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The "spirits in prison"

Discussion in 'Baptist Theology & Bible Study' started by SheepWhisperer, Jun 26, 2017.

  1. SheepWhisperer

    SheepWhisperer Active Member

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    Who/what do you think the "spirits in prison" were?

    1 Peter 3
    18For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

    19By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;

    20Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
     
  2. rlvaughn

    rlvaughn Well-Known Member
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    I believe the "spirits in prison" were those who were disobedient, in the days of Noah. Christ was made alive and raised from the tomb by the same Spirit by which he preached through Noah to those disobedient folks whose souls were in bondage to sin.
     
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  3. SheepWhisperer

    SheepWhisperer Active Member

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    Note* If, in in the reader's mind, "sons of God", as used in Genesis 6, means "angels", you either won't understand or won't accept any of the following:

    The "spirits" were "in prison" when Jesus "went" and preached to them. The Bible says that God "chose the foolishness of preaching to save them that would believe". It also says "by which" meaning "by being put to death and quickened by the spirit", he "went"(it was made possible by death) and "preached" to "spirits" which were already "in prison", not living beings as would have been if the preaching was done before the flood. And I see no need to "preach" to "angels" which have already "sinned" and are already reserved for judgment.

    The "spirits in prison" could be the "sons of God" of Genesis 4,5 and 6. We know than men "began to call upon the name of the Lord" back in Genesis 4 (Genesis 4:26) and so we know there were believers. Furthermore, we see that there were believers, named in Genesis chapter 5, who are direct ancestors in the lineage of Christ(Luke 3:36-38). We also can determine that at least two of these "sons of God", Lamech and Methuselah, would have been alive while "the ark was a preparing". One was Noah's Grandfather and the other was his own father; So why does it not mention their helping Noah in his endeavors?

    Then there is the matter of "becoming mighty men". In Geneis 6:4. The verse does not specify which of the groups, the "sons of God" or the "children" became "mighty men": It only says "the same became mighty men" . But think about it: if you marry more than one wife, or even just one, "beget sons and daughters" for hundreds of years, you would still be around to witness your family multiply astronomically during your lifetime. Your family would be a mighty nation: a "superpower" if you will.

    Genesis 6:4 says "There were giants in those days" followed by a semicolon, then it says and "also after that". The term "also after that", in this context, cannot mean "later in time" because the whole story takes place "in those days". In this context, the word "after" , as used in "and also after that", can only mean essentially the same as it does in "after his kind". It means the "sons of God" and their families were becoming "mighty men" "after" (meaning "in conformity with" or "as a reaction to") the presence of giants. They conformed to a world "filled with violence" (Genesis 6:11). That must have been part of their sin of "disobedience".

    In conclusion to the above, I believe that this preaching was done in the spirit, during the three days after Jesus died on the cross. I don't believe he would have preached to any angels or any of the wicked dead. He preached to believers who had been "disobedient" before the flood.
     
  4. Dr. Bob

    Dr. Bob Administrator
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    Jesus did go to Paradise/Abraham's bosom upon his death. We think of "prison" always in the context of punishment. It obviously also means those who are required to be in a certain confined space (good or bad) as were the regenerate dead in Paradise.

    Jesus ascended to heaven, leading these prisoners to heaven. (He led captivity captive to heaven Eph 4:7ff) Original confined place (paradise) is now empty of its captives, and to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.
     
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  5. TCassidy

    TCassidy Late-Administator Emeritus
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    Protestant purgatory. Read Psalm 68:18 in context to see who is addressed in Ephesians 4:8. :)
     
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  6. Dr. Bob

    Dr. Bob Administrator
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    Nowhere do we see any concept of Paradise/Abraham's Bosom as purgatory. We don't even see that concept in hades (no "purging" sin; place of punishment until final judgment).

    Just as the flip side (hades) is a place of torment until death/hades are cast into Lake of Fire hell for eternity, so Paradise/Abraham's Bosom is a place of rest and joy for regenerate OT saints until the crucifixion and ascension of the Lord to heaven.
     
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  7. Yeshua1

    Yeshua1 Well-Known Member
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    It has now been emptied out, as jesus arose from there, and took back to heaven all those waiting for Him that were in paradise there!
     
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  8. TCassidy

    TCassidy Late-Administator Emeritus
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    Revelation 13:8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
     
  9. SheepWhisperer

    SheepWhisperer Active Member

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    Yes, He is the "I Am", the Alpha Omega, the beginning and ending, "slain from the foundation of the world". Even the ending has already happened, from God's perspective, because He "inhabiteth eternity" as the Bible says. But for our perspective there had to be an event in time.....
    But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, Galatians 4:4
    Nevertheless, the OT saints were looking forward to the coming Savior, howbeit no doubt with imperfect understanding, but still looking forward.
     
    #9 SheepWhisperer, Jul 5, 2017
    Last edited: Jul 5, 2017
  10. percho

    percho Well-Known Member
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    Who were the captivity?
    What were they captive, of?
    Did there being in rebellion have anything to do with why they were captive?

    Is 2 Tim 1:10 about captivity being captive? What about 1 Cor 15:54,55 and Rec 20:14 ending, captivity being captive?

    Rev 21:4
     
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