Publication date
6/15/12
Volume
33
Number
12
The WatchTower
1912--General Conventions--1912
The Watchtower Magazines
../literature/watchtower/1912/12/1912-12-1.html
 
 
VOL. 
XXXIII 
BROOKLYN, 
N. 
Y., 
JUNE 
15, 
1912 
No. 
12 
HOW 
JESUS 
PREACHED 
TO 
SPIRITS 
IN 
PRISON 
"Christ 
also 
hath 
once 
suffered 
for 
sins, 
the 
just 
for 
the 
unjust, 
that 
he 
might 
bring 
us 
to 
God, 
being 
put 
to 
death 
in 
tM 
flesh, 
but 
quickened 
in 
the 
spirit, 
by 
which 
[two 
expwiences-dea,th 
and 
resurrection] 
he 
preached 
unto 
the 
spirits 
in 
prison."-I 
Peter 
3: 
18, 
1\:1. 
(191-192) 
ONCE 
DISOBEDIENT-STILL 
DISOBEDIENT 
\Ve, 
of 
course, 
cannot 
know 
that 
all 
of 
those 
fallen 
angels 
are 
still 
in 
a 
disloyal 
condition 
of 
heart. 
On 
the 
contrary, 
in 
harmony 
with 
our 
text, 
we 
may 
suppose 
that 
some 
of 
these 
fallen 
angels 
have 
since 
repented 
of 
thpir 
wrong 
course 
and 
it 
would 
be 
none 
too 
strong 
a 
way 
to 
state 
the 
matter-that 
any 
such 
repentant 
ones 
would 
surely 
have 
terrible 
experiences 
as 
a 
result. 
To 
be 
obliged 
to 
be 
in 
close 
touch 
and 
relationship 
with 
the 
more 
evil 
and 
malignant 
onps 
and 
to 
have 
knowledge 
of 
all 
their 
evil 
designs 
and 
efforts 
would 
be 
a 
terrible 
experi­ 
ence 
and, 
besides 
this, 
we 
may 
be 
sure 
that 
the 
rebellious 
would 
not 
hestitate 
to 
persecute 
the 
repentant 
ones 
in 
every 
concdv· 
able 
manner, 
as 
they 
would 
be 
lawless, 
regardless 
of 
the 
divine 
will. 
On 
the 
other 
hand, 
the 
repentant 
ones 
would 
be 
obliged 
to 
restrain 
themselves 
and 
to 
not 
render 
evil 
for 
evil, 
knowing 
that 
this 
would 
be 
contrary 
to 
the 
divine 
will. 
In 
other 
words, 
repentant 
ones 
amongst 
those 
fallen 
spirits, 
influenced 
by 
the 
preaching 
of 
Jesus 
or 
otherwise, 
would 
have 
a 
kind 
of 
purga­ 
torial 
experience, 
and 
the 
very 
thought 
palls 
forth 
our 
Rympathy. 
W'hen 
imprisoned 
or 
cut 
off 
from 
the 
privilpge 
of 
materiali­ 
zation. 
many 
of 
the 
fallen 
spirits. 
we 
know 
not 
what 
propor­ 
tion. 
rontinued 
their 
active 
opposition 
to 
God, 
after 
the 
man­ 
ner 
of 
Satan. 
Hence 
they 
are 
spoken 
of 
as 
his 
angels, 
his 
mes­ 
sengers, 
his 
servants 
and 
he 
is 
spoken 
of 
as 
Beelzebub, 
the 
prince 
of 
demons. 
Ratan, 
who 
sinned 
much 
earlier 
than 
the 
others. 
and 
in 
a 
different 
way, 
the 
Srriptures 
tell 
us 
was 
an 
angel 
of 
a 
higher 
rank, 
or 
a 
higher 
nature, 
and 
this 
superiority 
of 
his 
has 
made 
him 
the 
prince 
or 
rulcr 
over 
the 
hosts 
of 
fallen 
spirits. 
fere 
to 
hinder 
or 
stop 
the 
progress 
of 
sin 
for 
perhaps 
several 
centuries. 
In 
the 
meantime 
the 
race 
had 
become 
so 
corrupt 
that 
apparently 
only 
Noah 
and 
his 
family 
were 
uncontaminated­ 
all 
others 
had 
more 
or 
less 
come 
under 
the 
influence, 
directly 
or 
indirectly, 
of 
these 
fallen 
angels 
or 
their 
giant 
sons. 
Hence, 
of 
Noah 
it 
was 
written 
(not 
that 
he 
was 
a 
perfect 
man, 
but), 
"Now 
Noah 
was 
perfect 
in 
his 
generation" 
(uncontaminated) 
and 
his 
family 
apparently 
the 
same. 
