1 Peter 3:18-22

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water.  Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.

This passage is certainly a challenge to understand fully.  I think some of the questions this passage raises will only be fully answered in eternity.  I don’t want to go down all the theological rabbit trails that are possible in this text, but rather focus on the main truth Peter wants to convey about how Jesus is our example of suffering unjustly and being victorious in the process, culminating in glory.

JESUS IS OUR EXAMPLE OF SUFFERING: Jesus is the only perfectly righteous person in the history of the world.  Yet, He suffered more than any of us can imagine.  He truly is the ultimate example of suffering for righteousness sake.  The experience of the exiles in Peter’s day and the martyrs for Christ throughout history imitates the sufferings of Christ and should be informed by it.  This is why suffering and rejoicing should accompany one another in the life of a believer.  Anytime we follow Christ it should be a source of joy.  The biggest difference is that all human suffering apart from Christ is due, in part, to our own sinfulness.  All of us deserve to suffer.  Jesus did not deserve any suffering and yet, He suffered for our sake.  He the righteous and holy Son of God suffered for the benefit of we the unrighteous.  In similar fashion, when we suffer for doing good, it is for the purpose of drawing unrighteous people to Jesus that they might find unmerited righteousness in Him.

JESUS IS OUR EXAMPLE OF PROCLAIMING: The death of Christ means that His spirit was separated from His body while His body was in the tomb.  Jesus continued to exist just as every person who dies continues to exist awaiting the resurrection.  Where did Jesus go?  What did Jesus do?  These questions are partially answered in this passage.  He went to wherever spirits were in prison.  He proclaimed His victory over sin and death.  We have very little information about the “world of the dead” from Scripture.  The story Jesus told about the rich man and Lazarus perhaps gives us the most information.  It seems that before Christ’s payment for sin the Old Testament believers were in what is called Paradise but not what we would call heaven or the presence of God.  Paradise seems to be in proximity to a place of torment where unbelievers await their final judgment.  It seems that the pre-resurrected spirit of Jesus went to the “world of the dead” and proclaimed the Gospel.  I don’t believe the purpose of this proclamation was to give unbelievers a “second chance.” Rather, it was to celebrate the Gospel with Old Testament believers and condemn the unbelievers for rejecting the revelation that had been given to them.  Godly men like Noah who trusted and obeyed God were given a clearer understanding of God’s redemptive plan.  Unrepentant sinners and likely fallen angels were given un understanding of the glorious Gospel that they rejected.

JESUS IS OUR EXAMPLE OF REIGNING: Jesus came through death, was resurrected and has ascended into heaven where He sits at the right hand of the Father reigning over heaven and earth.  He suffered, proclaimed, and now reigns.  Believers who suffer today have been identified with Christ through faith.  They are baptized as an external demonstration of that identification with Christ’s death and resurrection.  That identification gives us the assured hope that we will also be identified with Christ in His reigning.  Noah suffered for doing right but was vindicated by the flood that washed all sinners away, but he came through the water and is now in the presence of God.  We are called to place our faith in Christ, identify with Him in baptism, suffer for doing good, and hope in the glory that will be revealed in our resurrection when we will reign with Christ.

APPLICATION: Worship Christ for His sacrificial suffering though He was perfectly righteous.  Be prepared to suffer for doing good and rejoice in the privilege of identifying with Christ.  Faithfully proclaim the Gospel in the face of suffering.  Place our hope on the glory that has been promised to all who belive.