1
Peter 3:15-22
Pastor
Rick Jackson
Located within these verses are two unnecessarily complex
questions with rather simple but strong Biblical solutions. I am reminded of
how Jesus once told the Sadducees, "Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures,
nor the power of God." This is somewhat the case herein. Having heard the
off-the-wall explanations of some early interpreters others repeated the same
mistakes until they snowballed into semi-widely held viewpoints that are
unreasonably mystical and unmistakably unscriptural. Just because many people
believe something doesn't make it accurate. Most lost people in the world
believe Heaven can be attained by some sort of good works but they are wrong.
Salvation is the "gift of God" [Rm. 6:23, Eph. 2:8-9]. The first of
these questions is:
DID JESUS GO TO HELL
TO PREACH? [18-20]
Variations of this theme have Jesus suffering in Hell for 3
days, being beat up for 3 days by the Devil and his demons, being locked up for
three days and then demanding the keys and leaving. A further view has paradise
and hades both together in the center of the earth but segregated. Jesus later
moving paradise to Heaven and taking with Him a contingent of others.
Forgetting for the moment the weirdness of these many views
let us look at the one thought in agreement with all these views. That is the
view that Jesus, sometime after His death, before His resurrection, went to
Hell and preached to the lost souls that had lived in Noah's day.
I. THE PROBLEMS ARE
IMMEDIATE!
1. What would be preached to souls in Hell? Another chance
of salvation? Or was this a "ha-ha, look at you, you blew it!"
2. Why just those particular spirits--- why not all the lost
in Hell?
3. This view also opens the door for many weird views (some
already mentioned).
II. THE SOLUTION IS SIMPLE
& SENSIBLE.
The Bible is always the best interpreter of the Bible. Apply
basic laws of Biblical interpretation here (as well as everywhere else).
1. Check the context.
2. Compare Scripture with Scripture [1 Corinthians 2:13]
3. If the plain sense makes good sense seek no other sense
[Pr. 8:1-11, Psalm 27:11]
4. Always interpret unclear passages by clear passages not
vice-versa [Psalm 119:130]
III. THE SOLUTION IS
BIBLICAL.
Here's the solution: Christ, by the spirit, preached through
Noah while Noah was building the ark. This puts the time in place in Noah's
lifetime. Christ through the Holy Spirit offered salvation to a lost and dying
world for 120 years. Their refusal of God's mercy culminated in the flood.
Does this meet the rules of hermeneutics mentioned? Yes! On
all counts.
1 Peter 1:10-12 establishes the Spirit of Christ was in the
Old Testament prophets
Heb. 9:27 establishes there are no second chances after
death
Rev. 20:11-15 establishes when the lost will be judged (not
made fun of) for their sin
Lk. 23:43, 46 establishes Christ went to paradise and was in
the hands of the Father not the devil
Mt. 25:41, Rev. 20:10 establish when the Devil is cast into
Hell and that he won't be in charge there "Better to rule in Hell than
serve in Heaven” is not Biblical nor true!
Mt. 10:28, Rev. 1:18 establishes Christ has always had the
keys to Hell and death
Jn. 19:30 establishes that Jesus finished paying for our
sins on the cross and didn't have to go to Hell for three days
the raptures of Enoch (Gn. 5) and Elijah (2 Kings 2)
establish the abode of the saved dead "up" in Heaven rather than in
the belly of the earth even before Christ's resurrection
Mt. 10:1, Rm. 15:19, 1 Co. 2:4, 5:4; 2 Tm. 2:7 establish
this power is still given unto men
other Scriptural interpretations of Eph. 4 are possible
without resorting to fanciful speculations
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