Hence 
these 
alone 
were 
saved 
in 
the 
ark, 
while 
all 
the 
remainder, 
more 
or 
less 
contam­ 
inated, 
were 
destroyed 
by 
the 
flood. 
"IN 
CHAINS 
OF 
DARKNESS" 
It 
was 
then 
and 
there 
that 
God 
imprisoned 
those 
spirits, 
angels, 
who 
kept 
not 
their 
first 
estate, 
and 
are 
therefore 
called 
fallen 
angels, 
devils, 
demons. 
They 
were 
not 
imprisoned 
in 
some 
far-off 
world 
called 
hell, 
nor 
are 
they 
engaged 
there 
in 
stoking 
fires 
for 
the 
torture 
of 
poor 
humanity. 
Following 
the 
leading 
of 
the 
Scriptures 
we 
find 
that 
when 
the 
flood 
came 
they 
were 
not 
destroyed 
because, 
while 
their 
fleshly 
bodies 
which 
they 
assumed 
might 
indeed 
perish, 
yet 
they 
WOllld 
merely 
de­ 
materialize, 
or 
assume 
their 
Rpirit 
conditions 
again. 
The 
record 
is 
that 
God 
cast 
them 
down, 
that 
he 
condemned 
them 
to 
an 
overthrow-that 
they 
might 
not 
any 
longer 
associate 
with 
the 
holy 
angels, 
but 
must 
be 
rPRerved 
in 
tartarus-our 
earth's 
atmosphpre. 
Here 
they 
were 
imprisoned, 
not 
in 
a 
spe­ 
cial 
place, 
but 
in 
the 
sense 
of 
having 
their 
liberties 
restrained, 
"in 
chains 
of 
darkness." 
They 
were 
no 
longer 
permitted 
to 
materialize 
and 
thus 
to 
associate 
with 
humanity. 
Thpse 
things 
are 
distinctly 
tolrl 
11S 
by 
Rt. 
Jude 
and 
St. 
Peter 
(Jude 
6, 
2 
Peter 
2:4, 
5)-an 
explanation 
in 
full 
harmony 
with 
the 
Gen­ 
esis 
account 
of 
their 
fall. 
SPIRITS 
ONCE 
DISOBEDIENT 
The 
spirits 
to 
whom 
the 
message 
was 
given 
had 
proven 
themselves 
disobedient, 
says 
St. 
Peter_ 
He 
even 
tells 
us 
the 
time 
of 
their 
disobedience, 
namely, 
that 
it 
was 
"in 
the 
days 
of 
Noah, 
while 
the 
ark 
was 
preparing." 
Surely, 
if 
noticing 
these 
particulars 
mentioned 
in 
the 
context, 
no 
one 
would 
be 
excusable 
for 
misunderstanding 
this 
Scripture 
and 
considering 
it 
in 
any 
way 
applicable 
to 
humanity 
of 
our 
day 
or 
to 
humanity 
in 
gen­ 
eral. 
However, 
it 
is 
helpful 
to 
us 
to 
learn 
the 
full 
particulars 
of 
the 
matter. 
What 
was 
their 
disobedience, 
and 
when 
and 
how 
were 
they 
inprisoned 
1 
Turning 
to 
Genesis 
G: 
1-5, 
we 
find 
there 
the 
cause 
of 
the 
dis­ 
obedience 
of 
those 
angels, 
who 
for 
a 
time 
had 
been 
permitted 
to 
sec 
what 
they 
could 
do 
for 
the 
uplift 
of 
humanity, 
or, 
rather. 
permitted 
to 
demonstrate 
that 
the 
downward 
tendency 
of 
sin 
is 
incurable 
except 
in 
the 
manner 
which 
God 
has 
already 
ar­ 
ranged 
throngh 
J\fes~iah 
and 
his 
glorious 
reign 
of 
a 
thousand 
years. 
Instead 
of 
those 
angels 
helping 
mankind 
out 
of 
sin 
they 
helped 
themselves 
into 
sin, 
and 
by 
so 
doing 
they 
increased 
the 
dppravity 
amongst 
humanity 
until 
the 
astounding 
record 
is 
that 
"the 
wickedness 
of 
man 
was 
great 
in 
the 
earth, 
and 
that 
every 
imagination 
of 
the 
thought 
of 
his 
heart 
was 
only 
evil 
continually." 
The 
particular 
sin 
of 
those 
angels 
was 
that 
when 
they 
were 
granted 
the 
privilege 
of 
materializing-of 
tak­ 
ing 
human 
bodies 
for 
the 
sake 
of 
helping 
and 
instructing 
man· 
kind-they 
misused 
this 
power 
and 
took 
to 
themselves 
the 
daughters 
of 
men 
for 
wives. 
