A couple of months ago, my daughter came to me asking a question about a specific passage in her bible. As Yahweh’s timing would have it, I had just been re-examining such passage a few weeks prior. The passage is as follows:
1 Peter 3:18For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: 19By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; 20Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. 21The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
I am sure that many of you might be familiar with this passage, specifically with the explanation given the Yeshua/Jesus went to hell to preach to the spirits in prison, to what that exactly entailed many have speculated and created doctrines that are undoubtedly false. I had never been fully satisfied with such explanation, nor did it really make any sense to me. Like many other passages in the bible, sometimes we have to examine certain passages multiple times before we come to a complete understanding of it. I had begun to re-examine this passage a few weeks or so before my daughter’s prompting and came to a solidifying explanation that satisfied my spirit through the Holy Spirit.
In a nutshell, I had responded back to my daughter that Noah was a type/shadow to Christ and that through his preaching, offered salvation to the world through the ark by which he was building. The ark itself represents Jesus as by the only means which we can be saved. Those who rejected such offer back then, perished in the flood, and likewise today will perish at the rejection of Jesus.
My husband was nearby when I had explained this to our daughter, and he decided to go back and examine this passage and we discussed it a little more at length. We concluded that this passage has nothing to do with Jesus going to hell and actually preaching to rebellious antediluvian human spirits, but rather that it was through Noah by which His Spirit preached salvation to those prior, and to the present reality through the death and resurrection of Jesus. This is why a comparison is made between the water that the ark rested upon and baptism in Christ.
Romans 6:3Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
In Noah’s time the ark provided a means of escape, and the water cleansed the earth of wickedness.
PART I: Spirits in Prision
These connections that I made above were built off of concepts that I laid out in a previous blog I did a few years ago called “As the Days of Noah, the Ark of Salvation“. In my opening statement I inquired the following:
“Did God reveal the plan of salvation within the parable of Noah’s flood? Is this what Yeshua/Jesus was pointing back to when He spoke in Matthew 24:37 “as of the Days of Noah, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be”?”
I believe that Peter, while making reference to Noah, was not only reflecting on the words of Jesus/Yeshua, but the message of salvation offered to mankind.
Mat 24:37But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 38For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.
Again, quoting from “As the Days of Noah…”
“At the time of Noah, God had warned him of the impeding judgement that was to come upon the earth, and to build an ark. This was the only means of escape for Noah and his family, in which there was only one door to enter. (Gen 6:16)
Through the Ark, Noah and his family experienced salvation, while on the outside of the ark, those experienced the wrath of God. When we look forward, bringing our eyes to the cross, we can see both God’s salvation and His wrath poured out; and as such is both the “Year of the Jubilee” (salvation) and the “Day of the Lord”(wrath).
Given the context and timeframe that Jesus made the statement in Matthew 24, “As the Days of Noah”, not only was He pointing to Himself as the only means to escape, as He is the only door by which we can be saved (Joh 10:9), but the coming wrath upon Jerusalem in 70AD/CE.
♦Luke 21:22For these are the days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written.
When we look at the events that surrounded Noah, we can see that there were two groups of people, those who were unjust, and those who were just. Those who were declared righteous were saved through the flood, and those who were declared wicked or unjust were destroyed by that same flood. As mentioned above, when we bring our eyes to the cross, the same applies. Those who are declared righteous, through faith in Yeshua/Jesus will see salvation, and those who are declared to be wicked will be destroyed and sent to hell(prison).
Matthew 25:41“Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’
44“Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ 45Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
Looking back at the passage from 1 Peter 3:19, I think we can conclude that this prison is not one found in this physical realm. The underlying Greek word for prison, means a holding place, or cage, by which someone is held for committing a crime. Within scripture there are three contextual references for the term “prison”.
