1 The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: 2 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; 3 nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; 4 and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.
“’The elders who are among you’; men commissioned to have the care of churches and to preach the gospel, but with a distinct allusion to the fact that they were also literally elders in respect to age. 1 Peter 5:5 — ‘who am also an elder’;— his higher office of apostle included the lower office of elder, which latter he here applies to himself, because he wishes to exhort as an equal, not to command as an apostle: compare Philemon 1:8-9— ‘a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed:— Those who have long, faithfully, and successfully preached the gospel, are best fitted to exhort others rightly to do it.” (Justin Edwards)
We are elder hopefuls in the making.
“Mark, he says not, ‘I who am the universal Head of the church, Christ's vicar upon earth’; but ‘I, who am an elder by age, and by apostleship, who have been long the minister of the circumcision, I exhort, beseech, and entreat you, as my brethern, fellow-labourers in our Lord's vineyard.' Learn hence, That such exhortations to duty are likely to be most effectual and successful, which are propounded in the humblest manner. St. Peter was placed in an high degree above these elders, being an apostle, a chief apostle; yet he gives himself no such title, but says, ‘The elders I exhort, who am also an elder’; not an apostle, much less the head and chief of the apostles.” (Wm. Burkitt)— as Paul, “I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.” (1Cor. 9:22b)
“‘Feed the flock", etc. “Do not fleece the flock.” (Adam Clarke)— "So just as Jesus had called on him to tend the sheep, he now, as he recognised that his own death was imminent, called on the leaders of the churches to fulfil the same role as had been allotted to him. They were to ‘Tend My sheep’, Compare John 21:16 for similar words said to Peter. In other words, they were to ensure that the sheep received good pasture, and were kept under a watchful eye in order to protect them against any who would lead them astray. That it would be a task fraught with danger comes out in the sequel (1 Peter 5:8). It is above all the shepherds who must outface the lion.” (Peter Pett)—
‘taking the oversight, not by constraint’ — not merely because ye must: what men do out of compulsion, they do more slightly and perfunctorily, as those that would not do it if they could help it: see the like expression, 2 Corinthians 9:7.— ‘but willingly’;— cheerfully and freely, as Exodus 36:2 Psalms 54:6: compare 1 Corinthians 9:17. — ‘not for filthy lucre’;— not out of covetousness, or a design of making a gain of the work; it being a shameful thing for a shepherd to feed the sheep out of love to the fleece: see Titus 1:7 1 Timothy 3:3,8. —‘but of a ready mind’;— out of a good affection to the welfare of the flock, in opposition to the private gain before mentioned. He doth not do his work freely, and of a ready mind, who is either driven to it by necessity, or drawn by covetousness.” (Matthew Poole)— “nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock;” (3) “About the year 1620 the clergy and laity of England set themselves against the pope’s exactions; and when the envoy alleged that all churches were the pope’s, Magister Leonardus made answer, ’Protect not fleese, defend not scatter.’ (Jac. Revius in Vit. Pontiff)” (John Trapp)— “and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.” (4) Rather than doing it for recognition from men or dishonest gain, do it for that reward of heaven, “the crown of glory which does not fade away.”
