LESSON XII.—SABBATH, SEPTEMBER 16, 1893.
REVIEW QUESTIONS.—(a) What comes upon the people in the last days? (b) How should we regard the trial? (c) With whom do we thus become partakers? (d) To what solemn time does this lesson bring us? (e) In whom are our souls safe? I. The Elders—Duties and Privileges.
Verses 1-4: "The elders therefore among you I exhort, who am a fellow elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, who am also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Tend the flock of God which is among you, exercising the oversight, not of constraint, but willingly, according unto God; nor yet for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; neither as lording it over the charge allotted to you, but making yourselves ensamples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall be manifested, ye shall receive the crown of glory that fadeth not away." 1. What class does the apostle especially exhort? 2. Of what does he say he was a witness? 3. Of what was he a partaker? Note 1. 4. What does he enjoin upon elders? 5. By what should they not be actuated? 6. With what mind should they serve? 7. How should their authority or oversight be exercised? Note 2. 8. If faithful in their work, what will be their reward? 9. When will it be given? II. The Flock—Duties and Privileges.
Verses 5, 6: "Likewise, ye younger, be subject unto the elder. Yea, all of you gird yourselves with humility, to serve one another; for God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time." 1. What is the duty of the younger? Note 3. 2. What is the duty of all to one another? 3. With what should they be clothed? 4. How does God regard the proud and the humble? 5. What is therefore our duty? 6. What will God do to those who humble themselves? 1. A Partaker of the Glory That Shall Be Revealed.—God's glory is in his character (see Ex. 33: 18, 19; 34: 5-7). That character, that glory, will be seen in all its transcendent loveliness when the King appears in his beauty (Isa. 33: 17); but men may know him here (John 17: 3); by faith they may now appropriate his righteousness (Rom. 3: 21, 22), and have the beauty of the Lord upon them (Ps. 90: 17). And so Peter in this life partook of the glory which shall be revealed, not only in Christ, but in us (Rom. 8: 18). 2. Neither As Being Lords over God's Heritage.—There is a strange and striking contrast between that church which claims to find her primal head in Peter, and in which is the highest development of the mystery of iniquity, and the instruction given by the Lord through Peter to the true church of Christ. In the apostate church we have lords many, who do little else but lord it over the souls of God's heritage, and when they held the power, they lorded over their bodies; and all of the persecutions of the Dark Ages have come because men professing to be ministers of Christ have lorded it over God's heritage in their lust of power and filthy lucre. The apostle presents the duty of the true elder; let him heed the instructions, and not content himself with being better than others. Feed the flock of God with the Word (1 Peter 2: 2), which is able to build them up (Acts 20: 32); doing willingly even as the Master, having compassion (Mark 6: 34); not for gain of lucre but gain of souls, ensamples to the flock in all soberness, humility, and faithfulness. See 1 Tim. 3: 1-7; Titus 1: 5-9. 3. Submit—Be Subject.—Of course, under God, God is first. His requirements are paramount. But the faithful man of God upon whom, in the providence of God, is placed burdens in the church, God will sustain, and through him will give instruction to the flock, which may not be disregarded or despised except at peril to the soul. As the elder must watch for souls as they that must give an account (Heb. 13: 17), so it is a corresponding duty of the church to heed the faithful admonitions, warnings, and instruction which God gives through the elders. See Heb. 13: 7, 8, 17; 1 Thess. 5: 12, 13. The dignity and position of the elder is to be respected for Christ's sake (1 Tim. 5: 1), and no accusation is to be received against him except at the mouth of two or three witnesses (verse 19). Subject one to another.—See Phil. 2: 3; Rom. 12: 10; Eph. 5: 21. Humility.—A most precious grace, because teachable. See Matt. 5: 3; Isa. 57: 15; 66: 2; James 4: 10. 4. WORD THOUGHTS.—Fellow elder (v. 1), the expression shows that Peter was only one with the others, not the head. See Matt. 23: 8.—Witness, a spectator, or eyewitness, who is expected to testify of what he has seen. Acts 10: 39; 1: 8. Also a martyr, who testifies by his life. Acts 22: 20.—Tend (v. 2), not only to feed, but to care for; all that is included in the life of the shepherd.—Filthy lucre, "disgraceful gain." If the elder works for the gain of money, that gain becomes disgraceful, base, or dishonorable.—Lording (v. 3). See Matt. 20: 25; Acts 10: 16. This is not from the word used for legitimate authority in the church, as in 1 Thess. 5: 12.—Ensamples, or examples, from tupoi, type.—Chief Shepherd (v. 4), not Peter, but Christ.—Crown (stephanon), to put around, to encircle, from stepho. The crown used in the games, military triumphs, marriage feasts; woven of leaves, or of gold in imitation of leaves. Used of the conqueror's crown, not the king's. See 1 Cor. 9: 24-26; 2 Tim. 2: 5. The royal crown comes from diadema. —Humility (v. 5), Gird yourselves with it as a constant part of your apparel.—Resisteth (antitassetai), a strong and graphic word. Literally, "setteth himself in array against," as one draws out a host for battle. Pride calls out God's armies. No wonder, therefore, that it "goeth before destruction."—Vincent.