First Peter Three Verses Twenty_One-Twenty_Two
Words Of Truth

Words Of Truth


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

First Peter 3:21-22
An Antitype Concerning Water Baptism And The Resurrected Christ Who Is In Heaven

I. Introduction: An antitype is: “a person or thing that represents the opposite of someone or something else: 2 something that is represented by a symbol” (New Oxford American Dictionary).

A. The Greek, which we see in I Peter 3:21 [ἀντίτυπον; “the like figure”] is defined as:

  1. “Corresponding (“antitype”), that is, a representative, counterpart: - (like) figure (whereunto)” (Strong’s # 499).
  2. “1) a thing formed after some pattern; 2) a thing resembling another, its counterpart; 2a) something in the Messianic times which answers to the type, as baptism corresponds to the deluge [flood] (1Pe 3:21)” (Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon).
  3. Multiple translations, such as the NKJV, translates this Greek word as “antitype” in I Peter 3:21.
  4. The terms “like figure” comes from two Greek words. Those are “ἀντί” [anti] meaning “opposite; contrast; etc.” and “τύπος” meaning “stamp; figure, pattern, etc.” (Strong’s #’s 473 and 5179).
B. A Scriptural example of this is found in Hebrews 9:24-25.
  1. The holy place of old was made with hands, it was earthly, and that is where the high priest approached God for the sins of the people (Leviticus 16:3 and Ezekiel 42:13).
  2. It was the opposite of the most holy place of now as such is not on earth, but in Heaven where Christ intercedes for us (Romans 8:34 and Hebrews 8:1-6).

II. Body: I Peter 3:21-22

A. In verse 20 eight souls were saved by, through water. This is an antitype.

  1. All flesh, aside from those saved in the ark, perished by water (Genesis 6:17 and Genesis 7:21-23).
  2. Now, baptism [immersion] in water is part of what saves (Mark 16:15-16, John 3:1-5, Acts 2:36-41, Acts 8:5-13, Acts 8:26-39, Acts 9:1-20, Acts 10:44-48, Acts 16:13-15, Acts 16:25-34, Acts 18:8, Acts 19:1-7, Romans 6:1-7, and Galatians 3:24-29).
  3. Just remember, as this epistle established early on, salvation is at the end (I Peter 1:9).
  4. Also remember, baptism is just part of what we do in obedience to the will of our Lord (Matthew 28:18-20).
  5. Baptism is a response to the Gospel being preached (I Corinthians 1:13-18).
B. Side note, baptism is not a bath to remove physical dirt as did the priest of old with their flesh and garments (Leviticus 16:1-4).

  1. Baptism is a washing away of sins (Acts 22:1-16).
  2. It is a washing that regenerates (Titus 3:1-5); thus making one a new person (I Corinthians 6:9-11, II Corinthians 5:17, and Ephesians 4:24).
  3. We know it is not the physical water either, but rather the act of obedience (Hebrews 5:8-9) wherein we gain the power of the blood of Christ to remove our sins (Revelation 1:5).
C. Responding to the Gospel and being immersed is an answer [inquiry; question] of a good conscience (Hebrews 10:22).

  1. Now, with a good conscience, go forward faithfully (I Timothy 1:5).
  2. See things differently than you did when you had a defiled conscience (Titus 1:15).
D. Baptism, the resurrection of Christ, what connections are there?

  1. We have been begotten unto a lively hope by what? Not by the water we were immersed in (I Peter 1:3).
  2. There is also the connection of the resurrection of Christ with what happens in baptism (Colossians 2:10-13).
E. Christ is now at the right hand of the Father (Mark 16:19).

  1. In the position of authority He has now (Ephesians 1:19-23).
  2. Until the end (I Corinthians 15:20-28).

III. Conclusion: Our Next Study; I Peter 4:1-2