Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

We come to a glorious passage of Scripture but also a difficult passage of Scripture.

Speaking about v.19 particularly Martin Luther wrote:

“A wonderful text is this, and a more obscure passage perhaps than any other in the New Testament, so that I do not know for a certainty just what Peter means.”

After spending a good amount of time reading studying and discussing this passage one of the things that I came away from is that though the central passage of this passage is clear and glorious there are particulars about this passage that are difficult to understand exactly what is being said.

I am going to divide the passage into three parts

Christ suffered for the unrighteous to bring believers to God

The Spirit who gives resurrection life also gives the power to stand in the face of suffering

Just as Noah was rescued, We will share in the resurrection victory of Christ

The main point is that believers have no need to fear that suffering is the last word, they will share the same destiny as their Lord, whose suffering has secured victory over all hostile powers.

I. Christ suffered for the unrighteous to bring believers to God. (v.18)

The main point of the previous paragraph is that believers should not fear, even though unbelievers may inflict pain on them (v.14)

Instead they should set apart Christ as Lord in their hearts and be prepared to respond to questions posed by unbelievers (v.15).

We are reminded again and again in the NT that suffering is the pathway to glory, that the cross comes before the crown.

We see this in our Lord.

The suffering of Christ was the means by which He was exalted.

Just as suffering was the pathway to exaltation for Christ, so also suffering is the prelude to glory for believers.

Notice the heart of the paragraph here, though there are interprative difficulties in this passage it is clear that the Peter is addressing the situation of his readers.

The emphasis here on Christ’s victory reminds the readers, it reminds us today that troubles of the present time are temporary, that victory is sure to follow because Christ has triumphed over evil powers, Christ is victorious.

Notice Peter refers to Christ’s suffering, he uses the word suffered and not the word died, but clearly he is referring to the passion of our Lord of His suffering in general but particularly His death at the hands of wicked men.

Just as Christ suffered so also the readers of this epistle were suffering and the church of Jesus Christ throughout history has suffered.

Peter also points out the uniqueness of Christ’s suffering.

He suffered in a way that we do not suffer

He suffered once for sins

Roma

2

Once

Hebrews 10:5-

The uniqueness of His death continues to be emphasized

“the righteous for the unrighteous”

This is an illusion to his sinlessness 2:22

As the sinless one His suffering is unique because He did not deserve to suffer instead he suffered for the unrighteous ones

Substitutionary atonement

2:24

In 2:24 he quotes

Why does He die for us?

He died to bring us to God

Listen to this brothers and sisters, the suffering of Christ is the only means by which we can come to God.

We were away from God

The last part of this verse

being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the Spirit

This is where it begins to be debated

Most agree that being put to death in the flesh is referring to the death of Christ

the question is the phrase put to death in the flesh could be translated by the flesh or according to the flesh and maybe the idea is that he was put to death by the flesh that is by sinful man.

I don’t think that is what is being said here, instead I think he is simply saying that the way Jesus suffered is that He was put to death in the flesh, He died.

What is more controversial here is the next part, but made alive in the Spirit

some want to argue that the point is that though Jesus’ flesh died He was still alive according to the spirit, that is the spirit of His human nature

but I don’t think that is what is being said

KJV says quickened by the Spirit

There are other translations that translate the word Spirit with a capital S inferring that the word refers to the Holy Spirit

That is, they killed Jesus but He was raised again by the power of the Holy Spirit

This verb zwopoiew refers to the resurrection several times in the NT

I think the point here is very simple

Jesus suffered death in terms of his body, the Spirit raised him from the dead.

Similarly, those who belong to Christ, even though they will face suffering, will ultimately share in Christ’s resurrection.

II.

The Spirit who gives resurrection life also gives the power to stand in the face of suffering (v.19-20)

This is the most difficult part of the passage

Luther’s quote above

3 main interpretations

1. Augustine

2. that Jesus’ spirit went to hades and preached the gospel and within this some think that this gave people an opportunity to repent and be saved

others think within this passage that Jesus went and proclaimed His victory in hades to all the wicked and the fallen angels

3. Jesus resurrection and ascension is a proclamation to the spirit world of His victory of sin, death, hell, the grave.

That Jesus has rescued a host of sinners from the evil one.

There are a lot of weeds that need to be waded through in considering the options and seeking to understand what Peter is saying.

I will say to you that the two most likely to me seem to be either the first or the third.

Right now, my understanding of the passage is that of Augustine.

My understanding is that the Spirit of Christ proclaimed through Noah to the wicked in his day the message of righteousness and the need for repentance

Remember

Think of Noah, this godly man, proclaiming the righteousness of God in an ungodly world was a man who was persecuted, he suffered for righteousness sake and yet

Noah was rescued and all the ungodly who hated him, at whose hands he suffered, their spirits are now in prison that is they are cast into hell.

Think of how this fits into the context of this book

Noah

Righteous minority

surrounded by hostile unbelievers

He witnessed boldly by Christ’s power

He was finally saved

Peter’s readers

Righteous minority

Surrounded by hostile unbelivers

God’s judgement may come soon (4:5,7 and 2 Peter 3:10)

They should witness boldly by Christ’s power (, ; ; 4:11)

They will finally be saved (; ; 5:10)

They will finally be saved

III.

Just as Noah was rescued, We will share in the resurrection victory of Christ

In v.21 we have the typological argument.

III.

We will share in the resurrection victory of Christ

The flood was the means by which the Lord rescued Noah from the ungodly around him.

The flood destroyed God’s enemies and rescued Noah.

Baptism, which is a picture of our identity to Christ.

Baptism is a public profession of our identity with Christ and just as now was safely brought through the flood waters of God’s wrath in the ark

So also in Christ, who is our ark of safety, will safely see us through the flood waters of God’s wrath.

Jesus is victorious (v.22)

And in him we will share in His victory.

The message is clear for Peter’s readers

In their suffering Jesus still rules and reigns.

He has not surrendered believers into the power of the evil forces even if they suffer until death.

Jesus by his death and resurrection has triumphed over all evil and believers will reign together with Him.