Thus 
these 
angpls 
came 
gradually 
to 
prefer 
to 
live 
as 
men 
amongst 
men 
and 
to 
rear 
earth 
Iv 
families 
rather 
than 
to 
abide 
FIGHTING 
AGAINST 
GOD 
i~ 
the 
condition 
in 
which 
they 
were 
created-spirit 
beings, 
The 
fight 
of 
Satan 
and 
his 
fallen 
angels 
is 
against 
God, 
hIgher 
than 
humans. 
Not 
only 
was 
this 
wrong 
in 
the 
sense 
against 
all 
who 
are 
in 
harmony 
with 
him, 
against 
all 
the 
regu­ 
that 
it 
was 
taking 
a 
course 
in 
opposition 
to 
the 
divine 
arrange- 
lations 
of 
righteousness, 
and 
against 
all 
the 
channels 
and 
ser. 
ment, 
but 
it 
was 
wrong 
also 
because 
the 
thing 
was 
done 
for 
the 
vants 
whom 
the 
Lord 
may 
use. 
St. 
Paul's 
words 
along 
this 
cultivation 
and 
gratification 
of 
lust, 
and 
it 
led 
to 
their 
own 
line 
are 
forceful; 
he 
remarks 
that 
God's 
people 
contend 
not 
moral 
defilement 
as 
well 
as 
having 
a 
baneful 
influence 
upon 
merely 
"with 
flesh 
and 
blood," 
but 
also 
"with 
wicked 
spirits 
in 
humanity; 
for 
we 
can 
readily 
see 
that 
for 
the 
angels, 
of 
supe· 
high 
positions," 
and 
the 
question 
arises, 
"Who 
is 
sufficient 
for 
rior 
powers 
and 
intelligence, 
to 
become 
leaders 
in 
lustful 
prae· 
these 
things 
1" 
The 
reply 
is 
that 
none 
is 
sufficient; 
without 
tices 
would 
mean 
a 
great 
influence 
upon 
mankind 
toward 
sin 
the 
aid 
of 
the 
Redeemer 
his 
church 
would 
he 
quite 
overcome 
and 
and 
defilement 
of 
mind 
and 
body. 
Yanquished 
by 
evil 
. 
. 
We 
are 
particularly 
told 
that 
the 
offspring 
of 
this 
improper 
Likewise, 
without 
the 
Redeemer's 
aid 
through 
his 
kingdom, 
UllIon 
bet,,:een 
the 
angels 
and 
the 
dau~hters 
of 
men 
were 
giants, 
without 
the 
binding 
of 
Satan, 
without 
our 
Lord's 
releasin~ 
of 
both 
phySIcally 
and 
mentallv 
superIOr 
to 
the 
fallen 
human 
the 
world 
from 
the 
bondage 
of 
sin 
and 
death, 
there 
would 
be 
family-"men 
of 
nnown." 
And 
this 
statement, 
that 
they 
were 
no 
hope 
of 
the 
world's 
recovery 
from 
its 
present 
bondage. 
But 
"men 
of 
renown," 
was 
at 
a 
time 
when 
manhood's 
estate 
was 
with 
the 
Apostle 
we 
exclaim, 
"If 
God 
be 
for 
us, 
who 
can 
be 
reached 
at 
a 
hundred 
years, 
and 
implies 
that 
God 
did 
not 
inter- 
against 
UB 
7"-Romane 
8: 
31. 
[5043] 
This 
text 
has 
been 
made 
the 
basis 
for 
some 
peculiar 
present­ 
ations. 
From 
it 
some 
have 
deduced 
an 
intermediate 
state 
lasting 
between 
death 
and 
the 
resurrection. 
Others 
have 
claimed 
it 
as 
an 
authority 
for 
the 
doctrine 
of 
purgatory. 
The 
difficulty 
in 
every 
case 
seems 
to 
be 
the 
failure 
to 
remember 
that 
the 
Bible 
always 
and 
everywhere 
teaches 
that 
the 
dead 
are 
really 
dead, 
that 
they 
knew 
nothing, 
and 
that, 
therefore, 
it 
would 
be 
impossible 
to 
do 
any 
preaching 
to 
the 
dead 
humans. 
Undoubtedly 
the 
theory 
that 
people 
are 
more 
alive 
after 
they 
die 
than 
when 
they 
were 
alive 
is 
responsible 
for 
nearly 
all 
of 
the 
foolish 
things 
which 
we 
have 
all 
at 
some 
time 
professed 
to 
believe. 
