Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary 1 Peter 3:18

"Because Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God; being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;" — 1 Peter 3:18 (ASV)

The main purpose of vv.18–22 is fairly clear. “For Christ died” suggests that the example of Christ’s experience through suffering into victory gives assurance that those joined to him will share the same destiny. “For Christ died for sins once for all” stresses the definitive and final work of Jesus in salvation (cf. Romans 6:10). “For sins” is a phrase describing the reason for his death (cf. Romans 4:25; 1 Corinthians 15:3; Galatians 1:4; Hebrews 10:12). “The righteous for the unrighteous” points to Jesus as the Righteous Servant of Isa 53 (cf. Acts 3:13f.), who suffered in the place of the sinners (cf. Isaiah 53:5–6, 11–12) and thus died a substitutionary death. The purpose of his death is “to bring you to God” (cf. Romans 5:2, where a similar concept is taught).

He was “put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit” can also be translated, “put to death in flesh, but made alive in spirit.” Behind the NIV translation stand a number of problems. Paul’s antithesis is between the Greek words for “flesh” (here “body”; GK 4922) and “spirit” (GK 4460). These two words do not refer to two “parts” of Christ (i.e., his body and his soul), nor does the “spirit” refer to the Holy Spirit or Christ’s human spirit. Rather, “flesh” refers to Christ in his human sphere of life and “spirit” refers to Christ in his resurrected sphere of life (cf. Romans 1:3–4; 1 Timothy 3:16). If this view is adopted, the exegesis makes good sense.