What purpose would there be in Jesus going to talk with the spirits of the disobedient who are now in prison? Any thoughts?
Also, why is the word "now" in italic print in my bible? What is the reason for the italics? Is it because they aren't certain the word should be there or because...there's no real english word to convey the greek word...? I've always wondered but never asked.
I think you mean 1 Peter 3:19. See back in the days of Noah, when they were saved by the ark, they"re salvation was not complete- just postponed. Only one thing saves from sin- and that is Christ's blood, but He hadn't died yet. Christ died once for all people- whether they were in the past, present, or future. To those who obeyed God in their lifetime, according to the covenant that they personally lived under, the blood of Christ was applied.
You know how they say "Actions speak louder than words."? Well, actions speak, and by dying on the cross and resurecting to life, He proclaimed to all that the dividing curtain has been torn down, and now the Most Holy Place (Heaven/God's presence) is now open not only to the High Priest (Christ) but for all who are in the Holy Place (Christ's church) the way is now open to enter the most holy place. (We can now be free of satans prison and can go to heaven).
Jesus said "How can a man rob a strong man's house, unless he first ties up the strong man?" What Jesus meant is Satan is a strong man, and like Robin Hood, Jesus must first bind his power before he can rob us back from him. We are no longer satan's prisoners, death no longer has dominion over us. Because...
As Genesis 3:15 states, "He will crush your head and you will strike His heel." If someone strikes the heel of your foot, it will hurt, but you will heal and live on. But if someone crushes your head, you no longer have power to do anything- ever again. The bruised heel was Jesus dying on the cross, and by doing so Jesus took away satans power to cause spiritual death for those saved in Christ.
So we were once imprisoned, like those in slavery in Egypt. But just as they were saved through water (parting the sea), or like how they were saved through water in Noah's ark, we are saved spiritually
through water (not by water) when we are baptized into Christ (Romans 6:3). Because Christ shed His life-saving blood in His death- and we come in contact with it when we are baptized into His death.