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NASB | 1 Peter 4:6 For the gospel has for this purpose been preached even to those who are dead, that though they are judged in the flesh as men, they may live in the spirit according to the will of God. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | 1 Peter 4:6 For this is why the good news [of salvation] was preached [in their lifetimes] even to those who are dead, that though they were judged in the flesh as men are, they may live in the spirit according to [the will and purpose of] God. |
Bible Question: What does it mean that the gospel has been preached to those who are dead? Does it refer to the people who lived and died prior to the coming of Christ? I don't quite understand what this verse is trying to say. |
Bible Answer: Hi, Hungry for God! I view 1 Peter 4:6 in light of: through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison who disobeyed 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 (1 Peter 3:19-20) This is why it says: "When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men." (What does "he ascended" mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) (Ephesians 4:8-10) But the righteousness that is by faith says: "Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ " (that is, to bring Christ down) "or ‘Who will descend into the deep?‘" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). (Romans 10:6-7) Scripture complements Scripture, offering us a more rounded understanding of the Word! From the above Scriptural passages we can gather that Christ did descend into a realm beyond our temporal existence and that He did preach to those who had been long dead prior to His incarnation. Clearly, I am not suggesting that the Apostles nor anyone outside of Christ has the ability to preach to the dead; this once in a lifetime happening came and went! This particular revelation could have been made by God to assure those who, whether out of genuine concern or out of skepticism, would question the death of so many seemingly innocent people (including children and infants) in the Old Testament’s Writings. To limit 1 Peter 4:6 to figurative speech would be to diminish Christ's Work of Redemption: For the love of Christ overwhelms us when we consider that if one man died for all, then all have died; his purpose in dying for all humanity was that those who live should live not any more for themselves, but for him who died and was raised to life. (2 Corinthians 5:14-15) In Revelation 1:7 we find the same mingling of worlds (temporal and spiritual) as both those who are alive or died in Christ as well as those who did not believe in Him will come to witness His Coming in Glory: Look, he is coming on the clouds; everyone will see him, even those who pierced him, and all the races of the earth will mourn over him. Indeed this shall be so. Amen. Everything is possible to God as His Way is waaaaay above our ways! God Bless! Angel |