1 I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and who will also share in the glory that will be revealed. 2 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, exercising the oversight, not under compulsion, but voluntarily, not for dishonest gain, but willingly; 3 neither as lording it over those entrusted to you, but making yourselves examples to the flock. 4 When the chief Shepherd is revealed, you will receive the crown of glory that doesn't fade away. 5 Likewise, you younger ones, be subject to the elder. Yes, all of you clothe yourselves with humility, to subject yourselves to one another; for "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time; 7 casting all your worries on him, because he cares for you. 8 Be sober and self-controlled. Be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, walks around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Withstand him steadfast in your faith, knowing that your brothers who are in the world are undergoing the same sufferings. 10 But may the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a little while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. 11 To him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen. 12 Through Silvanus, our faithful brother, as I consider him, I have written to you briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand. 13 She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, greets you; and so does Mark, my son. 14 Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace be to you all who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.
This chapter embraces the following subjects:
I. An exhortation to the elders of the churches to be faithful to the flocks committed to their charge, 1-Peter 5:1-4.
II. An exhortation to the younger members of the church to evince all proper submission to those who were older; to occupy the station in which they were placed with a becoming spirit, casting all their care on God, 1-Peter 5:5-7.
III. An exhortation to be sober and vigilant, in view of the dangers which beset them, and the arts and power of their great adversary, the devil, and especially to bear with patience the trials to which they were subjected, in common with their Christian brethren elsewhere, 1-Peter 5:8-11.
IV. Salutations, 1-Peter 5:12-14.
Directions to the elders to feed the flock of God, and not to be lord over God's heritage, that when the chief Shepherd does appear, they may receive a crown of glory, 1-Peter 5:1-4. The young are to submit themselves to the elder, and to humble themselves under the mighty hand of God, and cast all their care upon him, 1-Peter 5:5-7. They should be sober and watchful, because their adversary the devil is continually seeking their destruction, whom they are to resist, steadfast in the faith, 1-Peter 5:8, 1-Peter 5:9. They are informed that the God of all grace had called them to his eternal glory, 1-Peter 5:10-11. Of Silvanus, by whom this epistle was sent, 1-Peter 5:12. Salutations from the Church at Babylon, 1-Peter 5:13. The apostolic benediction, 1-Peter 5:14.
INTRODUCTION TO 1 PETER 5
In this chapter the apostle first exhorts pastors and members of churches to their respective duties as such; and then to those which were common to them all, as Christians; and closes the epistle with prayers for them, salutations of them, and with his apostolic benediction. He begins with the pastors or elders, and describes himself as a fellow elder, an eyewitness of Christ's sufferings, and a partaker of his glory, 1-Peter 5:1, and these he exhorts to feed the flock of God, where they were; to take the charge and oversight of them, freely, readily, and willingly, and not through force or covetousness; and not to exercise a tyrannical dominion over them, but to be examples to them, 1-Peter 5:2, and the argument made use of to encourage them to all this is, that at the appearance of Christ, the chief Shepherd, they should receive a never fading crown of glory, 1-Peter 5:4 and next, the members of the churches are exhorted to submit to the rule and government of their pastors, being according to the word of God; and to be subject to one another; and particularly to put on humility, as a garment very ornamental to them; and the rather, since God opposes himself to men that are proud, but gives more grace to the humble, 1-Peter 5:5 and especially he exhorts them to be humble under the hand of God, since that is a mighty one, and this is the way to be exalted in due time; and also to cast their care upon him, seeing he cared for them, 1-Peter 5:6 and then the apostle proceeds to the common duties of Christians, and to exhort them to sobriety and watchfulness, since Satan their adversary was a cruel and indefatigable one, and ever seeking the ruin of men; and to resist him in the steadfast exercise of faith, and patiently bear all afflictions, seeing the same were accomplished in their brethren in the world, 1-Peter 5:8 and then he puts up some petitions for them, that they might be perfected, stablished, strengthened, and settled, 1-Peter 5:10 and ascribes glory and dominion for ever to the God of grace, to whom he prays, 1-Peter 5:11 after which he names the person by whom he sends this epistle, giving a summary of it; that it was an exhortation and a testimony to the true doctrine of grace wherein they stood, 1-Peter 5:12, and next follow the salutations of the church at Babylon, and of his son Marcus, to them, 1-Peter 5:13, and lastly, he desires they would salute one another with a kiss of love, and gives them his benedictory wish, 1-Peter 5:14.
(1-Peter 5:1-4) Elders exhorted and encouraged.
(1-Peter 5:5-9) Younger Christians are to submit to their elders, and to yield with humility and patience to God, and to be sober, watchful, and stedfast in faith.
(1-Peter 5:10-14) Prayers for their growth and establishment.
SUMMARY.--A Charge to the Elders. The Young Exhorted. Humility Enjoined. Watchfulness. Salutations from the Brethren at Babylon.
*More commentary available by clicking individual verses.