5 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” [Proverbs 3:34] Many take proverbs as lessons for young in age and for a family according to the flesh, but there is a better case for the young to be babes in Christ and therefore for the household of faith. Submission had been admonished upon the elders in 1 Peter 5:3; “so the writer can say ‘likewise’ in turning to the rest. In comparison with the presbyters or elders, the lay people are styled ‘younger,’ or ‘juniors;’ although in point of natural age, or of baptismal seniority, they might be the older. So our Lord addresses His disciples (according to the rabbinical fashion) as ‘children,’ though there is good reason to suppose that several were older than Himself; and St. Paul, in the same way, called all the Corinthian Christians his ‘sons.’ This seems to be the most natural interpretation of the word; for it was undoubtedly in respect of the supposed juniority of the whole of the lay people that their rulers received the name of ‘presbyters.’ Otherwise there is nothing against the interpretation which makes ‘ye younger’ to be an address to those who held inferior offices in the Church, such as deacons, catechists, readers, and the like (Acts 5:6; Acts 5:10). The danger of any insubordination of the laity or inferior clergy against the priesthood at such a crisis was very obvious. ’Yea, all of you.’ - Here the true text strikes out the words ‘be subject and,’ so that the clause will run, 'Yea, all of you be clothed with humility one to another.' Not only mutual complaisance between rulers on the one hand and ruled on the other, but clergy to clergy and laity to laity are to behave with the same self-suppression.” (C. J. Ellicott) Gird yourselves with humility— “must evidently have been written by Peter in vivid remembrance of that occasion when Jesus himself girded himself with a towel and washed the disciples' feet, even Peter's (John 13:4), and that at a time when not a one of the Twelve consented to do such a thing. In this clause, the Greek word actually means ‘an apron worn by slaves, which was tied around them when at work, to keep their dress clean.’ [B. C. Caffin] Macknight also defined it as ‘a frock put over the rest of the clothes,’ giving the meaning to be that ‘humility should be visible over all the other Christian virtues, in our whole behavior.’ [James Macknight] — 'God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble’ [Proverbs 3:34] ... Throughout the Holy Scriptures, proud and haughty spirits are condemned.... This passage echoes the very words of the Saviour (Luke 14:11). Humility is such a wonderful virtue that all of the publican's sins did not destroy him because he had it; and all of the Pharisee's righteousness could not save him because he did not have it (Luke 18:1-14).” (Coffman Commentary) The proverb “is the theological reason for his ethical charge (cf. James 4:6). He then proceeded to expound the ideas expressed in this proverb in the following six verses.” (Dr. Thomas B. Constable) 6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. 10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. 11 To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, “your anxious care, as the word μεριμναν means, in all your wants and pressures; ‘upon him; for he careth for you’ — with the care which a father exercises toward his children. That is, whatsoever difficulties you meet with, be not solicitous about them, but refer yourselves to God’s providence, either for the removal of them, or support under them.” (Jos. Benson) “’Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.’ In the days of Job, when God asked of Satan, ‘Whence comest thou?’ his answer was, ‘From going to and fro in the earth and from walking up and down in it’. [Job 1:7] Of this Old Testament language the Apostle here makes partial use in his description of the enemy of mankind. He walketh about in the earth, which is his province, for he is called the prince of this world [John 12:31] and the god of this world. [2 Corinthians 4:4] And the Greek word αντιδικος ‘adversary,’ which St. Peter uses as a translation of the Hebrew ‘satan,’ is well chosen, for it describes not an ordinary enemy, but one who acts as an opponent would in a court of law. Such was Satan from the first, an accuser. ” (Expositor's Bible Commentary) “‘Resist him, steadfast in the faith,’ Stand against him, αντιστητε . Though invulnerable, he is not unconquerable: the weakest follower of God can confound and overpower him, if he continue steadfast in the faith - believing on the Son of God, and walking uprightly before him. To a soul thus engaged he can do no damage. ‘knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.’ It is the lot of all the disciples of Christ to suffer persecution. The brotherhood, αδελφοτης, the Christian Church, everywhere is exposed to the assaults of men and devils; you are persecuted by the heathen among whom ye live, and from among whom ye are gathered into the fold of Christ: but even those who profess the same faith with you, and who are resident among the Jews, (for so I think εν κοσμῳ, in the world, is here to be understood), are also persecuted, both heathens and Jews being equally opposed to the pure and holy doctrines of the Gospel.” (Adam Clarke) But "the author and giver of all grace, from whom ye have received what you have, and expect what you want.— ‘who called us to His eternal glory’—that eternal glory whereof believers at the last day shall be made partakers, which is called God’s glory, because it is that which he hath promised to them, and will at last put them in possession of: see 1 Peter 5:1 Romans 5:2; and because they shall after a sort partake of the Divine glory which they behold.—‘by Christ Jesus’; … Christ being the cause of their glorification as well as calling.— ‘after you have suffered a while’; this he adds for their encouragement, that whatsoever they suffered would be but short, as 1 Peter 1:6 2 Corinthians 4:17—‘perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you’ ‘perfect’ that which is begun, Hebrews 13:20,21, ‘establish’ that which is right, 2 Thessalonians 2:16, ‘strengthen’ that which is weak, ‘settle’ or found … that which is already built, Eph 3:17,18 Col 1:23.” (Matthew Poole) “God will not continue the trials of his people longer than their good requires: when this end is secured, he will bring them forth as gold from the furnace, purer and better fitted for pure and eternal joys.” (Justin Edwards) “To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
12 By 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, elect together with you, greets you; and so does Mark my son. 14 Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to you all who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.