- is a literal prison, by which many of the disciples were thrown into (Acts 5:18)
- a metaphorical place by which people were held captive in their sin (Isaiah 61:1)
- a spiritual location which is compared to hell or a place of “everlasting fire/punishment”. (Matthew 5:25)
When looking at our current judicial system, generally speaking, if someone is sent to prison, they were sent there due to a crime that was committed. Often times when we hear a presentation of the gospel, people will evangelize in a way that correlates to a court system. Being found guilty of our crimes, our sin committed against God, we stand condemned, however, someone (Jesus) came in and paid for our release, or our debt to be paid, against the crimes that we committed. Something that I will be talking about more in depth here shortly, are debts, and how our sin is liken to debt against Yahweh. The only way for our debt to be paid is through the blood of Christ for the forgiveness of sins.
Col 2:13When you were dead in your trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our trespasses, 14having canceled the debt ascribed to us in the decrees that stood against us. He took it away, nailing it to the cross!
In some manuscripts verse 14 will state “blotting out the handwriting” and this is in regards specifically to the underlying Greek word that is for a certificate of bond, or a record of debts that are to be paid.
So, if these spirits (humans) were disobedient to the message preached through Noah, by which Yahweh was longsuffering, and perished in the flood, then they rejected the offer of salvation (which foreshadowed salvation in Christ), by which their debts would be paid, and were put into prison. They rejected the offer for their sentence to be paid, and therefore ordered by the Judge (Yahweh) to be placed in prison.
Yeshua/Jesus did not go to these spirits in prison in a literal sense, as looking in previous context Peter states that it was the Spirit of Christ which spoke through the prophets, by which is now made known:
1 Peter 1:10 Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, 11searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. 12To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into.
I appreciate Benson’s commentary on this:
1 Peter 3:19-20. By which also — That is, by which Spirit; he went and preached — Πορευθεις εκηρυξεν, having gone, he preached, namely, in and by Noah, who spake by the Spirit of Christ, (1 Peter 1:11,) and of the Father, who said, (Genesis 6:3,) referring to the men of that generation, My Spirit shall not always strive with man. Hence Noah is called a preacher of righteousness: 2 Peter 2:5. “By attributing the preaching of the ancient prophets to Christ, the apostle hath taught us, that from the beginning the economy of man’s redemption has been under the direction of Christ. To the spirits in prison — That is, which were in prison when St. Peter wrote this epistle. They were men in the flesh when Christ preached to them by his Spirit speaking in Noah; but after they were dead, their spirits were shut up in the infernal prison, detained, like the fallen angels, (Jdg 1:6,) unto the judgment of the great day; which sometime — Ποτε, once, or formerly, were disobedient, when the long-suffering of God waited — For their repentance; in the days of Noah — During the long space of one hundred and twenty years; while the ark was preparing — During which time Noah warned them all to repent, and flee from the wrath to come. Wherein — In which ark; few, that is, eight souls — Namely, Noah and his wife, with their three sons and their wives; were saved by water — Or, were carried safely through the water; namely, the waters of the flood, which bare up the ark in which they were enclosed.
Understanding how Peter was looking back to what was (shadow), and now which is (reality), makes more sense into his bringing forth how the few were saved in the ark (Yeshua), through water, which is now the cleansing of the conscience through the Holy Spirit. The scripture shows these spirits in prison were wicked (Gen 6:5), and they were disobedient (1 Peter 3:20). The Greek word “disobedient”, means to disbelieve, or refuse to be persuaded. This same word is used in John 3:36 for “he who does not believe”.
Here are two translations in comparison:
John 3:36He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” (NKJ)
John 3:36The one believing in the Son has eternal life, but the one not obeying the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” (BSB)
Belief and obedience here mean the same thing. He who does not believe, does not obey, and the wrath of God still remains on him. You do not get a “second chance” after you depart from this earthly realm after already rejecting the message of salvation.
Hebrews 9:27And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment
Continuing on from Benson’s Commentary (1 Peter 3:19-20):
“Christ’s preaching to the antediluvians by Noah, their destruction for their disobedience to that preaching, and the preservation of Noah and his family in the ark, are all fitly mentioned, to show that it hath been God’s way from the beginning of the world, when the wickedness of men became general, to oppose it, by raising up prophets to reprove them, and warn them of their danger; and after waiting for their repentance to no purpose, to destroy them; while he delivered the righteous from the evils to which they were exposed, by manifest interpositions of his power. These things teach us, that we should not think the worse of the gospel, because it hath been rejected by many; nor of ourselves, because we are persecuted by the wicked. On the other hand, by the punishment of the antediluvians, and of the Jews who crucified our Lord; wicked men and persecutors are taught to dread the judgments of God.” — Macknight.
