Sunday Night Oct 15 2017

19 through 20? Very good.

Now, this is a passage that we looked at briefly last week as we were talking about the theme of the gospel and the life and the events of Noah.

And we have a very clear description of the gospel in verse 18,

For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that he might bring us to God.

This is 1 Peter 3 .18. For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that he might bring us to God, having been put to death, but made alive in the

Spirit. Now, Peter uses the phrase, in the Spirit, as a hinge to speak to a continuing idea.

So he says, in the Spirit, in which, in the Spirit, that means, verse 19, also he went and made proclamation to the spirits, and I have in italics for a clarifying word in the new

American standard, now in prison. So, let's make note of what tense, welcome back to English class, what tense is this?

Past. What tense is this? Present. This is an important thing, the spirits that he went and made proclamation to, in the past, are those which are now in prison.

Okay? They weren't in prison at the time, but they are now.

Are we tracking so far? Okay, let's continue on.

Who once were to the spirits, now when we talk about spirits, they are now spirits in prison, aren't they?

But where were the spirits before they were in prison? They were on earth, in the flesh.

How has God made us? He has made us body and soul, one whole, but when they were on earth, they were in the flesh, and they were disobedient, notice in verse 20, and notice the tense.

They once were disobedient when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, while the ark was being constructed.

Now, second Peter, in chapter 2 of second Peter, I believe it is, we're told that Noah was a preacher of righteousness, and he was preaching to the people while he was building the ark, telling them to repent, preaching righteousness, calling them to repent of their sins, the great violence that had filled up the earth, which had caused so much grief to God.

First Peter, chapter 1, speaks of the prophets in whom the Spirit of Christ was making proclamation.

So who is the one making proclamation to the prophets?

It's Christ himself. So again, here we're being told, he went,

Christ went in the Spirit and made proclamation to the spirits who are now in prison, who once were disobedient when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah.

So the idea is that at a certain time in the past, when there was Noah and the disobedient people on earth, while the ark was under construction,

Christ, through Noah, was preaching to those who were disobedient to God. What happened to these people?

They remained disobedient, they remained unrepentant, and now they are in prison, a euphemism for Hades, the place where those who die, their body is buried in the earth or cremated or whatever it is, but their soul is in Hades, a place of judgment, kept waiting until the day of the resurrection, when they will be resurrected and then judged officially and then cast into hell.

So that's what Peter is talking about here in verses 19 and 20. I may have lost some of you.

Have we left anybody behind? Yes. Okay.

Okay. The thing was that Christ went and preached through Noah to those who were disobedient, but they did not repent, so now their spirits are in prison.

They have been judged. All right. So, Joel, you want to know the connection between this and?

Okay, so what connection do you see or what disconnection are you concerned about? Ah, Hebrews would say that he went to heaven and offered his own blood on the true mercy seat in the true holy of holies.

So, we can conjecture that perhaps he went and preached to evil spirits in prison, but I don't think that there's any need to interpret it in that way.

I think if you just follow the tenses. Peter is pretty clear in chapter 1 that in verse 10 and 11 it says, "'As to this salvation, the prophets of whom

Noah is one, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries, seeking to know what person or time the spirit of Christ within them was indicating.

As he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow.'" Okay, he's already given us that model.

He's already used this language once in his letter. So, when we come to chapter 3 we should not invent a whole new idea, but just follow in the context of what

Peter has already said. Okay, so that we, and then later on in 2

Peter we hear that Noah is a preacher of righteousness, so on and so forth. We understand that Christ was preaching through Noah to those who were disobedient at the time the

Ark was being constructed. But now these are in prison, and that's a warning. That's a warning to those who would not repent.

That's a warning to those who would not hear the Gospel and repent from their sins. So, there is an aberrant,

I would say it was an aberrant, temporary interpretation of Jesus going to Hell, and preaching to evil spirits.

But that has not been the long -held interpretation of this text by the

Church over the last 2 ,000 years. I mean that's an idea, but I just don't think it holds water. No pun intended.

So, as he talks to the thief, today you will be with me in Paradise. Where did Jesus end up? Right, He was honest with the thief.

