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, 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. 21 There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.
Commentary
Vs. 18 Again the Apostle Peter brings us back to Christ's sufferings, the Most Just suffering for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, and maybe we too when we endure wrongs well we also might bring others to God. For though Jesus was put to death in the flesh, He was made alive in the Spirit. And thus when we die, whether naturally, or even by persecution the grave is not the end for believers. It is the beginning of experiencing everlasting life with Christ, unencumbered by sin and death. And thus he wants us to put our own personal sufferings into a right perspective.
Vs. 19 Begins an exhortation by the Apostle Peter of the Lord Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit preaching through Noah to the pre-flood world. As the Believers Bible Commentary so excellently explains this passage, it was the Apostle's way of paralleling the then Christians sufferings and relatively few numbers with what Noah endured. For just as the world was then hostile towards Noah and his preaching to them warning them of God's impending judgment, so it is so for everyone in every generation who believes and holds faithfully to God's Word. And just as there were just eight souls including Noah who were saved when they entered into the Ark (which is type of Christ, that is the Ark was the only means by which God offered salvation to those then. Those who believed and entered into the Ark were saved from His judgment, but those who did not were destroyed by the flood which He brought on the world). So today the same truth remains. God's salvation from His coming judgment is offered to all through the Lord Jesus Christ. All who believe in Him, and thus enter into the Kingdom of heaven will be saved. While all those who do not believe (like the people who did not believe in Noah's day) will be condemned to eternal destruction (John 3:16-21, 35-36).
And just as there were few who believed the Lord Jesus Christ's message which He by the Holy Spirit was preaching through Noah, and thus only a few were saved, so it is so today. As true believers seem relatively few in numbers, when compared to the populous of the rest of the world. And as the world we live in is increasingly looking more and more like the violence on earth in the days of Noah and the degeneracy of Sodom and Gomorrah, the world is drawing closer to its end. That is why the urgency of the Gospel never ceases. For as new generations are being born and reared in every generation the Day of the Lord will not tarry. At the appointed time the Lord Jesus Christ will leave His heavenly throne and return for His bride (that is the church that is made up of all who repented of their sins and believed in Him) and gather us to Himself before He executes God's judgment on the unrepentant and unbelieving world. Which this time will not be by water, but fire.
And so verse nineteen is essentially stating that Jesus, through Noah, went and preached to the spirits in prison. That is the souls now lost forever, before they were lost, because they did not repent and believe when they had opportunity to do so during the 120 years of Noah's ministry.
Vs. 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"
That they were formerly disobedient means when they were alive on earth, they were disobedient to the Word of God commanded them through Noah. Thus they no longer have opportunity for obedience, nor even disobedience. They are now in hell awaiting God's finial judgment on them. For there is no offer of reconciliation back to God and pardon from ones sins after one has died. One must be reconciled to God in the land of living while they can. And thus the Apostle Peter draws an analogy of God's longsuffering in days of Noah with His longsuffering now. For God does not want anyone to perish in their sins and unbelief. He is ever longsuffering towards all people in the hope that they might be reconciled back to Himself through Christ. And so as God patiently waited in days of Noah until the Ark was built, and then filled and occupied, by the eight souls who believed. Who thus were saved before His judgment came on the earth. So now God withholds His finial judgment awaiting till all have been given opportunity for salvation, and thus a chance to enter His eternal Ark which is the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ, who alone can save us from the wrath to come. For as the eight souls were then saved through water, that is not saved by water, but saved through water, by the protection and shelter of the Ark (BBC). So now every person who looks to Jesus Christ crucified for their sins remission will have them forgiven, and will have everlasting life, and thus be spared from the judgment to come by their faith in Him (John 3:15-16).
Vs. 21-22 "There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him."
The Apostle's Peter thought here is that as water cleansed the earth in Noah's day of all that was then sinful. So baptism now cleanses every believers conscience in the sight of God. Not by water baptism cleansing the flesh (as he makes clear), but by the antitype which now saves us, and that is the baptism that comes to all who believe, because of Jesus Christ's Resurrection from the dead, who having ascended back to God the Father to be seated at His right hand in heaven, angels and authorities and powers having been subject to Him. Now pours out His Spirit on all who believe in Him, the moment we believe in Him. And thus each and every believer has a good conscience towards God because they believe in the Lord Jesus Christ crucified and risen from the dead.
Now this baptism probably should be thought of as the believers baptism with Christ as the Believers Bible Commentary beautifully expounds. For not until Jesus Christ as the BBC excellently expounds was baptized into the "waters of God's judgment for us" (see Luke 12:50) by His death on the cross did He make possible our own baptism with Himself. And thus Jesus' own baptism into death then His Resurrection from the dead precedes and or ushers in our own with Him (see Rom 6; Gal 2:20).
And that is the Baptism that saves us. Not baptism by water which does not save us but only portrays what takes place when one believes in Jesus. Therefore it is the baptism of Jesus Christ Himself, crucified for our sin, then risen from the dead, ascended back to God the Father which when we believe in Him is what saves us. If you have not yet made the crucial decision to follow Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior I urge you please do so now. For God will receive you (just as you are) the moment you receive Him by faith in His Son (John 1:12). Now this you can do by simple prayer of faith (though again it's not the prayer that will save you) it is your faith in Jesus Christ crucified and risen from the dead and your confession of Him as Lord that saves you (Rom 10:9-10, 13). Therefore in faith call upon the Name of Lord (which is what the prayer is doing), asking the Lord Jesus Christ into your heart and life to be your Lord and Savior confessing as such and trusting Him and Him alone to save you. For when you do you will have remission of all your sins and everlasting life.
