SEV Biblia, Chapter 3:18
¶ Porque tambin el Cristo padeci una vez por los pecados, el justo por los injustos, para llevarnos a Dios, siendo a la verdad muerto en la carne, pero vivificado en espíritu;
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 1 Peter 3:18
Verse 18. Christ also hath once suffered] See the notes on Rom. v. 6; Heb. ix. 28. Put to death in the flesh] In his human nature.
But quickened by the Spirit] That very dead body revived by the power of his Divinity. There are various opinions on the meaning of this verse, with which I need not trouble the reader, as I have produced that which is most likely.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 18. For Christ also hath once suffered for sins , etc.] Not his own, for he committed none, but for the sins of his people; in order to obtain the remission of them, to make reconciliation for them, and to take and put them away, and finish and make an end of them; which sufferings of his, on account of them, were many and great: he suffered much by bearing the griefs, and carrying the sorrows of his people, whereby he became a man of sorrows, and acquainted with griefs, from his cradle to his cross; and from the temptations of Satan, being in all points tempted, as his members are, though without sin; and from the contradiction of sinners against him, in his name, credit, and character, abusing him as the worst of men; and he suffered in his soul, from the wrath of God, and curses of the law, which lay upon him; and in his body, by many buffetings, scourges, wounds, and death itself, even the death of the cross; and which being the finishing part of his sufferings, is chiefly here meant. The Alexandrian copy reads, died for you; and the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions read, died for our sins; and this he did once, and but once; he died once, and will die no more; he was offered up once, and will be offered up no more; there is no more offering, or sacrifice for sin; the reason is, because his one offering is sufficient to take away sin, which the legal sacrifices were not, and therefore were often offered; and the reason why this his one offering, or once suffering and dying, is sufficient, is, because of his divine nature, or eternal Spirit, by which he offered himself, and gave infinite virtue to his sacrifice and satisfaction: now, this is an argument for suffering patiently; since Christ, the head, has also suffered, and therefore, why not the members? and since he has suffered for their sins, therefore they should not grudge to suffer for his sake; and seeing also their sufferings are but once, in this life only, and as it were but for a moment, and not to be compared with his sufferings for them; and especially when it is considered what follows: the just for the unjust ; Christ, the holy and just one, who is holy in his nature, and righteous in his life and actions, which were entirely conformable to the righteous law of God, and upright and faithful in the discharge of his office, and therefore called God's righteous servant; he suffered, and that not only by unjust men, by the Jews, by Pilate, and the Roman soldiers, but for and in the room and stead of unjust men, sinners, and ungodly, who were destitute of righteousness, and full of all unrighteousness; and since he did, it need not be thought hard, or strange, that sinful men should suffer at the hands of others; and still it should be borne with the greater patience, since Christ not only suffered for them, but since an end is answered by it, as is here suggested: that he might bring us to God ; nigh to God, who, with respect to communion, were afar off from him; and in peace and reconciliation with him, who were enemies to him by wicked works; and that they might have freedom of access, with boldness, unto God, through his precious blood, and the vail of his flesh; and that he might offer them unto God, as the Vulgate Latin and Syriac versions render it; as a sacrifice acceptable unto God, presenting them to him unblamable and unreproveable in his sight; that he might bring them into his grace and presence here, and, as the great Captain of their salvation, bring them to him in glory hereafter: being put to death in the flesh ; in the human nature: flesh includes the whole of human nature, both body and soul; for though the body only dies, yet death is the dissolution of the union between them both; and such was Christ's death; for though the union between the two natures continued, yet his body and soul were disunited; his body was left on the cross, and his soul, or Spirit, was commended to God, when his life was taken from the earth, and he was put to death in a violent manner by men: but quickened by the Spirit ; raised from the dead by his divine nature, the Spirit of holiness, the eternal Spirit, by which he offered himself, and by virtue of which, as he had power to lay down his life, so he had power to take it up again; when he was also justified in the Spirit, and all the elect in him. Now, as the enemies of Christ could do no more than put him to death in the flesh, so the enemies of his people can do no more than kill the body, and cannot reach the soul; and as Christ is quickened and raised from the dead, so all his elect are quickened together, and raised with him, representatively, and shall, by virtue of his resurrection, be raised personally, and live also; which is no inconsiderable argument to suffer afflictions patiently, and which is the design of this instance and example of the sufferings, death, and resurrection of Christ.