"THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PETER"
Peter's Perplexing Passage (3:18-20) Part 2
Having looked at four different views regarding our text and three of the difficulties of these views, we start this part of our lesson by looking at the difficulties of the view Friedrich Spitta (1900 A.D.) supported. We will then look at a fifth view that is in beautiful harmony with Peter's wording and context...
The major difficulties with this view of Friedrich Spitta is that in responding to the Sadducees, Jesus taught that angels of God do not marry - Mt 22:30 “For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as angels in heaven.” Of course, Jesus may have been referring to angels who "keep their proper domain", and do not leave "their own habitation". If righteous angels could temporarily take on human form to deliver God's message (as in the case described in Ge 18:1-8; 19:1-3) where they ate food, it might have been possible for "fallen angels" to take on human form and cohabitate as some believe Ge 6 suggests. But it is just as feasible to understand Ge 6 differently.... That the "sons of God" were the descendants of Seth (in other words, godly people), and the "daughters of men" were descendants of Cain (ungodly people). This view stays clear of speculation which can easily take on mythological proportions!
We come to a fifth interpretation, one that I think has much to commend for it. There is the view of some present contemporary commentators we need to look at. The basic elements are that the resurrected Christ, WHEN HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN, proclaimed to imprisoned spirits his victory over death. That the exalted Christ passed through the realm where the fallen angels are kept and proclaimed His triumph over them (Ep 6:12 “For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”; Co 2:15 “having despoiled the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.”, is offered as support for this view). This interpretation has met favorable response in both Protestant and Roman Catholic circles. More importantly, this view is in beautiful harmony with Peter's wording and context...
Note that there are some major distinction in this view over the prior views presented. The preaching was made by Jesus Himself (not through Noah). The preaching was made by Jesus AFTER "being put to death in the flesh" (not in His pre-incarnate form). The preaching was made by Jesus AFTER He was "made alive by the Spirit" (i.e., after His resurrection, not during the three day period between death and resurrection). The preaching was made to "THE SPIRITS". Not to "the spirits of men" (which is how the souls or spirits of men are commonly referred to, notice He 12:23 “to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,”; Re 6:9 “And when he opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of them that had been slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:” ; 20:4 “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus, and for the word of God, and such as worshipped not the beast, neither his image, and received not the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand; and they lived, and reigned with Christ a thousand years.”). But rather the preaching was to "angelic spirits". The preaching was made to them "IN PRISON" (that there are angels so bound is clearly taught in 2 Pe 2 and Jude). The preaching was made to them who were "FORMERLY DISOBEDIENT...IN THE DAYS OF NOAH". This view does not require that the rebellious angels were the "sons of God" in Ge 6, but simply were somehow disobedient at that time (as some were later during Christ's time). The preaching was a proclamation of victory over death, not an offer of a second chance of salvation to a select few!
As suggested, this last view is not only in harmony with the very words and grammatical constructions used by Peter, but it is harmony with the CONTEXT.... Peter had been teaching us to be willing to suffer, if necessary, for doing good - 1 Pe 3:17 “For it is better, if the will of God should so will, that ye suffer for well-doing than for evil-doing.” He appeals to the example of Christ - 1 Pe 3:18a “Because Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God;”. Who despite His suffering and death, was made alive, proclaimed victory to those spirits who had not been willing to submit to God in Noah's day, ascending to the right hand of God, over all angels and authorities! - 1 Pe 3:18b-20 “being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; in which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison, that aforetime were disobedient, when the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water:”, note especially v. 22 “who is on the right hand of God, having gone into heaven; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.”
In view of Jesus' triumph over suffering, we should be willing to do the same! - 1 Pe 4:1 “Forasmuch then as Christ suffered in the flesh, arm ye yourselves also with the same mind; for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;”. Admittedly, this passage is difficult, so one needs to be careful and not be dogmatic in one's treatment of it. I hope that by presenting this survey of the various views it may serve helpful in drawing your own conclusions about "Peter's Perplexing Passage". But one thing Peter mentions in this passage that is not perplexing is his reference to baptism, and it's necessity for salvation (1 Pe 3:21 “which also after a true likeness doth now save you, even baptism, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the interrogation of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ;”)...