Scripture Citations
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982
Commentary
Vs. 18 Again the Apostle Peter brings us back to Christ's sufferings, the Most Just suffering for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, and maybe we too when we endure wrongs well we also might bring others to God. For though Jesus was put to death in the flesh, He was made alive in the Spirit. And thus when we die, whether naturally, or even by persecution the grave is not the end for believers. It is the beginning of experiencing everlasting life with Christ, unencumbered by sin and death. And thus he wants us to put our own personal sufferings into a right perspective.
Vs. 19 Begins an exhortation by the Apostle Peter of the Lord Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit preaching through Noah to the pre-flood world. As the Believers Bible Commentary so excellently explains this passage, it was the Apostle's way of paralleling the then Christians sufferings and relatively few numbers with what Noah endured. For just as the world was then hostile towards Noah and his preaching to them warning them of God's impending judgment, so it is so for everyone in every generation who believes and holds faithfully to God's Word. And just as there were just eight souls including Noah who were saved when they entered into the Ark (which is type of Christ, that is the Ark was the only means by which God offered salvation to those then. Those who believed and entered into the Ark were saved from His judgment, but those who did not were destroyed by the flood which He brought on the world). So today the same truth remains. God's salvation from His coming judgment is offered to all through the Lord Jesus Christ. All who believe in Him, and thus enter into the Kingdom of heaven will be saved. While all those who do not believe (like the people who did not believe in Noah's day) will be condemned to eternal destruction (John 3:16-21, 35-36).
And just as there were few who believed the Lord Jesus Christ's message which He by the Holy Spirit was preaching through Noah, and thus only a few were saved, so it is so today. As true believers seem relatively few in numbers, when compared to the populous of the rest of the world. And as the world we live in is increasingly looking more and more like the violence on earth in the days of Noah and the degeneracy of Sodom and Gomorrah, the world is drawing closer to its end. That is why the urgency of the Gospel never ceases. For as new generations are being born and reared in every generation the Day of the Lord will not tarry. At the appointed time the Lord Jesus Christ will leave His heavenly throne and return for His bride (that is the church that is made up of all who repented of their sins and believed in Him) and gather us to Himself before He executes God's judgment on the unrepentant and unbelieving world. Which this time will not be by water, but fire.
And so verse nineteen is essentially stating that Jesus, through Noah, went and preached to the spirits in prison. That is the souls now lost forever, before they were lost, because they did not repent and believe when they had opportunity to do so during the 120 years of Noah's ministry.
Vs. 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"
That they were formerly disobedient means when they were alive on earth, they were disobedient to the Word of God commanded them through Noah. Thus they no longer have opportunity for obedience, nor even disobedience. They are now in hell awaiting God's finial judgment on them. For there is no offer of reconciliation back to God and pardon from ones sins after one has died. One must be reconciled to God in the land of living while they can. And thus the Apostle Peter draws an analogy of God's longsuffering in days of Noah with His longsuffering now. For God does not want anyone to perish in their sins and unbelief. He is ever longsuffering towards all people in the hope that they might be reconciled back to Himself through Christ. And so as God patiently waited in days of Noah until the Ark was built, and then filled and occupied, by the eight souls who believed. Who thus were saved before His judgment came on the earth. So now God withholds His finial judgment awaiting till all have been given opportunity for salvation, and thus a chance to enter His eternal Ark which is the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ, who alone can save us from the wrath to come. For as the eight souls were then saved through water, that is not saved by water, but saved through water, by the protection and shelter of the Ark (BBC). So now every person who looks to Jesus Christ crucified for their sins remission will have them forgiven, and will have everlasting life, and thus be spared from the judgment to come by their faith in Him (John 3:15-16).
Vs. 21-22 "There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him."
The Apostle's Peter thought here is that as water cleansed the earth in Noah's day of all that was then sinful. So baptism now cleanses every believers conscience in the sight of God. Not by water baptism cleansing the flesh (as he makes clear), but by the antitype which now saves us, and that is the baptism that comes to all who believe, because of Jesus Christ's Resurrection from the dead, who having ascended back to God the Father to be seated at His right hand in heaven, angels and authorities and powers having been subject to Him. Now pours out His Spirit on all who believe in Him, the moment we believe in Him. And thus each and every believer has a good conscience towards God because they believe in the Lord Jesus Christ crucified and risen from the dead.
Now this baptism probably should be thought of as the believers baptism with Christ as the Believers Bible Commentary beautifully expounds. For not until Jesus Christ as the BBC excellently expounds was baptized into the "waters of God's judgment for us" (see Luke 12:50) by His death on the cross did He make possible our own baptism with Himself. And thus Jesus' own baptism into death then His Resurrection from the dead precedes and or ushers in our own with Him (see Rom 6; Gal 2:20).
And that is the Baptism that saves us. Not baptism by water which does not save us but only portrays what takes place when one believes in Jesus. Therefore it is the baptism of Jesus Christ Himself, crucified for our sin, then risen from the dead, ascended back to God the Father which when we believe in Him is what saves us. If you have not yet made the crucial decision to follow Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior I urge you please do so now. For God will receive you (just as you are) the moment you receive Him by faith in His Son (John 1:12). Now this you can do by simple prayer of faith (though again it's not the prayer that will save you) it is your faith in Jesus Christ crucified and risen from the dead and your confession of Him as Lord that saves you (Rom 10:9-10, 13). Therefore in faith call upon the Name of Lord (which is what the prayer is doing), asking the Lord Jesus Christ into your heart and life to be your Lord and Savior confessing as such and trusting Him and Him alone to save you. For when you do you will have remission of all your sins and everlasting life.
Scripture Citations
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982
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