From one of the clearest statements Peter makes, which we looked at last week, we move to one of the most difficult statements to understand in his letter. It’s confusing, but it’s in there for a reason. You can see it for yourself in 1 Peter 4:5-6.
Peter has just given his readers a clear and concise statement about why they should abstain from living as the pagans did. He now gives the reason why. Those people who mistreat and persecute believers, and those who choose to live against God’s way, will one day have to answer for their actions. A day of reckoning is coming, and they will have to give an account to God on that day of judgment. This is a scriptural concept that is not isolated in Peter’s letters; it’s found all throughout the New Testament. Peter simply applies it to this specific group of abusive pagans in this context.
What many do not notice is that Peter’s continual references to the end times, and that coming judgment, are a common theme through his letters. Peter knows that Christ’s return is eminent, and he calls his readers to be ready. But take note of the fact that Peter is not addressing the unbelieving pagans in this statement. He is addressing believers. That is to encourage them to stand strong in the face of such treatment, knowing that God is in control, and to not succumb to such behavior themselves.
He then goes on to make a statement that has several different interpretations, much like his comments about Christ preaching to the spirits in prison back in chapter 3, verse 19. Here, Peter states that the message of the gospel was preached to the dead. There are three main interpretations of this concept among theologians and scholars.
The first interpretation is that Jesus actually descended into Hades, and preached the gospel. This is one of the possible interpretations for 3:19, where Christ preached to the spirits who rejected God during the days of Noah. This view hold that he now expands the message to include all of the dead. However, if you do not accept this interpretation of Jesus descending to the dead in 3:19, this presents serious problems for this interpretation. One such problem is found in the seeming offer of what we could refer to as “post-death salvation.” This would hardly be encouraging to Peter’s readers who are facing persecution from such people, who have just been encouraged by Peter’s statement of the coming judgment. For Peter to turn the tables on them suddenly is problematic.
The second line of interpretation is that the dead the Peter is referring to are only spiritually dead. However, Peter is referring to the physically dead in verse 5. For him to switch suddenly is unlikely. Also, Peter uses a verb in the past tense, or aorist tense, here. He states, “the gospel was preached,” but if he is speaking of those who are only spiritually dead, he would have used, “the gospel is preached,” because there is still hope for their salvation.
A third view, which is the most dominant view today, is that the dead are those who were once evangelized, but have died since then. The NIV support this by adding the word “now,” which isn’t in the original Greek. This would be a reassuring statement for those who are being persecuted; those who were persecuted before them, and who died, are receiving their rewards from God. The problem with this view is that it places a lot of weight on a word that isn’t even in the text, but might only be inferred. So, while this view has it’s own share of problems, it seem to be the most likely meaning.
What is perhaps the most reassuring part of this passage is the idea that Peter gives that, even if we die physically, death is not the last word. God has plans, and a resurrection is in store. That’s what Peter shows in the last phrase of verse 6. The wicked see death differently than the believer does, as disaster, as punishment, as hopeless. But the difficulties of this present life are momentary, and are not lasting.
Because of this, we have a hope in something to come, a better reality than this present world in which we live. And while we may now live and be judged by human standards, we can live by God’s standards, looking forward to that greater reality to come.
Question: Where is your hope? Do you look for that “something better to come”? Or are you distracted by this world and what it values? You can leave a comment by clicking here.