Where was Jesus during the three days after his death on the cross?

BobRyan

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Let's just read the words:

"...He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. 19 After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits— "

Let's read all the words

1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, 19 by whom also He went and preached to the spirits now in prison, 20 who formerly were disobedient, when the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. (NKJV)

So then
1. 8 souls saved
2. preached when God was waiting patiently while the ark was being built.
3. Made alive BY the Spirit By whom also He preached to the spirits now in prison WHO were in rebellion during the time the ark was being built.
4. Because 2 Peter 2 says Noah was preaching the Gospel to them during that time
5. And indeed the SPIRIT of Christ was speaking to ALL the OT prophets back then 1 Peter 1:10-11

1 Peter1:10 As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries, 11 seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow. (NASB)

10 Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, 11 searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. NKJV


Peter is very focused on the historic fact of 8 saved in the ark ... because he wants to use the ark as a type/symbol of baptism. Just as we have the gospel preached before baptism he points out that the Spirit of Christ in 1 Peter 1 was having the gospel preached before the ark was completed.

See it now? The words are referring to Christ preaching by the Spirit specifically to those who were in rebellion during the time when the ark was being built. And the result was that EIGHT people were saved.

you said

died on the cross --
1) "put to death in the body"

and then He was

2) "made alive in the Spirit"


I am sure most of us are thinking Christ was already alive during His life and that at death he was not made alive but was alive before He died.
 
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Halbhh

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Let's read all the words
Of course.

"When" and "while" in verse 20 are telling us what people -- the wicked, disobedient people who "filled the Earth with violence" during the days of Noah, before the Flood.

Sinners who had of course no chance at redemption through the gospel until Christ came to them and proclaimed the gospel to them.

Which makes total sense, even before it's simply outright confirmed in
1 Peter 4:6 That is why the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged as men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

To give them a chance.

Why?

Here's why: Romans 2:11 For God does not show favoritism.

In other words, God is Just and fair. He is Good. He doesn't condemn people without a chance. He doesn't give some people a chance at salvation, and not others, but instead offers salvation to anyone humble enough to believe on Christ.
 
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BobRyan

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Of course.

"When" and "while" in verse 20 are telling us what people -- the wicked, disobedient people who "filled the Earth with violence" during the days of Noah, before the Flood.

It explains why only 8 souls were saved and it tells us it is the Spirit of Christ that is preaching in those days just as we see in chapter 1.
 
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Halbhh

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I am sure most of us are thinking Christ was already alive during His life and that at death he was not made alive but was alive before He died.
After being put to physical death on the cross, Christ was then made alive in Spirit and then went to proclaim the gospel (for the first time ever) to the dead.

This sequence cannot be argued about because it's simply what the text directly says, word for word.

"...he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, 20 because they formerly did not obey..."

See it now?

Use a good modern translation: NIV or ESV.
 
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BobRyan

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After being put to physical death on the cross, Christ was then made alive in Spirit

So you think that instead of the text saying

18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, 19 by whom also He went and preached to the spirits now in prison, 20 who formerly were disobedient, when the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. (NKJV)

18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, 19 by whom also He went and preached

That it really says
18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh and also put to death in the Spirit was then made alive in the Spirit"​

??

Does your POV also explain why that only saves 8 people???
 
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Halbhh

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So you think that instead of the text saying

18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, 19 by whom also He went and preached to the spirits now in prison, 20 who formerly were disobedient, when the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. (NKJV)

18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, 19 by whom also He went and preached

That it really says
18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh and also put to death in the Spirit was then made alive in the Spirit"​

??

Does your POV also explain why that only saves 8 people???

First, really, get a better translation. That just helps a lot.

More than 1.

Try the NIV, ESV, NASB. Just about any good modern translation. And then another.

Here are many at one site:
1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit,
1 Peter 3:19 in whom He also went and preached to the spirits in prison

As you can confirm from the YLT, etc., many translations.

I'm going to stick to the actual wording, as it is, plain and simple.

Read fully, in many modern translations, trying to be silent (to silence the doctrines/theories/arguments) and just listen.

----
About the 8 saved in the mortal world from the Flood, we can understand that they are not the only ones that have a chance at heaven, from that time (Christ would not fail to convert some (perhaps especially the young) that were amenable to God). Christ went to proclaim the actual Gospel which He brought into effect on the cross, to those spirits in prison, so that some might turn in faith even then, and be saved.
 
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Gary O'

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I'm going to stick to the actual wording, as it is, plain and simple.
Y'know, one can make a strong argument....with that one text.