He wasn't fooling him. Well, the term

Paradise, and the term Heaven are spelled differently. But just because we have two different terms doesn't mean it is a different idea.

For instance, there is also a parable that Jesus tells about the rich man and Lazarus. Lazarus was this leper, a beggar, and there was this rich man.

So, Jesus is telling the story. And Jesus talks about the leper who had the worst of the worst kind of life on earth, just the worst kind.

And then the rich man who had the most posh, luxurious life on earth. And He penned it all in terms that His audience would understand.

They would really get this image and this picture. And then He compared their lives afterwards.

Lazarus who believed on God, Lazarus who was a believer versus the rich man who was not.

And it is no virtue to be poor, and it is no sin to be rich. The idea is what are we saved by?

And what should we be looking forward to? And Lazarus who trusted in God, he ends up in Heaven.

What does Jesus say though? Jesus says that His place at the table He was in Abraham's bosom.

So, people have come, oh, this isn't Heaven, and that's not Paradise, this is someplace else. There's no need to invent new intermediate states after we die.

Think about the Jewish context. When Jesus had the Last Supper, who laid

His head on His bosom? John, John the Beloved.

John had the best seat in the house, didn't he? He was closest to Christ.

Oh, man, that was the best place to be, wasn't it? For the Jew in Heaven, what's the best seat in the house?

Right next to Abraham. What Jesus was saying was, look at the contrast. Look, He has the best now in Heaven, and here is the rich man in Hell, and he has the worst of it.

He was painting an utter contrast. So, I don't think there's any need, I mean as we read through from when we first hear about Enoch and he walked with God, and was not because God took him.

We immediately hear about this idea that, hey, there's life after death. There's a sense of God receiving

Enoch to Himself for fellowship. And there's that very first glimpse of an afterlife and eternal life with God, and that glimpse becomes clearer, and clearer, and clearer as we work through the whole

Bible. And we have a variety of pictures and descriptions to help us understand what that looks like.

So, I don't think there's any need to pit the synonyms of Heaven against each other as if they're different places.

Good question, Joel. Yes, ma 'am. In Ephesians 4,

Aqua said He lived. Could that mean the spirits that He was leading?

Let's go over to Ephesians 4, Ephesians chapter 4, and we have a comparative passage also in Colossians 2 that we can also take a look at as well,

Colossians 2 .15. Okay, so we begin in chapter 4 and verse 1,

And this is not to say that we are monolithic and all exactly alike, but there is a deep unity.

There is also a harmonious diversity in us, because Paul just says that in verse 7,

But to each one of us, grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift.

What a measure that is. How great a measure is that, that each one of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ's gift.

And so he says, Therefore, when He ascended on high, He led captive a host of captives, and He gave gifts to men.

So, he's quoting a passage here, so we've got to go to Psalm, Psalm 68, verse 18.

As I was talking a little bit this morning in my Sunday School class, any time we have a New Testament author quoting an

Old Testament text, maybe he quotes a verse, maybe he quotes half a verse, maybe it's just an allusion to a text in the

Old Testament, in this case Psalm 68, 18. We can trust that under the inspiration of the

Holy Spirit, this New Testament author is not taking the Old Testament passage out of context.

He's not interpreting it badly, but he's treating it and handling it with all accuracy.

And so, in Psalm 68, let's see, we have a psalm of David, it's a song.

There is the tone of God's victory over the enemy, let

God arise, let His enemies be scattered, let those who hate Him flee before Him, as smoke is driven away, so drive them away, as wax melts before the sun, as smoke is driven away, so drive them away, as wax melts before the sun, as smoke is driven away, as wax melts before the sun, as smoke is driven away, as wax melts before the sun, as smoke is driven away, as wax melts before the sun, as smoke is driven away, as wax melts before the sun, as smoke is driven away, as wax melts before the sun, as smoke is driven away, as wax melts before the sun, as smoke is driven away, as wax melts before the sun, as smoke is driven away, as wax melts before the sun, as smoke is driven away, as wax melts before the sun, as smoke is driven away, as wax melts before the sun.

