Responding to Insults Against Jesus Christ Biblically
Scripture addresses insults against Christ by distinguishing the believer's response from God's ultimate judgment. When Jesus himself faced reviling, "he reviled not again" but "committed himself to him that judgeth righteously" [13]. This pattern establishes the Christian posture: personal forbearance coupled with trust in divine vindication.
The Believer's Immediate Response
The New Testament explicitly forbids personal revenge. Paul commands believers not to repay evil for evil but to "give place to wrath"—that is, to God's wrath [4]. When men revile Christians for Christ's name, the instruction is clear: "Blessed are ye when men shall revile you... and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake" [10]. Peter reinforces this, declaring that those "insulted for the name of Christ" are blessed because "the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you" [3, 5]. The believer's task is not retaliation but endurance, recognizing that insults against Christ's followers are insults against Christ himself.
This forbearance extends specifically to reviling. Scripture categorizes reviling and reproaching as forbidden conduct [6], and the pattern of Christ under reproach becomes the model: he endured for God's sake, bearing rebuke without striking back [6, 13]. John Chrysostom pressed this logic further, arguing that if believers shudder at the thought of buffeting one another, how much more should they tremble at tearing apart their Lord and Master through sin [11, 12]. The call is to absorb insult without returning it, trusting God's justice rather than asserting one's own.
God's Judgment and Vindication
While believers abstain from revenge, Scripture affirms that God himself will judge blasphemy and hatred against Christ. Blasphemy against Christ—charging him falsely, as his opponents did [1]—and hatred of him "without cause" [2] carry divine consequences. The psalmist prays that accusers "be covered with disgrace and scorn" [7], and Paul warns of "flaming fire giving full vengeance to those not knowing God, and to those not obeying the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ" [8]. Jude anticipates the Lord's coming "to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly" of their hard speeches [9]. This judgment belongs to God alone; the believer's role is to wait for it, not to enact it.
Sources
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Blasphemy — Christ assailed with -- Mt 10:25; Lu 22:64,65; 1Pe 4:14. Charged upon Christ -- Mt 9:2,3; 26:64,65; Joh 10:33,36. Charged upon saints -- Ac 6:11,13. Proceeds from the heart -- Mt 15:19. Forbidden -- Ex 20:7; Col 3:8. The wicked addicted to -- Ps 74:18; Isa 52:5; 2Ti 3:2; Re 18:11,21. Idolatry counted as -- Isa 65:7; Eze 20:27,28. Hypocrisy counted as -- Re 2:9. Saints grieved to hear -- Ps 44:15,16; 74:10,18,22. Gives no occasion for -- 2Sa 12:14; 1Ti 6:1. Against the Holy Spirit, unpardonable -- Mt 12:31,32. Connected with folly and pride -- 2Ki 19:22; P”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Hatred to Christ — Is without cause -- Ps 69:4; Joh 15:25. Is on account of his testimony against the world -- Joh 7:7. Involves Hatred to his Father. -- Joh 15:23,24. Hatred to his people. -- Joh 15:18. Punishment of -- Ps 2:2,9; 21:8. No escape for those who persevere in -- 1Co 15:25; Heb 10:29-31. Illustrated -- Lu 19:12-14,17. Exemplified Chief priests & c. -- Mt 27:1,2; Lu 22:5. Jews. -- Mt 27:22,23. Scribes & c. -- Mr 11:18; Lu 11:53,54.”
