First Peter Three Verses Eighteen-Twenty
Words Of Truth

Words Of Truth


"That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth..." (Proverbs 22:21).

First Peter 3:18-20
Jesus Suffered, Died, Went To Hades, And Preached To The Disobedient Of The Past

I. Introduction:

A. Why was there a need for a savior (Romans 5:17-21)?

  1. God said not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:15-17).
  2. Adam disobeyed that command and death entered into the world as a result (Genesis 3:1-6; 3:17-19).
B. So, Jesus came with a purpose (I John 3:8).

  1. Think about this in relation to death (Hebrews 2:14-18).
  2. Because of Christ, we can put on immortality (I Corinthians 15:50-57).

II. Body: I Peter 3:18-20

A. Our just Lord suffered and died for the unjust (Galatians 1:3-4 and Hebrews 9:13-28).

  1. Consider what it is to be called just [righteous] (Acts 10:22, Romans 2:13, Hebrews 10:38, I Peter 3:12, I Peter 4:18, II Peter 2:7-8, I John 2:29, and I John 3:7).
  2. Consider what it is to be called unjust [unrighteous] (Matthew 5:45, I Corinthians 6:9-10, and II Peter 2:9).
  3. Jesus was/is righteous (I John 2:1).
B. Jesus died to bring us to God (Ephesians 2:13-17).

  1. Reconciliation (Romans 5:8-10 and Colossians 1:19-22).
  2. According to the will of God (II Corinthians 5:18-19).
C. Jesus was made alive by the Spirit (Romans 1:4).

  1. Which has spiritual implications for us (Romans 6:1-6 and Titus 3:3-5).
  2. Which also has eternal implications for us (Romans 8:11).
D. After His death, Jesus went and preached to the spirits in prison [place where captives are kept] by the Spirit (I Peter 4:5-6).

  1. So, we know Jesus went to Paradise in Hades after His physical death for three days (Luke 23:38-43, Acts 2:25-32, and Luke 24:46).
  2. This does not mean those who were disobedient could cross from Torment to Paradise (Luke 16:19-31).
E. Jesus preached to those spirits that were disobedient in the past and this text takes us all the way back to the days of Noah (Genesis 6:5; 6:13).

  1. God was longsuffering (Genesis 6:3, Romans 2:4, II Peter 2:5, and II Peter 3:9, and II Peter 3:15).
  2. Eight souls were saved (Genesis 7:5-7).
F. They were saved by water (I Peter 3:21).

  1. “By” just as in John 10:9 or “through” just as in John 3:17 and Acts 15:11.
  2. *More on this in our next lesson when we look at I Peter 3:21 in more detail. We will then consider the antitype that is being used in this context.

III. Conclusion: Our Next Study; I Peter 3:21-22