Or, Christ Vivified, Vindicated, and Victorious1 Peter 3:18-22 April 3, 2022 Evening Service Sean Higgins

Introduction

Last summer when we agreed to cover 1 Peter during our Sunday evening sermon series I made recommendations to the other pastors on paragraphs we each should preach. I assigned myself this section, 1 Peter 3:18-22, for…fun. If you’re keeping note, you remember that Dave taught last and covered 3:1-7. Jonathan has a message already for verses 8 and following, but he had an opportunity to be gone tonight, so we swapped evenings, not passages.

My title, though, and the reason for this paragraph, hinge on a part we’ve temporarily skipped. When we are suffering, and when we show a sort of hopefulness that causes others to ask about it, we want to be ready with a good apology. The word in 3:15, typically translated as “defense” or “reason” is ἀπολογία (apologia). Apology here means not admitting that we were wrong or saying that we’re sorry, but explaining the foundation for why our hope is real. We’re to have our case prepared. There is actually plenty of basis before 3:15, and yet there is a “for” or “because” in verse 18 that sets up clear comfort for suffering Christians.

There are, as we’ll see, some significant questions and competing interpretations that keep everything from being equally clear. But these verses contain some glorious, and hope case-making, truths.

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him. (1 Peter 3:18–22, ESV)

Christ Vivified (verse 18)

Christ also suffered, connects with Christian suffering in verse 13 and 17. It’s not that Christians suffered first, but rather that Christian suffering isn’t without precedence. In chapter 2 Peter said that Christ left us an “example,” an underwriting (ὑπογραμμὸν), that we should follow in His steps. This is where WWJD got its origin, with the fictional story by Charles Sheldon. But Christ’s suffering is more than merely a pattern which we should imitate, it is also for our propitiation. His unique suffering was once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous. We have hope in whatever parts of our suffering that are similar to His because of His suffering that was something we could never do. His was a substitution which the “for” or “instead of” emphasizes.

“He was pierced for our transgressions;He was crushed for out iniquities;upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace,and with his wounds we are healed.”(Isaiah 53:5-6, from which Peter quotes in 1 Peter 2:24, and see also Isaiah 53:11-12)

We also have hope because of the purpose of our justification: that He might bring us to God. This is my favorite reminder of Christ’s work; He turns rebels into brothers, hostile enemies into companions and allies. Redemption is unto reconciliation, forgiveness unto fellowship, propitiation unto peace in His presence. Our sin offended His holy standard and it separated us from Him. The Son suffered to save and bring back the wandering sheep (1 Peter 2:25); He leads you to the Father (see Ephesians 2:18).

The end of verse 18 begins the challenging part,  being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit. He really died; He had a phy[...]