There are some folks that like to suggest that the Christian life is one of endless prosperity and victory. Peter challenges this thinking by pointing to Jesus’ suffering and asking the church to “arm herself also with the same attitude.”(4:1) Peter is writing to a church who was experiencing persecution from the dominant culture. By publicly shaming them, the Greco-Roman culture was trying to pressure the believers to conform to the values and behaviours of the larger society.(4:4) Peter’s words serve as encouragement to keep his readers from becoming demoralized and possibly even giving up on their faith. Christians are not immune to suffering, and when it comes it should not be surprising.(4:12) Peter suggests that all Christians do not suffer alone, but should rejoice at their participation with Christ in their suffering (4:13). Paradoxically, insults become blessings when we suffer in the name of Jesus. (4:14) What might it mean for us to reframe suffering in such a way?
Cultural Context:
Our cultural context is obsessed with avoiding pain, loss, and suffering. We do not want to suffer. Yet life brings its share of suffering. Suffering happens. Sometimes by happenstance, and sometimes as a result of the choices we’ve made. Peter is addressing a whole community who are suffering because of the choice to follow Jesus. While the temptation may be to give up and avoid pain, Peter is helping these churches— and us —to reframe suffering in light of Jesus’ example. This sort of suffering is counterintuitive to our culture, but to followers of Jesus this way of suffering — this way of the cross— is a new way of living in the world. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer once said, “When Christ calls a person, he bids them come and die”.