1 Peter 3:18-22: Christ's Suffering I. Base Text: 1 Peter 3:18-22 II. Understanding the Text A. Background 1. 1 Peter 1: great encouragement based in rebirth through resurrection and hope of salvation; value of salvation; imperatives to holiness, love 2. 1 Peter 2: sustained by God's message; Christians as Temple, spiritual Israel; honorable conduct before all people; call to suffer for doing right, as Christ has set forth as an example 3. 1 Peter 3:1-7: Wives to submit to husbands, focus on internal adornment of quiet, gentle spirit; husbands to honor wives, live in understanding way with them 4. 1 Peter 3:8-17: Christians to be loving, tenderhearted, have unity of mind; bless when reviled; zealous for good; defend their hope with gentleness and love; better to suffer for doing good than for doing evil B. Christ's Suffering (1 Peter 3:18) 1. Statement made based in what came before-- v. 17, and really, vv. 14-16 also 2. Consistent parallels between our suffering, Christ's suffering (1 Peter 2:18-25, 3:14-18) 3. Suffering was done once for sin (cf. Hebrews 7:23-28) 4. The reasons, results of His suffering given a. righteous for unrighteous (Romans 5:6-8) b. to bring us to God (Romans 5:9-11) c. put to death in the flesh, alive in the spirit (Luke 23:43) C. Preaching to Disobedient Souls, Noah (1 Peter 3:19-20) 1. One of the most controversial passages in the book 2. Hard to understand, more questions than answers 3. What is known for certain: Jesus in spirit form preached to those who died in the Flood (cf. Genesis 6-9) 4. Many believe that based in Peter's language Jesus preached to them between His death and resurrection; hence the "descent into Hades" in the Apostles' Creed, etc. 5. The language structure, along with a possible interpretation of 1 Peter 4:6, gives some credence to the idea 6. Yet we would ask why Jesus would preach only or specifically to those who died in the days of the Flood and not those before or after 7. Instead, Jesus may have preached to them in spirit form while they were alive somehow, or right after they died 8. Since we have no other passages providing any kind of further commentary or explanation of this, we cannot make any definitive declaration 9. Nevertheless, Peter turns to speak about the time of the Flood 10. A time of God's patience (cf. Genesis 6) 11. Through the ark being on top of the water, eight people (Noah, his wife, Shem, Ham, Japheth, and their wives) were "saved" through the water (Genesis 6-9) 12. "Saved" here not speaking of spiritual salvation as much as physical deliverance D. Salvation in Baptism (1 Peter 3:21-22) 1. Peter explains why he has expanded upon the story of Noah-- it is a "type" 2. He then goes on to provide the antitupos-- baptism 3. "corresponds to this" (ESV), "the like figure" (KJV) 4. Best understood in its Greek form-- antitype, the opposite or parallel type 5. Not meant "symbolically," as many argue 6. Explicit statement of saving power of baptism 7. Baptism the antitype because as Noah and family were delivered by staying on top of the water (and everyone else drowns), in baptism, those immersed are delivered, while those who do not go in the water die 8. The nature of this baptism clarified-- not for removal of dirt 9. Instead, an eperotema for a good conscience 10. "appeal" (ESV), "answer" (KJV); the word means "inquiry" 11. Meaning clear enough: baptism is not getting the flesh clean but represents an appeal to God for cleansing from sin 12. This appeal made through the resurrection of Jesus Christ-- to die to sin and be raised to walk in newness of life, a type of Jesus' death and resurrection (cf. Romans 6:2-7) 13. Jesus as having gone to the right hand of God with all powers subject to Him (cf. Acts 2:36, 7:55-56) 14. A clear demonstration of Jesus' current authority, presently existing Kingdom! E. Purpose of 1 Peter 3:19-22 1. Difficult to ascertain the purpose of this passage here 2. One could conceivably go from 1 Peter 3:18 to 4:1 3. Peter perhaps is meditating on what happens to Jesus between death and resurrection, thus makes an aside regarding His proclamation, Noah's family, and baptism 4. Or he is meditating upon the connection between Jesus' death and His resurrection and Lordship and how we are saved 5. Regardless, challenging to understand why this passage is here and how it flows with the context III. Application A. Christ's death for sin 1. Peter presents a wonderful description of the nature and purpose of Jesus' death 2. Recognition of our unrighteousness, Christ's righteousness 3. Power of His death to reconcile us to God 4. Even if the body was killed, the spirit was still alive 5. The ultimate pattern for us-- our suffering for righteousness will never equal His! B. Saving properties of baptism 1. 1 Peter 3:21 a very important passage indicating that baptism saves 2. Provides important elements for understanding baptism 3. Baptism not a bath for removal of dirt-- instead, an appeal for cleansing 4. Indicates that one can be "baptized" for reasons that do not lead to salvation 5. Based also in the power of Jesus as Lord 6. It is not as if baptism alone saves any more than faith only or repentance only, but this passage clearly demonstrates the important role baptism has in salvation! IV. Conclusion A. Thus we have seen 1 Peter 3:18-22 1. Christ suffered once for sin 2. Proclaimed message to spirits now in prison 3. As Noah and family were saved on ark, we are saved through baptism 4. Christ as Lord B. Let us serve Jesus the Risen Lord and be willing to suffer for Him! C. Invitation/songbook