“For Christ also *suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine long-suffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. There is also an *antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” (1 Pet 3:18-21)
“Why are the Ark and the saving of eight souls by water likened to baptism?
Verse 21 is a comparison of John’s baptism with Jesus’ baptism. (John’s baptism was unto repentance, and the water symbolized a washing or cleansing.) Peter is going out of his way to say: “Do not misunderstand, I am talking not talking about John’s baptism but about the baptism into Christ’s death.”
God deals with us according to the will, not according to the external deeds of the flesh. When we are baptized into Jesus’ death, we are covered with a robe of righteousness, and thus we can be void of offense from the standpoint of conscience.
Our heart condition is what counts, for if our salvation depended on the deeds of the flesh without this covering, we would all be condemned. Because of the imputed robe of righteousness, we can be free of unnecessary guilt.
This verse proves that all—Jew and Gentile—need Jesus’ baptism in order to become Christians. Regarding salvation, a baptism into Jesus’ death is also a baptism into his resurrection, for we are raised in “newness of life” (Rom. 6:4).
How was the resurrection prefigured in this illustration of the Ark?
Those in the Ark were saved. The Ark was a means of safety that deposited eight souls on Mount Ararat, on the shore of safety. The number 8 signifies a new or fresh start, regeneration. It presupposes a previous completion.
7 = completion (a complete unit)
+1 or a total of 8 = a new day or a new start.
When the eight souls were deposited on Mount Ararat, a new day or life began. God told Noah to “be fruitful, and multiply,” just as He had instructed Adam (Gen. 8:17). Although not perfect like Adam, Noah was reckoned perfect and was reassured by the bow of promise. Hence there was a fresh start after the Flood.
*The word "Antitype" is not used in the English Bible. This Greek word [anrirupon (Strong's # SG4991)] is translated "figure" in 1 Pet. 3:21 and in Heb 9:24. (Nevertheless we would be correct in using the word antitype in these two places).
*The word "suffered" in Verse 18 is incorrect, it should be "died". It was not our Lord's sufferings that paid the price of our sins, it was his death.