~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Bible Verses~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1Pet 3: 18 For Christ also has suffered once for sins, the
Righteous on behalf of the unrighteous, that He might bring
you to God, on the one hand being put to death in the flesh,
but on the other, made alive in the spirit; 19 In which also
He went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison,
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Words of Ministry~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
According to verse 18, Christ was "put to death in flesh but
made alive in spirit." This is not the Holy Spirit, but the
spirit which is Christ's spiritual nature (Mark 2:8; Luke
23:46). The crucifixion only put Christ to death in His flesh,
which He received through His incarnation (John 1:14), not in
His spirit. His spirit did not die at the cross when His flesh
did. His spirit was rather made alive, enlivened, with new
power of life, so that in this empowered spirit He made a
proclamation to the fallen angels after His death in the flesh
and before His resurrection.
Christ died on the cross for our redemption. But although He
was put to death in His body, He was enlivened and empowered
in His spirit even before the resurrection. In this enlivened
and empowered spirit He went to proclaim to the rebellious
angels God's victory over Satan, their leader.
Peter's word in these verses is very meaningful. Peter unveils
something extraordinary related to Christ's death. He shows us
that Christ's death not only accomplished redemption for us,
but also gained the victory over Satan and his followers.
Therefore, after His death and before His resurrection, Christ
proclaimed to Satan's followers God's victory over the Devil
through the crucifixion of Christ.