What we do here on this earth in this body (thoughts, actions) will be judged (2 Cor 5:10). Looking at surrounding context we can see that Peter teaches on this, even continuing on into 2 Peter, specifically mentioning Noah, and those who were not spared from the judgment.
2 Peter 2:4For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; 5and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly; 6and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly; 7and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked 8(for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)— 9then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment, 10and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority.
Notice that in the first verse it says that God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them into hell into chains of darkness, continuing on to those who were not spared during the flood perished. In the end the comparison is made between the just and the unjust, and that the unjust are reserved under punishment for the day of judgement. Yeshua stated that hell was for Satan and his angels and those who are disobedient will also be sent there.
Matthew 25:41“Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:
Again, as I mentioned previous, a prison is a place of detainment, a cage, and just like we see with the judicial establishment of a jail, it is a holding area to serve out a punishment. However, being the same place that has been reserved for Satan, this is not a temporal place by which redemption can be sought.
Vs 41. Prepared for the devil and his angels. This region or sphere of torment was not, as the kingdom of the righteous, prepared for man originally; it was particularly designed (τὸ ἡτοιμασμένον) for Satan and his myrmidons (see 2 Peter 2:4, 9), and will not be perfected till the last judgment (Revelation 20:10). There is no hint of its being remedial or corrective; and what it is to the devil it must be to those who share it with him. It is man’s own doing that he is unfit for the company of saints and angels, and, having made himself like unto the evil spirits by rebellion and hatred of good, he must consort with them and share their doom. It seems as though there were no proper place for man’s punishment; there is no book of death corresponding to the book of life (Revelation 20:12, etc.); the wicked are in an anomalous state, and, shut out by their own action from their proper inheritance, fall into the society of demons.
In the pulpit commentary above, notice it mentions that by man’s own doing, by his own choices and actions end up making himself liken to the devil through rebellion and thus share with the same fate as the devil and his angels. It is not a place by which corrective action is placed that they may repent of their wrongdoing from their time spent in the earthly domain. Yet, this is a supporting argument behind doctrines of purgatory, as well as universal salvation (that all will be saved). I believe that through these doctrines, specifically that of the Catholic doctrine of purgatory, are manifesting when we conclude that Yeshua went literally into hell and preached the gospel to disobedient spirits, that they might be saved after living a life of disobedience.
It not only is a distortion of scripture, but it also sets up a false hope in that you can live your life how you want and still have a chance at salvation after you die. These false doctrines completely disregard that those who do not obey (believe), will not see eternal life. Yeshua said, unless a person believes, that they will die in their sin (Joh 8:24), meaning they do not have their debt paid, and will be eternally separated from God.
John 5:24“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. 25Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live.
Something I want to mention regarding this passage is that it gives more context and understanding to a verse very close in proximity to 1 Peter 3:19, in reference to the spirits in prison.
1 Peter 4:6For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
This passage is used to support that those whom the gospel was preached “who are dead”, are the same ones by which Christ preached to in prison. Thus, by reasoning, that a person can be redeemed through God after they have lived a life of disobedience. That they were considered “judged” through the death of their physical body, and therefore have an opportunity to “live according to God in the spirit”. However, when we examine not only surrounding context, but scripture as a whole, this can be concluded as false.
2 Cor 5:9Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. 10For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. 11Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences.
The passage, when looking at Joh 5:24-25 for reference, is saying that the gospel was preached to those who were once alive in the physical body, but dead to sin, and came alive in Christ. Therefore, when they physically die, as is a judgement on all human beings, they can be resurrected in spirit through faith in Jesus to eternal life.
♦Gen 3:19By the sweat of your brow you will eat your bread, until you return to the ground–because out of it were you taken. For dust you are, and to dust you shall return.”
♦1 Cor 15:42So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. 43It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. 44It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. 45And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.
46However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. 47The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven. 48As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly. 49And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man.
