◄ 1 Peter 4:14 ►
If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.
Study Bible
If you are insulted for the name of Christ
This phrase addresses the reality of persecution faced by early Christians. In the Roman Empire, Christians were often marginalized and insulted for their faith in Jesus Christ, who was seen as a threat to traditional Roman religious practices. The phrase "for the name of Christ" emphasizes that the insults are specifically due to their identification with Jesus, aligning with Jesus' own teachings in Matthew 5:11-12, where He speaks of being blessed when persecuted for His sake. This reflects the early church's understanding of suffering as a participation in Christ's own sufferings.

you are blessed
The concept of being "blessed" in the face of persecution is counterintuitive but deeply rooted in biblical teaching. This echoes the Beatitudes in Matthew 5, where Jesus pronounces blessings on those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake. The blessing here is not necessarily material or immediate but is spiritual and eternal, indicating God's favor and approval. It also suggests a future reward, as seen in James 1:12, where those who endure trials are promised the crown of life.

because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you
This phrase draws on Old Testament imagery, particularly from Isaiah 11:2, where the Spirit of the Lord is described as resting upon the Messiah. The "Spirit of glory" suggests the Shekinah glory, the divine presence that dwelt in the tabernacle and temple, now resting upon believers. This indicates that those who suffer for Christ are not abandoned but are indwelt and empowered by the Holy Spirit. The presence of the Spirit is a mark of God's approval and a source of strength and comfort, as seen in Acts 7:55, where Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, sees the glory of God even as he is being martyred.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Peter
The apostle Peter, one of Jesus' closest disciples, is the author of this epistle. He writes to encourage and instruct believers facing persecution.

2. Christ
Refers to Jesus Christ, the central figure of Christianity, whose name believers are being insulted for.

3. Recipients of the Epistle
Early Christians scattered throughout Asia Minor, facing trials and persecution for their faith.

4. The Spirit of Glory and of God
Refers to the Holy Spirit, who empowers and comforts believers, especially in times of suffering.

5. Persecution
The context of the letter involves the persecution of Christians, a common experience for the early church.
Teaching Points
Blessing in Persecution
Understand that being insulted for Christ is a mark of true discipleship and brings a unique blessing.

Presence of the Holy Spirit
Recognize that the Holy Spirit's presence is a source of strength and comfort during trials, affirming God's approval and support.

Endurance and Joy
Embrace suffering for Christ with joy, knowing it aligns you with the prophets and apostles who also faced persecution.

Identity in Christ
Let insults for Christ's name reinforce your identity as a follower of Jesus, strengthening your resolve and faith.

Witness through Suffering
Use persecution as an opportunity to witness to others about the hope and strength found in Christ.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does understanding the blessing in persecution change your perspective on facing insults for your faith?

2. In what ways can you rely on the Holy Spirit when you face trials or insults for being a Christian?

3. How can the examples of biblical figures who suffered for their faith encourage you in your own walk with Christ?

4. What practical steps can you take to prepare yourself spiritually and emotionally for potential persecution or insults for your faith?

5. How can you use your experiences of suffering for Christ to witness to others about the gospel?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Matthew 5:11-12
Jesus speaks about being blessed when persecuted for His sake, reinforcing the idea that suffering for Christ brings spiritual reward.

Acts 5:41
The apostles rejoice for being counted worthy to suffer disgrace for the Name, illustrating the joy and honor in suffering for Christ.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10
Paul speaks of boasting in weaknesses and insults for Christ's sake, as God's power is made perfect in weakness.

