The Spirits in Prison

There are many interpretations of this subject ranging from the Catholic Purgatory to the Protestants who believe in some kind of probation for men after death; from a preaching which took place in the days of Noah, to a preaching after Christ s resurrection through the instrumentality of the Apostles. Some interpretations have forced words out of their natural meaning and usage; some have disregarded the laws of grammar and construction; some have taken the passage out of its context; while others have never attempted to bring this Scripture into harmony with the scope and design of the Epistle as a whole. However, for any interpretation of this passage to be accepted as satisfactory it: 1. Must take all the words in their natural meaning and Scriptural usage. 2. Must be uniform and consistent in its translation. 3. Must give due weight to the inexorable laws of grammatical construction. 4. Must give the passage its logical place in the context. 5. Must harmonise it with the general teaching of the whole Epistle, and not merely cleverly explain it as though it were an isolated passage; but must show that it is absolutely necessary to the argument.