Page 53 - General Epistles (James through Jude) Textbook

. . .” [1 Pet. 3:20b]) were the deceased by the time Peter was writing his epistle. The third problem is
that it seems to be purporting that the passage teaches that Christ’s proclamation happened after His
incarnation.

The third and final traditional view state that Jesus descended to hell in order to proclaim victory to the
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fallen spirits. While convincing and plausible, it has some flaws. The first problem with this view is that
the proclamation Jesus made is not to the spirits of human beings but to fallen angels who are
suggested to have married the daughters of men in Genesis 6:1-6. The orthodoxy (good) teaching
teaches that angels (fallen or not fallen) do not marry because they are spirit beings (Matt. 22:23-30;
Mark 12:18-27; Luke 20:34-36). The strength of this view is that it directly incorporates Peter’s context
which is reinforced by Peter’s quotation of Isaiah 8:12. Isaiah discusses the invasion of the Assyrians
among the children of Israel (Isa. 8:1-10). Next, Isaiah highlights the measures the children of Israel
needed to take in order to get ready for the Assyrians’ invasion (Isa. 8:11-14). Further, Isaiah discussed
the reasons for fearing God; He is the defender of His people (Isa. 8:15-22). In light of Isaiah’s context,
Peter’s context unpacks the reasons for suffering for the sake of righteousness, that is, our model (Jesus
Christ) suffered for our sins once for all in order to bring us to God. As a result of his suffering, angels
and authorities, and powers were subjected to Him. So, through Christ, especially when He returns for
the second time, Christians’ enemies will be avenged for the wrongs they would have done to Peter’s
audiences. Simply put, Peter’s recipient needed to know that their complete victory from their enemies
who were directing their threats at them depended on Jesus’ second return to earth.

Christians’ Response to Jesus’ Model through His Suffering in their Sufferings (1 Pet. 4:1-19).

Christlike Attitude (1 Pet. 4:1-11).
Notice that Peter starts with therefore. Why? He is referring to what Christ Jesus was able to go through
before He could come to the proclamation of victory to the spirits of human beings who disobeyed
Noah’s message. He underwent suffering in accordance with the will of God and overcame sin. Similarly,
Peter’s recipients, if they would allow themselves to suffer for the will of God, they would not live like
the rest of those who were pagans among them, but rather for the will of God. John D. Barry
summarizes the meaning of those passages well.

The suffering person in view here is likely a believer. If this is the case, Peter either means that when
believers suffer for Christ, they overcome the power of sin, or that when people become believers and
join Christ in His baptism, they prevail over the enslaving power of sin (see 3:21 and note; compare Rom
6:1–12; 1 John 5:18). This phrase could also refer to Christ and His suffering on the cross. If so, Peter’s
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point is that Christ has conquered sin through His suffering in the flesh.

Peter’s audience were fully aware of how paganistic lifestyle looks like. That is, living not in accordance
with the will of God. Living in 1) debauchery, 2) lust, 3) drunkenness, 4) orgies, 5) carousing, and 6)
detestable idolatry. Now that they are not joining those Gentiles among them who were doing those
things, they were at the receiving end of abuse. This kind of life does not go unnoticed before God’s
eyes because they will give an account to God when time is ripe. Because of that kind of life, the Gospel
was proclaimed to those who were already dead at the time of Peter’s writing, who were living out
those six types of lifestyle.

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