- 1 Peter “If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed; because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. On their part he is blasphemed, but on your part he is glorified. -- 1 Peter 4:14”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Revenge — Forbidden by our Lord -- Le 19:18; Pr 24:17,29; Mt 5:39-41; Ro 12:17,19; 1Th 5:15; 1Pe 3:9. Christ an example of forbearing -- Isa 53:7; 1Pe 2:23. Rebuked by Christ -- Lu 9:54,55. Inconsistent with Christian spirit -- Lu 9:55. Proceeds from a spiteful heart -- Eze 25:15. Instead of taking, we should Trust in God. -- Pr 20:22; Ro 12:16. Exhibit love. -- Le 19:18; Lu 6:35. Give place to wrath. -- Ro 12:19. Exercise forbearance. -- Mt 5:38-41. Bless. -- Ro 12:14. Overcome others by kindness. -- Pr 25:21,22; Ro 12:20. Keep others from taking -- 1Sa 24:10; 25:24”
- I Peter “I Peter 4:14 (BSB) — If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Reviling and Reproaching — Forbidden -- 1Pe 3:9. Of rulers specially forbidden -- Ex 22:28; Ac 23:4,5. The wicked utter, against God. -- Ps 74:22; 79:12. God, by opposing the poor. -- Pr 14:31. Christ. -- Mt 27:39; Lu 7:34. Saints. -- Ps 102:8; Zep 2:8. Rulers. -- 2Pe 2:10,11; Jude 1:8,9. Of Christ, predicted -- Ps 69:9; Ro 15:3; Ps 89:51. The conduct of Christ under -- 1Pe 2:23. Saints Endure. -- 1Ti 4:10; Heb 10:33. Endure for God's sake. -- Ps 69:7. Endure for Christ's sake. -- Lu 6:22. Should expect. -- Mt 10:25. Should not fear. -- Isa 51:7. Sometimes depressed ”
- Psalms “Let my accusers be disappointed and consumed. Let them be covered with disgrace and scorn who want to harm me. -- Psalms 71:13”
- II Thessalonians “II Thessalonians 1:8 (LITV) — in flaming fire giving full vengeance to those not knowing God, and to those not obeying the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, Isa. 66:15; Jer. 10:25”
- Treasury of Scripture Knowledge “Jude 1:15 cross-references: Exodus 16:8, 1 Samuel 2:3, Psalms 9:7, Psalms 31:18, Psalms 37:6, Psalms 50:1, Psalms 73:9, Psalms 94:4, Psalms 98:9, Psalms 149:9, Ecclesiastes 11:9, Ecclesiastes 12:14, Isaiah 37:22, Ezekiel 35:13, Daniel 7:20, Daniel 11:36, Malachi 3:13, Matthew 12:31, John 5:22, John 5:27, Acts 17:31, Romans 2:5, Romans 2:16, Romans 3:19, Romans 14:10, 1 Corinthians 4:5, 1 Corinthians 5:13, 1 Timothy 1:9, 2 Peter 2:6, Jude 1:16, Revelation 13:5, Revelation 13:11, Revelation 22:12, Revelation 22:20”
- Matthew (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Matthew 5:11: Blessed are ye when men shall revile you,.... These words are particularly directed to the disciples of Christ, and are designed to inform them, that they should not be exempted from reproach and persecution, and to animate and fortify them against it; and are prophetical of what they, and the first Christians particularly, were to endure for Christ's sake. Men should "revile" them, speak very reproachfully of them, brand them with infamy, and load them with disgrace; and persecute you from place to place, by ill usage of all sorts; and shall say all manner of ev”
- CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on Galatians–Colossians–Thessalonians: thou wishest to revenge thyself on me, I will give thee a method by which thou mayest take vengeance without injury to thyself; or rather without injury it is not possible to revenge thyself, but at all events with less injury. Buffet me, woman, spit upon me, when thou meetest me in the public way, and aim blows at me. Dost thou shudder at hearing this? When I bid thee buffet me, dost thou shudder, and dost thou tear thy Lord and Master and not shudder? Dost thou pluck asunder the limbs of thy Lord and Master, and not tremble? Th”
- CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on John & Hebrews: to him. Even now we bear unbearable things on account of men, and often say to those who have insulted us, “Such an one insulted me, not you.” Shall we not use the same caution in the case of God? How else can we hope for pardon? Let us say to our soul, “It is God who holds our hands, who now insults us; let us not be restive, let not God be less honored by us than men.” Did ye shudder at the word? I wish you would shudder not at the word only, but at the deed. For God hath commanded us when buffeted not only to endure it, but even to offer ourselve”
- John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on John 8:49: Jesus answered, I have not a devil--What calm dignity is here! Verily, "when reviled, He reviled not again" (Pe1 2:23). Compare Paul (Act 26:25), "I am not mad," &c. He adds not, "Nor am I a Samaritan," that He might not even seem to partake of their contempt for a race that had already welcomed Him as the Christ, and began to be blessed by Him. I honour my Father, and ye do dishonour me--the language of wounded feeling. But the interior of His soul at such moments is only to be seen in such prophetic utterances as these, "For thy sake I have borne rep”