1 Peter 3:21

ὃ is omitted by א* 73 aeth. but is read by all the best authorities. The T.R. reads ᾦ which is found in several cursives, and Hort regards ὅ as a primitive error for ᾧ on the ground that it is impossible to take ἀντίτυπον as an epithet agreeing with βάπτισμα and scarcely less difficult to take it with ὅ as the R.V. which (water) after a true likeness (or antitypically). But ἀντίτυπον may be taken as a neuter substantive and not as an adjective, which antitype namely Baptism. In this case Baptism would not be the ἀντίτυπον of which the Flood was the τύπος, but both the Flood and Baptism are regarded as the ἀντίτυπον or earthly copy of the same spiritual reality, namely death unto sin as the prelude to new birth unto righteousness.

ἀντίτυπον. Cf. Hebrews 9:24 where the copies of the things in the heavens ὑποδείγματα τῶν ἐν τοῖς οὐράνοις, i.e. the earthly tabernacle and its accessories, are described as ἀντίτυπα τῶν� because they corresponded to “the pattern (τύπος) in the mount” which was shewn to Moses.

In 2 Clement 14 the visible Church in its external bodily form (σάρξ) is the earthly copy (τὸ�) of the spiritual Church (τὸ αὐθεντικόν), and Lightfoot, p. 247, explains that τὸ αὐθεντικὸν means the autograph letter, the original document in God’s own handwriting, as it were, of which the ἀντίτυπον is the blurred transcript. So in Irenaeus i. 5, 6 the Church is described by the Valentinians as ἀντίτυπον τῆς ἄνω ἐκκλησίας. Again, in the Apostolic Constitutions 1 Peter 3:14, vi. 30, vii. 25, and other Fathers, the Bread and Wine in the Eucharist are described as ἀντίτυπα of the Body and Blood of Christ. Cyril of Jerusalem speaks of Baptism as the ἀντίτυπον of Christ’s sufferings, while Caesarius describes Baptism as the ἀντίτυπον of Circumcision. Other writers speak of the brazen serpent as the ἀντίτυπον of Christ.

In all these passages therefore (except Caesarius) the ἀντίτυπον is the copy as opposed to the reality, and naturally inferior to it. In this passage, however, we can hardly imagine that St Peter regards the Flood as the pattern (τύπος), of which Baptism is merely the copy, ἀντίτυπον. Therefore, as suggested above, it seems better to take ἀντίτυπον as a substantive. The same earthly copy, namely, saving by means of water, which was presented in the Flood, is again presented in Baptism. Now, as then, it represents the same heavenly original, life issuing out of death. This rendering enables us to retain the usual meaning of ἀντίτυπον. Lightfoot (Clement ii. 247) however regards ἀντίτυπον here as the finished work of which the Flood was only the rough model, τύπος. In support of this view it may be argued that τύπος does sometimes mean the copy and not the pattern, e.g. Acts 7:43, the images (τύποι) of your gods; 1 Corinthians 10:6; 1 Corinthians 10:11, the experiences of Israel in the wilderness happened, τυπικῶς, i.e. as earthly copies of spiritual originals. Romans 5:14, Adam is the τύπος of Christ. So here, it is said, the Flood, in which by the selfsame water the guilty world was destroyed while the inmates of the ark were borne in safety by it, was an earthly picture (τύπος) of death unto sin and new birth unto righteousness, of which Baptism is the true expression, ἀντίτυπον. The objections to this view, however, are (a) that it is contrary to the general use of ἀντίτυπον; (b) that Baptism is not in itself “the original,” but only “the outward and visible sign,” and the “means whereby we receive” the inward and spiritual grace of death unto sin and new birth unto righteousness.

σαρκὸς�. σαρκός might be governed by ῥύπου, putting away of the filth of the flesh, as A.V. and R.V., or it might be putting away of filth on the part of the flesh (subjective genitive).

ἀπόθεσις, the substantive occurs again only in 2 Peter 1:14, of “putting off the tabernacle of the body,” i.e. death. So here it might be equivalent to θανατωθεὶς σαρκί, the death of the old self in Baptism as contrasted with the new birth, διʼ ἀναστάσεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. But the addition of ῥύπου makes this improbable; of. James 1:21. The meaning probably is that the saving efficacy of Baptism cannot be obtained by the mere cleansing of the body (such as was effected by Jewish ceremonial washings and circumcision), but a right attitude of the conscience toward God is demanded. If any contrast between Baptism and Circumcision is suggested here, as in Colossians 2:11, we may compare St Peter’s speech at the Apostolic Conference, Acts 15:9, where, in arguing against the necessity of imposing circumcision upon Gentile converts, he reminds his hearers of the case of Cornelius, where “God made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith” (though their bodies were still unclean from the Jewish point of view).

