Bible Question: 1 Peter 4:6

[KnightIHSV]

I read this passage this afternoon in 1 Peter 4:6 -

“For this is why the gospel was preached even to the dead, that though judged in the flesh like men, they might live in the spirit like God.”

I do not quite understand this, even in the context of the rest of 1 Peter 4.

Can anyone help? I do not understand the “preached even to the dead” as presumably this would have had no utility.

Thanks very much in advance.

 

[THE_ENCORE]

I read this passage this afternoon in 1 Peter 4:6 -

“For this is why the gospel was preached even to the dead, that though judged in the flesh like men, they might live in the spirit like God.”

I do not quite understand this, even in the context of the rest of 1 Peter 4.

Can anyone help? I do not understand the “preached even to the dead” as presumably this would have had no utility.

Thanks very much in advance.

I am not an Apologist and this is the first time I really noticed how this verse can contradict scripture. I would assume that this piece of scripture points toward not the literal dead but the spiritually dead, the people lacking in faith, not physically dead people. just my 2 cents.

 

[friendster324]

this might be in reference to the “abode of the dead” sheol. in the apostles creed we say he descended into hell, i’m assuming those events described in the creed and 1 peter are one and the same.

 

[JRKH]

I am not an Apologist and this is the first time I really noticed how this verse can contradict scripture.

Sorry - I had to laugh at this one…Since 1 Peter IS Scripture, how can it "contradict Scripture???..

I would assume that this piece of scripture points toward not the literal dead but the spiritually dead, the people lacking in faith, not physically dead people. just my 2 cents.

I Hadn’t thought of that idea but I like it…

this might be in reference to the “abode of the dead” sheol. in the apostles creed we say he descended into hell, i’m assuming those events described in the creed and 1 peter are one and the same.

I believe this is probably the more common understanding.

Peace
James

 

[Holly3278]

I think this is a reference to the people who died before Jesus and went to the Bosom of Abraham which supposedly was a place in Hell where the righteous went who died before Christ. It was supposedly a place of no suffering even though it was in Hell.

 

[Monte1945]

I read this passage this afternoon in 1 Peter 4:6 -

“For this is why the gospel was preached even to the dead, that though judged in the flesh like men, they might live in the spirit like God.”

I do not quite understand this, even in the context of the rest of 1 Peter 4.

Can anyone help? I do not understand the “preached even to the dead” as presumably this would have had no utility.

Thanks very much in advance.

It is in reference to what Peter wrote in the previous chapter…

1 Peter 3:

18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. 19 After being made alive,[d] he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits — 20 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,

It seems Peter was stating that Jesus went to the place where the souls of the dead were placed, while Jesus was in his Tomb… prior to the third day when he rose again…
And he proclaimed something to them… thus he preached to the dead …

 

[PennyinCanada]

At some point in our Vespers in the Eastern Rite, we sing that John the Baptist, when beheaded, proclaimed the good news to those waiting, that the redemption of Christ was at hand! I love that idea, John the Baptist was not silenced, but continued his ministry to those who were eager to the good news of Christ. Likely that would be in the Vespers for the beheading of John the Baptist but I don’t have the words in front of me, only memory. Vespers in the ER has beautiful hymnology.

 

[Aleema]

I read this passage this afternoon in 1 Peter 4:6 -

“For this is why the gospel was preached even to the dead, that though judged in the flesh like men, they might live in the spirit like God.”

I do not quite understand this, even in the context of the rest of 1 Peter 4.

Can anyone help? I do not understand the “preached even to the dead” as presumably this would have had no utility.

Thanks very much in advance./QUOTE

From my study bible

"The translation implies a link between this verse and 3:19 in which case “the dead” would seem to be identified with “the spirits in prison” However the satement in Greek does not have a specified subject (the rsv adds “the gospel”). As scholars have pointed out the subject could just as well be Christ (translating “he was preached”) in which case the text refers to the evangelization of Christians who have since died (judged in the flesh) in the hope of a furture resurrection (in the spirit).

it seems to me the reference is to holy souls

 

[KnightIHSV]

Thanks very much. I am just intrigued by what this could mean as I cannot find a definitive teaching on this verse (though I may be in error here). Peter must have had a reason for writing this and must have had knowledge of Christ’s preaching to the dead, which I have otherwise not read in the Bible.

In the New Jerome Biblical Commentary on 1 Peter 4:6 (p.908, 57:23) this passage is covered thus: “The point of the text is to vindicate those Christians who had accepted the Gospel on earth but who had since died (cf 1 Thess 4:13-18). This text has quite a different theme from that of 3:19”.

1 Thess 4:13-18 is as follows:

“13 But we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15 For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first; 17 then we who are alive, who are left, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.”

The verse in 3:19 that the NJBC says is different is that Christ “…went and preached to the spirits in prison.”

I just do not think that the NJBC is right on this one. If Peter meant to say that the Gospel was preached to those who have died, then presumably he would have just said that the Gospel was preached to those who are no longer with us - rather than use the phrase “even to the dead” which seems to mean so much more.

Thanks again to any who can help me.