1 Peter 4:14Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Whoever reviles another for the name of Christ deprives himself of blessedness, and gives the reviled one occasion to receive the reward of blessedness. The one who reviles his neighbor for the name of Christ reviles Christ Himself. And the one who endures reviling for Christ thereby shares in Christ's sufferings, and therefore receives blessedness in Christ's glory. The Apostle expresses this thought about the blessedness of the reviled in an original turn of phrase: "the Spirit of Glory, the Spirit of God, rests upon you." By the Spirit of Glory and the Spirit of God the Holy Spirit is meant here, the third Person of the worshipful Trinity. He is the Spirit of Glory because He brings His own inward glory, always proper to Him, even into the sorrowful outward life of the reviled. His Spirit illumines those who suffer slander and dishonor for the name of Christ, granting them in this very thing the pledge of sharing in the glory of the blessed life to come. The expression "Spirit of God" seems to be joined to "Spirit of Glory" precisely to indicate that the latter expression should be understood as a Person. It should not be taken as an abstract concept, in the sense of a mood, tendency, or disposition of the spirit of the reviled. "Rests" means constant abiding. The image is taken from the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles on the day of Pentecost, when fiery tongues came down and rested upon them. This indwelling and abiding of the Spirit of Glory in those reviled for the name of Christ makes them inwardly blessed amid outward afflictions. It consoles them and assures them that they will receive glory in the future glorious Kingdom of Christ. "By them He is blasphemed," and so forth. By those who revile Christians for the name of Christ, Christ Himself is reviled as God and Savior. Reviling Christ as God is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit in the sense indicated by the Lord Himself (Mt 12:32). "But by you He is glorified." Through His wondrous actions upon the souls of those reviled for the name of Christ, through consolations, peace, calm, patience, and blessedness, the Spirit of Glory is glorified in the world. This is so for those who have eyes to see this glory and glorification. Even the blinded sometimes cannot fail to pay tribute of admiration to those in whom this action of the Spirit of Glory is manifested (v. 4). "By the impious He is blasphemed, but by you He is glorified. Why? Because when their accusation against you is shown to be false, shame will overtake them, but glory will be yours" (Theophylact).

At the present time we must endure persecutions for the Christian faith, for this is the time of its spread throughout the world. But can the world allow this without a struggle? Naturally, it will set all its powers against the faith and raise every possible persecution against its confessors. Thus judgment, that is, sufferings, persecutions, and calamities, must first weigh upon the Kingdom of God, upon the Church. Then they will break forth upon her enemies, upon the unbelieving, as God's punishment. "And if the righteous man," the Apostle reasons, "is scarcely saved," that is, reaches the blessed state only through sufferings, "where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?" "Therefore. " the Apostle concludes, "let those who suffer according to the will of God, and not according to their own will, entrust their souls to Him as to a second Creator, while doing good."

They may see a special divine election of the Holy Spirit, so that the pagan blasphemy against them will be blasphemy against the Holy Spirit Himself (cf. Mt 12:31), as blessed Theophylact says. It is noteworthy that earlier, in verse 6, the Apostle called the sufferings of Christians a participation in Christ's sufferings. Here he refers them to the Holy Spirit, and thereby shows their closest communion with the whole Holy Trinity. In the days of Nero, Christians often suffered for the name alone. The Apostle alludes to this in verse 16. Therefore he exhorts them not only not to be ashamed, but even to triumph, if such a beautiful lot falls to anyone. For here the governing authority itself will define the suffering as being for the name of Christ alone. The only danger is that someone might suffer for an evil deed: for murder, theft, or interference in matters and rights that do not concern him (cf. 1 Thess 4:11). By repeating this last concern (cf. 1 Pet 3:17), the Apostle does not slander Christians. He warns them against such and similar deeds, since they can destroy them and at the same time bring dishonor upon Christians if any of them falls into such sin.