Before 
dismissing 
the 
thought 
that 
these 
"spirits 
in 
prison" 
are 
human 
spirits, 
let 
us 
note 
the 
fact 
that 
to 
say, 
"human 
spiro 
its," 
is 
an 
absurdity 
of 
itself, 
because 
human 
beings 
are 
not 
spirits 
and 
spirit 
beings 
are 
not 
humans. 
"Who 
maketh 
his 
angels 
spirits," 
is 
the 
Scriptural 
proposition. 
True, 
we 
do 
sometimes 
speak 
of 
humans 
as 
possessing 
a 
spirit 
of 
life, 
but 
by 
this 
we 
merely 
mean 
that 
they 
possess 
the 
power 
or 
energy 
of 
life, 
and 
the 
same 
would 
be 
equally 
true 
of 
the 
lower 
orders 
of 
creation, 
beasts, 
fish, 
fowl, 
etc. 
Again, 
we 
sometimes 
speak 
of 
the 
church 
as 
spirit 
beings­ 
begotten 
of 
the 
holy 
Spirit. 
Thus 
the 
Apostle 
speaks 
of 
the 
natural 
man 
in 
contrast 
with 
the 
new 
creature, 
a 
spirit 
being. 
To 
appreciate 
this 
statement 
we 
must 
remember 
that 
the 
rhurrh 
class 
receive 
the 
begetting 
of 
the 
holy 
Spirit 
to 
the 
end 
that, 
if 
faithful, 
they 
may 
attain 
unto 
a 
spirit 
resurrection 
and 
become 
spirit 
beings, 
like 
unto 
the 
angels 
and 
like 
to 
the 
Redeemer. 
But 
we 
are 
not 
spirits 
yet, 
except 
by 
faith-by 
hope. 
However, 
the 
rontext 
shows 
the 
Apostle 
had 
no 
refer· 
ence 
to 
the 
church, 
either: 
we 
were 
not 
in 
prison; 
we 
received 
the 
message 
of 
salvation 
through 
the 
Apostles. 
Vou. XXXITT BROOKLYN, N. Y., JUNE 15, 1912 No. 12 HOW JESUS PREACHED TO SPIRITS IN PRISON “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 in the spirit, by which [two eaxperiences—death and resurrection] he preached unto the spirits in prison.”—1 Peter 3:18, 19. This text has been made the basis for some peculiar presentations, From it some have deduced an intermediate state lasting between death and the resurrection. Others have claimed it as an authority for the doctrine of purgatory. The difficulty in every case seems to be the failure to remember that the Bible always and everywhere teaches that the dead are really dead, that they knew nothing, and that, therefore, it would be impossible to do any preaching to the dead humans. Undoubtedly the theory that people are more alive after they die than when they were alive is responsible for nearly all of the foolish things which we have all at some time professed to helieve. Before dismissing the thought that these “spirits in prison” are human spirits, let us note the fact that to say, “human spirits,” is an absurdity of itself, because human beings are not spirits and spirit beings are not humans. ‘“Who maketh his angelg spirits,” is the Scriptural proposition. True, we do sometimes speak of humans as possessing a spirit of life, but by this we merely mean that they possess the power or energy of life, and the same would be equally true of the lower orders of creation, beasts, fish, fowl, ete. Again, we sometimes speak of the church as spirit beings— begotten of the holy Spirit. Thus the Apostle speaks of the natural man in contrast with the new creature, a spirit being. To appreciate this statement we must remember that the church class receive the begetting of the holy Spirit to the end that, if faithful, they may attain unto a spirit resurrection and become spirit beings, like unto the angels and like to the Redeemer. But we are not spirits yet, except by faith—by hope. However, the context shows the Apostle had no reference to the church, either: we were not in prison; we received the message of salvation through the Apostles. SPIRITS ONCE DISOBEDIENT The spirits to whom the message was given had proven themselves disobedient, says St. Peter. He even tells us the time of their disobedience, namely, that it was “in the days of Noah, while the ark was preparing.” Surely, if noticing these particulars mentioned in the context, no one would be excusable for misunderstanding this Scripture and considering it in any way applicable to humanity of our day or to humanity in general, However, it is helpful to us to learn the full particulars of the matter, What was their disobedience, and when and how were they inprisoned? Turning to Genesis 6:1-5, we find there the cause of the disobedience of those angels, who for a time had been permitted to see what they could do for the uplift of humanity, or, rather, permitted to demonstrate that the downward tendency of sin is incurable except in the manner which God has already arranged through Messiah and his glorious reign of a thousand years. Instead of those angels helping mankind out of sin they helped themselves into sin, and by so doing they increased the depravity amongst humanity until the astounding record is that “the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thought of his heart was only evil continually.” The particular sin of those angels was that when they were granted the privilege of materializing—of taking human bodies for the sake of helping and instructing mankind—they misused this power and took to themselves the daughters of men for wives. Thus these angels came gradually to prefer to live as men amongst men and to rear earthly families rather than to abide in the condition in which they were created—spirit beings, higher than humans. Not only was this wrong in the sense