4:12 Some Christians feel surprised when other people misunderstand, dislike, insult, and treat them harshly when they seek to carry out God's will. Peter reminded his readers that this reaction is not a strange thing but normal Christian experience. Their persecutions were fiery (burning) ordeals in the sense that they were part of God's refining process and were uncomfortable (cf. 2:11). It was for their testing (Gr. pairasmos, proving), to manifest their faith, that God allowed their sufferings (cf. James 1:2-4).
4:13 We can also rejoice in these sufferings because when we experience them we share in Christ's sufferings. That is, we experience what Jesus did during His time on earth as He continued faithful to God's will. God will glorify us just as He will glorify Jesus. Therefore we can rejoice now at that prospect (cf. 1:6-7; 10-11; 2:21; Acts 5:41). The revelation (uncovering, Gr. apokalypsis) of Jesus Christ's glory is most likely a reference to the Second Advent that includes the Rapture and the Second Coming (cf. 1:7, 13). At both of these appearings His glory will become manifest, to the church at the Rapture and to the world at His second coming.
Our present experience as we suffer for Christ's sake is similar to a pregnant woman who feels discomfort and even pain as she anticipates her due date. When she gives birth, however, joy at the delivery of her child replaces the pain that she felt during her pregnancy. Similarly we groan now, but the hope of future joy should encourage us to hang on.
4:14 When people revile, insult, and reject us for being followers of Jesus Christ, they may curse us, but their curses are really blessings from God (Matt. 5:11-12).
"To be insulted is not simply to receive a rebuke (2:12; 3:16; 4:5), but . . . it means to be rejected by the society (or even by humanity)."171
Their curses become blessings because the Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of glory, already indwells us.172Peter's thought was that the indwelling Holy Spirit is already part of our glorification, the first-fruits of our inheritance. As the Israelites enjoyed the presence of God in the fiery pillar even during their wilderness testing, so we enjoy His presence during our wilderness experience.
"The world believes that the absenceof suffering means glory, but a Christian's outlook is different. . . .
". . . suffering Christians do not have to wait for heaven in order to experience His glory. Through the Holy Spirit, they can have the glory now. This explains how martyrs could sing praises to God while bound in the midst of blazing fires. It also explains how persecuted Christians (and there are many in today's world) can go to prison and to death without complaining or resisting their captors."173
