Bible Study Proclamation to imprisoned spirits

[OzSpen]

I'm leading a Bible study on 1 Peter in which we encountered these verses:

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, 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, 21 and this water symbolises baptism that now saves you also – not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience towards God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand – with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him (1 Peter 2:18-22 NIV).​

There are several contentious issues in this passage that Bible students have battled with through the centuries to try to understand:

1. Since Christ made proclamation to 'the imprisoned spirits' when he was resurrected. Who were these 'imprisoned spirits' and where were they located.
2. What kind of proclamation was it?
3. What's the association of the 'imprisoned spirits' with Noah?
4. The water in Noah's day 'symbolises baptism'. I don't understand this.
5. 'Baptism now saves you'. How is this so when be understand salvation as grace through faith (Eph 2:8-9)?

For this thread, let's deal with point #1 only.

Oz

 

[Who Me]

Since Christ made proclamation to 'the imprisoned spirits' when he was resurrected. Who were these 'imprisoned spirits' and where were they located

After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits – 20

It does not say redirected it says after he(Jesus) was made alive.
It is possible that prior to his leaving the tomb that he went and preached to the
spirits.

An alternative question would be.
When was Jesus resurected? Is there a difference between being made alive or resurrected?

 

[Christ the King]

OzSpen

These are two opinions put forward by two different bible study books.

"At least 18 major theories have been proposed to explain Peter’s meaning in verses 18–22. Primarily, scholars differ over what the phrase “imprisoned spirits” refers to. Were “the spirits” people in some intermediate state of death, or giants, or the fallen angels alluded to in Genesis 6:1–4? No one knows for sure. Peter uses the obscure reference to make a point about the ultimate good that comes from the suffering Jesus endured."

"Some believe that between his death and resurrection, Jesus descended to Hades to preach to Old Testament sinners (Ac 2:27, 31; Rev 1:18). For example, the Apostles’ Creed reads, “He [Jesus] descended into hell.” Others disagree, saying there can be no salvation after death (Heb 9:27). Still others believe Jesus preached to the fallen angels (spirits) in prison, announcing his victory and their impending judgment (Ge 6:1–3; 2Pe 2:4–5; Jude 6)"

There doesn't seem to be a clear cut answer to the first question you have

 

[GodsGrace]

OzSpen

These are two opinions put forward by two different bible study books.

"At least 18 major theories have been proposed to explain Peter’s meaning in verses 18–22. Primarily, scholars differ over what the phrase “imprisoned spirits” refers to. Were “the spirits” people in some intermediate state of death, or giants, or the fallen angels alluded to in Genesis 6:1–4? No one knows for sure. Peter uses the obscure reference to make a point about the ultimate good that comes from the suffering Jesus endured."

"Some believe that between his death and resurrection, Jesus descended to Hades to preach to Old Testament sinners (Ac 2:27, 31; Rev 1:18). For example, the Apostles’ Creed reads, “He [Jesus] descended into hell.” Others disagree, saying there can be no salvation after death (Heb 9:27). Still others believe Jesus preached to the fallen angels (spirits) in prison, announcing his victory and their impending judgment (Ge 6:1–3; 2Pe 2:4–5; Jude 6)"

There doesn't seem to be a clear cut answer to the first question you have

A side note for you....
The CC no longer teaches that Jesus descended into hell.
This is right since nowhere in scripture does it state that Jesus ever entered into hell.

 

[GodsGrace]

I'm leading a Bible study on 1 Peter in which we encountered these verses:

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, 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, 21 and this water symbolises baptism that now saves you also – not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience towards God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand – with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him (1 Peter 2:18-22 NIV).​

There are several contentious issues in this passage that Bible students have battled with through the centuries to try to understand:

1. Since Christ made proclamation to 'the imprisoned spirits' when he was resurrected. Who were these 'imprisoned spirits' and where were they located.
2. What kind of proclamation was it?
3. What's the association of the 'imprisoned spirits' with Noah?
4. The water in Noah's day 'symbolises baptism'. I don't understand this.
5. 'Baptism now saves you'. How is this so when be understand salvation as grace through faith (Eph 2:8-9)?

For this thread, let's deal with point #1 only.

Oz

I have a problem trying to reconcile 1 Peter 3:18-22 with
Luke 16:19-31 The Rich Man and Lazarus.

In Luke 16:19.....we read Jesus' own words telling of how the prisoners in HADES were released to heaven. This would be those that were awaiting the resurrection in Abraham's Bosom.
Luke 16:22

However, they were already saved and just awaiting their release from Hades. I find no problem with Luke since when Jesus died on the cross, souls were released.
Matthew 27:51-52


In 1 Peter 3:18.... we read that Jesus preached to those of the time of Noah....in the spirit, after He died in the flesh.

