Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Evangelical
1 Peter 3:18-22 Heavenly Resolve

1 Peter 3:18-22 Heavenly Resolve

Last updated on: June 15, 2014 at 8:43 pm by Jim Erwin

1 Peter 3:18-22 Heavenly Resolve 2014-06-15T20:43:41-05:00 Jim Erwin

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

1 Peter 3:18-22 Heavenly Resolve

Jesus Christ had heavenly resolve. He was willing to suffer for our sins, for everyone’s sins (the righteous and unrighteous.) The thought is that Christians, when they suffer for well-doing, are following in Christ’s steps.1

Jesus used a heavenly resolve to die for our sins so that we could come to God. (1 Peter 3:18)

The death of the Messiah did not destroy Him, and death will not destroy the suffering and persecuted believer.2 This verse shows that Peter saw Christ’s death as much more than an example. Its main purpose was to “bring us to God,” that is, to put us in a right relationship with God.3

Jesus used a heavenly resolve to be made alive in the spirit. (1 Peter 3:18)

When Jesus died physically, He was very alive spiritually. His spirit was given to God on the cross. So although Jesus died, He was still very much alive.

Jesus used a heavenly resolve to judge the angels (1 Peter 3:19)

When Jesus died, He committed His spirit to God. His body died, but His spirit continued. In this passage as well as 2 Peter and Jude, we have an explanation about where Jesus went when He died. He went to where these bad angels were who did this horrible act of disobedience. The place was Tartarus, a prison in hell. This prison is reserved for disobedient angels. Jesus preached to these fallen angels.

Along with other theologians, Arnold Fruchtenbaum notes the background for this event:

They included the fallen angels of Genesis six, and the spirits of the human generation of Noah’s day. As evidence of God’s patience, for 120 years they were preached to while the ark was being built, but they were disobedient. The intermarriage of fallen angels and human women was the Satanic attempt to corrupt the Seed of the Woman of Genesis 3:15 in order to thwart the purpose of the first coming. Now that the Messiah has come and died for sin, it shows that the Satanic attempt to corrupt the Seed of the Woman has failed. This was the proclamation made to the spirits in prison. 4

R. A. Torrey also helps to explain the implications of this difficult passage:

The clear implication of all this is that the spirits to whom Jesus preached when He went to the abode of the dead were the angels that sinned in the days of Noah and were then in prison in consequence of that sin.5

2 Peter 2:4-5

Jude 6

Just as Noah preached to an unregenerate and disbelieving generation, Jesus would go preach to the demons that made that generation disobedient. What did He preach? He proclaimed that He was able to foil Satan’s plan. Although these disobedient angels tried to thwart that plan, Jesus was still able to accomplish it. He did not preach salvation to fallen angels. He preached victory over these fallen angels.

THE MOST DIFFICULT PASSAGE IN THE BIBLE (1 Peter 3:20-21)

Ark –> “Saved In It” –> Water (3:20)

Resurrection –> Pledge –> Baptism (3:21)

The Ark was God’s Vehicle for salvation for the Noah and his family. The ark rose over the waters of judgment to save God’s people – the people who pledged to follow him in faith. This was in contrast to the people who did not pledge to follow God. These people, including angels, were disobedient and were judged.

In the same way, the resurrection is God’s Vehicle for salvation for you and me. The resurrection saves us when we pledge or appeal to God in faith. Baptism corresponds to the waters of judgment.

Water was the judgment in which people died. God judged the earth, and specifically the disobedient angels. God used water to execute His judgment. Jesus, in contrast, by His resurrection, makes this same water a symbol of salvation. Instead of being a death, water becomes a symbol of life for people who pledge to follow Jesus Christ.

According to Peter, baptism is “an appeal to God.” That is, baptism is the cry of faith to God. In that sense and to that degree, it is part of God’s means of salvation.6

Because of Jesus’ heavenly resolve, God gave Him the power over these angels, authorities, and powers. This is similar language to Ephesians 6:10. The point is that Jesus’ patient heavenly resolve helped Him to eventually have complete power over the demons of darkness.

That same heavenly resolve can help you and me today. When I feel powerless, I need to know that Jesus is All-Powerful.

1 Curtis Vaughan, “1 Peter,” in The Teacher’s Bible Commentary, ed. H. Franklin Paschall and Herschel H. Hobbs (Nashville: Broadman and Holman Publishers, 1972), 789.

2 Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum, The Messianic Jewish Epistles: Hebrews, James, First Peter, Second Peter, Jude, 1st ed. (Tustin, CA: Ariel Ministries, 2005), 361.

3 Curtis Vaughan, “1 Peter,” in The Teacher’s Bible Commentary, ed. H. Franklin Paschall and Herschel H. Hobbs (Nashville: Broadman and Holman Publishers, 1972), 789.

4 Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum, Israelology: The Missing Link in Systematic Theology, Rev. ed. (Tustin, CA: Ariel Ministries, 1994), 1000.

5 R. A. Torrey, Difficulties in the Bible: Alleged Errors and Contradictions (Willow Grove: Woodlawn Electronic Publishing, 1998).

6 John Piper, Brothers, We Are Not Professionals: a Plea to Pastors for Radical Ministry (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2002), 131–132.

Previous Post

June 12, 2014

Prophecy Watch: ISIS's March Into Iraq

Next Post

June 15, 2014 1 Peter 4:1-11 End-Time Ethics

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category 1 Chronicles 1 Corinthians 1 John 1 Kings 1 Peter 1 Samuel 1 Thessalonians 1 Timothy 2 Chronicles 2 Corinthians 2 John 2 Kings 2 Peter 2 Samuel 2 Thessalonians 2 Timothy 3 John Acts Advent Amos Book Review Colossians Comics Culture Watch Daniel Deuteronomy Ecclesiastes Ephesians Esther Exodus Ezekiel Ezra Galatians Genesis Guest Post Habakkuk Haggai Hebrews Hosea Humor Inspiritational Isaiah James Jeremiah Job Joel John Jonah Joshua Jude Judges Lamentations Lectionary Lent Leviticus Link Love Luke Malachi Mark Matthew Micah Movie Review Nahum Nehemiah Numbers Philippians Political Watch Prophecy Watch Proverbs Psalm Revelation Reviews Romans Ruth Science Watch Sermon Series Sermons Simple Thoughts Song of Solomon Titus Top Ten Uncategorized Video Review Zechariah Zephaniah

Select a Month May 2026 October 2025 September 2025 June 2025 February 2025 January 2025 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 July 2024 June 2024 April 2024 March 2024 January 2024 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 June 2023 May 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 January 2022 June 2021 January 2021 October 2020 July 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2009 June 2008 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 October 2006 September 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 September 2005

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What does the name "Bethlehem" mean in Hebrew?

Select your answer to see how you score.

House of Bread House of Prayer House of Stone House of Kings