Part II. Spiritual Debts
Looking at how these antediluvian spirits ended up in prison, and how the angels were cast into chains, a similar theme that is with both is disobedience. And as I mentioned previously, obedience and belief are considered to be synonymous of each other. These were those who either knew the truth, having been in a heavenly state, and chose to turn away (angels) or those who heard the truth and continued on in their evil ways. Both ended up in the same place (prison) because of sin or a debt which was incurred against them.
A debt is something that which is owed, and is used to describe an offense, or sin that was committed against God (or others). When looking at many translations of Matthew 6:12, this is what is shown:
Matthew 6:12And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
Original Word: ὀφείλημα, ατος, τό
Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter
Transliteration: opheiléma
Phonetic Spelling: (of-i’-lay-mah)
Definition: that which is owed, a debt
Usage: a debt, offense, sin.
Original Word: ὀφειλέτης, ου, ὁ
Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine
Transliteration: opheiletés
Phonetic Spelling: (of-i-let’-ace)
Definition: a debtor
Usage: (a) a debtor, one who owes, one who is indebted, (b) one who has sinned against another (an Aramaism), a sinner.
3781 opheilétēs (a masculine noun) – a debtor; someone under obligation to pay back (discharge) a debt.
For the believer, 3781 /opheilétēs (“being a debtor“) ends at Calvary where Christ paid all our debt in His blood. He extends total release to us, forgiving the penalty for each time we spent His gift of life rather than invested it. Indeed, the blood of Jesus removes all the penalty (condemnation) of sin (Jn 19:30).
After looking at the above, when we begin to read the parable of the unforgiving servant, we can see how this aligns with the release or forgiveness of debt. The parable begins with a king who wants to settle accounts (debts) with his servants.
Matthew 18:23Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. 26The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ 27Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.
For those who may not know, this was actually a parable that also illustrated the fulfillment of the Sabbath Jubilee, which was also known as “the acceptable year of the Lord”, or “the year of salvation”.
Quoting again from my blog “As the Days of Noah…”:
“Yeshua/Jesus came and proclaimed the “acceptable year of the Lord”(Isa 61:2), which had to do with the Sabbath Jubilee in the release of debt, the release of slaves, restoration of the land (access to the Kingdom), and inheritance (eternal) through the rightful heir, as the Kinsman Redeemer.
♦Luke 4:18“The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to release the oppressed, 19to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(19) The acceptable year of the Lord.–The primary reference was to the year of Jubilee, when land that had been mortgaged returned to its owner, and debts were forgiven, and Israelite slaves released (Leviticus 25:9-10). It was to our Lord, as it had been to Isaiah, the type of the “year” of the divine kingdom.
What is highly significant about the Sabbatical Jubilee, is that it pointed to the completion of 70 weeks in Daniel’s prophesy (Daniel 9:24). The Sabbath Jubilee was a count of 7 x 7 years which equals 49 and would be celebrated the 50th year(Lev 25:8); much like the count of the omer of 7 completed sabbaths to the Feast of Pentecost(Lev 23:15, Acts 2:1).
If you are also familiar with the passage from Matthew 18:22, when Peter asked Jesus how often we should forgive our brother, Jesus answered 70 x 7, which would equal to 490. The number here is not a literal number, but used symbolically to represent “forgiveness of debts”, and the number 490 is symbolic to the “70 weeks decreed” by Daniel. When Yeshua proclaimed the “acceptable year of the Lord”, not only was this an ultimate fulfillment of such, but was a direct reference to what Daniel had spoke pertaining to “reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness”; which is what His death brought on the cross.
Truly all debts are set free, that brings in everlasting righteousness through the safety of our Ark of Salvation.”
Through this we see again a reference made to those who are “in prison” or “captives”, which has to do with the bondage of sin. The only way to be freed from that sin is through the forgiveness of debt which requires faith and repentance on the one who was previously held captive. However, those who do not accept that forgiveness of debt, will remain in such prison, to further expel them into an eternal one.
Ezekiel 3:19Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.
As we continue on in the parable of the unforgiving servant, we can see the one who was forgiven of debt, come to then hold a debt against another. This offense caused the king to cast this person into prison.
Mat 18:28But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. 29And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 30And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. 31So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.
32Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I FORGAVE THEE ALL THAT DEBT, because thou desiredst me: 33 SHOULDEST NOT THOU HAVE HAD COMPASSION ON THY FELLOWSERVANT, EVEN AS I HAD PITY ON THEE? 34And his lord was wroth, AND DELIVERED HIM TO THE TORMENTORS, till he should pay all that was due unto him. 35So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, IF YE FROM YOUR HEARTS FORGIVE NOT EVERY ONE HIS BROTHER THEIR TRESPASSES.(KJV)
When we do not forgive, as our Father has forgiven us, we hold a debt against another. By forgiving others we are allowing the debt to be paid, which was leveled against us through their wrongdoing. This is why I believe this is one of the most offensive sins to Yahweh; a reluctance/unwillingness to forgive others when we have been forgiven of so much. The warning is that those who hold on to unforgiveness, may not be forgiven themselves. It is a very sobering reality, having been once forgiven of all the debt owed, to then be required to pay it all back, because of unforgiveness.
A criminal delivered to the tormentors would have no opportunity or means of raising the necessary funds. If this is a picture of the final judgment, it is parallel to our Lord’s statement in Matthew 5:26, “Thou shalt by no means come out thence till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing;” for, as the Preacher says, “There is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave whither thou goest” (Ecclesiastes 9:10). All that was due [untohim] (πᾶν τὸ ὀφειλόμενον αὐτῷ). Modern editors reject αὐτῷ: Vulgate, universum debitum. This is more general than “all that debt” in ver. 32. It is usually taken to refer to the old debt now redemanded. But a difficulty has been found in the fact that this old debt had been freely forgiven and utterly done away, and therefore could not, in equity, be again exacted. Hence some commentators have explained the clause as referring not at all to the former debt, but to a new debt incurred by a new offence, viz. ingratitude and unmercifulness. But the spiritual truth seems to be that, although sins once absolutely forgiven are not again imputed, they make subsequent sins more heinous, as in a human law court previous conviction increases the penalty of a fresh transgression. Falling from grace, a man passes into enmity with God, and so far cancels his pardon, and is in a state of condemnation (see Ezekiel 18:24, 26). Matthew 18:34
Focusing on what I have highlighted or in bold from the passage above reveals the reality and truth about the heavenly court system. If a person is forgiven of all their previous debt but incur more debt after, the penalty will be more severe.
Hebrews 10:26For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. 28Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?
As I mentioned earlier if someone is found to be in prison, they were put there due to an offence that was committed and sentenced by a judge. If they are released after an initial debt was paid, or a pardon, but went to commit either the same crime or more grievous crimes, they might not be able to be released again after that.
Matthew 5:25Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. 26Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.
Yeshua/Jesus here is giving a warning on the condition of the heart, that they might not fall into a state of murderous intentions through unrighteous dealings/unforgiveness with a brother. Earlier Jesus specified that in doing so would put them in a judgement of hellfire, and later states that if this action is not repented of, through reconciliation, this person will be subject to prison, and will not be released of their debt. This follows in exact alignment with the parable of the unforgiving servant.
Here are a couple of commentaries speaking specifically on Matthew 5:25:
The precept, to be reconciled with the injured person in order not to be cast into hell by God the judge, is made clear by the prudential doctrine of satisfying a creditor in order not to become liable to imprisonment.
Understanding the words in a figurative sense, which is, partly at least, intended by Christ here, the prison is taken for hell, out of which the unrelenting sinner can never come, according to our Lord’s declaration, because he can never be able to make that satisfaction.
Many believe and are taught that once they have been forgiven of their past sins, that nothing they do after that can put their salvation in jeopardy. However, when we look at sin as a debt, even from a basic judicial court system, a debtor who continues to incur more debt after being pardoned of previous debts, will receive a more severe punishment. If they do not, then even from a worldly standard, this does not provide much justice. How then can we believe that if a person has been forgiven of debts (sins) previously but continues on to incur the same level of debts (sin), or worse, and suffer no consequences? Does a worldly system then provide more justice than God’s? (BTW I am not talking about someone who repents and turns from their sins, but those who have once been forgiven of their sin, and then take His mercy for granted-trampling the blood by which they were bought)
If even the angels who sinned, of which were already in a heavenly state, and chose to depart from it, were punished into everlasting chains in darkness, then don’t you think Yahweh would judge humankind in a similar manner?
