1 Peter 4:16

4:12-19 By patience and fortitude in suffering, by dependence on the promises of God, and keeping to the word the Holy Spirit hath revealed, the Holy Spirit is glorified; but by the contempt and reproaches cast upon believers, he is evil spoken of, and is blasphemed. One would think such cautions as these were needless to Christians. But their enemies falsely charged them with foul crimes. And even the best of men need to be warned against the worst of sins. There is no comfort in sufferings, when we bring them upon ourselves by our own sin and folly. A time of universal calamity was at hand, as foretold by our Saviour, Mt 24:9,10. And if such things befall in this life, how awful will the day of judgment be! It is true that the righteous are scarcely saved; even those who endeavour to walk uprightly in the ways of God. This does not mean that the purpose and performance of God are uncertain, but only the great difficulties and hard encounters in the way; that they go through so many temptations and tribulations, so many fightings without and fears within. Yet all outward difficulties would be as nothing, were it not for lusts and corruptions within. These are the worst clogs and troubles. And if the way of the righteous be so hard, then how hard shall be the end of the ungodly sinner, who walks in sin with delight, and thinks the righteous is a fool for all his pains!

1 Peter 4:16 . Μὴ αἰσχυνέσθω , let him not be ashamed ) although the world is ashamed of shame— δοξαζέτω , let him glorify ) Peter might have said, with the force of an antithesis, let him esteem it an honour to himself: but he teaches that the honour is to be resigned to God. Let him glorify God, who regards man as worthy of the honour of sufferings, and who at the same time bestows upon him a great benefit, together with an exemption from the punishments of the wicked, which are about to come upon them. There is a similar antithesis in Psalm 79:12-13 , Let our enemies be put to shame: let the Lord be glorified .— ἐν τῷ μέρει τούτῳ ,[37] in this part ) i.e. in respect of sufferings which are of a better kind. See next verse. [37] The reading ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι τούτῳ , which had not been approved of by the larger Ed., is openly preferred by Ed. 2, and is confidently exhibited in the Germ. Vers.—E. B. Ὀνόματι is the reading of AB Vulg. Μέρει is read by Rec. Text on inferior authority.—E.

Yet if any man suffer as a Christian; if his Christianity be his only crime, and the cause of his sufferings. Let him not be ashamed: see 2 Timothy 2:12 . But let him glorify God on this behalf; i.e. on the account of his sufferings; let him bless God for keeping him from suffering as an evil-doer, and for counting him worthy to suffer for Christ’s sake, Acts 5:41 , as well as for giving him patience, and courage under sufferings.

1 Peter 4:16 . εἰδὲ ὡς χριστιανὸς , if one suffers as a follower of Christ, in the name of Christ (14). See on Acts 9:26 and Introduction.— μὴ αἰσχυνέσθω echoes the saying, Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and my words of him also the Son of Man shall be ashamed when He cometh in the glory ; so St. Paul says I suffer thus but am not ashamed ( 2 Timothy 1:12 ; cf. 2 Timothy 1:8 ).— δοξαζέτω τὸν θεόν , by martyrdom if necessary, for this sense the phrase has acquired already in John 21:19 .— ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι τούτῳ = Mark 9:41 .

16. a Christian—the name given in contempt first at Antioch. Ac 11:26; 26:28; the only three places where the term occurs. At first believers had no distinctive name, but were called among themselves "brethren," Ac 6:3; "disciples," Ac 6:1; "those of the way," Ac 9:2; "saints," Ro 1:7; by the Jews (who denied that Jesus was the Christ, and so would never originate the name Christian), in contempt, "Nazarenes." At Antioch, where first idolatrous Gentiles (Cornelius, Ac 10:1, 2, was not an idolater, but a proselyte) were converted, and wide missionary work began, they could be no longer looked on as a Jewish sect, and so the Gentiles designated them by the new name "Christians." The rise of the new name marked a new epoch in the Church's life, a new stage of its development, namely, its missions to the Gentiles. The idle and witty people of Antioch, we know from heathen writers, were famous for inventing nicknames. The date of this Epistle must have been when this had become the generally recognized designation among Gentiles (it is never applied by Christians to each other, as it was in after ages—an undesigned proof that the New Testament was composed when it professes), and when the name exposed one to reproach and suffering, though not seemingly as yet to systematic persecution. let him not be ashamed—though the world is ashamed of shame.

