Lose His Own Soul.
“For what is a man profited, if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”—Matthew 16:26.
The word here rendered “soul,” should have been rendered “life,” as admitted by many of the most learned biblical divines, among whom we may mention Dr. Adam Clarke, the distinguished Methodist commentator. In fact, the original word occurs in the preceding verse, and is there rendered “life.” “For whosoever will lose his life for my sake, shall find it.”
Jesus had just spoken of the dangers which those would encounter, who should make a public profession of his religion by taking up their cross and following him. They would receive such ill treatment and persecution, that it would be like taking their lives in their hands and going forth to meet the enemy. The Savior knew well that this persecution would prevent some from embracing his religion, while others would turn away from him and abandon his cause, in order to escape persecution and save their lives. But such would even lose their lives; hence the expression, “whosoever will save his life, or attempt to save it, by joining hands with the persecutors, will lose it. And whosoever will lose his life for my sake, shall find it.”
As though Jesus had said: “He who will accept my teachings, and obey my commands and instruction, and fearlessly meet danger and persecution, shall save his life; he shall be saved from destruction, when severe national judgments shall fall upon the persecuting Jew.”
In the light of these suggestions, we readily apprehend the meaning of the passage under consideration. “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?” As though the Savior had said: “Suppose you reject my truth and gain the wealth and honors of the world, where is the profit, as you will certainly be overwhelmed in the terrible calamities about to come upon this sinful generation! Even admit that you will lose your life at the hand of the persecutor, for embracing my doctrine and religion, you can but lose it, and if you reject me, you certainly will lose it, hence there is nothing gained by rejecting me.”
This view of the subject is sustained by the parallel passages, recorded in the 9th chapter of Luke: “For what is a man advantaged if he gain the whole world and lose himself, or be cast away?”
Similar phraseology is found in the 10th chapter of Matthew, upon which Dr. Adam Clarke remarks as follows: “He that findeth his life shall lose it, was literally fulfilled in Archbishop Cranmer. He confessed Christ against the devil, and his eldest son, the Pope. He was ordered to be burnt; to save his life, he recanted, and was, notwithstanding, burnt.” He denied the truth to save his life, and then he lost it! Learned orthodox divines of different names take this view of the subject:
CAMPBELL.— “With the forfeit of his life; English translation, Lose his own soul. Forfeit comes nearer the import of the original word, which Doddridge has endeavored to convey by a circumlocution, should be punished with the loss of his life. But the chief error in the English translation lies in changing, without necessity, the word answering to psyché [ψυχή], calling it, in the preceding verse, life, and in this, soul. The expressions are proverbial, importing, it signifies nothing how much a man gain, if it be at the expense of his life.”
CLARK.— “Lose his own soul; or lose his life. On what authority many have translated the word psyché, in the 25th verse, life, and in this verse, soul, I know not; but am certain it means life, in both places. If a man should gain the whole world, its riches, honors, and pleasures, and lose his life, what would all these profit him, seeing they can only be enjoyed during life.”
The legitimate sentiment here taught is, that we should not be so entirely absorbed in the pursuits of the world as to injure our physical constitutions and hasten ourselves into the grave. What does such a man gain? He has been consecrated to the world, amassed a large property, but lost his life. This we regard as the primary meaning of the passage under consideration.
Son of Perdition.
“While I was with them [the disciples] in the world, I kept them in my name; those that thou gavest me, I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition, that the scripture might be fulfilled.”—John 17:12.
In whatever sense, Judas, the individual referred to here, was lost, that condition was essential to the fulfillment of the Scriptures. But, who will say that he must be consigned to endless perdition that the scripture might be fulfilled? We are not aware that any scripture required the endless punishment of Judas in order that it be fulfilled. Such an interpretation is too manifestly erroneous to require a moment’s time to refute it.
The meaning of the passage is clearly this: while Christ was with the disciples, he kept them faithful to his cause, devoted to the work which engaged his attention; and what is meant by his having lost none but the son of perdition, is, that none had abandoned his religion, except Judas, who betrayed him. Long before, one had been spoken of, who should lift up his heel against him. (See Psalms 41:9.) And when Judas turned away from his Lord and Master, that scripture was fulfilled, which declared that “he that eateth bread with me hath lifteth up his heel against me.”
