Introduction 

1. The apostle Peter wrote "For Christ also died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit; in which he went and preached to the spirits in prison, who formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were saved through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a clear conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ..." (1 Pet. 3:18-21). 
2. This passage is very simple in some ways, but parts of it are very difficult and very controversial. 

1. The main point of the passage is clear.
2. Noah and his family "were saved through water." (1 Pet. 3:20). See Genesis 7:13.
3. The word "through" means "by means of."

1. The same water that destroyed the antediluvian population saved (brought to safety) Noah and his family.
2. All who were in the ark were by means of water saved, that is, lifted above the destruction. Peter emphasizes that baptism corresponds to Noah's salvation.

• Peter affirms baptism "now saves you."
• Negatively, it is not "a removal of dirt from the body."
• It is not for the cleansing of the body.
• It is not a mere bath.
• Positively, it is "an appeal to God for a clear conscience."
• The word "appeal" may have this idea.

1. Baptism gains its power "through the resurrection of Jesus Christ." Without the resurrection the death of Christ was vain. (1 Cor. 15:12-19).
2. By the resurrection Jesus was declared to be the Son of God. (Rom. 1:4).
3. The resurrection reveals Jesus was the Son of God and His atonement was real and valid.

• Peter used the language of "type" and "anti-type."
• A type is something in the Old Testament which prefigured something in the New Testament.
• Noah's salvation was the type.
• Baptism is the anti-type.
• The anti-type baptism "now saves us."

• Baptism is not a meritorious act. (Tit. 3:5; Eph. 2:5, 8-9; Rom. 11:6).

1. The difficult point of this passage is verse 18 where it speaks of Jesus preaching "unto the spirits in prison." 
2. This verse raises many questions.

What message was preached to the spirits? 

1. Some modern scholars have conjectured that Peter makes reference to an apocryphal tale of Enoch's descent into Hades told in a Jewish book. 
2. It is argued the name Enoch has dropped out of the text because of the likeness of the words in Greek "in which also" (enochai) to the Greek for "Enoch."
3. This accounts for the translations in Moffatt and Goodspeed.
4. There is no evidence for this concept.  

1. The words "put to death in the flesh" referred to the death of Christ on the cross.
2. Jesus had been manifested "in flesh." (1 Tim. 3:16; Jno. 1:14).
3. The physical body of Jesus was nailed to the cross.
4. The words "made alive in the spirit" refer to Jesus divine Spirit.
5. The Greek does not have the definite article before either "flesh" or "spirit."
6. Some think the word "spirit" refers to the Holy Spirit.
7. Others think the word "spirit" refers to the divine Spirit of Jesus.

• The Bible teaches Jesus was raised from the dead by the Holy Spirit. (Rom. 8:11).
• This is a true fact, but it is not absolute this is what Peter has reference to in this passage.
• It is affirmed the preaching was done in this manner.

1. The word "spirits" referred to the wicked spirits of men who lived before the flood.
2. The "spirits" were not "in prison" at the time of the preaching, but at the time Peter was writing.
3. Noah was a preacher of righteousness" (2 Pet. 2:5). The Holy Spirit preached through the prophets. (1 Pet. 1:11). The preaching of Noah was directed by the Holy Spirit. (Gen. 6:3). Noah had the Holy Spirit in him and by the Spirit he preached to the peoples of his day.

• They did not repent and were in prison (tartarus) at the time Peter wrote.

• Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:17, "He came and preached peace to you that were afar off (Gentiles), and to them that were nigh" (Jews).

• There is no evidence the Lord after His resurrection ever in His own person preached to the Gentiles.
• This preaching was done by Paul and the other apostles.  

1. Many contend the word "spirits" referred to wicked angels. Angels are called "spirits" in Hebrews. (Heb. 1:7,13). See Hebrews 12:22.
2. They maintain the angels sinned by co-inhabiting with the "daughters of men." (Gen. 6:1-4).
3. "The sons of God" refer to angels throughout the Old Testament. (Job 1:6;2:1;38:7).
4. It is believed Jude 6 and 7 referred to the angel's fornication with the daughters of men.
5. It is argued these wicked angels were in prison when Jesus was raised from the dead. (2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 6).
6. It is affirmed that while the body of Jesus was in the tomb that His spirit was "made alive" (was energized), and He went and made a proclamation to "the spirits in prison."

1. Most who hold this view do not believe Jesus preached to the wicked angels for the purpose of salvation.
2. They argue the word "preach" is not the world for proclaiming the gospel, but it means to make a proclamation.

• Peter used the Greek "kerusso."
• It was used in secular Greek of an official announcement or proclamation made by a representative of a government.
• He did not use the Greek word "euaggelizomai" which means "to preach the gospel."

• Jesus announced to the wicked angels that He had made atonement for the sins of man and the doom of the angels was certain.

1. A fourth interpretation is much like interpretation 2. Some argue "the spirits" were the wicked men of Noah's day. Some contend Jesus between His death and resurrection preached to these spirits . They believe Jesus was giving them a second chance. 
2. There is no evidence any man will be given a second chance. This would make God a respecter of persons which He is not. (Acts 10:34,35). We must give account for the things done in the body. (2 Cor. 5:10; Rom. 14:12).
3. Others say it was to make a proclamation of victory to the antediluvians.

1. Why was a proclamation made just to this group?
2. There does not seem to be an answer.