Could it be that Jesus preached to those that were before the official Law? But then Romans 1:19-20 makes no sense. Romans 4 does start with Abraham and not with Noah. In fact, biblical history does begin with Abraham.

One thing I know, in regards to post no. 3 is that if the bible does not tell us something...we should not conjecture what the meaning may be and just accept that we do not know.

 

[OzSpen]

I have a problem trying to reconcile 1 Peter 3:18-22 with
Luke 16:19-31 The Rich Man and Lazarus.

In Luke 16:19.....we read Jesus' own words telling of how the prisoners in HADES were released to heaven. This would be those that were awaiting the resurrection in Abraham's Bosom.
Luke 16:22

However, they were already saved and just awaiting their release from Hades. I find no problem with Luke since when Jesus died on the cross, souls were released.
Matthew 27:51-52


In 1 Peter 3:18.... we read that Jesus preached to those of the time of Noah....in the spirit, after He died in the flesh.

Could it be that Jesus preached to those that were before the official Law? But then Romans 1:19-20 makes no sense. Romans 4 does start with Abraham and not with Noah. In fact, biblical history does begin with Abraham.

One thing I know, in regards to post no. 3 is that if the bible does not tell us something...we should not conjecture what the meaning may be and just accept that we do not know.

I'll try to answer your questions tomorrow. It's 12.35am Tues and I'm weary.

 

[JLB]

I'm leading a Bible study on 1 Peter in which we encountered these verses:

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, 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, 21 and this water symbolises baptism that now saves you also – not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience towards God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand – with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him (1 Peter 2:18-22 NIV).​

There are several contentious issues in this passage that Bible students have battled with through the centuries to try to understand:

1. Since Christ made proclamation to 'the imprisoned spirits' when he was resurrected. Who were these 'imprisoned spirits' and where were they located.
2. What kind of proclamation was it?
3. What's the association of the 'imprisoned spirits' with Noah?
4. The water in Noah's day 'symbolises baptism'. I don't understand this.
5. 'Baptism now saves you'. How is this so when be understand salvation as grace through faith (Eph 2:8-9)?

For this thread, let's deal with point #1 only.

Oz

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him. 1 Peter 3:18-22


Key Verse:

• by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah,

Since Christ made proclamation to 'the imprisoned spirits' when he was resurrected. Who were these 'imprisoned spirits' and where were they located.

I don’t see where He preached to the spirits after His resurrection.

Too me it seems He preached to them while He was in the heart of the earth for three days, before He was resurrected.

where were they located.

Tartarus, which is one of the names of hell.


Peter again refers to this incident in his second epistle.


For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly;
2 Peter 2:4-5

Same context, the days of Noah.

• and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly;

• who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah

The spirits he refers to in 1 Peter, he calls angels in 2 Peter.



JLB

 

[GodsGrace]

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him. 1 Peter 3:18-22


Key Verse:

• by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah,

I don’t see where He preached to the spirits after His resurrection.

Too me it seems He preached to them while He was in the heart of the earth for three days, before He was resurrected.





Tartarus, which is one of the names of hell.


Peter again refers to this incident in his second epistle.


For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly;
2 Peter 2:4-5

Same context, the days of Noah.

• and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly;

• who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah

The spirits he refers to in 1 Peter, he calls angels in 2 Peter.



JLB

I agree that 1 Peter 3 is probably referring to angels since man is never referred to as "spirit" in this way...only when speaking of our spirit in reference to God.

But then why would Jesus preach to angels.....?
or
Why would Jesus preach to the unsaved at the time of the flood if they were already judged?

If they were disobedient...why would they get a second chance?

I don't know if we could really know these answers....

 

[JLB]

But then why would Jesus preach to angels.....?
or
Why would Jesus preach to the unsaved at the time of the flood if they were already judged?

Both scriptures refer to the spirits, the angels, who we’re disobedient in the days of Noah.


It is to these, that Jesus preached.


I was answering his question which asked...”who were these 'imprisoned spirits'”


They were the angels who were disobedient during the days of Noah.



JLB

 

[jasonc]

He offered salvation to angels ,these can repent ?

 

[JLB]

The water in Noah's day 'symbolises baptism'. I don't understand this.

who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 1 Peter 3:20-21


There is also an antitype which now saves us.