When this disciple abandoned his Lord and Master, he was lost—lost to truth—lost in sin,—and because he was thus lost, he was called the son of perdition. It referred simply to his apostacy from the Christian faith, without regard to the future condition of Judas. Son of apostacy, means an apostate. Professor Stuart says:
“The word son was a favorite among the Hebrews, and was employed by them to designate a great variety of relations. The son of any thing, according to Oriental idiom, may be either, dependent on it, like it, the consequence of it, worthy of it, etc. The son of eight days; that is, the child of eight days old: of a hundred years; that is, the person who is a hundred years of age: the son of my sorrow; that is, the one who has caused me distress: son of valor; that is, bold, brave: son of Belial; that is, a worthless man: son of wickedness; that is, wicked: son of a murderer; that is, a murderous person: son of death; that is, one who deserves death: son of thunder; that is, a man of powerful energetic eloquence or strength: son of peace; that is, a peaceable man.”
Son of perdition, means an individual in an apostate condition — lost in sin.
We quote from “Paige’s Selections,” the following from eminent commentators upon this subject:
WHITBY.— “And none of them is lost: i.e., either by temporal death, (chapter 18:9); or by falling off from me, but the son of perdition, i.e., Judas, worthy of perdition. So a son of death is worthy of it, (2 Sam. 12:5,) and éthnos apolías is a nation fit to be destroyed. (Eccl. 16:9; Matt. 23:15, and the note on Eph. 2:2.”)
Dr. Whitby does not say what he understands by perdition; but the word apoleias, in the passage he quotes above, is precisely the word rendered perdition in the text. From the manner in which he uses that passage, he seems to have understood the word to imply temporal destruction, and nothing more.
ROSENMULLER.— “No one is ignorant that Judas is here intended the betrayer of Christ, and who had fallen off from him. Apoleia, (perdition,) therefore, as the preceding words teach, in this place, seems to indicate a defection from Jesus, the teacher; as in 2 Thess. 2:2, where the phrase o iós apolías (the son of perdition) differs very little from o uios amartias, (the son of transgression,) and is used concerning a noted impostor, who persuaded many to a defection from the Christian religion.”
HAMMOND.— “All this while of my continuing among them, I have labored, by revealing thy will to them, to confirm them, and also to preserve them from danger, and it hath succeedeth well; of all those who were, by thy preventing grace, so prepared, as that they came to me, and undertook my service, none have carried or fallen off, (see chapter xviii. 9, and here verse 15,) but only the wicked traitor prophesied of. Psalm 109.”
Judgment To Come.
“And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.”—Acts 24:25.
Many erroneously suppose that Felix trembled because Paul announced the awful doom that awaited him, in the immortal state of existence. This, however, is entirely assumed, as there is not the least particle of proof to sustain such a sentiment. We have the expression here, “judgment to come,” but it does not say that this “judgment” was after the resurrection of man from the dead, nor in the future world. And when we understand correctly the language originally employed by the apostle, we shall see that Felix trembled, not because he feared a judgment day in the infinite ages to come and was in danger of endless perdition, but because the judgment threatened, and punishment announced was nigh at hand. The original expression, kai ké tú krímatos, tú méllontos ésesthe, here rendered judgment to come, would be better translated by the judgment about to be, or soon to come, or “impending judgment.” Dr. Howesis, in his translation of the New Testament, renders the original as follows: “And as he discoursed of righteousness, and temperance, and judgment which is to be revealed, Felix, being greatly terrified, replied,” etc. The following criticisms will help us to understand this and many other passages.
Parkhurst says, “méllo [μέλλω] signifies, with an infinitive following, to be about to do a thing, futurus sum. (Matt. 2:13; 16:27.) Both the verb and participle are in the New Testament joined with the infinitive future, as ésesthe [ἔσεσθαι]. So likewise in the purest Greek writers.” In his note on Matthew 3:7, Dr. Campbell says: “Méllon often means not only future, but near. There is just such a difference between esthe, and mélli ésesthe, in Greek, as there is between it will be, and it is about to be in English. This holds particularly in threats and warnings.” These valuable criticisms are from eminent and learned men in the sacrificial church.
