1 Peter 5:1, commentary and pictures

Peter exhorts the elders among the believers as one who is himself a fellow elder with them, not as their supreme ruler or as superior to them. He grounds his appeal in having been an eyewitness of the sufferings of Christ, and in sharing with assurance in the glory that shall yet be revealed. The charge lays upon elders to shepherd and feed the flock of God among them by teaching His word, giving personal labor and oversight, and setting an example of holiness and self-sacrifice after Christ. That oversight is to be done willingly and eagerly and not by constraint, not for gain, and not by lording or dictatorial control but as examples to the flock. When Jesus Christ the Chief Shepherd appears, faithful elders who have shepherded willingly and humbly will receive a crown of glory that does not fade away.

Peter the Fellow Elder

The exhortation is addressed to the elders among the believers, and the one who urges them takes his place beside them as a fellow elder rather than over them as supreme ruler or as one superior to them. To be chosen to that office does not make a man greater than his brethren or give cause for self-exaltation, but calls him to honor the trust committed to him. His appeal carries weight because he was a personal eyewitness of the sufferings of Christ. He speaks not from hearsay but as one who beheld those sufferings and bears witness of them to the churches.

He speaks also as a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed, sharing already in its hope and having assurance that he will share in its full manifestation. That coming glory is the glory and virtue to which Christ has called believers, for whose attainment His divine power has given all things pertaining to life and godliness through the knowledge of Him. Faithful care for the church is thus joined with confident expectation of future glory.

Shepherding God's Flock

The charge is laid on elders, including ministers and conference presidents, to shepherd and feed the flock of God among them. That feeding is done by teaching His word, by giving personal labor and oversight to the people entrusted to them, and by setting an example of holiness, self-denial and self-sacrifice after Christ. They stand as under-shepherds, responsible to watch over the flock with diligence, encouraging and strengthening its members. Their oversight is to be willing and eager and not by constraint, not for gain but with a ready mind, not by lording or dictatorial control but as examples to the flock.

Holding the office of elder does not make a person greater or superior and is no cause for self-exaltation. The elder must instead honor the office entrusted to him before angels and people. No one man's mind and judgment, not even a president's, is to be a controlling power, for position gives no infallibility. The leader remains human and fallible, he often needs counsel from brethren, and the sharp traits of his character are more dangerous in him than in others because his responsibilities are greater. Workers given a special work must be left to act on their own judgment under God, to devise and plan and supply what the people need without man's hand laid on them to hinder them, and God's word alone is the test with no imposed human tests. Ministers who in trying circumstances or emergency exercise the best judgment they have must not be unjustly censured or criticized, nor a worker condemned on hearsay until he is seen or communicated with.

The work calls for a burden for souls that swallows selfish interests in deep concern for the salvation of those for whom Christ died. It belongs to ministers who love the work as a part of their very existence so that nothing can separate them from the love of Christ, following Christ's charge to Peter to care for His lambs out of love for Christ. Those who oversee must show by daily conduct that God is with them. True religion is founded on God's word, practiced in the home and shown in the church, while defective character and unsound piety are unfit for this work. They are to labor together with God as earnestly as Christ did when He clothed divinity with humanity that humanity might reach humanity, wrenching men and women from Satan's grasp so that he loses power over them and none perish if effort can bring them to truth.

The charge includes mutual humility and submission, with the younger submitting to the elder. That means those of long experience in the work of the third angel's message are to be highly respected and esteemed, and all are to be subject to one another and clothed with humility, for God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. This is needed because the church is still imperfect and requires patient, careful instruction and discipline.

Glory Yet to Be Revealed

The glory in which Peter shares as a partaker is not yet seen, but it will be revealed when Jesus Christ, the Chief Shepherd, appears. That coming revelation carries assurance of future glory for those who belong to Christ. It is the glory and virtue to which Christ has called believers, for which His divine power has given all things pertaining to life and godliness through knowing Him.

When the Chief Shepherd appears, faithful elders who have fed the flock of God with willing and humble oversight will receive a crown of glory that does not fade away. That reward belongs to shepherding done willingly and not by constraint, not for money or filthy gain but with a ready mind, not as lords or masters over God's heritage but as examples to the flock. It follows Christ's charge to Peter to care for His lambs out of love for Christ, and it calls for love for the work as part of one's very existence so that nothing separates from the love of Christ, with a burden for souls that swallows selfish interests in deep concern for the salvation of those for whom Christ died. Mutual humility belongs with it, the younger submitting to the elder and all subject to one another and clothed with humility, with high respect for those of long experience, for God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble.

All faithful ministers may share in this coming glory. Those caught in Satan's snares, however, may fail to share in the glory that will be revealed at Christ's appearing.