Firstly, there are two different words in this passage that are rendered “saves(ed) in English.

• that is, eight souls, were saved through water.

Saved - Strongs G1295 - diasōzō

1. to preserve through danger, to bring safely through
   1. to save, i.e. cure one who is sick, bring him through
2. to save, keep from perishing
3. to save out of danger, rescue

There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ


Saves - Strongs G4982 - sōzō

1. to save, keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction
   1. one (from injury or peril)
      1. to save a suffering one (from perishing), i.e. one suffering from disease, to make well, heal, restore to health
      2. to preserve one who is in danger of destruction, to save or rescue
   2. to save in the technical biblical sense
      1. negatively
         1. to deliver from the penalties of the Messianic judgment
         2. to save from the evils which obstruct the reception of the Messianic deliverance

So, the antitype being the water which destroyed the godless giants in those days, delivered or saved Noah and his family, from that perverse generation.


What was destruction for them was salvation for Noah and his family.


Likewise Peter saw repentance and water baptism as being two sides of the same coin. (Maybe we should too)


Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38


Luke says it this way —


And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.”
Acts 5:32


The antitype being, “now, those who go into the water are saved, and those who don’t are destroyed”.


The opposite was true during the flood.

Those who went into the water were destroyed and those who didn’t were saved.


Thus he says... There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism


Now the water saves, then it destroyed.




JLB

 

[JLB]

He offered salvation to angels ,these can repent ?

Where does it say he offered salvation to angels?



JLB

 

[The Light]

Since Christ made proclamation to 'the imprisoned spirits' when he was resurrected. Who were these 'imprisoned spirits' and where were they located.

We cannot be dogmatic as the details we have are limited. That said, I'd lean to the thinking that these "spirits" may have been fallen angels. In 2 Peter 2:4, these are mentioned as being "held in chains" in Tartarus. Additionally it should be pointed out that the Bible in Peter says that Jesus did this "After being made alive," and not while he was dead and buried.
Perhaps Jesus' sacrifice did more than provide a remedy to mankind's sin problem, perhaps it offered salvation to spiritual beings that had once fallen as well. In Colossians 1:20 we are told that through Jesus blood all things whether of Heaven or Earth could be reconciled to the Father by the blood of His cross.

 

[jasonc]

Where does it say he offered salvation to angels?



JLB

Preaching isn't telling nor is it a judgement .

If the ressurection hasn't occurred what type of body does a person have in sheol or Hades cuz it it ain't Flesh,also if luke 16 is about the final judgement ,then there wouldn't be any,mention of sending a person back or a warning to reach the living as a warning .thus its about old Jewish teachings .

Modern jewry and then taught and believed in sheol and gehenna and while similar gehenna meant no,return ,sheol wasn't,the case .

I believe Jesus used that to show them how evil they were,there wasn't a rich man ,or a Lazarus as well such a lavish house would be the stuff of archeology and they have found herods palace.

 

[JLB]

Preaching isn't telling nor is it a judgement .

If the ressurection hasn't occurred what type of body does a person have in sheol or Hades cuz it it ain't Flesh,also if luke 16 is about the final judgement ,then there wouldn't be any,mention of sending a person back or a warning to reach the living as a warning .thus its about old Jewish teachings .

I’m saying he was preaching to the angels who were disobedient during the days of Noah.

I don’t know what His message was.


JLB

 

[GodsGrace]

Both scriptures refer to the spirits, the angels, who we’re disobedient in the days of Noah.


It is to these, that Jesus preached.


I was answering his question which asked...”who were these 'imprisoned spirits'”


They were the angels who were disobedient during the days of Noah.



JLB

Jesus preached to the generations past...
those generations NOW in prison.
This means those that Jesus preached to are still in prison.

They were disobedient in the times of Noah.

It would seem that Jesus preached to them to let them know the message of the gospel....or to make them understand why they are in prison.

This would make me think it's the people of the time that paid no attention to God. It's before the Law of Moses.

But then "spirits" does not seem to refer to humans.

Maybe a lexicon could come in handy here?