In the passage under consideration, méllo is used with an infinitive, and according to these critics should be translated about to be. And Dr. Campbell says, “this holds particularly in threats and warnings,” and certainly Paul was warning Felix of impending judgment. Sometimes méllo with an infinitive is rendered about to do a thing, as in Acts 3:3: “Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple.” So in Matthew 16:27: “For the Son of man shall come (is about to come) in the glory of his Father with his angels,” etc. So in the passage before us. When Paul reasoned of “judgment to come,” méllo being used here with an infinitive, it means judgment about to be, or to come. Dr. Campbell says, méllo often means not only future, but near; and as this holds good “particularly in threats and warnings,” it is reasonable to suppose that Paul spoke of a judgment near at hand, and not of a day of future general judgment in the immortal world. Such a judgment would not have given Felix any special anxiety, particularly had he been told that by repentance he could easily escape the penalty of God’s law! Such a statement is not designed to excite any alarm. There is nothing in the passage to indicate that Paul reasoned about a judgment to come in the future world, but its very structure shows that reference was made to a judgment soon to come— near at hand.
Let us remember the circumstances under which this language was uttered. Felix, while procurator of Judea, became, as Josephus tells us, so captivated with Drusilla, the wife of another man, that he, by skillful intrigue, persuaded her to abandon her husband and marry him. Accordingly she acted ill, eloped from her lawful husband, and at the time Paul addressed Felix, he was living in adultery with this woman. Paul discoursed very faithfully to this vile man. He did not tell this couple of the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah, but of their sins, and the divine judgments which hung over them, and were about to come upon them. He reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment about to come. Paul used the word righteousness, here, to rebuke the injustice and cruelty practised by Felix. When Paul discoursed of temperance, he meant restraint from all the bad passions in which Felix had reveled. The word is used here as being opposed to incontinence. Paul discoursed upon chastity, and preached right at Felix, who trembled before the rebukes of this apostle. Whitby says that “Felix practised uncleanness with greediness.”
After exposing his injustice, and pointing out his iniquity, Paul very naturally spoke of the punishment which awaited him for his sins, or the judgment about to come. As we have no report of his discourse, and as the Bible gives no particulars, save that Paul spoke of righteousness, temperance, and judgment about to come, we are left to reason as best we may, in regard to the punishment soon to come upon this wicked man.
Paul may have referred to the national calamities and judgments then soon to come upon the Jewish people, or he might have referred to some signal display of divine judgment to overtake Felix, like that which came upon Herod, when eaten up by worms, or he might have spoken of the legal punishment to which his iniquity exposed him. In absence of direct proof, we cannot assert with positiveness what punishment was alluded to, but whatever it was, it was soon to come; it was a judgment which was about to be, or which was near at hand. Paul may have referred to the national judgments about to overwhelm the Jews, and the immediate kindred of his captivating but wicked wife. Drusilla was a Jewess, and, of course, any calamity coming upon her nation and kindred, must have excited and alarmed both herself and her vile companion. The punishment about to come upon the Jews, was a merited chastisement for their sins. Any such announcement would naturally terrify and alarm them. Paul frequently alluded to this awful judgment, then nigh at hand; the day was fast approaching, and if this subject engaged his attention on this occasion, we can see that Felix had good cause to fear and tremble. Paul knew that the wrath, or judgment of God was revealed from heaven, against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men; he knew that for every transgression and disobedience there was a just recompense of reward, both for individuals and nations. And Paul undoubtedly presented these solemn facts to the mind of Felix, who had abandoned himself to vile passions and was justly exposed to merited retribution. Divine judgments were about to come upon the Jewish nation, which would involve the Roman empire itself in distress; hence we read, “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity,” etc. “Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth,” etc. Luke 21:25, 26. Felix might well have trembled, in view of those divine judgments about to come, which would bring such “distress of nations.”
