1 Peter 4:14 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

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1 Peter 4:14

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Peter isn’t telling us to be happy. He says that if are reproached, defamed for the name of Christ, we will be happy. God will make you happy ‘for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you.’ ‘For the name of Christ.’ Everybody knows the name of Christ. What we don't realise is how much that name means to people, even to his enemies. They know more than we realise. They know the name of Christ means the name of God. They know the name of Christ means the name of one who is supposed to be worshipped, who is set forth as the Redeemer of souls and of the world. The name is a challenge to them. The name means, surrender your self-determination; surrender your moral freedom and worship him, and they hate that. The very name of Christ seems to stir up the worst in many people, and so you will be rejected and insulted. By the power of God, you will also be used, of course, to the salvation of souls. But why are we reproached for the name of Christ? Even the name of Jesus Christ offends people, because it means Saviour. ‘Saviour? I do not need a Saviour!’, says human pride. ‘You insult me by telling me I need a Saviour from sin, that there is something so much the matter with me, that I am not acceptable to God, if there is a God. I am insulted by the name of Jesus Christ, because the name Saviour suggests that we are sinners and that we are lost and hopeless and we need Jesus Christ to make an atonement for us.’ Then, of course, the name of Jesus Christ spells a personal relationship. The message is: we need a personal relationship with God through Christ and that is offensive: that we are outsiders, that we do not know God, that we are not good enough as we are. Then again, the name of Jesus Christ is about an exclusive hope of heaven and it will offend all those who are trusting in some other religious name, some other doctrine, because the Bible claims that Christ is the exclusive way to God. The name of Jesus Christ also spells holiness. I have got to obey him and follow him and live for him. I have got to allow him to change me, and I have got to strive for holiness. ‘I resent that’, says the world. ‘I want to do as I like, I want to be free to enjoy any sensual pleasure on my terms.’ Why is the Holy Spirit called the spirit of glory? It means the spirit who brings you to glory. If you're insulted it proves to you that the Spirit who is bringing you to glory is upon you. When Moses went into the Tent of Meeting the very first time and many times afterwards, then that great cloudy pillar that led the people by day, came down on that Tabernacle and the glory of the Lord filled the place. and the people were amazed and they bowed their heads and worshipped. The spirit of glory came down on the Tent of Meeting and upon Moses, as God authenticated his servant. He said in effect, ‘This is my representative. This is my message. This is my place and the place of true worship.’ The same happened, when Christ came up out of the waters of baptism and the Holy Spirit descended and John testified that he saw it. That is what Peter refers to here: ‘Happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth [settles itself] upon you.’ It means this: you will be authenticated; you will be comforted; you will be strengthened, just as Moses was in ancient times; just as Christ was at his commissioning. The Spirit of glory will come upon you and comfort and assurance will fill your heart and you will be strengthened to stand all the more, because even the one who insults you, will say within himself, ‘There is something remarkable about this man, or this woman. I can see the calm in his eyes. I can see the conviction and the certainty. He has a hold on something I do not have.’ There may be others who hear the insult, in whose hearts there will be a work of grace through your testimony.

Application

On their part he is blasphemed, for the world reduces the most holy one to the lowest level that it possibly can. In his patience Christ allows this for a time, but only because he knows that all things will be corrected at the last day. The glory that he allows men to steal from him now is already restored in heaven, and will be restored through all creation at his return, when the Father shows how great is his anger that any should treat his Son in this way. Then the blasphemers will cover their faces and hide from his presence, realising that what they were allowed to steal, they must now be forced to pay back many times over. That sin which seemed so easy and was committed so thoughtlessly will fill them with horror as they see that they were all this time on God’s leash. They thought they were free to speak evil of their Creator, but God only waited with unfathomable patience to haul them in before his judgment seat to receive their sentence. But on our part he is glorified, for we treat him as he really is, the Lord of glory. We anticipate heaven’s revelation of his being and the universal acknowledgment of his exalted name. There cannot be a stronger contrast between the way heaven treats him and the way that a blaspheming world treats him. Christians observe with wonder the longsuffering of God. It pains them to see the world reproach him, but they know that this does not damage his glory, but only it enhances it, for it shows how much Christ is willing to suffer for the sake of his people.

The judgment of the world is passing away for it is a judgment of darkness, based on ignorance and prejudice against man’s Creator. It is a judgment that will not stand but which will in turn be judged. It is a very wonderful position to occupy, that we should be allowed to suffer for Christ’s sake by faithfully standing with him in the darkness of this world, when we know that very shortly, we will also stand with him in the full light of heaven. How pleased Christ will be with his people who were not ashamed of him under the withering gaze of human unbelief. It is a great blessing to have the Spirit of God resting upon us, but this is now the compensation of the Lord, even before the full light of day comes in the visible presence of the Lord Jesus Christ.

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1 Peter 4:14 Commentary and Bible Study