***************************************************************

4151. pneuma ►

Strong's Concordance pneuma: wind, spirit​ Original Word: πνεῦμα, ατος, τό Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter Transliteration: pneuma Phonetic Spelling: (pnyoo'-mah) Definition: wind, spirit Usage: wind, breath, spirit. HELPS Word-studies 4151 pneúma – properly, spirit (Spirit), wind, or breath. The most frequent meaning (translation) of 4151 (pneúma) in the NT is "spirit" ("Spirit"). Only the context however determines which sense(s) is meant. [Any of the above renderings (spirit-Spirit, wind, breath) of 4151 (pneúma) is always theoretically possible (spirit, Spirit, wind, breath). But when the attributive adjective ("holy") is used, it always refers to the Holy Spirit. "Spirit" ("spirit") is by far the most common translation (application) of 4151 (pneúma). The Hebrew counterpart (rûach) has the same range of meaning as 4151 (pneúma), i.e. it likewise can refer to spirit/Spirit, wind, or breath.]

b. a human soul that has left the body ((Babrius 122, 8)): plural (Latinmanes), Hebrews 12:23; 1 Peter 3:19.


(for which Rec. has ἁγίων) τῶν προφητῶν, who incites and directs the souls of the prophets, Revelation 22:6, where cf. Düsterdieck. the dative τῷ πνεύματι is used to denote the seat (locality) where one does or suffers something, like our in spirit: ἐπιγινώσκειν, Mark 2:8; ἀναστενάζειν, Mark 8:12; ἐμβρίμασθαι, John 11:33; ταράσσεσθαι, John 13:21; ζηιν, Acts 18:25; Romans 12:11; ἀγαλλίασθαι, Luke 10:21 (but L T Tr WH here add ἁγίῳ); the dative of respect: 1 Corinthians 5:3; Colossians 2:5; 1 Peter 4:6;

******************************************************

You seem so sure....
Just thinking out loud.
I have no real opinion but respect yours.

 

[JLB]

But then why would Jesus preach to angels.....?
or
Why would Jesus preach to the unsaved at the time of the flood if they were already judged?

We don’t know the message Jesus preached.

We can only speculate.


Maybe He announced to them to horrific damage their caused by their disobedience and why they were cast into hell.


I simply don’t know.




JLB

 

[JLB]

Perhaps Jesus' sacrifice did more than provide a remedy to mankind's sin problem, perhaps it offered salvation to spiritual beings that had once fallen as well. In Colossians 1:20 we are told that through Jesus blood all things whether of Heaven or Earth could be reconciled to the Father by the blood of His cross.

It will be interesting to learn all these things when He comes.




JLB

 

[OzSpen]

I have a problem trying to reconcile 1 Peter 3:18-22 with
Luke 16:19-31 The Rich Man and Lazarus.

In Luke 16:19.....we read Jesus' own words telling of how the prisoners in HADES were released to heaven. This would be those that were awaiting the resurrection in Abraham's Bosom.
Luke 16:22

However, they were already saved and just awaiting their release from Hades. I find no problem with Luke since when Jesus died on the cross, souls were released.
Matthew 27:51-52

In 1 Peter 3:18.... we read that Jesus preached to those of the time of Noah....in the spirit, after He died in the flesh.

Could it be that Jesus preached to those that were before the official Law? But then Romans 1:19-20 makes no sense. Romans 4 does start with Abraham and not with Noah. In fact, biblical history does begin with Abraham.

One thing I know, in regards to post no. 3 is that if the bible does not tell us something...we should not conjecture what the meaning may be and just accept that we do not know.

wondering,

This is what Martin Luther thought of 1 Peter 3:18-21:

This is a strange text, and a more obscure passage, perhaps, than any other in the New Testament, for I do not certainly know what St. Peter means. At first sight, the words import as though Christ had preached to the spirits — that is, the souls which were formerly unbelieving at the time Noah was building the ark; but that I cannot understand, I cannot even explain it. There has been no one hitherto who has explained it. Yet if any one is disposed to maintain that Christ, after that He had suffered on the Cross, descended to these souls and preached to them, I will not dispute it. It might bear such a rendering. But I am not confident that St. Peter would say this (Luther 2009, of 1 Peter 3:18-21, emphasis added).

You state that you have a problem reconciling 1 Peter 3:18-22 with the story of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31). I also would have that difficulty if I took the text at face value – without exegeting what it means.

In my view, these are the problems in understanding 1 Peter 3:19: There are 9 Greek words in this verse, ἐν ᾧ καὶ τοῖς ἐν φυλακῇ πνεύμασιν πορευθεὶς ἐκήρυξεν. Each of these words has been understood differently down through the centuries.

To deal with this verse, I need to know:

(a) About whom was Peter speaking when he wrote of the ‘spirits’ to whom Christ made this proclamation (v. 19)?
(b) When did this proclamation happen (v. 19)?
(c) What was the content of the proclamation? Was it a Gospel announcement or something else?
(d) When did these ‘spirits’ fall through disobedience?

