Persecuted for Christ? How to Activate the Glory That Rests on You (1 Peter 4:14-16)

1 Peter 4:14

If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified (KJV).

If (as the case likely is)[846] you are being defamed, disgraced, disparaged, insulted, mocked, slandered, and reproached[847] for the name, character, fame, person, or reputation[848] of Christ, you are supremely blessed,[849] because as a result of it,[850] the Spirit of God — with all of His accompanying radiance and weighty glory[851] — continually abides and rests[852] upon[853] you. From others’ opposing view, they are speaking derogatorily about Him with horribly nasty, ugly, shameful speech.[854] But due to[855] your actions and response to all that you are enduring, He is being marvelously glorified[856] in your lives.

1 Peter 4:15

But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters (KJV).

But don’t let any of you[857] go through difficulties and hardships[858] as a murderer,[859] or as a thief,[860] or as an evildoer or troublemaker,[861] or because you’ve gone around sticking your nose into other people’s activities, affairs, or business, or because you’ve intruded into matters that have absolutely nothing to do with you[862] (RIV).

1 Peter 4:16

Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf (KJV).

However,[863] if (as it seems the case likely is)[864] anyone is going through challenges and hardships because he is a Christian,[865] he shouldn’t feel even a hint of awkwardness or embarrassment, as though he somehow is inferior to others[866] because he is a Christian. Instead[867] of being embarrassed, he should shout, Hallelujah! and glorify[868] God that he can go through all this on behalf of His name, character, fame, person, and reputation[869] (RIV).

Notes

846. The words “if (as the case likely is)” are a translation of εἴ (ei), which means if, but also conveys an assumption that what is about to be described is likely the case.

847. The words “defamed, disgraced, disparaged, insulted, mocked, slandered, and reproached” are interpreted from a form of ὀνειδίζω (oneididzo), which is derived from a root that means to blame, censure, defame, disgrace, disparage, insult, mock, slander, or reproach. Because early pagans did not understand the Christian faith, stories about Christians swept through pagan communities like a blazing fire raging out of control and caused widespread panic. Christians were blamed for bad weather, crop failures, earthquakes, a lack of rain, outbreaks of disease, sicknesses, plagues, and all kinds of other disasters. The pagans generally laid blame for all of it at the feet of Christians, whom they believed had offended the gods by refusing to worship them. Thus, Christians bore the brunt of many things that had nothing to do with them. This is one reason (among many) why pagans were willing to do whatever was necessary to eliminate these perceived troublemakers from society.

848. The words “name, character, fame, person, or reputation” are an interpretation of a form of ὄνομα(onoma), which means name and can also denote a person’s character and reputation that distinguishes him from others. It describes the name, character, fame, person, or reputation of someone.

849. The words “supremely blessed” are a translation of the plural form of μακάριος (makarios), which pictures one who is blessed beyond measure or one who has cause to be ridiculously happy.

850 The words “because as a result of it” are an interpretation of ὅτι (hoti), which is intended simply to point to a resultant condition or outcome.

851 The words “radiance and weighty glory” are interpreted from a form of δόξα (doxa), a word that pictures the resplendent and weighty glory of God.

852. The words “continually abides and rests” are an interpretation of a form of ἀναπαύω (anapauo), which is a compound of the preposition ἀνά (ana) and the word παύω (pauo). The preposition ἀνά (ana) means to repeat something again, but it additionally carries the idea of upward movement. The word παύω (pauo) means to stop, and it is where we get the word “pause.” In this verse, it depicts the Spirit of God stopping to rest or pausing to rest on the believer who has determined to remain true to his stance of faith even in the face of injustice. But the preposition ἀνά (ana) means to do something again and again, and here gives the image of the Spirit of God abiding on such a believer. Furthermore, because the preposition ἀνά (ana) also conveys the idea of upward movement, it means that the Spirit of God will move this type of believer to a higher realm in their spiritual walk.

853. The word “upon” is a translation of ἐφ’ (eph), which is a contracted form of the preposition ἐπί (epi), and it means that the radiance and weighty glory of the Spirit of God especially rests or sits upon this category of believer.

854. The words “speaking derogatorily about Him with horribly nasty, ugly, shameful speech” are an interpretation of a form of βλασφημέω (blasphemeo), a word that refers to any type of debasing, derogatory, nasty, shameful, ugly speech or behavior that is intended to injure, harm, humiliate, or negatively affect someone’s reputation. It signifies foul, profane, unclean language and pictures both words and actions purposefully used to mistreat and humiliate those for whom one has no tolerance. Make no mistake, the word “blasphemy” implies deliberate spreading of accusations, half-truths, lies, trumped-up charges, and slander to sway the opinion of society against the name of Christ and of believers.

