1 PETER 5
Survey of the chapter
Having spoken of various aspects of the sufferings of Christ, some of which the believer may share, the apostle now turns to what we may call Pastoral Sufferings, those things that come upon those who dedicate themselves to the task of caring for the flock of God. This occupies most of the verses of the chapter, and is followed by a short section of greetings.
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:
The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder- as an older man, Peter is now more permanently in an assembly, apparently at Babylon, verse 13. When he was reinstated publicly as the first of the apostles on the shores of Galilee, Peter had been instructed by the Lord in the matter of fishing for souls by what the Lord did, as He showed that He was in total control of where and when and how many fish would be caught, John 21:6. So this was Peter’s evangelistic task, which he discharged faithfully. Now he is older, and the second charge from the Lord comes to the fore, that of feeding and caring for the sheep and lambs in the flock of God, verses 15-17. It is as one who has discharged this duty faithfully that the apostle writes to the elders in the churches scattered throughout Asia Minor. This is not to say that he did not shepherd before, or that he was not evangelising then, but that the emphasis has changed.
And a witness of the sufferings of Christ- the particular sufferings indicated here are those which the Lord endured because of His care for the “little flock”, who had gathered around Him. They are what we might call His pastoral sufferings. He was no hireling, fleeing when trouble came, but stood firm and defended the truth and His disciples, John 10:11,13. We see this very clearly when He was in Gethsemane, and the band came to arrest Him. He stepped forward and allowed Himself to be apprehended, but first asked that His disciples be allowed to make their escape, which they did, John 18:8.
And also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed- despite much failure on that terrible night, Peter was confident that, as a restored man, reward in the form of association with Christ in His glory awaited him, as it does all others who faithfully shepherd the flock.
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;
Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof- what Peter had been instructed to do on the shore of Lake Galilee, he now enjoins on those who shepherd the flock of God. They are to be fed, and not just led. Or rather, they are to be led into green pastures so as to be fed. It is the duty of shepherds to ensure that the sheep in their care are supplied with suitable spiritual food.
The expression “the oversight” is sometimes misused to refer to a company of elders or shepherds. Really, though, it is something that is done, the overseeing of the work of others to ensure that it is done to God’s glory, and also, as in this context, to watch over the flock, alert for danger, and ready to supply the needs of their souls. To take the oversight means to engage in the work of overseership as an elder or shepherd of the flock.
Not by constraint, but willingly- the task will not be done in a spiritual way if a man is coerced into doing the work. His heart must be in it, a heart for Christ’s glory and a heart for the welfare of believers.
Not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind- a true shepherd will not need financial incentives to undertake the work. In fact, the payment of a stipend is liable to attract the wrong sort of person. A great deal of resources have been diverted into the payment of salaries to men who should, if fitted to do the work, do it without monetary reward.
5:3
Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock- an elder is not a ruler in the political sense of the word. The heritage, (the flock of God), belongs to God, and not to man. It is His “allotted portion”, such is the meaning of the word heritage. Instead of insisting that believer’s conform to his will, the true elder will show Christ-like features in his life, so that they may be followed by the rest of the flock. An Eastern shepherd did not drive his flock as a dictator, but led them as one who could be safely followed.
5:4
And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away- overseers should remember that they too are being overseen. The Chief Shepherd is keeping His watchful eye on both the flock and the undershepherds. With this in mind, they will be diligent, and their reward will be granted when Christ comes to reign. That reward will be in the form of a crown, which, unlike the fading and withering crowns awarded at the Olympic Games, will never decay, but shall abide eternally to Christ’s praise. Christ is the Good Shepherd as to His ability; Great Shepherd as to His activity; Chief Shepherd as to His authority.
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.
Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder- “the elder” is no more a sole shepherd of the flock than “the younger” implies there is only one young person in view. The idea is that the class of people described as younger are to be in submission to the class of people described as the elder. The New Testament knows nothing of the idea of one man being solely responsible for the leading of the flock. The “likewise” links back to verse 1, with “I exhort” addressed to the elders there; Peter is likewise exhorting the younger here.
Yea, all of you be subject one to another- this is the lesson Peter learned in the upper room, for the Lord detected that there was a spirit of rivalry amongst the disciples, “for there was a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest”. He rebuked them saying, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? Is not he that sitteth at meat? But I am among you as one that serveth”, Luke 22:24-27.
And be clothed with humility- Peter had watched in amazement and not a little discomfort, when the Lord Jesus rose from supper in the upper room, girded Himself with a towel, the symbol of service, and began to wash His disciples’ feet. What a powerful lesson in humility! The Lord of all, but girded like a servant! But He had taken the servant’s form so that He could be found in fashion as a man, Philippians 2:7,8. As such He is the supreme example of humility and service. As He said to the disciples, “For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you”, John 13:15.