We know the rights are over the fire, so let the wicked perish before God. But we have let the righteous be glad, let them exult before God, let them rejoice in gladness.

And that theme continues all through the rest of the psalm,

God the victor for His people, and God conquering the enemies of God.

And we have that theme all the way through the Psalm. We get closer to our passage in verse 18.

Verse 15 says, "'A mountain of God is the mountain of Bashan. A mountain of many peaks is the mountain of Bashan.'

Why do you look with envy, O mountains with many peaks, at the mountain which God has desired for His abode?

Surely the Lord will dwell there forever. The chariots of God are myriads, thousands upon thousands.

The Lord is among them as at Sinai in holiness." We have a picture of Mount Zion, the mountain of God.

As we think about Mount Zion, and the myriads, thousands upon thousands at the mountain of God, how does the

New Testament interpret Zion? How does Hebrews interpret Mount Zion?

Interprets it as a city of God. Interprets it as the Church. Interprets it as all of those who are redeemed in Christ.

That's how the New Testament views Zion. Well, in verse 18, "'You have ascended on high.

You have led captive your captives. You have received gifts among men, even among the rebellious also that the

Lord may dwell there.'" Does anybody else have a translation of verse 18 you'd like to read?

Why is it the New American Standard? You can read it if you have the New American Standard, but maybe your translation says something a little bit different in verse 18.

>>[inaudible response from audience members in the background.] Okay, let's hear it. Okay, and then it goes on verse 19, "'Blessed be the

Lord who daily bears our burden, the God who is our salvation. God is to us a

God of deliverances, and to God the Lord belongs escapes from death.'"

We have the sense of God rescuing people,

God leading people into deliverance, and into salvation in His victorious march.

It goes on to talk about a procession of God, and the glory of His victorious procession.

Now, when we come to the New Testament Paul reflects on this imagery in the

Old Testament of God's victorious procession. And he reflects upon Christ, and he reflects upon the victory that Christ has won in His life, death, and resurrection, and ascension.

And he begins to apply some of these Old Testament ideas to what

Christ has accomplished. And so, when he says, "'He ascended on high. He led a host of captives, and gave gifts to men.'"

Now, this expression, "'He ascended,' what does it mean except He also had descended into the lower parts of the earth?

"'He who descended is Himself who also ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.'"

And to give an example of what kind of gifts He gave according to the measure of Christ's gift, what did

He give to the Church? He gave some as Apostles, some as Prophets, some as Evangelists, some as Pastors and Teachers, for the equipping of the saints, for the work of the service to building up of the body of Christ.

So, Paul takes a passage out of Psalm 68 about Mount Zion, and starts talking about the building up of the

Church. Can he do that? Yeah, he's interpreting it in lockstep with all the rest of the interpretation of the

New Testament. And he says, there was gifts given. What's the idea? Is the building up and the beautifying of Mount Zion, of the

Church. When he says this part about descended, and ascended, there is the possibility, some say, that he's talking about descending into Hell, and grabbing spirits, and then leading them.

And people have interpreted it that way, but I don't think it necessarily means that way. I think he's pointing to the fact that He humbled

Himself by becoming obedient even to the point of death on the cross. He took upon human flesh. He took on the form of a bondservant, and He descended in lowliness, and in humility.

And He suffered on our behalf, completing the obedience that the Father called

Him to complete. And therefore, Philippians says, God has exalted

Him to the right hand of the Father, and has given Him a name which is above every name. And so, in the exaltation of Jesus, in His ascension, in His victory,

He gives from His glory, in the overflow of His glory, He gives these gifts to His people.

He beautifies His Church as the overflow of the glory of His exaltation.

Even as a, I think the idea as a king, as a king would conquer, and He would capture for Himself a people, a host of captives.

We were captive and slave to sin, but He has captured us. And He has led us out of captivity, but we are captive to Him now.

Paul would say, we are either slaves to sin, or slaves to righteousness, right? So, He has captured us, and He has bound the strong man so that He could rob him of his possessions,

Jesus said in His parable. So, He has bound the enemy. He has defeated the enemy to rob

Satan of his possessions, his captives. And He has stolen us away from the enemy for His own glory.