Isaiah 11:2
Describes the Spirit of the Lord resting upon the Messiah, which parallels the Spirit resting on believers in their trials.
Sermons
The Christian's Fiery TrialU.R. Thomas 1 Peter 4:12-14
A Hint to MeddlersScientific Illustrations1 Peter 4:12-16
A Rejoicing HeartAbp. Leighton.1 Peter 4:12-16
Afflictions are TrialsJohn Rogers.1 Peter 4:12-16
Mind Your Own BusinessGreat Thoughts1 Peter 4:12-16
Not So StrangeF. B. Meyer, B. A.1 Peter 4:12-16
Participation in Christ's SufferingsBp. Boyd Carpenter.1 Peter 4:12-16
Participation in the Sufferings of ChristJ. Caird, D. D.1 Peter 4:12-16
Righteous and Evil SufferingJ. J. S. Bird, B. A.1 Peter 4:12-16
The BusybodyH. Melvill, B. D.1 Peter 4:12-16
The Christian's PersecutionsJ. J. S. Bird, B. A.1 Peter 4:12-16
The Proper Temper of Christians in AfflictionThe Evangelist1 Peter 4:12-16
Trial no Strange Thing to the ChristianH. Melvill, B. D.1 Peter 4:12-16
Trials no Strange ThingN. L. Frothingham.1 Peter 4:12-16
Fiery Trial Among the ChristiansR. Finlayson 1 Peter 4:12-19
The Joyous Aspect of Suffering for Christ a Help to Persecuted ChristiansC. New 1 Peter 4:12-19
People
Peter
Places
Asia, Bithynia, Cappadocia, Galatia, Pontus
Topics
Bearing, Blasphemed, Blessed, Case, Christ, Envied, Evil, Evil-spoken, Glorified, Glory, Happy, Indeed, Insulted, Regard, Reproached, Rest, Resteth, Resting, Rests, Reviled, Spirit, Spoken
Dictionary of Bible Themes
1 Peter 4:14

     1170   God, unity of
     1193   glory, revelation of
     3015   Holy Spirit, divinity
     3035   Holy Spirit, presence of
     3110   Holy Spirit, titles of
     3275   Holy Spirit, in the church
     5566   suffering, encouragements in
     5874   happiness

1 Peter 4:12-14

     4938   fate, final destiny
     8797   persecution, attitudes

1 Peter 4:12-16

     1620   beatitudes, the
     5115   Peter, preacher and teacher
     8484   spiritual warfare, enemies

1 Peter 4:12-19

     2425   gospel, requirements
     8215   confidence, results

1 Peter 4:13-14

     3020   Holy Spirit, joy of
     5893   insults

Library
Christian Asceticism
'Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin. 2. That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. 3. For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: 4. Wherein they think it …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Ephesians, Peter,John

June the Twenty-Sixth Crucifying the Flesh
"Arm yourselves likewise with the same mind." --1 PETER iv. 1-8. Let not the body be dominant, but the soul. Let me study the example and counsel of the Apostle Paul. "I keep my body under." Literally, I pummel it! If it is obtrusive and aggressive, its appetites clamouring for supremacy, I pummel it! Paul was not afraid of severe measures where carnality was concerned. He would fast a whole day in order to put the flesh in its place. And so should it be with all the Lord's children. We are …
John Henry Jowett—My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year

Personal Experience
In conclusion I desire to add my humble testimony of a personal experience of the glorious work of entire sanctification. At the age of seventeen years I was converted. All who were acquainted with me had no reason to doubt the genuine, inwrought grace of pardon and the new life which at once began to bring forth fruit unto God. But the one to whom this mighty change seemed the most marvelous was myself. My poor soul, which for several years had been held under the terrible bondage and darkness of …
J. W. Byers—Sanctification

The Old Man and the New.
"That we being dead unto sin should live unto righteousness."--1 Peter iv. 24. The Psalmist sings: "They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God." (Psalm lxxxiv. 7) We must maintain this glorious testimony, altho our own experience often seems to contradict it. Not experience, but the Scripture, teaches us divine truth; nor is it as tho the procedure of the divine operation in our own heart could differ from the testimony of the Sacred Scripture, but that our …
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

Man's Chief End
Q-I: WHAT IS THE CHIEF END OF MAN? A: Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever. Here are two ends of life specified. 1: The glorifying of God. 2: The enjoying of God. I. The glorifying of God, I Pet 4:4: That God in all things may be glorified.' The glory of God is a silver thread which must run through all our actions. I Cor 10:01. Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.' Everything works to some end in things natural and artificial; …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

A Battle with Smallpox
Soon after we began work in the city, my brother George went out to assist in a meeting at Edgewood, Iowa. A mother desired prayer for her little girl, so my brother and another minister laid hands on her and prayed for her healing. The mother said that some one thought her child was taking smallpox, but that she was sure it was a mistake. The ministers saw a few little pimples on the child's lip and asked her if the same breaking-out was on other parts of her body. The mother's answer was, "None …
Mary Cole—Trials and Triumphs of Faith