855. The words “due to” are a translation of the preposition κατά (kata), which here means according to or due to their part (i.e., their actions and responses to what they were enduring).

856. The words “being marvelously glorified” are an interpretation of a form of δοξάζω (doxadzo), derived from δόξα (doxa), which means radiant glory and also describes the weighty presence of God.

857. The words “any of you” are translated from τις (tis), which describes any person, male or female, young or old. See footnote 812 for more on this word.

858. The words “go through difficulties and hardships” are an interpretation of a form of πάσχω (pascho), which means to suffer.

859. The word “murderer” is interpreted from a form of φονεύς (phoneus), which is derived from φόνος (phonos) and is the word for killing or slaughter. But the form that Peter used pictured one who murders or one who commits intentional homicide.

860. The word “thief” is a translation of κλέπτης (kleptes), and it means one who steals. It pictures one whose actions are like a bandit, pickpocket, or a thief who is so artful in the way he steals that his exploits of thievery are nearly undetectable — hence, one who can slip hands into a person’s pockets, take what he wants, and be long gone before that person discovers he or she has been robbed. It can picture one who stealthily steals or a professional thief.

861. The words “evildoer or troublemaker” are a translation of κακοποιὸς (kakopoios), which is a compound of κακός (kakos) and ποιέω (poieo). The word κακός (kakos) can depict that which is bad, destructive, evil, foul, harmful, grievous, injurious, poisonous, rotten, or wicked, and the word ποιέω (poieo) means to do. Compounded, it is used by ancient Greek writers to describe individuals who are evil and who do wrong in a sundry of ways.

862. The words “sticking your nose into other people’s activities, affairs, or business, or because you’ve intruded into matters that have absolutely nothing to do with you” are interpreted from a form of ἀλλοτριοεπίσκοπος (allotrioepiskopos), which is a compound of the words ἀλλότριος (allotrios) and ἐπίσκοπος (episkopos). The word ἀλλότριος (allotrios) depicts that which belongs to someone else, hence, not yours. The word ἐπίσκοπος (episkopos) is a compound of the preposition ἐπί (epi) and σκοπος (skopos). The preposition ἐπί (epi) means over, and σκοπος (skopos) is the Greek root for the English word “scope,” but here it depicts a watcher. However, the verb σκοπέω (skopeo) pictures one who intensely focuses on a person, place, task, or thing. As the compound that Peter used in this verse, it conveys the idea of one who intensely looks at and focuses on the activities, affairs, or business of someone else or one who is peering into matters that are not his business.

863. The word “however” is a translation of δέ (de), a conjunction that leads to the next thought in the passage.

864. The words “if (as it seems the case likely is)” are a translation of εἰ (ei), which means if but assumes this likely is the case.

865. The word “Christian” is a translation of Χριστιανός (Christianos), derived from Χριστός (Christos), which is the Greek equivalent for the Hebrew word “Messiah,” and it means The Anointed One. In essence, this means Christians are followers of Christ, versions of Christ, and who, like Christ, are anointed ones. The first usage of the word “Christian” in the New Testament is in Acts 11:26, where we’re told the believers in Antioch were the first to be called Christians. The second use of the word Christian is found in Acts 26:28, where Agrippa told Paul that he was almost convinced to become a Christian. The third usage is in First Peter 4:16, where Peter used the word “Christian” to describe Christ-followers who were suffering merely because they were Christians.

866. The words “feel even a hint of awkwardness or embarrassment, as though he somehow is inferior to others” are interpreted from a form of αἰσχύνομαι (aischunomai), a word that means to feel awkward, debased, degraded, dishonored, embarrassed, humiliated, inferior, or humiliated. It has always been the case that a lost world has made fun of, scorned, and treated believers with contempt, but Peter admonished his readers not to allow even a hint of embarrassment for being a follower of Christ.

867. The word “instead” is a translation of δέ (de), a conjunction intended to make a comparison point.

868. The words “shout, Hallelujah! and glorify” are interpreted from a form of δοξάζω (doxadzo), which means to celebrate, to extol, to esteem, to glorify, to magnify, to render illustrious, or to make renowned.

869. The words “name, character, fame, person, and reputation” are interpreted from a form of ὄνομα (onoma), which means name, but also denotes a person’s character and reputation that distinguishes him from others. It describes the name, character, fame, person, or reputation of someone.