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. A CHRISTIAN - the name given first at Antioch (Acts 11:26; Acts 26:27); the only three places where the term occurs. At first believers had no distinctive name, but were called among themselves "brethren," "disciples," 'those of the way' (Acts 6:1; Acts 6:3; Acts 9:2), "saints" (Romans 1:7); by the Jews (who denied that Jesus was the Christ, and so would ne...

16_Yet if any man suffer as a Christian _After having forbidden the Christians to do any hurt or harm, lest for their evil deeds, like the unbelieving, they should become hateful to the world, he now bids them to give thanks to God, if they suffered persecutions for the name of Christ. And truly it is no common kindness from God, that he calls us, freed and exempted from the common punishment of our sins, to so honorable a warfare as to undergo for the testimony of his Gospel either exiles, or prisons, or reproaches, or even death itself. Then he intimates that those are ungrateful to God, who clamor or murmur on account of persecutions, as though they were unworthily dealt with, since on the contrary they ought to regard it as gain and to acknowledge God’s favor. But when he says, _as a Christian, _he regards not so much the name as the cause. It is certain that the adversaries of Chris...

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, Matthew 24:9; Matthew 24:10. 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 uprigh...

Verse 16. _YET IF - AS A CHRISTIAN_] If he be persecuted because he has embraced the _Christian_ faith, let him not be _ashamed_, but let him rather glorify God on this very account. Christ suffered by the Jews because he was _holy_; Christians suffer because they resemble him. The word χριστιανος, _Christian_, is used only here and in Acts 11:26; Acts 26:28. See the note on the former passage....

YET IF ANY MAN SUFFER AS A CHRISTIAN - Because he is a Christian; if he is persecuted on account of his religion. This was often done, and they had reason to expect that it might occur in their own case. Compare the notes at 1 Peter 3:17. On the import of the word Christian, and the reasons why the name was given to the disciples of the Lord Jesus, see the notes at Acts 11:26. LET HIM NOT BE ASHAMED - * Ashamed of religion so as to refuse to suffer on account of it. (2)Ashamed that he is despised and maltreated. He is to regard his religion as every way honorable, and all that fairly results from it in time

EXPOSITIONS 1 PETER 4:1 FORASMUCH THEN AS CHRIST HATH SUFFERED FOR US IN THE FLESH. St. Peter returns, after the digression of 1 Peter 3:19, to the great subject of Christ's example. The words "for us" are omitted in some ancient manuscripts; they express a great truth already dwelt upon in 1 Peter 2:1. and 3. Here the apostle is insisting upon the example of Christ, not on the atoning efficacy of his death. Arm yourselves likewise with the same mind. The word rendered "mind" (ἔννοια) is more exactly "thought" (comp. Hebrews 4:12, the only other place where it occurs in the New Testam

YET IF ANY MAN SUFFER AS A CHRISTIAN,.... Because he is one, and professes himself to be one. This name was first given to the disciples at Antioch, either by themselves, or by the Gentiles; however, it being agreeable to them, was retained; it is only mentioned here, and in Acts 11:26, LET HIM NOT BE ASHAMED; neither of Christ, and his Gospel, for which he suffers, nor of the name he bears, nor of the punishment he endures, however ignominious and shameful it may be among men; but let him, as his Lord and master did, endure the cross, and despise the shame, Hebrews 12:2 BUT LET HIM GLORIFY GOD ON THIS BEHALF: that he bestows this gift upon him to suffer for Christ, as well as to believe in him; and that he does him so much honour to call him to such service, and to streng

1 Peter 4:1. _Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind:_ Accepting this great truth, that it is well that the flesh should die that the spirit may triumph, even as it was with Christ. 1 Peter 4:1. _For he that bath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;_ If he has indeed died with Christ, and the power of Christ's sufferings has made him dead to sin, he has ceased from it. 1 Peter 4:2. That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the,will of God for the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness,

IV. THE COMFORT IN THE MIDST OF TRIALS AND SUFFERING CHAPTER 3:10-4:19 _ 1. The comfort in suffering (1 Peter 3:10)_ 2. Few saved as illustrated by Noah's preaching (1 Peter 3:18) 3. The new life in its transforming power (1 Peter 4:1) 4. Suffering and glory (1 Peter 4:12) 1 Peter 3:10 The words which stand in the beginning of this section are quoted from Psalms 34:12. It is interesting to note that the Spirit of

The section repeats ideas that have already appeared (1 Peter 2:18; 1 Peter 3:13), only they are emphasized by the imminence (1 Peter 4:17) of severe trial. 1 PETER 4:15. A MEDDLER: the original word seems to be a coinage of the writer, and its exact significance is difficult to define. It may be used politically as a revolutionary or as a stirrer up of strife in the home or society of the Christians. Again, it may be used of conformity to pagan practice, but this is unlikely in the context. 1 Peter 4:16. There may here be still the