And He gives us gifts, and bestows blessings on us. This is very much the same idea as in Colossians 2 at the accomplishment of Christ's work in verse, let's see,

I want to say verse 13 of chapter 2, verse 13 of chapter 2, it says, when you were dead, when you were dead in your transgressions, in the uncircumcision of your flesh,

He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us.

And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities,

He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him. And this is a comparative passage only in that there is this victory procession.

There is this victory procession wherein Christ shows off the treasures that He has won by His work, and shows off His victory over the enemies that He has defeated.

And that idea of procession is there in Psalm 68, look at those that God saves, look at those

God defeats, look at those that God saves, look at those who God defeats, again and again in Psalm 68.

And Paul meditating on that psalm, and on that passage, and on the accomplished work of Christ employs this language.

What do you think Dwight? >>[inaudible question from audience members in the audience.]

Second Corinthians 2 .12. So, we get to be part of the procession? Yeah. So, that's an idea, that's a theme that Paul has been meditating on.

And by the Spirit he writes about it in various ways doesn't he? Amen.

The thing about the Apostles' Creed where it has that phrase descended into hell, if you follow the manuscript tradition of the

Apostles' Creed as it was first discovered and written down, and you trace the quotations from church fathers who would quote the creed and use it, that phrase descended into hell was not there for a good while.

And you find it over here in this tradition somewhere else, it was added later, and then as the manuscript traditions emerged in the communication of the church, this was not original to the

Apostles' Creed, but it was added later on. I don't think it really should have been there originally, thankfully the

Apostles' Creed is not scripture or anything. But I don't think that was an original universal confession of the early church.

I think it was added, but it's not very well attested at all in the manuscript transmission.

So, I think it is an aberration. And I think there are churches that make it a custom to read the

Apostles' Creed as part of their services, and many of them leave it out because they are aware of the transmission issue.

Somebody thought it was a good idea, but I don't think that was a widespread held belief.

So, I don't think, I think one of the things about the scripture when we talk about the analogy of scripture is the way we, so what we do is we interpret the scriptures by the scriptures, okay.

And we know that they are a harmonious whole because God is the author of all the scriptures.

So, every once in a while we are going to find something in the Bible that is a little unclear. You know it's like, hmm,

I just don't know what that means. But concerning that same topic, concerning that same theme there are a dozen or two dozen passages that are very clear.

So, what we do is we take what is not clear and we interpret it by what is clear. And every time we do that it brings us back home, it grounds our interpretation and leaves us on solid ground.

But if we take the unclear and we marvel at it and work with it and just spend all our time with that, then what we do we start imposing odd, oddly shaped interpretations on the rest of the

Bible which is clear and that makes the clear unclear, rather than having it the other way around.

So, there is a lot of mysterious things, a lot of strange things. A lot of people spend a lot of time staring at all the odd things in Revelation and coming up with all manner of really odd, strained, unfortunate interpretations.

Which basically, usually have to do with whatever the news is that week.

But, if you interpret some of those unclear things, some of those very vivid imaginary things, if you interpret those things by the clarity of Christ's parables, what could be more clear than His stories?

His parables in Matthew for instance, the Kingdom of Heaven is like.

And He would just tell a story. Sometimes it's about how you enter the Kingdom.

Sometimes it's about how you live within the Kingdom. Sometimes it's about the consummation of His Kingdom. But they are all very, very clear.

Very clear stories. And He just makes it real simple for us. If you take that and interpret the rest through what is clear, you end up on much more solid ground.

Well, that was enjoyable. A question about Genesis 9 for you to go look at this week is just an odd thing about how at the beginning of Genesis 9, the instructions about how to eat meat and the instruction about capital punishment seem to be all wrapped together in one idea.

I tell you that's really odd. That is so odd. Like it's one continuous logical thought.

Now, I tell you, I've ridden on honorary horses before and it's hard to stay on. And every once in a while you find a passage like that and I just don't know how to stay on top of that.

So, I'm still studying about that. And maybe you can study too. Okay? Alright, let's close by singing the doxology.