1 Peter 3.21: Concerning baptism

[Priest Seraphim Holland]

In the readings today we find:1 Peter 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ

I find the description of baptism (not this, but that) to be difficult to understand.

I have at this time found one Patristic commentary, by Bede the Venerable. He interprets "not this" (in my opinion) to be a teaching by St Peter that baptism in and of itself does not cleanse, but rather that only with faith does the water save. He cites the example of the flood - most people (those outside the "ark") "baptised" in these waters died.

He also interprets the number eight to indicate "the Holy church receives the washing of baptism through the mystery of the Lord's resurrection ... For when the Lord rose from the dead on the 8h day..."
See Bede the Venerable, Commentary on the Seven Catholic Epistles, P 105

One can give other interpretations to the term "filth of the flesh", and I wonder how other Fathers have thought about this verse.

I would appreciate anything that elucidates this verse, especially patristic texts.
Priest Seraphim Hoilland

[Michael Stickles]

I only know of two patristic expositions of any detail, though I haven't done too much searching yet (I'll do some more Googling later - this question interests me too). The first is from Justin Martyr's Dialogue with Trypho, chapter 138 (http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf01.viii.iv.cxxxviii.html):


... By this which God said was meant that the mystery of saved men appeared in the deluge. For righteous Noah, along with the other mortals at the deluge, i.e., with his own wife, his three sons and their wives, being eight in number, were a symbol of the eighth day, wherein Christ appeared when He rose from the dead, for ever the first in power. For Christ, being the first-born of every creature, became again the chief of another race regenerated by Himself through water, and faith, and wood, containing the mystery of the cross; even as Noah was saved by wood when he rode over the waters with his household. ...

The other is by Jerome, in his Dialogue Against the Luciferians (http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/3005.htm):


22. Noah's ark was a type of the Church, as the Apostle Peter says — "In Noah's ark few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water: which also after a true likeness does now save us, even baptism." As in the ark there were all kinds of animals, so also in the Church there are men of all races and characters. As in the one there was the leopard with the kids, the wolf with the lambs, so in the other there are found the righteous and sinners, ... The ark had its rooms: the Church has many mansions. Eight souls were saved in Noah's ark. And Ecclesiastes bids us "give a portion to seven yea, even unto eight," that is to believe both Testaments. ... The raven also is sent forth from the ark but does not return, and afterwards the dove announces peace to the earth. So also in the Church's baptism, that most unclean bird the devil is expelled, and the dove of the Holy Spirit announces peace to our earth. ... The ark was in peril in the flood, the Church is in peril in the world. ... The daylight would fail me if I were to explain all the mysteries of the ark and compare them with the Church.

I've only quoted some of the most relevant pieces (especially in Jerome's Dialogue), to keep this post from being over-long.

In Christ,
Mike

[Fr Raphael Vereshack]

Dear Father,

I could be wrong but I take the words: "baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a god conscience toward God) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ" as meaning that Baptism is not a physical washing away of physical uncleanliness.

Rather in this context Baptism is an antitype of the eight who were saved in the Ark through the flood (ie water). Eight is a symbol of the new resurrected day, the Ark is an image of the Church.

In the last part of vs 21 St Peter also evidently is referring to the interior attitude- " a good conscience - crucial for one to have when participating in the Church's baptism. This to me seems set against a purely outward attitude of desiring a physical washing. Thus the "not this but that."

In Christ- Fr Raphael

[Father David Moser]

Dear Father,

I could be wrong but I take the words: "baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a god conscience toward God) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ" as meaning that Baptism is not a physical washing away of physical uncleanliness.

This makes sense in that the baptism of John was an adaptation of a well established Jewish ritual washing that was a "physical washing" of uncleanness - iirc correctly that washing was related to the removal of any incidental uncleanness that one obtained by walking about in the world and thereby coming into unavoidable incidental contact with unclean persons/things. (but my memory could be way off here - its been a long time since I had any real contact with Jewish traditions and even then my contact was "incidental") If this is the case, then the Apostle is drawing the distinction between the purely worldly ritual washing of Judaism and the mystery of Baptism.

Fr David Moser

[Fr. J. Benedict Cucinotta]

In the readings today we find:1 Peter 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ

I find the description of baptism (not this, but that) to be difficult to understand.

I have at this time found one Patristic commentary, by Bede the Venerable. He interprets "not this" (in my opinion) to be a teaching by St Peter that baptism in and of itself does not cleanse, but rather that only with faith does the water save. He cites the example of the flood - most people (those outside the "ark") "baptised" in these waters died.

He also interprets the number eight to indicate "the Holy church receives the washing of baptism through the mystery of the Lord's resurrection ... For when the Lord rose from the dead on the 8h day..."
See Bede the Venerable, Commentary on the Seven Catholic Epistles, P 105

One can give other interpretations to the term "filth of the flesh", and I wonder how other Fathers have thought about this verse.

I would appreciate anything that elucidates this verse, especially patristic texts.
Priest Seraphim Hoilland
By His suffering and death Christ the just one saved the unjust; by His resurrection he acquired new life in the spirit, which He communicates to believers through the baptismal bath that cleanses their consciences from sin. As the ark saved Noah's family, so baptism saves sinners from the flood waters that would destroy them. Hence they need not share the fear of sinners; they should rather rejoice in suffering because of their hope in Christ. Thus their innocence disappoints their accusers Mt. 10, 28; Rom 8. 35-39. In Christ, Fr. Benedict