I’ll deal with only one point here from 1 Pet 3:19 (ESV): ‘in which he [Jesus] went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison’.

There are 3 possible views on the meaning of proclamation to the spirits in prison:

1. Christ offers salvation to those in the realm of the dead
This would possibly harmonise with the statement in the Apostles’ Creed:

… He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to hell….

In 1 Peter 3:19 it states that Christ ‘went and preached to the spirits in prison’. Does this refer to Jesus’ descent into hell, as in the Apostles’ Creed? Not at all. I have not found any biblical evidence for that conclusion. There is no biblical support for Christ between his death and resurrection or between his resurrection and ascension going down to Hades/hell.

Some suggest that Christ in his spirit preached to Noah’s contemporaries. We’ll need to examine the biblical evidence in context.

2. Pre-existent Christ and Noah’s generation
The second interpretation maintains that Christ, before he came in the flesh at the Incarnation, ‘preached in the time of Noah to Noah’s sinful generation’.

3. Christ proclaimed to the ‘disobedient spirits’
This third interpretation identifies the ‘spirits’ as the fallen angels to whom Christ proclaimed his victory on the cross. When did this proclamation take place? There are two options: (1) During the three days when Jesus descended into Hades, or (2) During his ascension.

This third position seems to be the exposition that Peter teaches in 1 Peter 3:18-4:6. ‘After Christ’s death, he made a victorious proclamation to the fallen angels’. This is defended and developed in this passage that goes through to 4:6. This proclamation was not a Gospel proclamation as v. 19 does not use euaggelizw (I evangelise), but a keryssw (I proclaim).

Happy exegeting.
Oz

 

[GodsGrace]

wondering,

This is what Martin Luther thought of 1 Peter 3:18-21:

You state that you have a problem reconciling 1 Peter 3:18-22 with the story of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31). I also would have that difficulty if I took the text at face value – without exegeting what it means.

In my view, these are the problems in understanding 1 Peter 3:19: There are 9 Greek words in this verse, ἐν ᾧ καὶ τοῖς ἐν φυλακῇ πνεύμασιν πορευθεὶς ἐκήρυξεν. Each of these words has been understood differently down through the centuries.

To deal with this verse, I need to know:

(a) About whom was Peter speaking when he wrote of the ‘spirits’ to whom Christ made this proclamation (v. 19)?
(b) When did this proclamation happen (v. 19)?
(c) What was the content of the proclamation? Was it a Gospel announcement or something else?
(d) When did these ‘spirits’ fall through disobedience?

I’ll deal with only one point here from 1 Pet 3:19 (ESV): ‘in which he [Jesus] went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison’.

There are 3 possible views on the meaning of proclamation to the spirits in prison:

1. Christ offers salvation to those in the realm of the dead
This would possibly harmonise with the statement in the Apostles’ Creed:

In 1 Peter 3:19 it states that Christ ‘went and preached to the spirits in prison’. Does this refer to Jesus’ descent into hell, as in the Apostles’ Creed? Not at all. I have not found any biblical evidence for that conclusion. There is no biblical support for Christ between his death and resurrection or between his resurrection and ascension going down to Hades/hell.

Some suggest that Christ in his spirit preached to Noah’s contemporaries. We’ll need to examine the biblical evidence in context.

Agreed on Jesus descending into hell.
Even the Catholic Church that uses the Apostles Creed has stated that Jesus never went to hell.

2. Pre-existent Christ and Noah’s generation

The second interpretation maintains that Christ, before he came in the flesh at the Incarnation, ‘preached in the time of Noah to Noah’s sinful generation’.

I've never heard of this.
We do believe that Jesus appeared in the flesh in the O.T. (or I should say, The Son or 2nd Person of the Godhead).

3. Christ proclaimed to the ‘disobedient spirits’

This third interpretation identifies the ‘spirits’ as the fallen angels to whom Christ proclaimed his victory on the cross. When did this proclamation take place? There are two options: (1) During the three days when Jesus descended into Hades, or (2) During his ascension.

This third position seems to be the exposition that Peter teaches in 1 Peter 3:18-4:6. ‘After Christ’s death, he made a victorious proclamation to the fallen angels’. This is defended and developed in this passage that goes through to 4:6. This proclamation was not a Gospel proclamation as v. 19 does not use euaggelizw (I evangelise), but a keryssw (I proclaim).

Happy exegeting.
Oz

Yes,,,,spirits does seem to be the fallen angels.
I also would say that it happened during the 3 days before resurrection.

Also, the proclamation makes sense...why would Jesus speak the gospel to the fallen that are already judged.

Thanks!