1Pe 5:1-4 | KingComments | STEP | . When Christians live in a time of persecution and suffer because of that, a lot depends on how the relationships are among them. Therefore Peter continues his teachings with admonitions for elders ( ) and younger people ( ). When there are frictions between both groups, they will be an easy prey for the enemy who threatens them from the outside. There has always been the danger of frictions between older and younger people, but in our time it is greater than in former times. In the past the authoritative relationships were clear and they were generally also respected. Nowadays authority is an almost ‘dirty’ word. Autonomy, the free will of man, seems to be the most valuable asset, also to Christians. Changes in authoritative relationships are taking place rapidly. Younger people increasingly see older people with their opinions as old-fashioned and liberty limiting. Older people have the opinion that younger people only want to be revolutionary, without any respect for the good achievements of the former generation or generations. Each proposal for a change is rejected in advance, because it is experienced as a threat for the old achievements to which they want to hold on. If we are willing to listen to the teaching of Peter, then the frictions mentioned or even collisions and divisions will have no chance to have a detrimental effect on us. Peter starts with the elders, that is, with those who have the greatest responsibility. If it comes to the relationship between elder people and younger people, the heart of the fathers must first be brought to the children and then the heart of the children can be dealt with to bring them to the fathers ( ). Although Peter speaks as an elder and therefore speaks with authority, he at the same time speaks as an elder to his fellow elders. The term “elders” is not a title for a special class of people with an official position in the church who are appointed by others. An elder is someone who by age, experience and wisdom of life is able to lead believers. The word ‘elder’ therefore does not indicate an official position, but it indicates an older person. That also appears from the contrast with the ‘younger people’ in . That doesn’t mean that each believer has the same responsibility. There are older believers whose walk of life enforces authority – that is quite different from demanding authority! – and who have the care of the church at heart. These are those to whom Peter is addressing. He not only does that as a “fellow elder”, but also as someone with two special characteristics, namely as a “witness of the sufferings of Christ” and as “a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed”. Peter can testify of the sufferings of Christ that came over Him when He was on earth ( ). He is also a partaker of the glory of Christ that He will have in His kingdom, for he has foreseen that on the mountain of transfiguration ( ). . As an elder and due to his education for his ministry, Peter fulfills the order of the Lord to take care of His flock ( ). In the first place he does that by the means of this letter to the whole flock. In the second place he does that also by transferring his care now to the fellow elders or anyway by involving them in the care. He points out to the elders that it is about the flock of God . It is in no way their flock, as a church leader sometimes speaks about ‘my’ church. It is also the flock that is among or with them and therefore not a flock that is beneath or below them. The elders themselves are also a part of the flock. A flock forms a whole. This is how it is with God’s people. The task of the elders consists of their supervision over the whole flock (cf. ) and not giving some sheep a preferential treatment. ”Shepherd the flock” consists of keeping it from dangers. Hereby you can think of the shielding from false doctrines. “Exercising oversight” implies that the flock is provided with nourishment, with what is encouraging and empowering to move on. It is important that elders exert their spiritual authority in the right way and in the right mind. That will be the case if they fulfill the three conditions Peter mentions. They are to do it “voluntarily” and “with eagerness” and as “examples to the flock”. Each of these conditions is in contrast to something of the flesh. ‘Voluntarily’ is in contrast to “under compulsion”. An elder must not be forced to do his task. To act compulsively or against your will is not fitting to a task of care, for then there is no love for the flock. It is about a service out of willingness. That is after God’s