Felix might have feared for his own fate. All history shows him to have been a bad man, remarkable, as Horne says, for his lust and injustice. He might have been reminded of the fate of his official predecessor, Pontius Pilate, who had been governor of Judea. He was an unjust and cruel magistrate, as Josephus says, sanguinary, obstinate, and impetuous, and often disturbed the tranquility of Judea. After having put many innocent Samaritans to death, he was ordered to Rome, to give an account of his mal-administration to the emperor. He was ultimately banished to Gaul, where, it is reported, that he put an end to his own existence. In view of these circumstances, Felix, being also a bad man, might well tremble, least he too might soon be brought to account for his cruelty, injustice and mal-administration. Divine judgment had come upon others, why not upon him? Herod had but recently been eaten of worms and died on account of his wickedness, and why should not retribution be visited upon Felix? He had reason to fear and tremble, in view of God’s retributive justice, against the ungodliness and unrighteousness of men in this life. And when we remember that Paul discoursed in regard to judgment about to come, as the original indicates, there can be no doubt that Felix trembled, in view of earthly calamities, and not of endless perdition!
Let Him Be Unjust Still.
“He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.”—Revelation 22:11.
This passage has been brought forward to prove that the state of man is unalterably fixed at death; that he remains through eternity in the same moral status in which he dies, and consequently that there is no change after death. If he is righteous at death, it is claimed that he will remain righteous still, and if he dies a sinner, he will continue a sinner still. It is moreover claimed, that this is a probationary state, and that at the day of judgment, men will be sentenced according to the character they have formed in this life. This however, is begging the question, as logicians say, and assuming as true what has never been proved. The text makes no reference to the resurrection of man, nor to his condition after death. If his immortal condition is to be determined by his moral status at death, how then is this life a probationary state? How can it be said that he is now forming a character for eternity? He may live a righteous life three score years and ten, and at last die in the commission of some comparatively trivial offense, sinful and unjust, then he must remain unjust forever. These three score and ten years go for nothing. How, through a long life, did he form any character for eternity?
Again: it is believed, by those who accept this theory, that all men are totally depraved, and that children are born with depraved and corrupt natures; hence, as thousands die in infancy, it follows from their reasoning, that they must remain corrupt and filthy still. If these little children are thus depraved and filthy when they die, they must remain filthy throughout eternity, according to this view of the subject. If the common application of the text is correct, then all must remain as imperfect and sinful to all eternity, as they are when they die. As all die sinful, all must remain sinful forever! As no one is perfectly holy and free from sin in this life, so no one will be perfectly free from sin in the future world, for we are told that there no change after death.
These reflections exhibit the necessity of seeking a more rational interpretation of the text. It is important that we bear in mind, that the book of Revelation was written previous to the second overthrow of the Jewish nation, and the dispersion of the chosen people of God the second time, when they were trodden beneath the feet of the Gentiles, and were cast out as a reproach and byword among the nations of the earth, to which event the passage under consideration evidently alludes. The civil and ecclesiastical polity was to be taken from that sinful people, and fearful destruction was approaching and even nigh at hand, such as never had been, nor ever should be again. It was perfectly natural, therefore, that such an event should be made the subject of frequent allusion and prophecy. “The time was at hand,” as the Revelator declares; and the events referred to were “shortly to come to pass.” Those who were unjust should be unjust still; and those who were righteous should be righteous still; that is, in that approaching desolation which was nigh at hand, those here denominated the “unjust” and “righteous” should be in opposite conditions and circumstances, separate and distinct from each other. The wicked, persecuting Jews having filled up the measure of their iniquity, punishment was inevitable, and when the overflowing scourge came upon them, and the cry was raised,— “Lord, Lord, open unto us,”— there was no opportunity left to escape the impending judgments; and though they might desire to flee from them, yet, no professions of godliness and piety could screen them, they should be filthy still. The Christians having observed the signs predicted by the Master, fled to the mountains of Pella, though scarcely saved, while the unjust and wicked Jews were kept in the city on every side; a deep trench was cast about them, which served as an impassable gulf—called a great gulf—so that there was no communication between the “righteous” and the “wicked.” Their conditions for the time being were dissimilar and fixed. There was no passing to and from the city. They that would pass from hence to you, cannot. The Christians, who are here called the “righteous,” were preserved safely from the judgments that came upon the ungodly, persecuting Jew. They were then in distinct and opposite conditions. To the unjust, it was said, “Let him be unjust still,” and to the righteous, “Let him be righteous still.” Not that the wicked Jew should remain unjust and sinful to all eternity, for all Israel shall ultimately be saved, Jew and Gentile; for God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that He might have mercy on all, so that every knee should bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Tomson’s Beza.— “This is not as were other prophecies, which were commanded to be hid, till the time appointed, as in Daniel 12:4, because that these things should be quickly accomplished, and did even now begin.”—Note in loc.
