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Easter Season · Seventh Sunday of Easter · Year A

1 Peter 4:13-16

Blessed When Insulted for the Name

May 17, 2026

The Man of Sorrows, Aelbert Bouts
The Man of Sorrows, Aelbert Bouts, c. 1525The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Christ, crowned with thorns and weeping, shows the wounds in his hands against a golden ground.But rejoice insofar as you are sharing Christ’s sufferings, so that you may also be glad and shout for joy when his glory is revealed.Aelbert BoutsA painter of Leuven, son of Dieric Bouts, who made many small devotional images of the suffering Christ.The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New YorkThe Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, one of the largest art museums in the world.The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Roman Lectionary
GospelJohn 17:1-11aJn 17:1-11a
Second Reading1 Pet. 4:13-161 Pt 4:13-16
First ReadingActs 1:12-14
Responsorial PsalmPs. 27:1, 4, 7-8 (13)Ps 27:1, 4, 7-8 (13)

Overview & Insights

“If you are insulted for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.” (1 Peter 4:14)

Four verses that turn an insult into a title. The beatitude form of v. 14 stands close to the last of the sayings in Matthew 5:11 and Luke 6:22, and its second clause borrows the promise of Isaiah 11:2, where the spirit of the LORD rests upon the shoot from Jesse. Verse 15 then draws a boundary: the blessing attaches to the reason for the suffering, not to suffering as such, and the list of disqualifying charges ends with a word found nowhere else in surviving Greek, still translated variously as busybody, meddler or informer. Verse 16 contains one of only three occurrences of the word “Christian” in the New Testament (with Acts 11:26 and 26:28), and the only one spoken from inside the group. In each of the other two it is a label applied from outside, apparently by Gentile observers at Antioch; here it is accepted and made a ground for glorifying God.

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Commentary

Commentary on 1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11Commentary on 1 Pt 4:12-14; 5:6-11 Working Preacher (Luther Seminary)

Lutheran commentary on rejoicing in shared suffering with Christ, the heart of this reading.

1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11 Commentary1 Pt 4:12-14; 5:6-11 Commentary Center for Excellence in Preaching

Reformed commentary tagged for this Sunday on suffering as a Christian rather than in shame.

Seventh Sunday of Easter, Cycle A Agape Bible Study

Catholic walkthrough of this Sunday's readings, including Peter's word on bearing the name Christian.

The Seventh Sunday of Easter, Year A Catholic Productions (Dr. Brant Pitre)

Mass Readings Explained episode discussing the significance of the name 'Christian' in this text.

1 Peter 4 Commentary: Serving God in the Last Days1 Pt 4 Commentary: Serving God in the Last Days Enduring Word

Verse-by-verse commentary on the full chapter, including the call to rejoice in suffering as a Christian.

Background & Word Study

Book of 1 Peter SummaryBook of 1 Pt Summary BibleProject

Overview video on 1 Peter's theme of hope and identity amid suffering.

1 Peter 4 Interlinear1 Pt 4 Interlinear BibleHub

Greek interlinear useful for the term 'Christian' (Christianos) in verse 16.

The Church Fathers

Catena on 1 Peter 4Catena on 1 Pt 4 Catena Bible

Patristic comments verse by verse on suffering for bearing Christ's name.

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