that it was taking a course in opposition to the divine arrangement, but it was wrong also because the thing was done for the cultivation and gratification of lust, and it led to their own moral defilement as well as having a baneful influence upon humanity; for we can readily see that for the angels, of superior powers and intelligence, to become leaders in lustful practices would mean a great influence upon mankind toward sin and defilement of mind and body. We are particularly told that the offspring of this improper union between the angels and the daughters of men were giants, both physically and mentally superior to the fallen human family—‘“men of renown.” And this statement, that they were “men of renown,” was at a time when manhood’s estate was reached at a hundred years, and implies that God did not inter [5043] fere to hinder or stop the progress of sin for perhaps several centuries. In the meantime the race had become so corrupt that apparently only Noah and his family were uncontaminated— all others had more or less come under the influence, directly or indirectly, of these fallen angels or their giant sons. Hence, of Noah it was written (not that he was a perfect man, but), “Now Noah was perfect in his generation” (uncontaminated) and his family apparently the same. Hence these alone were saved in the ark, while all the remainder, more or less contaminated, were destroyed by the flood. “IN CHAINS OF DARKNESS’’ It was then and there that God imprisoned those spirits, angels, who kept not their first estate, and are therefore called fallen angels, devils, demons. They were not imprisoned in some far-off world called hell, nor are they engaged there in stoking fires for the torture of poor humanity. Following the leading of the Scriptures we find that when the flood came they were not destroyed because, while their fleshly bodies which they assumed might indeed perish, yet they would merely dematerialize, or assume their spirit conditions again. The record is that God cast them down, that he condemned them to an overthrow—that they might not any longer associate with the holy angels, but must be reserved in tartarus—our earth’s atmosphere. Here they were imprisoned, not in a special place, but in the sense of having their liberties restrained, “in chains of darkness.” They were no longer permitted to materialize and thus to associate with humanity. These things are distinctly told us by St. Jude and St. Peter (Jude 6, 2 Peter 2:4, 5)—an explanation in full harmony with the Genesis account of their fall. ONCE DISOBEDIENT—STILL DISOBEDIENT We, of course, cannot know that all of those fallen angels are still in a disloyal condition of heart. On the contrary, in harmony with our text, we may suppose that some of these fallen angels have since repented of their wrong course and it would be none too strong a way to state the matter—that any such repentant ones would surely have terrible experiences as a result. To be obliged to be in close touch and relationship with the more evil and malignant ones and to have knowledge of all their evil designs and efforts would be a terrible experience and, besides this, we may be sure that the rebellious would not hestitate to persecute the repentant ones in every conceivable manner, as they would be lawless, regardless of the divine will. On the other hand, the repentant ones would be obliged to restrain themselves and to not render evil for evil. knowing that this would be contrary to the divine will. In other words, repentant ones amongst those fallen spirits, influenced by the preaching of Jesus or otherwise, would have a kind of purgatorial experience, and the very thought calls forth our sympathy. When imprisoned or cut off from the privilege of materialization, many of the fallen spirits, we know not what proportion, continued their active opposition to God, after the manner of Satan. Hence they are spoken of as his angels, his messengers, his servants and he is spoken of as Beelzebub, the prince of demons. Satan, who sinned much earlier than the dthers. and in a different way, the Scriptures tell us was an angel of a higher rank, or a higher nature, and this superiority of his has made him the prince or ruler over the hosts of fallen spirits, FIGHTING AGAINST GOD The fight of Satan and his fallen angels is against God, against all who are in harmony with him, against all the regulations of righteousness, and against all the channels and servants whom the Lord may use. St. Paul’s words along this line are forceful; he remarks that God’s people contend not merely “with flesh and blood,” but also “with wicked spirits in high positions,” and the question arises, “Who is sufficient for these things?” The reply is that none is sufficient; without the aid of the Redeemer his church would be quite overcome and vanquished by evil, Likewise, without the Redeemer’s aid through his kingdom, without the binding of Satan, without our Lord’s releasing of the world from the hondage of sin and death, there would be no hope of the world’s recovery from its present bondage. But with the Apostle we exclaim, “If God be for us, who can be against us?’—Romane 8:31. (191-192)

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