DEFINITION OF THE DAY (SPIRITS IN PRISON)

In 1 Pet 3:19 the text says Christ “went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison” (HCSB). Peter further says that they “in the past were disobedient, when God patiently waited in the days of Noah.” Several interpretations have been offered concerning these curious words.

One is that these spirits are fallen angels who tried God’s patience in the antediluvian era. On this view Christ descended into hades after His crucifixion to preach either a message of salvation or a message of triumph. This interpretation is, however, unacceptable. Scripture never suggests that demons are given the opportunity for salvation. The better interpretation sees them as those people whom God destroyed in the flood and who are now in hell or hades.

There are differing views on when and what Christ did preach to them. One view holds that Christ descended into the lower realm after His crucifixion to preach either a message of salvation or a message of triumph. Again this is unlikely. The idea that Christ offers sinners a postmortem opportunity for salvation contradicts Heb 9:27 and Luke 16:19-31. A better approach is that Christ preached to these persons “in the spirit” through Noah while they were still alive. This interpretation is confirmed by 1 Pet 1:11 where Peter indicates that Christ spoke through the OT prophets and in 2 Pet 2:5 where Noah is called a “preacher of righteousness.”