1 Peter 5

Notes

Ver. 1-4. And as for you who are the spiritual rulers and pastors of the Christian church, I—who am one myself, and who, after being an eye-witness of the sufferings of Christ, have boldly preached them as the ground of men's salvation, at the hazard of my life, in the assured hopes of being, in a little time, a partaker with him in that glory which he secured thereby, and which he has taken possession of, as my Head, Representative, and Forerunner, and will openly manifest and bestow—beseech you diligently and faithfully to teach and govern those souls which he secured by suffering and has committed to your care, personally inspecting their principles, temper, and conduct, and looking after their spiritual concerns with wisdom and meekness—not from external motives of fear, shame, or regard to worldly advantages, as your governing end, but with freedom and delight, purely for the honour of Christ and welfare of souls; and not with ambitious views of honour to yourselves, or in an imperious, haughty, and domineering manner, as if ye had the rule over the faith and consciences of God's peculiar people; but as examples of humility, self-denial, holiness, and righteousness to them—that when Jesus, who secured them by sacrifice, and saves them by his power and grace, and under whom ye act, and to whom ye are accountable, appears to judge the world at the last day, ye may receive from him a great but gracious reward of everlasting glory and honour. 5. And ye who are younger, or in private stations, or at least inferiors in some respect, study to be always attentive and submissive to the admonitions, cautions, and reproofs of your superiors in age, wisdom, experience, or station, particularly your church-rulers, treating their persons, characters, and instructions with due esteem and reverence. And let all of you beware of self-conceit or obstinacy, behaving with due respect one to another, and yielding to each other as far as your rank and circumstances can possibly permit. And let an unfeigned humility appear in your whole conduct, as its great ornament and a cover to its defects. 6. And considering what a great, sovereign, almighty, and just God ye have to do with, and what terrible judgments he is about to execute, in the course of his providence, on your nation and the Christian church, as an emblem of still greater in the world to come, yield up yourselves to his almighty, sovereign, and holy will, under all the sufferings and troubles you meet with for your trial, that when he has gained the wise and gracious ends of his chastenings, he may lift you up above all tribulations, and advance you to all those honours or delights which are for your spiritual or eternal advantage. 7. Yea, whatever be your distressing burdens, anxieties, fears, and cares, with respect to yourselves, families, friends, or the church of Christ, commit them all by faith and prayer to him, relying on his power and goodness for seasonable relief, for he has all your concerns at heart, and will pity, succour, strengthen, and comfort you, and, in his own time and way, give you a happy deliverance from and issue of all your troubles, in your everlasting salvation. 8. But amidst all the difficulties and dangers of your present warfare, labour always to maintain a wakeful, sober, and humble temper of mind, in modest thoughts of yourselves, and in moderating your affections towards earthly enjoyments; and watch unto prayer, and unto the performance of all the duties of your station, and against temptations to sin and apostasy; for your busy and powerful adversary the devil, like a fierce, savage, and hungry lion, is indefatigably restless in his contrivances and endeavours, by persecutions, frauds, and evil suggestions, to wound, tear, and ruin immortal souls; 9. Whom ye must courageously resist—steadfastly maintaining the pure doctrines of faith, and your holy profession of the same, in a firm dependence on the power and grace of Christ to vanquish him. And to prevent your being disheartened in the combat, remember that ye are only meeting with such a conformity to Christ in sufferings as your Christian brethren everywhere meet with in this evil world. 10. May therefore that God, who is rich in mercy, and who of his own great love is the fountain and giver of all grace, and who, by his Word and Spirit, has tenderly called us to the promised, prepared, and infinitely blessed inheritance of eternal glory, through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ, after and by means of these your transient afflictions, render you perfect in knowledge and practice; establish you immovably in the faith, hope, profession, and holiness of the gospel; strengthen you with all might unto all patience, obedience, and suffering; and settle your souls with unshaken peace, safety, and comfort, on that foundation laid in Sion. 12. By Silas, whom I can recommend as a faithful brother, and whom I expect you will find such, I have sent you this short letter, to exhort and encourage you to abide by the testimony which I have herein given you for the confirmation of your faith, assuring you that this is the true gospel of the grace of God relating to salvation by Christ alone—in the doctrine, belief, and profession of which ye have lived, and I hope shall continue to stand fast, notwithstanding all the terrors and artifices of your enemies to bring you off from it.

Ver. 1. An elder. Rather, 'a co-presbyter:' a title adopted by Peter—(1) Because elder was a name of office better known among the Jews than almost any other, and completely setting aside the Romish claim of priesthood in the sense of 'sacrificer.' (2) That the Spirit by whom he wrote might, as by a prophetic anticipation, rebuke those proud titles and assumptions of superiority by which, in virtue of an original supremacy asserted for Peter, the popes of Rome, styling themselves his successors, have continued a terrible 'lordship over God's heritage,' ver. 3, except where the Alpine and Pyrenean churches in Europe, the Christians of St. Thomas in Asia, and a few other scattered churches, continued to preserve the truth of the gospel and their ecclesiastical liberties till the blessed Reformation restored the Bible, and light and liberty to the benighted churches and enslaved kingdoms. C.

Ver. 2. Taking the oversight (ἐπισκοποῦντες), 'exercising the episcopate'—discharging your duties as bishops. See Ac. 20. 17. C.

Ver. 5. The term 'elders' is here, as in ver. 1, official. It signifies the ministry of the church. Consequently the word younger must mean the flock, the people, the laity, as contradistinguished from the ministry. P.

Ver. 10. Make you perfect. Joint you completely together as the timbers of a building.—Stablish, by supporting each part by means of its fellow.—Strengthen. Cramp and bind all the parts together.—Settle, by bringing all to rest on an even and firm foundation. The phrases are all architectural, and seem to be a beautiful reference to ch. 2. 5. C.

Ver. 12. As I suppose. Rather, 'as I regard him.' C.

Ver. 13. Babylon. In apostolic times Babylon was still inhabited, and contained a large Jewish community. Doubtless it was while labouring among them Peter addressed this epistle to his brethren in other regions. P.

Reflections.—With an exemplary spirit and conversation, humbleness of mind, disinterestedness, cheerfulness, and diligence, ought ministers to inspect, instruct, warn, exhort, comfort, and govern the souls committed to their care by Christ, who redeemed them by his blood. And glorious, but free, is the reward that awaits them if they be found faithful. With great humility, submission to one another, self-humiliation under God's mighty hand, and casting our cares upon him, ought every one of us professed Christians to adorn our profession, and prepare for the eternal state. And constant should be our sobriety, watchfulness against and vigorous resistance of Satan, and resignation to our share of sufferings for Christ. It is a mercy that the saints' sufferings are so short and light, their assistance under them so great, and their reward after them, from the God of all grace, so inestimable and everlasting. Their standing for a little time in the faith and love, profession and practice, of the gospel, will quickly issue in their eternal triumphs in his praise.