EXPLORE IT! - 1 Peter 3:8-22

The author of 1^st Peter continually speaks of having respect for everyone throughout the third chapter of his letter. He talks about slaves and masters and husbands and wives, and how to live as Christ in spite of the broken relationships and systems of out world.

He says, “Love everybody.” 

He says, “Don’t get revenge.”

He says, “Repay evil with blessing.”

He then goes on to talk about suffering for doing good.

He says that only crazy people will hurt you if you do good things to them. 

But even if that happens, don’t be afraid. 

Honor Christ in your hearts. 

And Always be prepared to give an answer to those who ask you about this hope that you have 

But then he also adds that when you tell people about Jesus, do it with respect. Don’t give them a reason to hate you. 

He then goes on to speak of the vindication of Christ in his suffering.

He says that Jesus knows what it’s like to suffer – he died for your sins after all!

But he was also made alive by the Spirit. 

Often, 1^st Peter has been described as a baptismal sermon, and indeed, the author structures his work to outline both the privileges and the dangers involved in adopting the Christian way of life – you will die in order to live.

1^st Peter specifically uses the story of Noah’s Flood as a symbol of baptism, as well as lesser known Christian narratives about Christ’s descent into Hades to bring people from death to life.

He says of Jesus:

“After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits—to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. 

“In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God.

“It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.”

The writer is saying that the Noah story is connected to the Jesus story, and to our story. Just as Noah was held up in a giant coffin-shaped boat while the world around him descended into death and chaos, so too did Christ descend into the realm of death and chaos when he was crucified and buried, and so too, when we are baptized we are symbolically dying with Christ when we descend into the waters of death and chaos.

But the connection continues. Just as Noah emerged from the deathly floodwaters to a new life after God breathed His Spirit into his new creation, so too was Christ made alive by the Spirit and brought life to those long dead, and he brought us life, too, which is symbolized when we emerge from the water.