Jesus preached the Gospel to the dead?

When He died, Jesus went to hell for all of us so those who believe in His sacrifice won't have to endure that punishment. He also preached the gospel to the “saints” that were in "Abraham’s bosom"....a place Jesus spoke of when He contrasted the death of a certain rich man who went to hell, to that of Lazarus who was carried to Abraham's bosom.

This "certain man" and Lazarus died before Jesus went to the cross, so that example in the gospels gives us much insight to the Scriptures you question.

Jesus preaching literally to the dead is in perfect harmony to 1 Peter 4:6, because those who lived before Christ's death on the cross received the same opportunity (or the same judgment) that we receive, depending on whether we accept or reject the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Those who were dead before the cross and resurrection are accountable to believe the same Gospel that we do! There truly IS no other way to be saved....and it truly is the most ALL-INCLUSIVE, not mutually exclusive good news there is!

In other words, God is just and He would not condemn those who had already died - especially those who died in faith - looking for the promises before Jesus came and the Gospel was preached – (see Hebrews 11) He offered them the same message and opportunity to receive that good news that we who are alive have today, Praise God!

Hebrews 11:39-40:

“...and all these [heroes of the faith from the Old Testament], having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.”

There may be much more spiritual truth contained in these verses – but the basic truth here is that even the saints of old are not made perfect apart from us, that is, they are not receiving a promise that is better than ours, nor are they receiving a redemption that is better than ours. God is offering the same redemption to all – the quick (“living”) and the dead – and we will all be glorified and perfected together when we receive the final installment of our common salvation...

Hope this helps - Love in Christ, Cassandra

We're looking at two different scenarios in the two passages. In chapter 3, Peter is talking about the period between Christ's death and His resurrection from the dead. In this period He--Jesus--did indeed preach to the spirits in prison. Peter doesn't give any details as to what Jesus did preach. Bottom line, Jesus was preaching to the spirits of the dead but we have very few details. The most important thing of all is not that Jesus died (even though this is very important) or that He preached but rather that He rose from the dead!

Now in the second passage, or chapter 4, Peter is talking to believers who were going through some rather severe persecution. Here he is describing those non-believers who, as someone already said, was alive physically but dead, or separated from God, spiritually.

You can find several on-line commentaries or study helps at websites like these: http://www.blueletterbible.org/ ; http://www.ccel.org/ ; http://bible.crosswalk.com/ ; http://www.godrules.net/ At any of these sites, type in the passages and you should get a list of helps. I wish you good success as you study God's word.

This is my take on it. These are the disobedient people who mocked Noah and drowned in the flood. Being in prison denotes that they were waiting judgement which is the second resurrection which is the resurrection of the unsaved. The bible teaches us that once we are dead, we do not get another chance to accept Christ or as in the old testament, turn to God. "It is appointed to man to die once, then comes judgement." What people don't know is that this word "preach" in the greek can also mean "made proclamation to" as it is translated in some of the bible versions. I think it is just saying that Christ showed himself to them after He died and proclaimed what He had done on the cross, not that they had a chance to accept him after they had died. Who wouldn't accept him when you're in the spirit realm and can see with proof that God exists and that hell exists. That's why we have to make the choice here on earth.

the gospel is death, burial, and ressurrection. The fulfillment of the gospel is in Acts 2:38. Without the power of the Holy Ghost, then you do not have the power to be a witness. That is what Jesus Christ told the Apostoles.

The scriptures in Peter are teaching that Jesus the Christ (as a spirit) went to a spiritual world wherein the dead existed (in a spirit form) and gave them his teachings. At that point, it appears to me that the spirits had the option of either accepting him as their savior or rejecting him, thus having the same knowledge as those mortals who have been taught of Jesus' mission, and therefore, qualified to be judged on the same basis of knowledge about Jesus.

The way to live and govern the planet Jesus described is the opposite of what is in place and people think they are with Christ in some way when actually they work for Satan. The mainstream which includes 99.9999% of all people are educated and trained to do exactly what Jesus stood against.

The Messiah brings the spiritually dead back to life by installing the simple way of life and governing system that Jesus talked about if you will stand behind the man you tried to kill.

Sis Kristevonne has a good answer. The word "preached" can mean "proclaimed".

Sis Sandy said something similar in her answer to my question "What happened to Jesus Christ between His death and resurrection?"

http://au.answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=As...

God bless you, sister.

This is a very tricky passage, and therefore we must pay close attention to the language. In my opinion the NIV has totally butchered this passage to say what it doesn't actually say. Look at the language in the KJV "put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: 19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;"

First of all it says he was made alive by the spirit (he was resurrected by God the Holy Spirit). It doesn't say that he was a spirit, as the NIV would have you believe. Secondly it says "by which...", in other words it was by his resurrection that he preached. Which means his resurrection was the message / witness that brought salvation to those "spirits in prison". Now, notice this is all very poetic language, but "spirit" mean "life" and so this message of salvation was brought to these "lives in prison" by His resurrection. Those "lives in prison" refers to lives that could not have been resurrected prior to Jesus' resurrection, so the analogy to prison was used, meaning separation from God, but now, thanks to his resurrection (by which...) those lives can now also be resurrected, just as all the lives who lived after Jesus' resurrection.

It's a very poetic passage but it doesn't actually say that Jesus was a spirit for three days and descended into hell and preached to people who had already died. #1 that would contradict the parable of Lazarus and the rich man, in which the rich man was not given a second chance and was told that those who are still alive should listen to the prophets and get right with God before they die. #2 If Jesus was a spirit for three days then that would mean he didn't actually die, when in fact he did actually die. Death means no life, and spirit means life, so to be a spirit when you die is a huge contradiction not only in itself but also against other scriptures (from dust you came and to dust you will return, the dead know nothing, etc)

I think that when Peter speaks of "the dead" he speaks of the "spiritually dead", people who have not accepted Christ and received eternal life.

I agree with Joel V

God Bless