LESSON NINE

1 Peter 5:1-14

To the Elders and Young Men (5:1-11)

	To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ’s sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed.  2Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; 3not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.  4And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.
	5Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older.  Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,
	“God opposes the proud
	but gives grace to the humble.”
6Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.  7Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
	8Be self-controlled and alert.  Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.  9Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the worlds are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
	10And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.  11To him be the power for ever and ever.  Amen.

	V. 1 To the elders among you—Elders (presbuteros) were mature church leader that watched over the Christians who had been entrusted to their care (Heb. 13:7).  Scattered as they were (1:1) the Christians would need oversight all the more.  In trying times, such as they were experiencing, this would be even more important.
	I appeal as a fellow elder—The Catholic church has made a great error in ascribing preeminence to Peter.  He was not a pope but an elder (and to be an elder one must be a married man, I Tim. 3:2).  He was not even the “leading elder” or “main elder” but a “fellow elder.”  Peter’s humble example is a good lesson for those who would exert undue authority in the eldership today.
	a witness of Christ’s sufferings—Peter personally observed the sufferings of his Lord (although it was from “afar off,” Luke 23:49).  John, a fellow apostle, wrote, “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life” (I John 1:1).  To be an apostle one had to witness the resurrection of Christ (Acts 1:22).
	and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed—Peter not only was a witness of Christ’s sufferings, and a fellow elder but would, in the future “share in the glory to be revealed.”  How fortunate can a man be?  This honor will be bestowed upon all who love the Lord and look for His return (Rom. 8:17).
	V. 2 Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care—Elders are to be shepherds—undershepherds really—under the Chief Shepherd Himself (V. 4).  A good elder will watch the flock (Heb. 13:17), feed the flock (Acts 20:28), guide the flock (Ps. 23:3), guard and protect the flock (Titus 1:9-11).  Peter himself was told to feed Christ’s sheep (John 21:15-17).
	Note that the flock is God’s, not man’s.  Paul warned about elders who would draw away disciples after themselves (Acts 20:30).  
	What a tremendous responsibility an elder has!  God has actually put His church under their care.  Woe to the elder who shirks his divinely ordered duty!  Woe to the church that rebels against God’s appointed leaders!
	serving as overseers—Elders are to be servants, not lords.  They are to oversee the affairs of the congregation, not overlook.
	not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be—An elder is to desire the work (many desire the office, few desire the work).  We make mockery of the sacred office and work when we vote unwilling, unqualified men to be “elders” at our “annual elections” (try finding that practice in the Holy Scripture).  Men who took on the responsibility of shepherds in apostolic times did so out of a genuine desire to help God’s people in difficult times.  They served for two reasons: because they wanted to and because God wanted them to.
	not greedy for money, but eager to serve—Elders who worked hard at their task of feeding God’s flock were to receive a “double stipend” (NEB) for their efforts (I Tim. 5:17, 18).  Those who preach the gospel are to receive their living from the gospel (I Cor. 9:14).  But no man should ever teach or preach for the sake of money.
	V. 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you—The work of an elder is a sacred trust.  Let no elder abuse hi office by running roughshod over the church as the would-be dictator Diotrephes did (III John 9, 10).
	but being examples to the flock—The Lord’s church does not need do-nothing boards or ruthless lords.  It needs good examples of how to live the victorious life in turbulent times.  Paul said to follow the faith of church leader (Heb. 13:7).  Elders are to lead the way in their lifestyle.  Who would ever follow an elder’s teaching on “self-control” when they see him blow his stack at a board meeting?
	V. 4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears—The early Christians lived in expectation of the second coming of Christ and so should we.  Christ is referred to here as the Chief Shepherd.  Every elder needs to remember that Christ is head over His church (Eph. 1:22, 23).  When Christ returns they will give an account to Him for how they watched over His sheep.
	you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away—Elders who have done their work out of genuine love for the Lord and His people will receive a wonderful reward when Jesus returns—special recognition that will last forever.  Elders, it is worth it, it will be worth it all!
	V. 5 Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older—By the very nature of the word, elders are “older,” both in years and understanding.  Peter instructs the young men in the church—the future leaders—to yield to the counsel and advice of the elders.  Their time to lead will come but will they make good leaders if they have not been good followers?  This is why it is important for elders to be in submission to their “elder,” Jesus Christ.  If they aren’t, how can the young men in the church be submissive to them “in the same way”?
	Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another—As Jesus, the Chief Shepherd, girded himself with a towel and washed the disciples’ feet, so Christians (leaders and members alike) should have a humble attitude toward each other.  “Put on the apron of humility to serve one another” (Moffatt Translation).
	because, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble—Peter cites Proverbs 3:34 to underscore this needed truth.  The same thought is expressed in James 4:6.  “In lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves” (Phil. 2:3).  Humility will eliminate church fights.
	V. 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand—Nebuchadnezzar, himself a powerful king, learned humility the hard way—under the mighty hand of God (Dan. 4:28-37).  Sometimes God puts the pressure on us to bring us to our knees before Him.  The Amplified New Testament says, “Lower yourselves in your own estimation.”
	that he may lift you up in due time—God’s “due time” is not our time.  We want instant answers, remedies, solutions.  If we practice humility, God will lift us up in His own time and in His own way.  He lifted up Joseph from the pit to a palace, from a prison to position under Pharoah.  He will do the same for all who humble themselves before Him. 
	V. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you—How these words must have comforted Peter’s readers!  There was someone who cared, there was something they could do to alleviate their daily fears.  What a blessing this must have been to the concerned pastors and their flock.  God cared!  “You can throw the whole weight of your anxieties upon him, for you are his personal concern” (Phillips).  Paul’s advice was not to worry about anything and to pray about everything (Phil. 4:6).
	V. 8 Be self-controlled and alert—Jesus warned His disciples, “Watch and pray” (Matt. 26:41).  By all means we should pray.  It is a great antidote to worry.  But also be watchful and alert.  Life goes on.  Just because we’ve prayed about it doesn’t mean our part in the battle is over.
	Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour—Satan has been a murderer from the very beginning (John 8:44).  He entered the heart of Judas to betray Jesus (John 13:2, 27).  He prompted Peter himself to dissuade Jesus from making atonement for sin on the cross (Matt. 16:21-23).  Satan hated Christ and hates all Christians and seeks their death through means of entering and using people.  The devil is not some legendary figure in a red suit with a tail and pitchfork; he is “the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience” (Eph. 2:2).  He is alive and well and lusting for souls.  He knows his eventual fate (Matt. 25:41) and knows his time is short (Rev. 12:12).  That is why he works with such ferocity to devour Christians.
	V. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith—Satan is forced to flee when confronted with the power of faith (Matt. 4:11; James 4:7).  Faith is the victory that overcomes the world (I John 5:4).  Unshakable faith is what kept the first Christians from denying their Lord.
	because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings—Not only did their faith in Christ enable them to remain loyal under Satanic onslaught but hearing about the faith of their fellow Christians who were also under fire served to encourage, embolden and strengthen their resolve.  When you know that you are not alone in this matter of suffering—that others are remaining faithful to Jesus despite hardship—it helps you to be more determined.
	Christians today need to be one in spirit with our persecuted brothers and sisters in antiChristian countries.  We are commanded to “remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering” (Heb. 13:3).  Pray for your brethren through the world who are being persecuted for their faith.
	V. 10 And the God of all grace—What a beautiful word is inserted here.  How they needed the grace of God!  Grace is the gift of God (Eph. 2:8).  It is given to those who humble themselves before God (v. 5).
	who called you to his eternal glory in Christ—Beyond suffering is eternal glory.  God has called us to His everlasting glory.  To think that God would share that with us!  So Paul is led to say that our “light affliction” (in comparison with Christ’s) is but “for a moment” and works for us “a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (II Cor. 4:17).
	after you have suffered a little while—Suffering is tempered with these welcome words, “a little while.” Even Christ’s sufferings did not last forever.  Knowing that glory awaited Him helped as well.  Jesus, “for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb. 12:2).  We too can endure whatever Satan hurls at us.  We have faith that can see us through (v. 9a), we are encouraged by the noble example of our fellow Christians in the face of persecution (v. 9b), we have the hope of eternal life through Jesus (v. 10).
	will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast—Coming through a trial has a way of toughening us.  God builds better men in the fires of adversity.  The word for “restore” (katartizo) is a word used to describe the mending of nets in Matthew 4:21.  God can repair the snagged and broken life.  And when He gets done, the net is stronger and tougher than before.
	V. 11 To him be the power for ever and ever.  Amen—Matthew Henry comments, “Those who have obtained grace from the God of all grace should and will ascribe glory, dominion and power to him for ever and ever.”

