Our small group has been going through Peter’s first letter. Addressed to sojourners and exiles in Asia Minor, the recipients were believers who were suffering for their faith. As he writes, Peter often shares core elements of the Gospel. As a close witness of Jesus’ entire ministry, he knew which facts were important for people to hear. Peter opens today’s passage with Jesus’ suffering and death, mentions His resurrection and concludes with Jesus ruling in heaven at the right hand of the Father.
Nestled in the center of this passage are some new details about the flood story. Peter shares that “God waited patiently” while Noah was building the ark. In Peter’s second letter, he identifies Noah as a preacher of righteousness. Noah was the first missionary, warning the world of God’s coming righteous judgment. Peter notes the ark brought Noah and those with him through the same water which drowned the rest of the world. Jesus, represented by the ark, saved Noah, his family and all the creatures on board.
Peter says the flood story symbolizes or prefigures the baptism “which now saves you.” He tells us the water is not for removal of dirt from the body, but is an appeal or pledge to God of a good conscience. What does this mean? Noah’s faith caused him to obey God’s command to build and enter the ark. The ark saved them. At baptism, a person’s proclamation of faith in the Lord Jesus is what saves them. Entering through the waters and emerging from them reenacts Jesus’ death and resurrection.
When Jesus died on the Cross, His body entered the grave. But we learn from Peter that in His spirit, Jesus went to the fallen angels imprisoned from the time of Noah. They had exceeded the boundaries God had assigned to them and they worked to sow violence and depravity into Noah’s world. Jesus went to these spirits to announce His total victory over them, the other fallen angels, sin and death. Their sentence would continue and their coming judgment was assured. Jesus then led the captives, the believing Old Testament saints, to heaven according to Ephesians 4.
For reflection:
- Why is it important for us to know Jesus had the final victory over the devil and his angels?
- Only Noah and seven others were saved. Jesus said “For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” How should these words guide our lives?
Recommended Posts
Practice: Examen
April 8, 2023
True Injustice
April 7, 2023
A New Mandate
April 6, 2023