συνειδήσεως�. Cf. 1 Peter 3:16; Acts 23:1; 1 Timothy 1:5; 1 Timothy 1:19. In Hebrews 9:14 the cleansing of the conscience from dead works by the blood of Christ is contrasted with the cleansing of the flesh by Jewish ordinances.

ἐπερώτημα εἰς θεόν. εἰς θεόν must almost certainly be taken either with ἐπερώτημα or with συνειδήσεως� and not with σώζει (as Bigg in antithesis to διεσώθησαν εἰς τὴν κιβωτόν).

The following renderings have been suggested:

(a)

Prayer to God proceeding from a good conscience.

(b)

Prayer to God for a good conscience.

(c)

The inquiry (or appeal) of a good conscience toward God, R.V. margin.

(d)

The answer of a good conscience toward God, A.V.

(e)

The interrogation of a good conscience toward God, R.V.

The substantive ἐπερώτημα occurs nowhere else in the N.T. and only once in Theodotion’s version of Daniel 6:17. The demand (or matter), viz. the judgment upon Nebuchadnezzar, is by the word of the holy ones, i.e. the angels.

The verb ἐπερωτᾷν is frequently used in the N.T., but always in the sense of asking a question except in Matthew 16:1, of demanding a sign. In the LXX. ἐπερωτᾷν is used in Psalms 137:3 of demanding a song, but as addressed to God it means to “enquire of” or “consult.” So in Isaiah 65:1, quoted in Romans 10:20, ἐμφανὴς ἐγενόμην τοῖς ἐμὲ μὴ ἐπερωτῶσιν. This is the only passage in the N.T. where the verb is used with reference to God.

The only passage in the LXX. where ἐπερωτᾷν εἰς is used is in 2 Samuel 11:7 of David enquiring after the welfare (εἰς εἰρήνην) of Joab and the army.

There is therefore not much support for the rendering, inquiry, appeal, or prayer of a good conscience addressed to God, and none apparently for the A.V. rendering “answer,” taking ἐπερώτημα as the thing asked for, i.e. the answer. In late Byzantine writers on law ἐπερώτημα is used for a “stipulation” or “agreement,” and this would give a good sense here, but there is no evidence for this use of the word at the time when this Epistle must have been written. Very possibly it refers to the questions and answers in Baptism—the “interrogation” whether the candidates have repentance and faith, which virtually constitute “a good conscience toward God.” Robinson (Ephesians 5:26) suggests that ἐν ῥήματι in that passage refers to some form of Baptismal confession.

The confession of faith demanded from the eunuch, Acts 8:37, although only a Western insertion, is at least early evidence that such interrogations were usual, and the original use of creeds was as a Baptismal profession. The usual formula was ἀποτάσσῃ τῷ Σατανᾷ; Dost thou renounce Satan? to which the answer was ἀποτάσσομαι. συντάσσῃ τῷ Χριστῷ; Dost thou join the ranks of Christ? to which the answer was συντάσσομαι, and then a creed was recited in answer to an enquiry as to the candidate’s faith. Some such interrogation or examination to test whether the conscience was in right relationship toward God (ἀγαθῆς συνειδήσεως εἰς θεόν) St Peter regards as the necessary condition to obtain “saving” grace in Baptism, as contrasted with a mere ceremonial cleansing of the body such as was practised by both Jews and heathen. Compare St Peter’s words to Simon Magus just after he had received the outward rite of Baptism, “thy heart is not right before God.” So now, even in Infant Baptism, the sponsors, as representing the child, are required publicly to acknowledge that repentance, faith and obedience are the necessary conditions for continuing in the state of salvation to which we are admitted by Baptism.

διʼ ἀναστάσεως. The “new birth unto righteousness” involved in this right relationship to God is only ours in virtue of Christ’s resurrection, and this is symbolized in Baptism. When the person baptized sinks under the water the death and burial of his old self is represented. When he emerges from the water he is regarded as rising to a new life. This idea is expanded in detail by St Paul in Romans 6:3 ff. Cf. also Colossians 2:12. Possibly the same idea may be intended in the difficult words, “What shall they do that are baptized for the dead?” 1 Corinthians 15:29, which some critics interpret to mean that in Baptism men act on behalf of their own dead selves; they represent their death and resurrection, and this becomes an acted farce if any resurrection of the dead is an impossibility.

St Peter shews so many apparent traces of the Epistle to the Romans that St Paul’s language in Romans 6 almost certainly influenced him in this section. But we have no right to assume that this idea of Baptism, as representing death and resurrection with Christ, was originated by St Paul. He appeals to it as a thought which must surely be familiar (ἢ�, Romans 6:3) to his readers in Rome, although he had never yet preached there himself. Therefore it may have been a favourite theme of other Christian teachers, although the elaboration of it was probably due to St Paul.