Need Interpetation Help for Sunday School

[jpcedotal]

1Pe 3:17-22 For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong. 18 For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; 19 in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, 20 who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water. 21 Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you--not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience--through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.

I am teaching Sunday School and this is the Scripture we are studying. I am teaching out of the LifeWay "Thru the Bible" course and when I got to this part, the author states 6 different interpretations for this passage. None of them seemed quite right...

I need some expert opinions to help me see the truth I need to convey to the adults (ages 20-50) I am trying to guide towards Scriptural truth.

 

[Isatis]

1Pe 3:17-22 For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong. 18 For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; 19 in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, 20 who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water. 21 Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you--not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience--through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.

I am teaching Sunday School and this is the Scripture we are studying. I am teaching out of the LifeWay "Thru the Bible" course and when I got to this part, the author states 6 different interpretations for this passage. None of them seemed quite right...

I need some expert opinions to help me see the truth I need to convey to the adults (ages 20-50) I am trying to guide towards Scriptural truth.

There are various interpretations of the meaning of verses 19 and 20, primarily because of the ambiguity of the phrase "spirits in prison".

Can you tell me why interpretations you've read don't seem quite right?

 

[Alive_Again]

The spirits in prison that He preached to are the ones in Abraham's Bosom. This was in the good part of Hades. Across from that is where the evil rich man in the Lazarus story went. It was separated by a gulf. Everyone who is saved must receive Christ and choose for himself. Jesus preached to those spirits and after receiving Him, were set free when Jesus took the keys of Hell, death, and the grave. This is one of the greatest stories of mankind, yet to be proclaimed to the saints. We'll know more about it when we get to Heaven.

 

[Heterodoxus]

1Pe 3:17-22 .... 6 different interpretations for this passage. None of them seemed quite right...

Are you saying the interpretations (translating the words from Greek into English) seemed inaccurate? Or that the commentaries (written explanations) related to this passage seemed inadequate to your purpose?