To suffer for one's own faults is no honor (1Pe 4:15; 1Pe 2:20),—for Christ, is no shame (1Pe 4:14; 1Pe 3:13). but let him glorify God—not merely glory in persecution; Peter might have said as the contrast, "but let him esteem it an honor to himself"; but the honor is to be given to God, who counts him worthy of such an honor, involving exemption from the coming judgments on the ungodly. on this behalf—The oldest manuscripts and Vulgate read, "in this name," that is, in respect of suffering for such a name.

16 . Yet if any man suffer as a Christian ] The occurrence of a name which has played so prominent a part in the history of mankind requires a few words of notice. It did not originate with the followers of Christ themselves. They spoke of themselves as the “brethren” ( Acts 14:2 ; Acts 15:1 ; Acts 15:3 ; Acts 15:22 , &c.), as “the saints,” i.e. the holy or consecrated people ( Matthew 27:52 ; Acts 9:13 ; Acts 9:32 ; Romans 1:7 ; 1 Corinthians 6:1 ; Ephesians 1:1 , &c.), as “those of the way,” i.e. those who took their own way, the way which they believed would lead them to eternal life ( Acts 9:2 ; Acts 19:9 ; Acts 24:22 ). By their Jewish opponents they were commonly stigmatized as “the Nazarenes” ( Acts 24:5 ), the followers of Jesus of Nazareth, the city out of which no good thing could come ( John 1:46 ). The new name was given first at Antioch ( Acts 11:26 ), shortly after the admission there, on a wider scale than elsewhere, of Gentile converts. Its Latin form, analogous to that of Pompeiani, Mariani , for the followers of Pompeius or Marius, indicated that the new society was attracting the attention of official persons and others at Antioch. The word naturally found acceptance. It expressed a fact, it was not offensive, and it might be used by those who, like Agrippa, though they were not believers themselves, wished to speak respectfully of those who were ( Acts 26:28 ). Soon it came to be claimed by those believers. The question, Are you a Christian?

became the crucial test of their faith. By disowning it, as in the case of the mildly repressive measures taken in these very regions by Pliny in the reign of Trajan, they might purchase safety (Pliny, Epp . x. 96). The words now before us probably did much to stamp it on the history of the Church. Men dared not disown it. They came to exult in it. Somewhat later on they came to find in it, with a pardonable play upon words, a new significance. The term Christiani (= followers of Christ) was commonly pronounced Chrestiani , and that, they urged, shewed that they were followers of Chrestus , i.e. of the good and gentle one. Their very name, they urged, through their Apologist, Tertullian ( Apol . i. 3), was a witness to the falsehood of the charges brought against them. on this behalf ] Better, perhaps, in this point , or this particular . Many of the best MSS. give, however, in this name , i.e. either the name of Christ, for whom they suffered, or that of Christian, which was the occasion of their suffering.

Verse 16. - Yet if any man suffer as a Christian . The word "Christian" occurs only three times in the New Testament - twice in the Acts of the Apostles ( Acts 11:26 ; Acts 26:28 ), and here. "The disciples were called Christians first in Antioch." They were originally described amongst themselves as "the disciples," "the brethren," "the believers," "the elect," or" the saints;" by the Jews they were called "the Nazarenes" ( Acts 24:5 ), as still in Mohammedan countries. The name was probably invented by the heathen, and used at first as a term of derision; there is something of scorn in Agrippa's use of it. It did not at once become common among the disciples of the Lord. St. Peter (who preached at Antioch ( Galatians 2:11 ), and is said to have been Bishop of Antioch) is the only sacred writer who adopts it instead of the older names, and that only ones, and in connection with threatened persecution. St. James may possibly allude to it in James 2:7 . But it was not commonly used among' believers till after New Testament times. Then they began to discern its admirable suitableness. It reminded them that the center of their religion was not a system of doctrines, but a Person, and that Person the Messiah, the Anointed of God.