Few passages in Scripture have generated more theological debate than 1 Peter 3:18-22, particularly verse 19, where Peter writes Jesus “went and preached to the spirits in prison.” This cryptic statement has perplexed readers for centuries. What exactly did Peter mean? Who were these spirits, and when did Jesus preach to them?

 

THE PASSAGE IN CONTEXT

Let’s start by examining the full passage (1 Peter 3:18-22): This passage appears in a section where Peter is encouraging believers facing persecution. He’s reminding them Christ also suffered unjustly but ultimately triumphed. The surrounding context focuses on remaining faithful during trials and the ultimate victory that belongs to Christ and His followers.

 

KEY INTERPRETIVE QUESTIONS

To understand this challenging text, we need to address several questions:

1. Who are the “spirits in prison”?
2. When did Christ preach to them?
3. What was the content of this preaching?
4. What’s the connection to Noah and the flood?

 

MAJOR REFORMED INTERPRETATIONS

The Reformed tradition has offered several thoughtful interpretations of this passage:

Augustine’s View: Christ Preached Through Noah Augustine proposed that Christ, through the Spirit, preached to the contemporaries of Noah while they were still alive. In this view, the “spirits in prison” refers to unbelievers of Noah’s day who’re now imprisoned in the afterlife. Christ, through the Spirit, used Noah as His messenger.

John Calvin largely endorsed this view, writing in his commentary: “The word ‘spirit’ does not refer to Christ’s soul, but to his divine power… the Spirit of Christ preached to those spirits who are now shut up in prison because they were formerly unbelieving… the Spirit of Christ preached through Noah to men who are now spirits in prison.”

This interpretation maintains a consistent biblical theology without introducing unusual elements about Christ’s activities between His death and resurrection.

Christ Proclaimed Victory to Fallen Angels: Some Reformed scholars, including William Symington and more recently Edmund Clowney, suggest the “spirits in prison” may also refer to fallen angels who, according to some interpretations of Genesis 6:1-4, were involved in corruption during Noah’s time.

In this view, Christ didn’t offer salvation to these spirits but rather proclaimed His victory over them. This aligns with Colossians 2:15, where Paul writes Christ “disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them.”

Christ Proclaimed to Old Testament Saints: A third view suggests that Christ, between His death and resurrection, proclaimed His completed work to Old Testament believers who awaited the fulfilment of God’s promises. This view connects with the traditional concept of Christ’s “descent” mentioned in the Apostles’ Creed.

However, this interpretation faces challenges in explaining the specific reference to Noah’s generation and “disobedient spirits.”

Contemporary Reformed Consensus: Most contemporary Reformed scholars, including Wayne Grudem, Thomas Schreiner, and Karen Jobes, favour a version of Augustine’s interpretation. They suggest the pre-incarnate Christ, through the Spirit, preached to Noah’s contemporaries while they were alive, warning them of judgement and calling them to repentance.

Grudem writes: “Christ ‘in spirit’ was speaking through Noah, who was ‘a herald of righteousness’ (2 Peter 2:5) to the people of his day… Christ was preaching through Noah to the unbelievers of his day who, because they rejected that preaching, are now ‘spirits in prison.’”

This interpretation fits with Peter’s broader argument about persecution and vindication, showing that though Noah’s message was rejected and he suffered ridicule, he was ultimately vindicated by God—just as the persecuted Christians of Peter’s day would be.

 

THEOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS

Regardless of the specific interpretation, several theological truths emerge from this passage:

• Christ’s Universal Lordship: The passage concludes by affirming Christ’s authority over all spiritual powers (v. 22).
• Salvation Through Judgement: Just as Noah and his family were saved through the waters of judgement, believers are saved through baptism, which represents identification with Christ’s death and resurrection. Peter draws this parallel explicitly, noting that baptism “corresponds to” Noah’s deliverance through the flood waters. The flood simultaneously brought judgement upon the wicked while lifting the ark and its inhabitants to safety—similarly, through Christ’s death and resurrection, judgement falls on sin while believers are raised to new life. This pattern reveals God’s consistent character throughout redemptive history: He both judges sin with perfect justice and provides a way of salvation for those who trust in His provision.
• The Patience of God: Peter highlights God’s patience during Noah’s time, emphasising His long-suffering nature even toward the disobedient.
• The Uniqueness of Christ’s Sacrifice: Christ suffered “once for sins” (v. 18), emphasising the complete and final nature of His atoning work.

