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Chapter
5
1 Peter
5:1-14
1Pe 5:1 The elders which are among you
I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the
sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that
shall be revealed:
We never hear him addressed as Elder Peter, but he says so
here, in order that those whom he addresses might identify
with him.
1Pe 5:2 Feed the flock of God which is
among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint,
but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
The flock of God is
fed by sound gospel preaching. It must make a recognizable
sound. It cannot be contrary to established doctrine and it
must be led of the Spirit. When the word is proclaimed in
power and demonstration of the spirit, it provides the sheep
and the lambs the spiritual nourishment they require and
gives them comfort and peace and hope and joy in the Holy
Ghost.
taking the oversight thereof, not by
constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a
ready mind;
Eph 4:11
details the gifts to the church. Not every elder is made to
be a pastor, but those to whom God has given that ability
should be ready to take the oversight of the flock that
calls him to the position, provided the Lord be in the
matter, and to do so willingly, not begrudgingly, and not
out of consideration for what monetary gifts the church may
prescribe.
1Pe 5:3 Neither as being lords over
God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
A pastor or an elder is a servant to God’s children. Being
in a position of authority in the church should humble a
man, rather than exalt him, that his service to them and to
the Lord should be an example to them and those who see his
good works.
1Pe 5:4 And when the chief Shepherd
shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth
not away.
The chief Shepherd of course is
Jesus Christ, the elder or pastor of the church is an
under-shepherd. Whether the appearing of the Lord is during
worship, which is fitting, or at death of the elder, there
is a crown of glory.
We don’t proclaim crowns as the modern Christian world does,
who seek not only crowns but also stars to adorn them are
beset with works, trying to proclaim their own glory. 1
Co 9:25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is
temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a
corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
In proclaiming the gospel, at those times when the Lord is
present and directs the mind, words and message of a
preacher, there is a crown of glory. The word crown is
rarely used in scripture by New Testament writers to be an
actual adornment on the head, but rather a blessing or
honor. If the appearance of the chief shepherd is at the
end of an elder’s life, the other possibility we presented
above, then there is a crown of glory assigned him that
fadeth not away. Rev 14:13 And I heard a voice from
heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die
in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that
they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow
them.
The pastors and elders who have gone home before us are
still spoken of in honorable terms. We reflect upon their
preaching, teaching, writing, instruction and humble manner
long after they have departed us. We have ‘crowned’ their
memory with a glory that will not fade away, as man’s honors
do. 1Ti 5:17 Let the elders that rule well be counted
worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the
word and doctrine.
In Revelation 4:20 we read where the elders cast their
crowns before the throne. We aren’t looking for eternal
physical crowns.
1Pe 5:5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the
elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another,
and be clothed with humility: for God
resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
As we should honor our mother and father, respect those
aged among us, we ought to give respect to the experience of
those who have travelled the path before us. Mothers and
fathers in Israel have much to offer the younger members by
way of experience, advice, godly examples and wisdom.
Yea, all of you be subject one to another,
(Eph 5:21) and be clothed with humility: for God
resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
Be not highminded, but fear. Humility is a beautiful
trait in God’s children. We know the Lord looks unfavorably
at pride, so we need to work to control it. Grace to the
humble. It’s as if Peter is giving us a key to unlocking
the door of answered prayers.
1Pe
5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of
God, that he may exalt you in due time: Mat
23:12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and
he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.
1Pe 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for
you.
We’re sometimes falsely humble, pretending we don’t want to
burden God with our “little” problems, thinking that we
should save our prayers for the big troubles in our lives.
But by casting all our care upon him, we learn to trust that
he is there for us in six troubles, and will not forsake us
in the seventh. Prayer is perfected by practice.
1Pe 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the
devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may
devour:
Be
sober and watchful. The drunken, careless man
is the one who finds himself ensnared in a trap.
because your adversary the devil,
Peter uses the legal term
adversary, or enemy suggesting the devil will accuse you
before the court, accuse God before you and bring railing
charges against both. He calls him your adversary.
That’s personal.
as a roaring lion, walketh about,
seeking whom he may devour:
Before he roars, though, he will likely stalk you to try and
determine your weakness.
1Pe 5:9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the
same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are
in the world.
You are not alone in your trials and temptations. By faith
in God, prayer, and efforts at righteous living, we can
resist the devil. Jas 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to
God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
in your brethren that are in the world.
Just a quick aside here to point out that Peter is
teaching not all of God’s children find the church. Many
are left out in the world, either by their own desire or
physical circumstance. But he calls them brethren
nonetheless. A good lesson here for the missionaries of the
world seeking to make children of God.
1Pe 5:10 But the God of all grace, who
hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after
that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish,
strengthen, settle you.
Here is the purifying Peter spoke
of before. Remembering our eternal glory to come and our
heavenly calling, the light afflictions of our suffering
will bring us forth as gold. (Job 23:10)
1Pe 5:11 To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever.
Amen.
1Pe 5:12 By Silvanus, a faithful
brother unto you, as I suppose, I have written briefly,
exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God
wherein ye stand. We
mentioned Silvanus briefly at the outset. Historians are
awash with theories concerning him. They believe he was one
of the 70 sent out by Christ in the gospels. Some claim he
is Silas, Peter’s travelling companion. Some think he was
an elder at the church at Thessalonica. All we can say for
certain is that he aided Peter in either transcribing or
translating this letter. In Peter’s second epistle, the
voice of the writer takes a noticeable change.
exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God
wherein ye stand.
If you were in doubt about the gospel you had thus far
received, doubt no more strangers. Peter confirms it for
you by his testimony. Similar to Paul’s warning to the
church at Galatia, but short and to the point.
1Pe 5:13 The church that is at
Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and so
doth Marcus my son. Among
the theologians of the world who must appear to be smarter
than New Testament writers, you have just read a lie. Some
say Peter is writing from Jerusalem, and some say Peter was
writing from Rome, and that it was necessary in either case
to encode his location for his own safety. I have a problem
when people have to change what the bible says to something
else, especially when there is no corresponding scripture to
authorize the change.
I find no evidence, despite the claims to the contrary by
the Catholic church, that Peter was ever in Rome. Tradition
says Peter was martyred in Italy, crucified upside down, but
there is no scripture to indicate Peter’s death or where it
occurred. Secondly, if Peter is encoding his location, there
is never a reason given, nor is there clarification later
on. Knowing he is penning scriptural cannon, such a
statement would only gender confusion for anyone reading
beyond Peter’s lifetime.
Psa 87:4 I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them
that know me: behold Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia;
this man was born there.
Babylon would have many with Jewish ties, and of all the
regions into which the gospel went in the beginning, this
certainly was not the most wicked among them. Perhaps Peter
is commending them to these other churches as a gospel
church like they are, qualifying them as:
elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus
my son.
That sounds like an endorsement of the church at Babylon to
the other churches, with the further instruction to
1Pe 5:14 Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity. Peace
be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen.
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