However, as the bible instructs;

'For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little'

Here's one that's pertinent to the subject;

'For the living know that they shall die; but the dead know not anything'

My thoughts go to a new convert, one wavering a bit.
Then they're told 'after being put to physical death on the cross, Christ was then made alive in Spirit and then went to proclaim the gospel (for the first time ever) to the dead.
Christ went to proclaim the actual Gospel which He brought into effect on the cross, to those spirits in prison, so that some might turn in faith even then, and be saved.'

It's like....hey....so you do whatever you want......it's OK, God will give you another chance.....after you die

'Come now, let us reason together'
 
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Mugen

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I always wondered about the three days part. If Jesus died on the cross on a Friday and rose from the grave on Sunday aka the first day of the week then thats just two days in my book. Jesus himself said he would be in the grave for three days and three nights. from Friday until Sunday it's only 2 days and 2 nights
 
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Mugen

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I watched something about this recently! I forgot what it was and my internet isn’t working very well but I’ll post it later if I can find it.
Basically the video said that Jesus was in Hell, not to burn as punishment (because he said on the cross, it is finished, he didn’t go to Hell for our salvation) but to declare victory over the devil and the demons.

There have always been mysteries surrounding the concept of hell.
For one, Jesus says in Matthew 10:28 we should fear God who can kill both body and soul in hell. Imo He is talking about the 2nd death spoken about in revelation.
So you think that instead of the text saying

18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, 19 by whom also He went and preached to the spirits now in prison, 20 who formerly were disobedient, when the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. (NKJV)

18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, 19 by whom also He went and preached

That it really says
18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh and also put to death in the Spirit was then made alive in the Spirit"​

??

Does your POV also explain why that only saves 8 people???


I tried following your reasoning but somehow got lost. What do you mean by those 8 people who got saved in the ark? are you saying that the text in Peter actually says something like this: Christ (through Noah) once preached to the people WHEN the ark was build and as a result of that preaching only 8 people were saved (Noah included)?
 
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BobRyan

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There have always been mysteries surrounding the concept of hell.
For one, Jesus says in Matthew 10:28 we should fear God who can kill both body and soul in hell. Imo He is talking about the 2nd death spoken about in revelation.

agreed. I think you are exactly right.


I tried following your reasoning but somehow got lost. What do you mean by those 8 people who got saved in the ark? are you saying that the text in Peter actually says something like this: Christ (through Noah) once preached to the people WHEN the ark was build and as a result of that preaching only 8 people were saved (Noah included)?

Yes - the text specifically targets the saving of eight people in the case of the Ark .. That is not an example of dead people getting saved after they died - but living people - who lived during the time the ark was being built. It refers to God's patience when He waited for 120 years for mankind to "get it" - to take the warning of a world-wide flood seriously - and only 8 people took the way of escape at the end of God's time of patience.
 
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BobRyan

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I always wondered about the three days part. If Jesus died on the cross on a Friday and rose from the grave on Sunday aka the first day of the week then thats just two days in my book. Jesus himself said he would be in the grave for three days and three nights. from Friday until Sunday it's only 2 days and 2 nights

In Luke 24 while walking to Emmaus the two disciples say that Sunday evening was "the third day since all these things happened". Where "all these things" include the crucifixion.

20 and how the chief priests and our rulers handed Him over to be sentenced to death, and crucified Him. 21 But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened.

The only way that Sunday evening "is the third day" having Jesus "above ground" since early morning -- is if you count all of Sunday, all of Saturday and all of Friday, even though Sunday is not yet over and even though Jesus was crucified on Friday near evening. Jews used "inclusive reckoning" for days, where any part of the day - counts as "the one day".
 
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BobRyan

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I'm going to stick to the actual wording, as it is, plain and simple.

I thought I already was doing that.

1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, 19 by whom also He went and preached to the spirits now in prison, 20 who formerly were disobedient, when the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. (NASB 1955)

So then
1. 8 souls saved
2. preached when God was waiting patiently while the ark was being built.
3. Made alive BY the Spirit By whom also He preached to the spirits now in prison WHO were in rebellion during the time the ark was being built.
4. Because 2 Peter 2 says Noah was preaching the Gospel to them during that time
5. And indeed the SPIRIT of Christ was speaking to ALL the OT prophets back then 1 Peter 1:10-11

Your solution is that I should not be reading the NKJV

First, really, get a better translation. That just helps a lot.

More than 1.

Try the NIV, ESV, NASB. Just about any good modern translation.


-- turns out that was NASB 1955


About the 8 saved in the mortal world from the Flood, we can understand that they are not the only ones that have a chance at heaven

True - but they are the only ones saved from the flood which is specifically what the text is talking about. It is not addressing all mankind in all of the OT - it is specifically pointing to a single point in time "WHILE" the ark was being built. Because the text wants to compare baptism to the ark.