 

APPLICATION FOR BELIEVERS TODAY

This challenging passage offers several applications for contemporary Christians:

1. Encouragement in Suffering: Just as Christ suffered unjustly but was vindicated, believers can endure present trials knowing that God will ultimately vindicate them.
2. Confidence in Christ’s Victory: Christ has triumphed over all spiritual powers, giving believers confidence in His ultimate authority.
3. The Importance of Faithful Witness: Like Noah, believers are called to proclaim God’s message even when it’s rejected.
4. The Significance of Baptism: Baptism identifies believers with Christ’s death and resurrection, marking them as those who have been saved through judgement, just as Noah was saved through the flood.

 

CONCLUSION: JESUS ‘PREACHED TO SPIRITS IN PRISON’

While 1 Peter 3:18-22 remains challenging, the Reformed tradition helps us understand its central message: Christ has suffered for sin once for all, has proclaimed His victory over all spiritual powers, and now reigns at God’s right hand. This truth provides powerful encouragement for believers facing trials and persecution.

As we struggle with difficult passages like this, we can appreciate Peter’s own acknowledgment in his second letter that some things in Scripture are “hard to understand” (2 Peter 3:16). Yet the central message shines through clearly: Christ has triumphed, and through faith in Him, we share in His victory.

 

 JESUS ‘PREACHED TO SPIRITS IN PRISON’: RELATED FAQs

Did Jesus literally descend into hell after His crucifixion? The phrase “he descended into hell” appears in the Apostles’ Creed, leading some to connect it with 1 Peter 3:19. However, Reformed theologians typically reject the idea that Jesus literally went to hell to preach to the condemned. Instead, most Reformed scholars understand Christ’s “descent” as either referring to His suffering on the cross (Calvin’s view) or His state of death before resurrection. The Reformed consensus makes better sense because it aligns with Jesus’ statement to the thief “today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43), suggesting Jesus’ spirit went immediately to the Father’s presence, not to hell.

• Could “the spirits in prison” refer to human souls awaiting resurrection? Some interpreters suggest these “spirits” are disembodied human souls awaiting final judgement. However, the Reformed consensus that these spirits represent either the unbelieving contemporaries of Noah (now in spiritual prison) or fallen angelic beings is more compelling. This is because the term “spirits” (pneumasin) without qualifying adjectives more commonly refers to supernatural beings in the New Testament, and the connection to Genesis 6 points to either the wicked generation of Noah’s day or the “sons of God” mentioned there, which many interpret as fallen angels.
• What about the Catholic interpretation of Christ preaching in purgatory? Catholic tradition often connects this passage to the concept of purgatory, suggesting Christ liberated souls temporarily suffering there. The Reformed tradition rejects this interpretation as lacking biblical foundation. The Reformed consensus makes better sense because: (1) the Bible nowhere clearly teaches the existence of purgatory; (2) the passage specifically connects these spirits to Noah’s time, not all Old Testament believers; and (3) it contradicts the Reformed understanding of immediate judgement after death (Hebrews 9:27).

How does this passage relate to 1 Peter 4:6 about the gospel being “preached even to the dead”? Some connect 1 Peter 3:19 with 1 Peter 4:6, suggesting both refer to the same event. However, the Reformed consensus generally distinguishes these passages. In 4:6, “the dead” likely refers to believers who were alive when they heard the gospel but have since died. The Reformed interpretation makes better sense because it maintains the consistent biblical teaching that after death comes judgement (Hebrews 9:27), with no “second chance” for salvation, and avoids the theological problems of post-mortem evangelism.

• What did early church fathers believe about this passage? Some early church fathers, particularly Clement of Alexandria and Origen, suggested Christ literally preached to souls in Hades, offering them salvation after death. Later, Augustine challenged this view, proposing instead that Christ preached through Noah to his contemporaries. The Reformed consensus follows Augustine’s interpretation, which makes better sense because it aligns with the overall biblical teaching on judgement and salvation, avoids speculative elements about the afterlife, and respects the immediate context of Peter’s letter about remaining faithful amid suffering.
• If Christ preached through Noah, why doesn’t Peter just say that directly? Critics of the Augustinian/Reformed view question why Peter would use such complex language if he simply meant Christ preached through Noah. However, the Reformed consensus notes Peter’s language emphasises the pre-existence and divinity of Christ, showing the same Christ who now saves believers was also active in Noah’s day. This makes better sense in the context of Peter’s larger argument about Christ’s sovereignty throughout history and His ultimate victory over all powers, which provides hope for suffering believers.

How do we reconcile this passage with 2 Peter 2:4-5 about angels kept in chains? In 2 Peter 2:4-5, Peter mentions angels who sinned being kept in chains, alongside a reference to Noah. Some see this as supporting the view that the “spirits in prison” were fallen angels from Noah’s time. However, the Reformed perspective is divided on this connection. Some Reformed scholars accept this link, seeing Christ as proclaiming judgement to these fallen angels, while others maintain Christ preached through Noah to human beings.

 

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