Everlasting Burnings.
“The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness has surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?”—Isaiah 33:14.
This passage has no reference to the immortal state of existence, but refers to events connected with this life, and the judgments of God inflicted on the disobedient in this world. Fire was one of the most common figures among the ancients to portray divine judgments and severe national calamities, and those upon whom the ruin came, are represented as being in a furnace of fire. Hence we read that the Lord’s “fire is in Zion, and his furnace in Jerusalem.” Isaiah 31:9. The divine judgments coming upon Assyria, are spoken of as a “devouring fire” as follows: “And the Lord shall cause his glorious voice to be heard, and shall show the lighting down of his arm, with the indignation of his anger, and with the flame of a devouring fire, with scattering, and tempest, and hailstones.” When the question is asked, “Who can dwell with the devouring fire?” we understand it to be an interrogatory assertion, that none can withstand the divine judgments in Zion; none of the sinners in Jerusalem can escape the merited chastisements of God.
Reference is made to those judgments and national calamities in the following passage: “Behold the day cometh that shall burn as an oven, and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble.” Malachi 4:1. When John made his appearance, he exhorted the hypocrites in Zion to flee from the wrath to come by repentance, that they might escape the impending judgments, and those who did not, should be as chaff that would be burned with unquenchable fire. Who can dwell with everlasting burnings? In other words, who can dwell amidst such ruin and desolation and sufferings? To dwell in “devouring fire” and “everlasting burnings” was to endure the judgments to be poured out upon Jerusalem. The terrible destruction of that ill-fated, wicked city was spoken of in the following language: “Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree; the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned therein.” Ezek. 20:47.
Again: the same fearful temporal ruin is referred to in the following manner: “But if ye will not hearken unto me, to hallow the Sabbath day and not to bear a burden, even entering in at the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day; then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched.” Jer. 17:27. Here we are told that the fire should be kindled in Jerusalem, and devour the palaces thereof, and should not be quenched. This figurative language is descriptive only of temporal ruin, national desolation and destruction. Who shall dwell in this devouring fire? Who of the sinners in Zion can escape when the city is overwhelmed and destroyed? It shall not be quenched; that is, as Dr. Clarke says, till the land be utterly ruined. It “shall not be quenched,” is an expression that means the same as “everlasting burnings,” which means complete and utter destruction, national ruin. The army which advanced to destroy Jerusalem, is described as follows: “A fire devoureth before them, and behind them a flame burneth; the land is as a garden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.” Joel 2:3. These passages are sufficient to illustrate the oriental style of speech, and to indicate the severe calamities coming upon the sinners in Zion, figuratively spoken of by everlasting burnings. This is the same as the fire not being quenched, which means complete destruction; or, as Dr. Clarke says, “till the land be utterly ruined.” Ezek. 20:48.
The Wicked Driven Away.
“The wicked is driven away in his wickedness; but the righteous hath hope in his death.”—Proverbs 14:32.
This passage has been frequently brought forward to support the doctrine that the wicked will be driven, by our heavenly Father, into the flames of hell, and tormented eternally; a doctrine which is dishonorable to God, and opposed to the teachings of his Word.
