1Pt3:18-20 Spirits in Prison

[Catholic_Dude]

Here is 1Pt3:18ff
18 For Christ also died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit; 19 in which he went and preached to the spirits in prison, 20 who formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were saved through water.
So what does “did not obey” in the days of Noah, do they get a second chance or something? I thought those guys were so wicked that God wanted to clean up the world. Or does that mean those who lived pre-Noah?

 

[Lazerlike42]

Some folks relate this verse to mean that these are folks who were going to Hell that Jesus spoke to to say, “hey your time’s up time to hit the steamers!” I don’t subscribe to that. It is also taught that this refers to Limbus Patronum, where those destined for Heaven went prior to it’s opening up with the sacrifice on Calvary. That doesn’t quite make sense, though, because the verse speaks of the disobedient.

I subscribe to the idea it refers to purgatory. The idea that it is Purgatory is especially interesting when compared with Luke 12:59 and Matthew 5:25-26, in which Christ says that we must be careful to make ammends with our brethren lest the judge throws us into prison (as Peter has just called it). Once in prison, we will not be let out until “the last penny is paid.” From the context of the Gospels, we know that Jesus is not talking about actual legal cases. For one, the Greek word for opponent is used elsewhere to refer to Satan. More importantly, this statement is given in the context of Christ telling us that we must reconcile with others before making an offering to God. So what He does is to first tell us to make sure we reconcile with others before we make offerings to God, then He tells us a parable indicating that if we don’t we shall be thrown into prison to pay off our debt. Our debt always ultimately to God. Now Jesus cannot be talking about Hell, because a debt of Hell can never be paid off. However, He doesn’t say we will be thrown into prison “forever” or “for eternity.” He clearly says we will be released when we have paid the full debt. Since there can be no imprisonment in Heaven and there cane be no release from Hell, He must be referring to Purgatory.

 

[Catholic_Dude]

Lazerlike42:

Some folks relate this verse to mean that these are folks who were going to Hell that Jesus spoke to to say, “hey your time’s up time to hit the steamers!” I don’t subscribe to that. It is also taught that this refers to Limbus Patronum, where those destined for Heaven went prior to it’s opening up with the sacrifice on Calvary. That doesn’t quite make sense, though, because the verse speaks of the disobedient.

I subscribe to the idea it refers to purgatory. The idea that it is Purgatory is especially interesting when compared with Luke 12:59 and Matthew 5:25-26, in which Christ says that we must be careful to make ammends with our brethren lest the judge throws us into prison (as Peter has just called it). Once in prison, we will not be let out until “the last penny is paid.” From the context of the Gospels, we know that Jesus is not talking about actual legal cases. For one, the Greek word for opponent is used elsewhere to refer to Satan. More importantly, this statement is given in the context of Christ telling us that we must reconcile with others before making an offering to God. So what He does is to first tell us to make sure we reconcile with others before we make offerings to God, then He tells us a parable indicating that if we don’t we shall be thrown into prison to pay off our debt. Our debt always ultimately to God. Now Jesus cannot be talking about Hell, because a debt of Hell can never be paid off. However, He doesn’t say we will be thrown into prison “forever” or “for eternity.” He clearly says we will be released when we have paid the full debt. Since there can be no imprisonment in Heaven and there cane be no release from Hell, He must be referring to Purgatory.

Ok, that makes sense that they cant be in prison forever, but im still confused on the “days of Noah” part, in Genesis it says those people were wicked.

 

[Mystophilus]

Catholic Dude:

Here is 1Pt3:18ff
18 For Christ also died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit; 19 in which he went and preached to the spirits in prison, 20 who formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were saved through water.
So what does “did not obey” in the days of Noah, do they get a second chance or something? I thought those guys were so wicked that God wanted to clean up the world. Or does that mean those who lived pre-Noah?

This is often read as the Harrowing of Hell, which is Jesus going to Hell either to redeem or to castigate the inmates, depending on the version. In some versions, the “spirits” are the souls of the human dead, and in others they are demons.

The short answer is that no one really knows, sorry.