1 Peter 3:20

Sometime] RV 'aforetime.' The whole passage clearly means that Christ, as a spirit, preached to certain spirits, who had been disobedient to the end of their earthly life. This preaching took place between His death and resurrection, and its purpose was that, by hearing the gospel, these men might have an opportunity of repentance. St. Peter does not say that a place of repentance is still left for men after death. That is neither affirmed nor denied in NT; but this passage makes rather against than for such a hope; for the point is that these men did receive such an opportunity, because they had not heard the gospel in their earthly life. St. Peter considered that the Jews, unlike the men of Noah's time, had known something of Christ: cp. 1 Peter 1:10. It should, however, be noticed that 'once,' which in AV seems to limit the reference very strictly, is omitted in RV, and perhaps that time is specially mentioned because it affords a type of baptism.

Wherein few.. were saved by water] RM 'into which few.. were brought safely through water.'

21. The like figure, etc.] RV 'which also after a true likeness' (RM 'in the antitype') 'doth now save you, even baptism, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the interrogation,' (RM 'inquiry or appeal') 'of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection.' 'The like figure' = Gk. 'antitype.' The type is the seal, the antitype the impression. Here we think most of the impression as the purpose or reality of the seal, in Hebrews 9:24 of the seal as the origin of the impression. The interrogation (RV) of a good conscience may refer to the question asked of the convert before baptism: cp. Acts 8:37; (AV and EM), Hooker, V. lxiii. 3; but RM makes better sense—the appeal of the convert to God might be expressed in the gospel words, 'I believe, help thou mine unbelief: cp. 1 John 3:20. By (RV 'through') the resurrection should be taken with the whole v., not with 'the appeal' nor with 'doth save' alone: cp. Romans 6:4; Colossians 2:12. It corresponds to 'through water,' 1 Peter 3:20 in each case that which seemed to be destruction proved the means of safety.