A Nickname Accepted
'The disciples were called Christians first in Antioch' --ACTS xi. 26. Nations and parties, both political and religious, very often call themselves by one name, and are known to the outside world by another. These outside names are generally given in contempt; and yet they sometimes manage to hit the very centre of the characteristics of the people on whom they are bestowed, and so by degrees get to be adopted by them, and worn as an honour. So it has been with the name 'Christian.' It was given …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts

Of Avoiding of Curious Inquiry into the Life of Another
"My Son, be not curious, nor trouble thyself with vain cares. What is that to thee? Follow thou Me.(1) For what is it to thee whether a man be this or that, or say or do thus or thus? Thou hast no need to answer for others, but thou must give an answer for thyself. Why therefore dost thou entangle thyself? Behold, I know all men, and I behold all things which are done under the sun; and I know how it standeth with each one, what he thinketh, what he willeth, and to what end his thoughts reach. …
Thomas A Kempis—Imitation of Christ

Some Other Writers of the New Testament
[Illustration: (drop cap L) Ancient engraving of man reading scroll] Let us now look at the rest of the books which make up the New Testament. In the days when Paul preached at Athens, the old capital of Greece, much of the ancient splendour and power of the Greek people had passed away, for the Romans had conquered their country, and they were no longer a free nation. Yet, although the Greeks had been forced to yield to Rome, their conquerors knew that the Grecian scholars and artists were far …
Mildred Duff—The Bible in its Making

John Bunyan on the Terms of Communion and Fellowship of Christians at the Table of the Lord;
COMPRISING I. HIS CONFESSION OF FAITH, AND REASON OF HIS PRACTICE; II. DIFFERENCES ABOUT WATER BAPTISM NO BAR TO COMMUNION; AND III. PEACEABLE PRINCIPLES AND TRUE[1] ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. Reader, these are extraordinary productions that will well repay an attentive perusal. It is the confession of faith of a Christian who had suffered nearly twelve years' imprisonment, under persecution for conscience sake. Shut up with his Bible, you have here the result of a prayerful study of those holy …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

The Wilderness State
"Ye now have sorrow: But I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you." John 16:22. 1. After God had wrought a great deliverance for Israel, by bringing them out of the house of bondage, they did not immediately enter into the land which he had promised to their fathers; but "wandered out of the way in the wilderness," and were variously tempted and distressed. In like manner, after God has delivered them that fear him from the bondage of sin and Satan; …
John Wesley—Sermons on Several Occasions

Of the Power of the Church in Articles of Faith. The Unbridled Licence of the Papal Church in Destroying Purity of Doctrine.
1. The marks and government of the Church having been considered in the seven previous chapters, the power of the Church is now considered under three heads--viz. Doctrine, Legislation, Jurisdiction. 2. The authority and power given to Church-officers not given to themselves, but their office. This shown in the case of Moses and the Levitical priesthood. 3. The same thing shown in the case of the Prophets. 4. Same thing shown in the case of the Apostles, and of Christ himself. 5. The Church astricted …
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion

The Disciple, -- what is the Meaning and Purpose of the Cross...
The Disciple,--What is the meaning and purpose of the cross, and why do pain and suffering exist in the world? The Master,--1. The cross is the key to heaven. At the moment when by My baptism I took the cross upon My shoulders for the sake of sinners, heaven was opened, and by means of My thirty-three years bearing of the cross and by death upon it, heaven, which by reason of sin was closed to believers, was for ever opened to them. Now as soon as believers take up their cross and follow Me they …
Sadhu Sundar Singh—At The Master's Feet

Seasonable Counsel: Or, Advice to Sufferers.
BY JOHN BUNYAN. London: Printed for Benjamin Alsop, at the Angel and Bible in the Poultry, 1684. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. THIS valuable treatise was first published in a pocket volume in 1684, and has only been reprinted in Whitfield's edition of Bunyan's works, 2 vols. folio, 1767. No man could have been better qualified to give advice to sufferers for righteousness' sake, than John Bunyan: and this work is exclusively devoted to that object. Shut up in a noisome jail, under the iron hand of …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

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