heart, for He also did not act out of compulsion, but out of love when He gave the Lord Jesus as the good Shepherd. God loves the joyful shepherd (cf. ). The shepherd is also not supposed to work for sordid gain. The sheep are not there for him, but he is there for the sheep. Unfortunately, you see that the church has become a house of trade. Some church leaders cry out for money and promise a lot regarding health and prosperity. The gain that shepherds are striving for may also be in increasing prestige. The chief priests and Pharisees in the days of the Lord Jesus were seeking that, while they also were out for financial profit. They wanted to enrich themselves as much as they could to the detriment of the sheep. They were shepherds who were shepherding themselves ( ). The opposite of that is the shepherd after God’s purpose. That shepherd is willing. Willingness is the attitude to help whenever it is needed, even when it is not asked with words. If a sheep deviates, he will go after it and bring it back. He is willing to abandon his own rest for that. . Elders are also not people of power. One can possess his own possession and exert power. But the church is not in possession of a man. Instead of ruling with a hard hand to make the flock behave in a desirable way, the shepherd will show how a sheep should behave. After all, the shepherd himself is part of the flock. Spiritual authority is in the example, not in the words that are spoken. Following the Lord does not mean commanding, but showing in practice what that means. The shepherd after God’s heart does not call from the rear the command: ‘Forward!, but he calls out: ‘ Follow me!’ and goes in front himself. . The prospect of a great reward is presented to the elders for their work. Their eyes are focused on the coming of “the Chief Shepherd”, that is the Lord Jesus. Peter is drawing the attention of his fellow elders to that, so that they may be encouraged to faithfully continue to do their often difficult and heavy task. It is a heavy order that can only be carried out with the view to the coming of the Lord and the reward that He has for those who have served in that way. All who have taken the lowest place on earth, will soon take the highest place with Him, distinguished from all others. Then they will be handed out “the unfading crown of glory” by the Chief Shepherd. This particular encouragement for this often thankless task is certainly justified. Serving the believers is often harder than preaching the gospel to the unbelievers. Still this task is of great importance. Therefore the Holy Spirit led Peter to write these words. Let every older believer who has a task as a shepherd be encouraged by it and persevere in his task until the coming of the Lord in glory. . After this exhaustive word to the elders Peter addresses the younger men. He tells them to be subject to the elders. A lot will depend on the attitude of the elders. To develop spiritually sound, the younger men need elders to be subject to them because they give the good example to them. Though also elders are not perfect people. Younger men are inclined to use the mistakes of elders as an excuse not to be subject. But that is not the right attitude. Each authoritative source that is established by God must be acknowledged. That doesn’t mean that they should be obeyed without consideration, but it means that there must be an attitude of subjection with those who are under this authority. The Lord Jesus subjected to His fallible earthly parents ( ). It is an exercise for younger people to follow Him in this and to deal with the elders in subjection. The enemy will do his utmost to cause a division between younger people and elders. He will try to cause them not to understand one another. But younger people and elders need each other. Elders have to serve younger men. When they do that, the younger men will want to be subject to them. For both groups, this requires humility, to which all are now called. If you clothe yourself “with humility”, that is, if humility is your power of living, you will experience the blessing of it. He who is humble doesn’t pretend anything and due to that he will not encounter conflicts with someone else and definitely not with God. With Elihu you see a beautiful example of a younger man who takes the right place toward the older Job and his friends ( ). However, if you oppose and try to fight for your own rights, God will oppose you. A spirit of pride is a direct attack on God’s right over man. Now read 1 Peter 5:1-5 again. Reflection: How do you as a young believer, look at older believers?

