𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐧: 𝐀 𝐁𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐱𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝟏 𝐏𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟑:𝟏𝟗–𝟐𝟎
Christ and the Spirits in Prison: A Biblical and Hermeneutical Examination of 1 Peter 3:19–20 Abstract Few passages in the New Testament have generated as much discussion concerning Christ’s activity between His death and resurrection as 1 Peter 3:18–20. Peter states that Christ was “put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit” and that He “went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison,” identifying them with those who were disobedient in the days of Noah. The passage has been interpreted in several ways: Christ may have preached through Noah to people who were alive before the Flood; He may have proclaimed His victory to rebellious spiritual powers; He may have proclaimed something to deceased human beings; or He may have announced the fulfillment of redemption to Old Testament saints awaiting the Messiah. Each interpretation attempts to relate this difficult passage to the broader biblical teaching concerning death, judgment, salvation, resurrection, and Christ’s victor...