God bless you.
God bless you Isaac.
who are sons of God in Genesis 6:1-4 then?
does God have more than one son?
Mary, go to Jude 6: http://versebyversecommentary.com/2008/03/09/jude-6/ and 2 Peter 2:4 http://versebyversecommentary.com/1998/06/17/2-peter-24/