For God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble- when the proud rise up, then God marshalls His forces to resist them, meanwhile giving grace to the humble to bear with their bad attitude.
5:6
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time- as far as the younger ones are concerned, some of them will become elders in an assembly when they have matured. They are assured that when the due time comes they will be given this positiion by God. But the principle applies to all believers, for “he that humbleth himself shall be exalted” is the word of Christ, Luke 14:11, and those who take the low place on earth shall receive a correspondingly higher place in heaven and in the kingdom.
5:7
Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
Casting all your care upon him- those who humble themselves are likely to be trodden down of men and lightly thought of. If that is the case, there is one on whom they can cast that burden of care. The psalmist wrote, “Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved”, Psalm 55:22.
For he careth for you- there is a special place in the heart of the Good Shepherd for those who are despised by men, for He Himself experienced the same. He acts to provide comfort and strength in that situation. From chapter 1 we learn that He was “manifested in these last times for you”, 1 Peter 1:20. In that same chapter we learn that there is an inheirtance “reserved in heaven for you”, 1:4. So the past and the future has provided examples of His concern for His people, and now in the present His unfailing care for the downtrodden is known.
5:8
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
Be sober, be vigilant- to cast all care on Christ must not mean that we forget our personal responsibilities. The world is a place of great danger, and we need to be alert, aware, and watchful.
Because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour- just because the Chief Shepherd has provided us with shepherds to watch over us does not mean that we may be careless. It is such people that the Devil is seeking out. He will have no scruples in preying on the weak, and devouring them in the sense that they are overwhelmed by his opposition, and cowed into unfaithfulness to Christ. It is true that Satan has been robbed of much of his authority by the death, resurrection and ascension of Christ, (see Hebrews 2:14; Ephesians 4:8; Colossians 2:15), but it is still true that in the wisdom and ordering of God he is allowed a certain amount of opportunity to harrass the people of God.
We might ask why the roaring of the lion does not alert the sleepy saint? Perhaps the answer is that lions tend to roar after they have captured their prey. Amos the prophet, (who was also a herdsman, and knew the countryside well), wrote, “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?”, Amos 3:3. Then he asked, “Will a lion roar in the forest when he hath no prey? Will a young lion cry out of his den, if he have taken nothing?” verse 4. These two questions strongly suggest that a lion roars after he has captured his prey. So if we hear Satan roar, then we must be doubly watchful, for it may mean that he has already succeeded in devouring another saint.
5:9
Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
Whom resist stedfast in the faith- it is a sign that his power is limited in that even the sheep of the flock can resist him, such is the energy of the indwelling Spirit. As the apostle John wrote, “He that is in you is greater than he that is in the world”, 1 John 4:4. This power of the Spirit within is only effective as we avail ourselves of the truth of the faith, the body of Christian doctrine. The devil cannot stand before the truth of God, for it foretells his downfall and utter destruction in God’s good time. James exhorts us to “resist the devil and he will flee from you”, James 4:7. This is what happened when he tempted Christ was in the wilderness. He found that Christ resisted him by the use of the word of God, and he departed, defeated.
Knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world- the attacks of the enemy are known by all God’s children in the world. It is a worldwide phenomenon, but the Spirit and the word of God are sufficient for every believer, wherever they are and in whatever way they are attacked. The word “accomplished” is interesting, for it indicates a view of suffering that might be overlooked. Traumatic as afflictions are, they are part of a process whereby our God is accomplishing goals in His people. We have learnt from 1:7 that the trial of faith, when endured in proper fashion, will result in praise and honour and glory for the Lord Jesus when He comes to reign. So afflictions are not negative events, but the positive means whereby our God works out His purpose to glorify His Son. Painful as the afflictions may be at the time, the resulting glory will more than compensate, and, more importantly, will result in added glory for Christ when He comes.
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.
But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus- as the psalmist said, “The Lord will give grace and glory”, Psalm 84:11. He gives grace in the sense that His enabling ensures that trials may be endured in a God-fearing way. But He gives glory, for He has destined His people to be with Christ and like Christ for all eternity.
After that ye have suffered a while- so the idea of suffering is not incompatible with the prospect of glory, nor does the suffering indicate that the glory has been forfeited. Note the contrast between eternal glory and suffering for “a while”. The apostle Paul made a similar contrast when he wrote, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal”, 2 Corinthians 4:17-18.
Make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you- so all the while the sufferings are endured, the work of God continues in their souls. They do not put things “on hold” while the suffering is upon them; in fact, as we have seen, the sufferings are part of the work of God.
