What is the meaning here?

[John81]

1 Peter 3:19-20

King James Version (KJV)


¹⁹By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
²⁰Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

[heartstrings]

Methinks the "spirits" were the "sons of God who took the "daughters of men" back in Genesis 6 and these may have been some of those who rose from the dead with Jesus on the third day. "While the ark was a preparing" was the 120 year period immediately prior to the flood came so these would have included men like Methuselah and Lamech.

[John81]

Methinks the "spirits" were the "sons of God who took the "daughters of men" back in Genesis 6 and these may have been some of those who rose from the dead with Jesus on the third day. "While the ark was a preparing" was the 120 year period immediately prior to the flood came so these would have included men like Methuselah and Lamech.

Hmmmm, I'm not sure if I've heard the idea some of those might have been those who rose from the dead after Jesus was crucified. So who were these "spirits" then?

[heartstrings]

I don't see how the "spirits" could have been the angels in Jude 1:6 because those were in "EVERLASTING chains" destined for "the judgment". They could not have been OT dead after the flood so that eliminates them for sure.

They had sinned obviously because they had "disobeyed" and they were "spirits" because their bodies had died. Methuselah and Lamech were alive during the 120 years that Noah was building the ark and we know that they were believers because they are in the lineage of Christ, but we find nowhere that they were 'perfect in their generations' or "walking with God" as Noah was. God spoke to Noah to build the ark but for 120 years these men, as far as we know, did not participate with Noah. In His "longsuffering", God allowed Methuselah to live to the greatest age ever recorded by a human being and he died the very same year the flood came.

I personally believe that he, and the others, had participated in the "marrying and giving in marriage" and had fathered so many children, living almost a millennium, until his 'family' had become a tribe or nation. They became so powerful that they were economically, politically and militarily a force to be reckoned with. They and their families WERE the "mighty men.....of renown". Instead of looking to God and God's people for ONE wife, they had gone after the world and chosen "wives"..."of ALL". They were doing the same thing Solomon did. They disobeyed God and went after the world.

Somebody rose from the dead with Jesus on the third day; I merely suggested these guys might have been among them. Why wouldn't they? :twocents:

[Anon]

I thought the spirits in prison were all the ones who had been saved before the crucifixion (and died) who were waiting in paradise until Jesus opened the way to go to Heaven.

[heartstrings]

I thought the spirits in prison were all the ones who had been saved before the crucifixion (and died) who were waiting in paradise until Jesus opened the way to go to Heaven.

True, but apparently, it was only those before the flood who needed preaching to...

....the spirits in prison;
²⁰Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing,

[John81]

I don't see how the "spirits" could have been the angels in Jude 1:6 because those were in "EVERLASTING chains" destined for "the judgment". They could not have been OT dead after the flood so that eliminates them for sure.

They had sinned obviously because they had "disobeyed" and they were "spirits" because their bodies had died. Methuselah and Lamech were alive during the 120 years that Noah was building the ark and we know that they were believers because they are in the lineage of Christ, but we find nowhere that they were 'perfect in their generations' or "walking with God" as Noah was. God spoke to Noah to build the ark but for 120 years these men, as far as we know, did not participate with Noah. In His "longsuffering", God allowed Methuselah to live to the greatest age ever recorded by a human being and he died the very same year the flood came.

I personally believe that he, and the others, had participated in the "marrying and giving in marriage" and had fathered so many children, living almost a millennium, until his 'family' had become a tribe or nation. They became so powerful that they were economically, politically and militarily a force to be reckoned with. They and their families WERE the "mighty men.....of renown". Instead of looking to God and God's people for ONE wife, they had gone after the world and chosen "wives"..."of ALL". They were doing the same thing Solomon did. They disobeyed God and went after the world.

Somebody rose from the dead with Jesus on the third day; I merely suggested these guys might have been among them. Why wouldn't they?

Very interesting! I'll give this some more thought and attention. This is a much different view than what most preach.

[John81]

True, but apparently, it was only those before the flood who needed preaching to...

One thing we don't know is just what Jesus preached. If we knew that, we might have more of an idea as to just who He went to and why.

There are some who have decided that since it says Jesus "preached", that must mean he presented them with the Gospel, in effect giving them a second chance to to be saved. However, such an interpretation goes against the rest of Scripture which indicates there is no second chance for anyone after death.

[Anon]

True, but apparently, it was only those before the flood who needed preaching to...

To me he's not limiting it to those before the flood, but using some as an example of disobedience....but I dunno.

[Wilchbla]

1 Peter 3:19-20

King James Version (KJV)


¹⁹By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
²⁰Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

Whoever these spirits were they were disobedient during the days of Noah. The only thing I can think of are the "sons of God" aka "angels that kept not their first estate" during Noah's time.

[JerryNumbers]

I thought the spirits in prison were all the ones who had been saved before the crucifixion (and died) who were waiting in paradise until Jesus opened the way to go to Heaven.

Amen, I hoped someone would bring that up, I thought more of us would have know that.

[heartstrings]

Amen, I hoped someone would bring that up, I thought more of us would have know that.

Yes, that would be correct. But the verse in 1 Peter 3 is saying that he preached specifically to those spirits which were disobedient during the days of Noah while the ark was being prepared...


Instead of skimming over it, if you will pay attention to each individual word in a Bible verse, you will be able to UNDERSTAND what that verse is saying. Take the word "which" for example.



Who did Jesus preach to? Spirits
Where? "the spirits in prison;"
"Which" spirits are specified?
²⁰Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.


Which Pronoun
3. (used relatively in restrictive and nonrestrictive clauses to represent a specified antecedent):

[JerryNumbers]

As far as I know, Christ is the only one that has not been disobedient. And that is the only reason we have a Savior.And every other person besides Christ, in order to the the abundant life, they have to have Christ as Savior.

[Covenanter]

I am surprised at all the responses so far. You all miss the simple meaning. I'll quote the key verses - but remember the context..

Gen. 6:³And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.

2 Pet. 2:⁴For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
⁵And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;

1 Pet. 3:¹⁸For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
¹⁹By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
²⁰Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
²¹The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

1 Pet. 4:⁶For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

John 5:²⁸Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
²⁹And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

The simple meaning is that men became utterly corrupt in the days of Noah. Noah was a preacher of righteousness, striving in the power of the Spirit of Christ during the time he was building the ark. They continued in disobedience, & were destroyed by the flood. Their spirit are now in the prison of hell, awaiting resurrection to damnation.

Note "was the gospel preached also to them that are dead" - "was preached.... are dead." Jesus did not preach to the dead in hell - he preached through Noah, by the Spirit, to the antediluvian sinners who were disobedient & are now dead in hell.

[2Tim215]

I am surprised at all the responses so far. You all miss the simple meaning. I'll quote the key verses - but remember the context..

Gen. 6:³And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.

2 Pet. 2:⁴For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
⁵And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;

1 Pet. 3:¹⁸For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
¹⁹By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
²⁰Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
²¹The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

1 Pet. 4:⁶For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

John 5:²⁸Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
²⁹And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

The simple meaning is that men became utterly corrupt in the days of Noah. Noah was a preacher of righteousness, striving in the power of the Spirit of Christ during the time he was building the ark. They continued in disobedience, & were destroyed by the flood. Their spirit are now in the prison of hell, awaiting resurrection to damnation.

Note "was the gospel preached also to them that are dead" - "was preached.... are dead." Jesus did not preach to the dead in hell - he preached through Noah, by the Spirit, to the antediluvian sinners who were disobedient & are now dead in hell.

Well done !!! A perfect contextual breakdown of the scripture, so far the best explanation of the verse, unless someone can come up with one better.