Pastor Chris’ Corona Quarantine Epistles to the Flock of AIC Ngong Road, in Dispersion and Isolation. 135th. Edition.
Dear Followers of the Risen Lord,
Today’s passage (1 Peter 3:19-20), like the one before it, takes a slightly different trajectory from the previous one. It arises from the previous passage but branches into something somewhat different, but not disconnected or contrary. We saw in that prior passage that Christ was raised from the dead by the Spirit. Today’s passage begins, “By whom…” meaning the same Spirit he went
Preaching (v. 19). This verse is often used to teach that when Jesus died, he went to hell and preached to the spirits there. This would present two problems. First, that there is an opportunity for the dead to repent. Why else would Jesus preach to them? This would go against the teaching of the Bible from the beginning, that the choices we make in this life determine our future in the next, hence the encouragement to commit to Christ by faith (John 1:12; 5:24; 1 John 5:13).
The second problem is that there is a particular group of spirits mentioned here – those of Noah’s time. It would imply selective preaching of the good news because obviously, there were other spirits in hell’ not just those of Noah’s time, but they are not included in this preaching. A more likely and natural understanding of this passage would be that Christ went to preach to the people of Noah’s time by the Spirit. They failed to heed the Spirit then and are in prison since.
Patience (v. 20a). God was patient with the disobedient of Noah’s time from a perusal of Genesis chapter 6, it must have taken Noah 120 years to build the ark (Genesis 6:3), and all this time preaching to people who did not care to listen. But God’s patience will not be forever. The rebellious of Noah’s time were given 120 years, after which the floodwaters came and sent them to
Perdition (v. 20b). Hell is the lot who rebel and ignore the prompting of the Spirit to repent. During Noah’s time, only eight people were saved. This teaches us that with God there is no such thing as “safety in numbers.” If it is wrong, then it is wrong, even if everyone does it. If it is right, it is right, even if no one does it. The truth of God is not dependent on our assent. As my friend Dave Robertson used to say, “The law of gravity applies to you, whether you believe Isaac Newton or not.” Likewise, the truth of God applies equally to believers and unbelievers.
There is a word of encouragement here to suffering Christians. Noah looked like a fool building a big boat on dry land, and for 120 years they mocked him. But he had the last laugh, did he not? And the mockers drowned. Likewise, suffering Christians are at the mercy of their tormentors for what looks like forever.
The righteous God will act and the unbelievers will run out of luck. But like Noah, let us keep preaching. Who knows, we may reap a harvest from persecutors and mockers.
Your Loving Pastor Chris.