To perfect in this context means to adjust, for the sufferings might cause some dislocation of their spiritual attitudes, so they are unfitted for what God has in mind for them to do. The Lord will step in and repair the damage, as long as we are responsive. Note the apostle is asking a favour of God, that He will make them perfect. He does not impose these things on us however. The “God of all grace” is ready to step in with His favours.
They need to be stablished, for sufferings are unnerving, but the grand truths of the Christian faith are a sure foundation for the believer’s confidence in times of trial.
They need to be strengthened also, for sufferings are undermining and wearying, and will sap the believer’s vitality if he does not avail himself of the work of the Spirit, who strengthens us with might in the inner man, Ephesians 3:16. The words of the Lord to Peter were, “when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren”, Luke 22:32. Peter would deny his Lord, but afterwards, when he was recovered, he spent the rest of his life strengthening his brethren so that they did not fall as he had done.
Sufferings are also unsettling, raising doubts in the mind if we let them, but the truth of the word of God dispels all doubt.
5:11
To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen- this is really the end of the letter, and the apostle expresses the desire that, whatever the experiences that the Lord’s people go through, it may all result in glory for God, and the demonstration that He is in complete control, for He has dominion.
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.
By Silvanus, a faithful brother unto you, as I suppose, I have written briefly- we read of Silas in Acts 15,16, 17 and 18, and he is probably the same man as Peter calls Silvanus here. If so, it is pleasing to note that he, and Marcus, (presumably John Mark), are found with the apostle together, for Silas had been chosen as a replacement for Barnabas when he had a dispute with the apostle Paul about Mark, Acts 15:36-41. The matter is settled, and they can combine to greet the saints. It is good when differences are resolved on earth, rather than at the judgement seat of Christ.
By saying “I suppose” the apostle is not guessing. The word is based on logos, the origin of the word logic. Peter has assessed the character and conduct of Silvanus, and has come to the reasoned and logical conclusion that he is a faithful brother. That he was a brother “unto you”, would suggest that Silavanus had laboured amongst them at some time. Even though that was the case, he did not consider it to be below his station to simply be the apostle Peter’s secretary, for that was just as much service for the Lord as preaching. In fact, his preaching is forgotten (by earth at least, although not by God), but the words of the apostle that he wrote down are still with us.
Exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein ye stand- the apostle himself was confident that the doctrines of the gospel were true and valid, and on that basis he exhorted the saints. But some might be wavering in their faith, tested as it was by persecution. To these he writes to assure them that what they believed at the beginning when they first heard the gospel, (and it is possible that some of his readers had been at Jerusalem when the apostle preached on the day of Pentecost), was indeed the gospel of the grace of God, which, when believed, gives a sure standing before God. As the apostle Paul wrote, “we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand”, Romans 5:2. The apostle John exhorted his readers to “Let that therefore abide in you which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son and in the Father”, 1 John 2:24.
5:13
The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son.
The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you- it seems from this that the apostle Peter was based at Babylon in the assembly there, the very place to which the Jews had been taken as captives by Nebuchadnezzar long before. As the apostle to the circumcision he had a special ministry to them. What a triumph of Divine grace that in Satan’s city, (for Babylon has always been the earthly headquarters of Satan’s war against God down through the ages, from Babel onwards), there should be a company that formed part of the bride of Christ, and had no link with the Babylonian harlot, Revelation 17:3-6. Nedless to say, there is no evidence in the New Testament to suggest that the apostle Peter ever went to Rome, let alone was “Bishop of Rome”, as some teach. Those who speak of Peter as Bishop of Rome are clearly not wise to the truth of Scripture about bishops. Why then should we believe them about whether Peter was at Rome or not?
The fact that the church was elected reminds us that a church consists of individuals who have come into the good of the purpose of God, and as such form part of the company that the apostle Paul calls “God’s elect”, Romans 8:33. The apostle assumes that all in the church are genuine believers, and so can be said to be chosen, or elect, before the foundation of the world.
And so doth Marcus my son- in the Old Testament, especially in the days of Elisha, there were those known as the sons of the prophets. They were not necessarily physical sons of the prophets, but were those who were learning from them. Peter had clearly taken Mark under his care, and was responsible for instructing him in the things of God. This bore fruit, not least in the fact that he was responsible for the Second Gospel.
5:14
Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity. Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity- what Peter cannot do because he is absent from them, he exhorts them all to do amongst themselves.
Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen- not only are Silas and Mark in harmony, but it is pleasing to see the apostle Peter using the title of Christ that was expecially used by the apostle Paul, showing that he was in sympathy with his teachings.