1 Peter 4:14
If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.
Truth to Learn
Our obedient, righteous suffering glorifies God.
Behind the Words
The word translated “reproached” is the Greek word oneididzō, which means “defamed, taunted, or put down.” It refers to people saying slanderous or derogatory things about you because of your beliefs or actions in obedience to God.
The Greek word markarios is translated as “blessed” in this verse. It does not mean that we are happy, but that we are in a position of blessing. It specifically refers to someone “who is supremely fortunate.”
The expression “rests on you” is from the Greek eph humas anapauetai. The first part of this, eph huma,s means “upon you (plural)” with the sense of motion toward. The word anapauetai means “he rests himself.”
Meaning Explained
If your desire in life is to see God get the glory and honor that He is due, then today’s verse should pop into your head whenever you suffer for righteousness sake.
If you are being obedient to God, speaking and acting in obedience to Him, and you are verbally treated with contempt for it, either to your face or behind your back, you are supremely fortunate. This verse, like several of the preceding verses, seems to imply that there is pleasure in pain. However, you will notice that in all of Peter’s writings on suffering for righteousness, he never once says that it is pleasurable. Physically and emotionally it is painful, just as it was physically and emotionally painful to Christ when He suffered for us. What Peter is trying to get across is that in spite of the pain, we can feel a sense of peace and contentment knowing what the spiritual result will be.
We are told that the reason we are supremely fortunate when we are verbally buffeted in the name of Christ is because the Spirit of God, the spirit of glory, rests on us. There is something very beautiful about this that I don’t want any of us to miss. When we are suffering for righteousness sake, because we are being obedient to the Spirit of God, He comes upon us imparting a sense of inner peace in spite of the physical or emotional pain. That’s how martyrs of the faith in days gone by have been able to sing and give praise to God even while they were being consumed by flames.
In the last part of today’s verse, Peter tells us that even though those who are reviling us are intentionally blaspheming God, in reality He is being glorified by our obedience and faithfulness. We all tend to think that we will give God much glory when we do some great spiritual work in His name and to this end we work hard. What Peter is telling us is that simply by being humbly obedient, especially if we suffer for it, we are glorifying God.
Application
Let’s all commit ourselves to humility and obedience to God regardless of the potential consequences, knowing that He will give us peace in the middle of it and that He will be glorified if and when we suffer for His sake!
In God’s service, for His glory,
Copyright © 2009 Will Krause. All rights reserved.
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