“THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PETER”
The Antitype in which God Saves Us (3:21-22)
In the midst of a section in which he is discussing Christ's suffering and why we need to prepare for suffering, Peter has some revealing comments on the subject of baptism - 1 Pe 3:21-22 “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; who is on the right hand of God, having gone into heaven; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.” First, he refers to baptism as an "antitype" ("the like figure", KJV). Then he makes the striking comment that baptism "saves us". He describes baptism as "the answer of a good conscience". But he also says that baptism saves us "through the resurrection of Jesus Christ"
Any one of these four points is likely to perplex those who read this passage. Some may wonder what’s an "antitype" or “like figure”. Others may take issue with the idea that baptism has anything to do with salvation. Many question what is meant by the phrase, "the answer of a good conscience". And how does the resurrection of Christ have anything to do with salvation, when it was His death that provided the forgiveness of sins?
In this lesson, I hope to share some thoughts which may help us appreciate more fully how baptism is indeed "The Antitype In Which God Saves Us", beginning with baptism as an “antitype”. The Greek word for “antitype” is antitupon {an-teet'-oo-pon}, which means "a thing formed after some pattern; that which corresponds to a type". So you have two things that some how relate or correspond to each other; one is a type, the other is the antitype. Barnes writes, “In the New Testament, however, it is used in a different sense; and (Greek) anti, in composition, implies resemblance, correspondence; and hence the word means, formed after a type or model; like; corresponding; that which corresponds to a type. Rob. Lex. The word occurs only in this place and #Heb 9:24, rendered figures.”
H i How is baptism an antitype in our text. The waters of the flood are the "type", and the waters of baptism are the "antitype" - 1 Pe 3:20-21“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; who is one the right hand of God, having gone into heaven; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.”
In his commentary, Barnes says, "The meaning here is, that baptism corresponded to, or had a resemblance to, the water by which Noah was saved; or that there was a use of water in the one case which corresponded in some respects to the water that was used in the other; to wit, in effecting salvation." (Commentary on 1st Peter) "The apostle does not say that it corresponded in all respects; in respect, e.g., to quantity, or to the manner of the application, or to the efficacy; but there is a sense in which water performs an important part in our salvation, as it did in his." (ibid.) An important part in our salvation? Baptism? This may sound foreign to many people today, but the Bible and many Bible scholars over the history of the church have stressed this very point.
Having introduced our text with some definitions to type and antitype let’s look at baptism and salvation by first looking at the biblical witnesses and record. There are several statements of Jesus that emphasize the necessity of baptism for salvation - Mt 28:18-20 “And Jesus came to them and spake unto them, saying, All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth. Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.”; Mk 16: 15-16“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that disbelieveth shall be condemned.”; Jn 3:3-5“Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except one be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God!”
The record of apostolic preaching as found in the Book of Acts continues this thought - Ac 2:38“And Peter said unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”; 22:16“And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on his name.”In his epistles, Paul often wrote of the purpose of baptism, and the role it played in salvation -Ro 6:3-6“Or are ye ignorant that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him through baptism unto death: that like as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection; knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away, that so we should no longer be in bondage to sin;”; Ga 3:26-27“For ye are all sons of God, through faith, in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ did put on Christ.”; Co 2:11-13“in whom ye were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ; having been buried with him in baptism, wherein ye were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, being dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, you, I say, did he make alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses;”; Ti 3:4-5“But when the kindness of God our Saviour, and his love toward man, appeared, not by works done in righteousness, which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy he saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,” And in our text, we have Peter's own words, which coincide with what he preached on that first Pentecost following the resurrection of Christ - 1 Pe 3:21; Ac 2:38.
We will continue this lesson in a second part. We will start the second part by looking at the testimony of some Bible scholars.
