Last time:
Special encouragement for those who are suffering
13 Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled,
15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,
16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.
17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.
Today:
The example of Christ
18 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,
19 in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison,
20 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.
21 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,
22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.
Comments
18 For Christ also suffered
Remember, Christ suffered too
suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous,
His suffering was substitutionary
that he might bring us to God,
There was purpose in his suffering
being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,
Physical death is not the end.
Resurrection and heaven lie ahead
21 …through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.
19 …he went and proclaimed
(not evangelised but proclaimed his victory)
to the spirits (fallen angels, not human spirits) in prison,
There was a Jewish tradition that immediately before the flood fallen angels who had disobeyed God were punished by imprisonment
20 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.
21 Baptism, which corresponds to this,
Antitype The water of the flood speaks of judgment
The water of baptism speaks of salvation
now saves you,
It doesn’t save you. It’s a picture of salvation.
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,
22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.