Heb 9:27 says there is no second chance after one dies "it is appointed unto man once to die - and then comes the judgment"
 
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Mugen

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I thought I already was doing that.

1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, 19 by whom also He went and preached to the spirits now in prison, 20 who formerly were disobedient, when the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. (NASB 1955)

So then
1. 8 souls saved
2. preached when God was waiting patiently while the ark was being built.
3. Made alive BY the Spirit By whom also He preached to the spirits now in prison WHO were in rebellion during the time the ark was being built.
4. Because 2 Peter 2 says Noah was preaching the Gospel to them during that time
5. And indeed the SPIRIT of Christ was speaking to ALL the OT prophets back then 1 Peter 1:10-11

Your solution is that I should not be reading the NKJV




-- turns out that was NASB 1955




True - but they are the only ones saved from the flood which is specifically what the text is talking about. It is not addressing all mankind in all of the OT - it is specifically pointing to a single point in time "WHILE" the ark was being built. Because the text wants to compare baptism to the ark.

Heb 9:27 says there is no second chance after one dies "it is appointed unto man once to die - and then comes the judgment"

TBH this is a very difficult passage, I don't claim to know what it exactly means.

The whole text is a bit obscure. I am not sure though, living people are ever called 'spirits' in the bible. People are sometimes called living souls - even in this very passage. Spirits as such don't posses a body (according to Jesus!).

Also, the word 'when' can be a reference to the time of disobiedence (construction of the ark). The original text also implies the preaching is taking place in prison.
 
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BobRyan

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TBH this is a very difficult passage, I don't claim to know what it exactly means.

The whole text is a bit obscure. I am not sure though, living people are ever called 'spirits' in the bible.

The "spirits in prison" refer to the dead - but the argument is that those people had the gospel preached to them in the OT - and proof of it is given by the example of God having Noah preach for 120 years prior to the flood.

1 Peter 1 says "the Spirit of Christ" was preaching in the OT to prophets of old - and that is the context for 1 Peter 3.

1 Pet 1:10 As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries, 11 seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow.

There is no such thing as reincarnation second-chance next-life-second-chance according to the Bible
Heb 9:27 And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, 28 so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.​

The Bible does not teach the doctrine of "die once then comes more chances to accept the Gospel"... no not even in the OT.

God preached no such reincarnation second-chance-when-you-die message in the OT

Is 38:
18 “For Sheol cannot thank You,
Death cannot praise You;
Those who go down to the pit cannot hope for Your faithfulness.
19 “It is the living who give thanks to You, as I do today;
A father tells his sons about Your faithfulness.
 
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Mugen

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The "spirits in prison" refer to the dead - but the argument is that those people had the gospel preached to them in the OT - and proof of it is given by the example of God having Noah preach for 120 years prior to the flood.

1 Peter 1 says "the Spirit of Christ" was preaching in the OT to prophets of old - and that is the context for 1 Peter 3.

1 Pet 1:10 As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries, 11 seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow.

There is no such thing as reincarnation second-chance next-life-second-chance according to the Bible
Heb 9:27 And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, 28 so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.​

The Bible does not teach the doctrine of "die once then comes more chances to accept the Gospel"... no not even in the OT.

God preached no such reincarnation second-chance-when-you-die message in the OT

Is 38:
18 “For Sheol cannot thank You,
Death cannot praise You;
Those who go down to the pit cannot hope for Your faithfulness.
19 “It is the living who give thanks to You, as I do today;
A father tells his sons about Your faithfulness.


How is that proof?
 
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Halbhh

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I thought I already was doing that.

1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, 19 by whom also He went and preached to the spirits now in prison, 20 who formerly were disobedient, when the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. (NASB 1955)

So then
1. 8 souls saved
2. preached when God was waiting patiently while the ark was being built.

There, in step 2: that's where that guy came up with the new idea that isn't in the text -- the new guess/idea/theory: that Christ time traveled back to the time of Noah here at this moment. (an idea/theory that requires ignoring some of the words in the epistle)

Of course, we can see that the text does not plainly say any such thing, does not say that Christ traveled through time back to the time of Noah, and then preached.

The text does say a different thing happened.

18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.
He was put to death in the body
but made alive in the Spirit.
19 After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits20 to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. ...

... 6 For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to human standards in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit."
1 Peter 4 NIV

Since I'm posting this like the 3rd time, I'm adding color and size to the word, so it's hard to ignore.

Who did Christ preach to? -- He preached to the dead that were 'spirits in prison', 'imprisoned spirits' (various translations) -- they were not alive in their old mortal bodies, those bodies had died.