Final Words

	12With the help of Silas, whom I regard as a faithful brother, I have written to you briefly, encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God.  Stand fast in it.  
	13She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you her greetings, and so does my son Mark.  14Greet one another with a kiss of love.
	Peace to all of you who are in Christ.
	V. 12 With the help of Silas, whom I regard as a faithful brother, I have written to you briefly—Silas (a contracted form of Silvanus) was a frequent traveling companion of Paul (Acts 15:40; 16:25; etc.).  Apparently, he served as Peter’s amanuensis (secretary) in the writing of this letter.
	encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God—Peter’s dual reason for writing to the scattered Christians is seen here: (1) to encourage these suffering saints, and (2) to assure them that what they believed was worth suffering—even dying—for, why suffer and die for something that isn’t true?
	Stand fast in it—He exhorts them to faithfulness, to stand firm to the end, regardless of the cost.  Take your stand in the grace of God.  It is the only thing that will last.
	V. 13 She who is in Babylon—The Greek for “church” (ekklesia) is feminine in gender; hence, the term “she.”  But which “Babylon”?  Is it the famous city on the Euphrates or is it a figurative term for Rome?  At the time of Peter’s writing there was a large colony of Jews in Babylon who had fled from Rome because of persecution from the emperor Claudius.  But Rome is also called Babylon in Scripture, Revelation 17:5, 18 (as Jerusalem is spiritually called Sodom, Rev. 11:8).  The historical setting of the book would seem to favor Rome.
	chosen together with you, sends you her greetings—Whoever the church in “Babylon” was, they wanted their fellow Christians to know that they were one with them in faith and sufferings.  All Christians have been chosen by the Father to be a part of His family and should rejoice in each other’s fellowship.
	and so does my son Mark—Mark (John Mark), the author of the second gospel, was a spiritual son to Peter as Timothy and Titus were considered by Paul to be his spiritual children in the faith (I Tim. 1:2; Titus 1:4).  Real church leaders will reproduce themselves in the lives of others. 
	V. 14 Greet one another with a kiss of love—The “kiss of fellowship” (Knox Translation) was characteristic of the early church.  Their detractors distorted the practice with false charges of immoral behavior. 
	Peace to all of you who are in Christ—What a beautiful word to end this epistle with!  Peace.  The Christians had gone through so much.  They were enduring much persecution.  Still more terrible things awaited many of them.  But peace, “freedom from fear” (Amplified), would be with them!  And so will it be with all who are in Christ Jesus our Lord!

Study Questions

1.	Why did the church in Peter’s time especially need elders?

2.	To whom does the church belong?  How will knowing this help an elder serve?

3.	What might be a good alternative to voting in unwilling, unqualified men to the eldership?

4.	What all should be involved in elders “overseeing” a church?

5.	In what ways is Jesus the Chief Shepherd?

6.	What attitude should young men in the church have to the elders?

7.	How will humility help when problems arise in the church?

8.	What is a good Christian antidote for worry?

9.	How does Satan get into the church?  How can we offset is evil work?

10.	How can we help our persecuted brethren in other parts of the world?

11.	What does Peter mention about Silas?  Mark?

12.	What is your view of the church “in Babylon?”