Jude 1:5But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. 6And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day;
The passage above shows that it is possible to be in a heavenly state, partake in its blessings and then willfully depart from it. Even Adam and Eve were in a heavenly state and willingly chose to disobey and were cast out from Eden, being removed from the Tree of Life. This is a far cry from the doctrine of OSAS (Once saved Always Saved) or that nothing that you can do can ever separate you from a heavenly destination or dwelling. Those who once had belief, and served Him, can choose to disobey or ultimately reject what had been given freely to them. This correlates directly to the passage in Hebrews, by which those who have tasted the heavenly gift, partook in the Holy Spirit, and later come to reject it.
Hebrews 6:4For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.
This is no different than the man who was forgiven all his debt, who later chose to become unforgiving to others, allowing his heart to be filled with darkness, and was no longer pardoned for it, finding himself being dragged off to prison.
Ezekiel 18:24“But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live? All the righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; because of the unfaithfulness of which he is guilty and the sin which he has committed, because of them he shall die.
In closing I would like to share an excerpt from Pilgrims’ Progress by John Bunyan, which is also where the illustration I chose for this blog comes from. Let us pray as Christian does in the end and not become a “spirit in prison”, making sure that our debts our settled while we still have the opportunity to do so.
The Man in the iron Cage
So he took him by the hand again, and led him into a very dark room, where sat a man in an Iron Cage. Now the man, to look on, seemed very sad; he sat with his eyes looking down to the ground, his hands folded together, and he sighed as if he would break his heart. Then said Christian, What means this? At which the Interpreter bid him talk with the man.
Then said Christian to the man, What art thou? The man answered, I am what I was not once.
Christian: What wast thou once?
The Man: The man said, I was once a fair and flourishing professor, Luke 8:13, both in mine own eyes, and also in the eyes of others: I once was, as I thought, fair for the celestial city, and had then even joy at the thoughts that I should get thither.
Christian: Well, but what art thou now?
The Man: I am now a man of despair, and am shut up in it, as in this iron cage. I cannot get out; Oh now I cannot!
Christian: But how camest thou into this condition?
The Man: I left off to watch and be sober: I laid the reins upon the neck of my lusts; I sinned against the light of the word, and the goodness of God; I have grieved the Spirit, and he is gone; I tempted the devil, and he is come to me; I have provoked God to anger, and he has left me: I have so hardened my heart, that I cannot repent.
Then said Christian to the Interpreter, But is there no hope for such a man as this? Ask him, said the Interpreter.
Christian: Then said Christian, Is there no hope, but you must be kept in the iron cage of despair?
The Man: No, none at all.
Christian: Why, the Son of the Blessed is very pitiful.
The Man: I have crucified him to myself afresh (Heb. 6:6); I have despised his person (Luke 19:14); I have despised his righteousness; I have counted his blood an unholy thing; I have done despite to the spirit of grace (Heb. 10:29), therefore I have shut myself out of all the promises and there now remains to me nothing but threatenings, dreadful threatenings, faithful threatenings of certain judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour me as an adversary.
Christian: For what did you bring yourself into this condition?
The Man: For the lusts, pleasures, and profits of this world; in the enjoyment of which I did then promise myself much delight: but now every one of those things also bite me, and gnaw me like a burning worm.
Christian: But canst thou not now repent and turn?
The Man: God hath denied me repentance.(Heb 6:4-6) His word gives me no encouragement to believe; yea, himself hath shut me up in this iron cage: nor can all the men in the world let me out. Oh eternity! eternity! how shall I grapple with the misery that I must meet with in eternity?
Interpreter: Then said the Interpreter to Christian, Let this man’s misery be remembered by thee, and be an everlasting caution to thee.
Christian: Well, said Christian, this is fearful! God help me to watch and to be sober, and to pray that I may shun the cause of this man’s misery. Sir, is it not time for me to go on my way now?