When Solomon says that the wicked is driven away in his wickedness, we understand him to mean what David meant, when he said, “the wicked shall be turned into hell.” [sheol.] They were suddenly driven to destruction; quickly turned into sheol. Solomon means that the wicked shall be suddenly destroyed; their career unexpectedly ended; while they engaged in their iniquity, they would be cut off; but the righteous had hope in their death; that is, the death of the wicked gave hope to the righteous. The sudden destruction of Pharaoh and his hosts in the Red Sea, was the hope of the children of Israel. Then the wicked were driven away in their wickedness, but the righteous had hope in their death. Haman, who had purposed the slaughter of the Jews, was suddenly arrested in his evil course, driven away in his wickedness, and those whose destruction he had planned, had hope in his death, inasmuch as they escaped persecution and death themselves. God’s people were then delivered from the hand of the oppressor, and they hoped to be free from persecution.
When Jerusalem was destroyed, and its streets were red with the blood of the slain, and the power of that proud and haughty people was taken from them by the Romans, then again were the wicked driven away in their wickedness; but their death gave hope to the righteous. The disciples of Christ were no longer persecuted by them as before, and the word of God grew mightily and prevailed. Our revolutionary fathers had hope only in the death of those who sought to enslave them and deprive them of their inalienable rights; and after they drove their wicked oppressors away in their wickedness, they had hope for American freedom. Whenever the wicked persecute the righteous, and threaten their liberty and lives, if they are thwarted in their purposes and meet with overwhelming destruction, their death brings hope to the righteous, for then they know that they are free from the persecution to which they were exposed when encompassed by their enemies. Whenever the wicked are thwarted in their designs, we have hope for the immediate triumph of the cause they oppose. And often the only hope of the righteous is the death of the wicked. Old tyrants never take their heels from the necks of the oppressed until driven from their corrupt thrones. The righteous have hope when the wicked are driven away in their wickedness.
In this sense, the death of the wicked is an occasion of hope to the righteous. This, we think, was the meaning of Solomon when he penned the language we have considered. Though the subject had no reference to the immortal world, yet, through the teachings of the gospel, we are led to hope for the ultimate redemption of all souls, and that finally every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Bishop Warburton, speaking of this passage, says:
“ The righteous hath hope that he shall be delivered from most imminent dangers. So the Psalmist says: ‘Upon them that hope in his mercy, to deliver their souls from death, and to keep them alive in famine.’ And again: ‘Thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living.’“—Divine Legation, Book VI., Lec. 3.
Spirits In Prison.
“ By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; which sometimes were disobedient, when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.”—1 Peter 3:19, 20.
Some have understood this passage to teach that Christ descended into hell, and preached to the lost spirits there. We do not think that the passage makes any allusion to the condition of the soul after death. We should bear in mind that the apostle does not say that the work here ascribed to Christ, was done between his death and resurrection, as some have taught, but it was done subsequent to his resurrection, or after he was quickened by the spirit. “Being put to death in the flesh, and quickened by the spirit; by which [spirit] also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;” or, as Wakefield translates it, “the minds of men in prison.” We thus learn that he preached unto those in prison after he was raised from the dead.
Man is the intelligent offspring of God, and capable of being instructed in the principles of divine truth, and understanding the operations, to some extent, of the divine economy. As the divine truths of the gospel are presented for his instruction through the appointed messengers, whom Christ commissions and sends out to proclaim his truth, it is the same as though Christ spoke himself. He speaks through his chosen servants, his appointed agents, they being authorized to speak for him, those who listen to them, hear him, just as those who saw and heard him, saw and heard the Father. (John 12:44; 14:9.) Through them he preached to spirits in prison, or to “minds of men in prison.”
In the Scriptures, we read of the “spirits of just men made perfect;” upon which, Dr. Adam Clarke says: “Spirits of just men mean, righteous men, or full-grown Christians.” “Spirits” then, is a term synonymous with men. The Father of spirits means father of men in the body; and the God of the spirits of all flesh, means men in the flesh on earth. And Dr. Clarke further informs us, that these different readings in the ancient copies of the New Testament form the one given in our English version. He says that in some Greek MSS. it reads, “in spirit.” And he adds the following: “I have before me one of the first, if not the very first edition of the Latin Bible, and in it the verse stands thus: “By which he came spiritually and preached to them that were in prison.”
Who then are here referred to as being in prison, to whom Christ preached after he was quickened by the spirit, or raised from the dead?
