Did Jesus preach to spirits in Paradise?

Are you suggesting that after physical death, people might be saved? While it is true that the Greek verb, κηρύσσω, used in 1 Peter 3:19, can is used for the "preaching of the Gospel Message", it does not mean this in every instance, and is also used for "proclaiming" something, with no reference to salvation. Hebrews 9:27 tells is, "And as it is appointed unto men once and for all to die, but after this the judgment"; with no option for anyone to have a post-death conversion, whoever they might be. Repentant sinners are saved only in this life, and unrepentant sinners are sadly damned eternally.

 

1 Enoch 6-15 describes how the sons of God (called “Watchers” in that ancient book) who committed the offense of Genesis 6:1–4 were imprisoned under the earth for what they had done. That imprisonment is behind the reference to the “spirits in prison” in 1 Peter 3:19.

In the 1 Enoch story, the Watchers appealed their sentence and asked Enoch, the biblical prophet who never died (Gen 5:21–24), to intercede with God for them (1 Enoch 6:4). God rejected their petition and Enoch had to return to the imprisoned Watchers and give them the bad news (1 Enoch 13:1–3; 14:4–5). The point to catch is that Enoch visits the spiritual world in the “bad section of town” where the offending Watchers are being held. …

Just as Jesus was the second Adam for Paul, Jesus is the second Enoch for Peter. Enoch descended to the imprisoned fallen angels to announce their doom. First Peter 3:14–22 has Jesus descending to these same “spirits in prison” to tell them they were still defeated, despite his crucifixion. God’s plan of salvation and kingdom rule had not been derailed—in fact, it was right on schedule. The crucifixion actually meant victory over every demonic force opposed to God. This victory declaration is why 1 Peter 3:14–22 ends with Jesus risen from the dead and set at the right hand of God—above all angels, authorities and powers.

Michael S. Heiser, The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible, First Edition. (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2015), 337-338.

 

I think that the word would be better translated proclaiming, that Jesus was telling that He was rising , and that he was the risen Lord and God!

 

The Book of Enoch is not inspired by the Holy Spirit, and therefore not relevant in what it says. We must stick only with the Word of God.

 

This is not what Peter is saying here, as "By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison", cannot refer to Noah. φυλακή is never used of Ἅιδης.

 

I think that there is no way that anyone can really know what this passage means

 

The Greek is simply, "Because, for this end was the gospel preached to the dead also", which must refer to those who are dead at the time Peter wrote, but were alive when the were preached to. I see no clear Biblical teaching on any post-death conversions, or the hope of any

 

do you then understand what Peter is saying here?

 

"was the Gospel preached" is in the Greek, "εὐηγγελίσθη", which is the first aorist passive indicative, which would mean that which "had been done in time past", and not something in the future. It was while these dead were living, that they had the Gospel preached to them.

 

Tell that to Peter and Jude.

Rob