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 14-22 - We sanctify God before others, when our conduct invites and encourage them to glorify and honour him. What was the ground and reason of their hope? We should be able to defend our religion with meekness, in the fear of God. There is no room for any other fears where this great fea is; it disturbs not. The conscience is good, when it does its offic well. That person is in a sad condition on whom sin and suffering meet sin makes suffering extreme, comfortless, and destructive. Surely it is better to suffer for well-doing than for evil-doing, whatever ou natural impatience at times may suggest. The example of Christ is a argument for patience under sufferings. In the case of our Lord' suffering, he that knew no sin, suffered instead of those who knew n righteousness. The blessed end and design of our Lord's suffering were, to reconcile us to God, and to bring us to eternal glory. He wa put to death in respect of his human nature, but was quickened an raised by the power of the Holy Spirit. If Christ could not be free from sufferings, why should Christians think to be so? God takes exac notice of the means and advantages people in all ages have had. As to the old world, Christ sent his Spirit; gave warning by Noah. But thoug the patience of God waits long, it will cease at last. And the spirit of disobedient sinners, as soon as they are out of their bodies, ar committed to the prison of hell, where those that despised Noah' warning now are, and from whence there is no redemption. Noah' salvation in the ark upon the water, which carried him above the floods, set forth the salvation of all true believers. That tempora salvation by the ark was a type of the eternal salvation of believer by baptism of the Holy Spirit. To prevent mistakes, the apostl declares what he means by saving baptism; not the outward ceremony of washing with water, which, in itself, does no more than put away the filth of the flesh, but that baptism, of which the baptismal wate formed the sign. Not the outward ordinance, but when a man, by the regeneration of the Spirit, was enabled to repent and profess faith and purpose a new life, uprightly, and as in the presence of God. Le us beware that we rest not upon outward forms. Let us learn to look of the ordinances of God spiritually, and to inquire after the spiritual effect and working of them on our consciences. We would willingly have all religion reduced to outward things. But many who were baptized, an constantly attended the ordinances, have remained without Christ, die in their sins, and are now past recovery. Rest not then till thou ar cleansed by the Spirit of Christ and the blood of Christ. Hi resurrection from the dead is that whereby we are assured of purifyin and peace __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
οτι 3754 και 2532 χριστος 5547 απαξ 530 περι 4012 αμαρτιων 266 επαθεν 3958 5627 δικαιος 1342 υπερ 5228 αδικων 94 ινα 2443 ημας 2248 προσαγαγη 4317 5632 τω 3588 θεω 2316 θανατωθεις 2289 5772 μεν 3303 σαρκι 4561 ζωοποιηθεις 2227 5685 δε 1161 τω 3588 πνευματι 4151
Vincent's NT Word Studies
18. The just for the unjust. But the Greek without the article is more graphic: just for unjust.
In the flesh. The Greek omits the article. Read in flesh, the material form assumed in his incarnation.
In the spirit. Also without the article, in spirit; not as A.V., by the Spirit, meaning the Holy Ghost, but referring to his spiritual, incorporeal life. The words connect themselves with the death-cry on the cross: "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit." Huther observes, "Flesh is that side of the man's being by which he belongs to earth, is therefore a creature of earth, and accordingly perishable like everything earthy. Spirit, on the other hand, is that side of his being according to which he belongs to a supernal sphere of being, and is therefore not merely a creature of earth, and is destined to an immortal existence."
Thus we must be careful and not understand spirit here of the Spirit of God, as distinguished from the flesh of Christ, but of the spiritual nature of Christ; "the higher spiritual nature which belonged to the integrity of his humanity" (Cook).