We think that reference is here made to the Gentile world. Previous to the death and resurrection of Christ, the disciples were not to go into the way of the Gentiles, but were sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, to the Jews only. But after Christ rose from the dead, he commissioned his apostles to go out and preach the gospel to every creature.
The darkened and benighted condition of the Gentiles was such, that they were very naturally spoken of, by a figure of speech, as being in a prison-house, for they were in the darkness of heathenism, and deliverance from that state of blindness and moral death is spoken of as deliverance from prison. They were in the prison-house of sin, error, blindness, and unbelief.
The Scriptures are explicit upon this point. In the 42d chapter of Isaiah, we read thus: “Behold my servant whom I uphold, mine elect in whom my soul delighteth. I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. ….I, the Lord, have called thee in righteousness and will hold thine hand and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles, to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness, out of the prison-house.”
Here, the Gentiles are spoken of as having blinded minds, as being in prison, and as being brought out of their prison-house of error and unbelief. They were to be instructed and enlightened, for Christ was to be a Light of the Gentiles. When the glorious light of the gospel shone upon the Gentile world, those who sat in darkness and in the region and shadow of death, saw a great light, and came out of their prison-house of darkness and sin; hence we read, “The Gentiles shall see thy righteousness.” And again, the evangelical prophet makes allusion to Christ as follows: “It is a light thing that thou shouldst be my servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and restore the preserved of Israel; I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, ….that thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Shew yourselves.” Isaiah 49:6–9. To the same purport is the following scripture: “The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord hath annointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek: he hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted; to proclaim liberty to the captives; and the opening of the prison to them that are bound.” Isaiah 61:1.
All mankind were embraced in the Savior’s mission, though, for some wise purpose, the truth was proclaimed to the Jews at first and confined to them; but after the resurrection of Christ, or after he was quickened by the Spirit, he commissioned his apostles to preach his gospel to every creature. The poor, benighted Gentiles were in bondage—in the prison-house of error and sin, and they were the captives to be delivered from their heathenish darkness, by the enlightening agency of christian truth. The apostle Peter—the author of our text, was to go out and preach this gospel to the Gentiles. Knowing that the prophets had spoken of the Gentiles as being in prison, and knowing how such language was understood, it was perfectly natural for him to employ similar phraseology when speaking of the preaching of the gospel to the Gentiles.
By spirits in prison, he means the minds of men in prison—in mental darkness—in spiritual bondage. They were in the prison-house of sin and ignorance and unbelief. But in God’s appointed time, they who sat in the region and shadow of death saw a great light, and the captives rejoiced when deliverance was proclaimed. Hence we read: “When the Gentiles heard thereof, they were glad.” And again: “Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.” Paul was commanded to “go to the people and the Gentiles, to open their eyes, and turn them from the power of Satan unto God.” Acts 26:17, 18.
Christ preached to the Gentiles through his appointed servants, the messengers of his grace and truth; and when he commissioned his apostles and bade them go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature, it was the same as though Christ preached himself, for he was with them, aided, guided and influenced them, and Christ was preached to the Gentiles. He was quickened by the Spirit, by which—that is, by which spirit—he, through his chosen apostles, preached to those in mental and moral darkness, to minds of men in prison.
Wakefield thinks that a comparison is here instituted between the Antediluvians and the Gentiles, thus: “By which he went and preached to the minds of men in prison, who were disobedient, as those upon whom the long suffering of God waited in the days of Noah.” This author means, that the Gentiles were as disobedient as the Antediluvians.
The succeeding context shows that the subject had reference to the Gentiles: “For the time past of our lives may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revelings, banqueting, and abominable idolatries, wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you; who shall give account to him who is ready to judge the quick and the dead.” Upon this passage, Dr. Adam Clarke comments as follows: “They shall give account of their irregularities to him who is prepared to judge both the Jews and Gentiles.” Christ commissioned his apostles to go to the poor Gentiles, sitting in the region and shadow of death, and proclaim those truths, which should be a light of the Gentiles, and which should bring the prisoners from their prisons, and those who sat in darkness, out of their prison-house.