Read 1 Peter 3:18-22
Peter reminds us that Jesus suffered for us. He had lived that reality being so close to the events of Jesus’ beating, crucifixion, and death. For people that hadn’t been so involved in that story, Peter shared.
Death entered this world because of sin. But Jesus never sinned. Jesus died for us — sinners — so that we could find our way home and have a relationship with our heavenly Father. That’s the message the world needs to hear. But Jesus didn’t stay dead.
Jesus was raised by God to new life. Without the resurrection, we’d have nothing on which to base our faith. Jesus was the first to overcome death. preparing the way for us to follow.
Peter’s discussion about suffering extends beyond the obvious things Jesus did for us. I found it a bit curious what Peter was talking about when he told how Jesus “preached to the spirits in prison—those who disobeyed God long ago when God waited patiently while Noah was building his boat.” When exactly did Jesus preach to these folks?
The eight people chosen by God to survive the flood included Noah, his three sons, and all their wives. They were the ones who repopulated the earth. The rest of the sinful lot of humankind drowned and presumably made their way to sheol, the Old Testament place of the dead. For Jesus to be preaching to them, Peter was either referring to something that happened long ago before Jesus was born or saying that Jesus visited them in their place of imprisonment.
In the creed I recited for my entire childhood, we read, “Jesus descended into hell.” I always understood that to be where Jesus went between his crucifixion and resurrection. This text would suggest Jesus was able to preach to those people from Noah’s day, known for their wickedness. How do you think they responded to Jesus? It was too late to repent, wasn’t it?
It was interesting that Peter quickly jumped from the flood to another topic, baptism. His connecting thought appears to be “water” because of the flood waters and water of baptism. I had never thought of the Noah’s Ark story being connected, a picture as it were of what happens in baptism.
Paul taught the Romans about baptism, too. In Romans 6:3-5, Paul writes, “Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was.”
Jesus went to heaven to prepare a place for us. Peter tells us that Jesus’ authority is accepted by all. That does sound like heaven, doesn’t it?
Let’s pray. Lord, thank you for all that you have done for me. Help me to truly grasp how such love is possible. I can’t even fathom all that you went through and endured. Forgive me for how distracted I can become. Fill my mouth and use me to proclaim your truth to listening ears. In Jesus’ name.