So, those He preached to where all "dead" as humans say it -- they were only now alive in spirit alone.

Their bodies had perished in the Flood.

They were now alive in spirit. They were no longer alive in mortal body.

See, the wonderful Good News is that God is merciful and Gracious.

He would not kill little children in the Flood and then give those little children zero chance to be saved into Eternal Life.

Only an atheist would think God would kill little children in the Flood and then consign them all to hell for eternity, including babies....

That's an atheist viewpoint to think that way.

A believer viewpoint is to know that God is Good, Just, Fair, Gracious, Merciful.

And beautifully 1rst Peter confirms that, yet again, just like other scriptures.
 
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Halbhh

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I always wondered about the three days part. If Jesus died on the cross on a Friday and rose from the grave on Sunday aka the first day of the week then thats just two days in my book. Jesus himself said he would be in the grave for three days and three nights. from Friday until Sunday it's only 2 days and 2 nights

Luke 24:7 The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.'"

What words do we see here? :)

A lot of interpretations people have heard lately, in our modern America, turn out to be ideas from atheists, who try to spread inventive new interpretations. Here it looks to be some creative interpretation of Matthew 12:40 as if the rest of the gospel and the other gospels did not exist.

As you can see, there is no such specific idea/sense of meaning to be "after 72 hours" -- that's a new invention.

Instead, during some part of part of 3 days and 3 nights, at least, His mortal body would be in the grave (thought not His spirit, as we learn in 1rst Peter).

We know that scripture is a whole: all of it fits together. So, we listen to all of it to understand many parts in it.

Mark 9:31 because He was teaching His disciples. He told them, "The Son of Man will be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill Him, and after three days He will rise."

Mark 10:34 who will mock Him and spit on Him and flog Him and kill Him. And after three days He will rise again."

1 Corinthians 15:4 that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,

Or have a look at every last verse about the 3rd day:
What Does the Bible Say About On The Third Day?
 
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Mugen

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Luke 24:7 The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.'"

What words do we see here? :)

A lot of interpretations people have heard lately, in our modern America, turn out to be ideas from atheists, who try to spread inventive new interpretations. Here it looks to be some creative interpretation of Matthew 12:40 as if the rest of the gospel and the other gospels did not exist.

As you can see, there is no such specific idea/sense of meaning to be "after 72 hours" -- that's a new invention.

Instead, during some part of part of 3 days and 3 nights, at least, His mortal body would be in the grave (thought not His spirit, as we learn in 1rst Peter).

We know that scripture is a whole: all of it fits together. So, we listen to all of it to understand many parts in it.

Mark 9:31 because He was teaching His disciples. He told them, "The Son of Man will be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill Him, and after three days He will rise."

Mark 10:34 who will mock Him and spit on Him and flog Him and kill Him. And after three days He will rise again."

1 Corinthians 15:4 that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,

Or have a look at every last verse about the 3rd day:
What Does the Bible Say About On The Third Day?

Absolutely! People will come up with lots of creativity. although I must admit atheists aren't stupid and points they sometimes bring up clearly show they have at least read the bible xD. That's why I try to keep a healthy distance in regard to details.
 
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1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, 19 by whom also He went and preached to the spirits now in prison, 20 who formerly were disobedient, when the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. (NASB 1955)

So then
1. 8 souls saved
2. preached when God was waiting patiently while the ark was being built.

The text is very specifically pointing to preaching, WHEN divine longsuffering waited, WHILE the ark was being built - that resulted in exactly EIGHT souls saved.

1 Peter 3 is using a historic event where only 8 people take God's way of escape from the judgment of the flood -- and applies it to the spiritual significance of salvation and baptism's "appeal to God for a clean conscience".

To be clear - I am not claiming only 8 people in the OT or before the flood or during the 120 years of building the ark - had salvation. Peter is using this as an illustration.

There, in step 2: that's where that guy came up with the new idea that isn't in the text -- the new guess/idea/theory: that Christ time traveled back to the time of Noah here at this moment.

No not time travel since the context for 1 Pet 3 includes 1 Peter 1 -- telling us about the "Spirit of Christ" in the OT - preaching the gospel to all the prophets.

6 For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead.

very different from "he preached to dead people" rather the Spirit of Christ preached the Gospel to those in the OT (as 1 Peter 1 states) -- people who are "now dead" but were not dead at that time.

And 1 Peter 3 gets very specific about only 8 people saved due to that preaching at the time of the ark. He never say "only 8 dead people agreed or accepted".

They were now alive in spirit. They were no longer alive in mortal body.

There is no "dead people now alive in spirit" statement in either 1 Peter or 2 Peter.
 
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