1 Peter 3:18-20 NRSV: A Call to Suffering and Salvation
Verse 18: The Purpose of Christ's Suffering
For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God.
In this verse, Peter highlights the purpose of Christ's suffering and death on the cross. Christ, the righteous one, suffered for the unrighteous, which includes all humanity. The purpose of His suffering was to bring us to God, to reconcile us to Himself. This statement emphasizes the redemptive nature of Christ's sacrifice.
Verse 19: Proclaiming to the Spirits in Prison
He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit, in which also he went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison
Here, Peter speaks of Christ's post-resurrection ministry. Though Christ was put to death in the flesh, He was made alive in the spirit. In this spiritual state, Christ proclaimed the good news to the spirits in prison. The phrase "spirits in prison" likely refers to the fallen angels or the spirits of those who disobeyed God in the time of Noah (Genesis 6:1-4).
Verse 20: The Salvation of Noah and his Family
who in former times did not obey, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight people, were saved through water.
Peter draws a parallel between the salvation of Noah and his family and the salvation of believers through Christ. Just as God saved Noah and his family through the floodwaters, so too does God save believers through the waters of baptism. The phrase "eight people" refers to Noah, his wife, his three sons, and their wives, who were saved through the ark.
Conclusion
In these three verses, Peter emphasizes the significance of Christ's suffering and death, as well as the salvation that comes through Him. The passage serves as a reminder of God's patience and saving power, as seen in the story of Noah and his family. May we, as believers, be encouraged by the salvation we have in Christ and the promise of eternal life through Him.