‏ 1 Peter 5:1-4

Care for the Flock of God

1Pet 5:1. When Christians live in a time of persecution and suffer because of that, a lot depends on how the relationships are among them. Therefore Peter continues his teachings with admonitions for elders (1Pet 5:1-4) and younger people (1Pet 5:5). When there are frictions between both groups, they will be an easy prey for the enemy who threatens them from the outside.

There has always been the danger of frictions between older and younger people, but in our time it is greater than in former times. In the past the authoritative relationships were clear and they were generally also respected. Nowadays authority is an almost ‘dirty’ word. Autonomy, the free will of man, seems to be the most valuable asset, also to Christians.

Changes in authoritative relationships are taking place rapidly. Younger people increasingly see older people with their opinions as old-fashioned and liberty limiting. Older people have the opinion that younger people only want to be revolutionary, without any respect for the good achievements of the former generation or generations. Each proposal for a change is rejected in advance, because it is experienced as a threat for the old achievements to which they want to hold on. If we are willing to listen to the teaching of Peter, then the frictions mentioned or even collisions and divisions will have no chance to have a detrimental effect on us.

Peter starts with the elders, that is, with those who have the greatest responsibility. If it comes to the relationship between elder people and younger people, the heart of the fathers must first be brought to the children and then the heart of the children can be dealt with to bring them to the fathers (Mal 4:6). Although Peter speaks as an elder and therefore speaks with authority, he at the same time speaks as an elder to his fellow elders.

The term “elders” is not a title for a special class of people with an official position in the church who are appointed by others. An elder is someone who by age, experience and wisdom of life is able to lead believers. The word ‘elder’ therefore does not indicate an official position, but it indicates an older person. That also appears from the contrast with the ‘younger people’ in 1Pet 5:5.

That doesn’t mean that each believer has the same responsibility. There are older believers whose walk of life enforces authority – that is quite different from demanding authority! – and who have the care of the church at heart. These are those to whom Peter is addressing. He not only does that as a “fellow elder”, but also as someone with two special characteristics, namely as a “witness of the sufferings of Christ” and as “a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed”. Peter can testify of the sufferings of Christ that came over Him when He was on earth (Jn 15:27). He is also a partaker of the glory of Christ that He will have in His kingdom, for he has foreseen that on the mountain of transfiguration (Lk 9:28-31).

1Pet 5:2. As an elder and due to his education for his ministry, Peter fulfills the order of the Lord to take care of His flock (Jn 21:15-17). In the first place he does that by the means of this letter to the whole flock. In the second place he does that also by transferring his care now to the fellow elders or anyway by involving them in the care. He points out to the elders that it is about the flock of God. It is in no way their flock, as a church leader sometimes speaks about ‘my’ church.

It is also the flock that is among or with them and therefore not a flock that is beneath or below them. The elders themselves are also a part of the flock. A flock forms a whole. This is how it is with God’s people. The task of the elders consists of their supervision over the whole flock (cf. Acts 20:28) and not giving some sheep a preferential treatment. ”Shepherd the flock” consists of keeping it from dangers. Hereby you can think of the shielding from false doctrines. “Exercising oversight” implies that the flock is provided with nourishment, with what is encouraging and empowering to move on.

It is important that elders exert their spiritual authority in the right way and in the right mind. That will be the case if they fulfill the three conditions Peter mentions. They are to do it “voluntarily” and “with eagerness” and as “examples to the flock”.

Each of these conditions is in contrast to something of the flesh. ‘Voluntarily’ is in contrast to “under compulsion”. An elder must not be forced to do his task. To act compulsively or against your will is not fitting to a task of care, for then there is no love for the flock. It is about a service out of willingness. That is after God’s heart, for He also did not act out of compulsion, but out of love when He gave the Lord Jesus as the good Shepherd. God loves the joyful shepherd (cf. 2Cor 9:7).

The shepherd is also not supposed to work for sordid gain. The sheep are not there for him, but he is there for the sheep. Unfortunately, you see that the church has become a house of trade. Some church leaders cry out for money and promise a lot regarding health and prosperity. The gain that shepherds are striving for may also be in increasing prestige. The chief priests and Pharisees in the days of the Lord Jesus were seeking that, while they also were out for financial profit. They wanted to enrich themselves as much as they could to the detriment of the sheep. They were shepherds who were shepherding themselves (Eze 34:2).

The opposite of that is the shepherd after God’s purpose. That shepherd is willing. Willingness is the attitude to help whenever it is needed, even when it is not asked with words. If a sheep deviates, he will go after it and bring it back. He is willing to abandon his own rest for that.

1Pet 5:3. Elders are also not people of power. One can possess his own possession and exert power. But the church is not in possession of a man. Instead of ruling with a hard hand to make the flock behave in a desirable way, the shepherd will show how a sheep should behave. After all, the shepherd himself is part of the flock. Spiritual authority is in the example, not in the words that are spoken. Following the Lord does not mean commanding, but showing in practice what that means. The shepherd after God’s heart does not call from the rear the command: ‘Forward!, but he calls out: ‘ Follow me!’ and goes in front himself.

1Pet 5:4. The prospect of a great reward is presented to the elders for their work. Their eyes are focused on the coming of “the Chief Shepherd”, that is the Lord Jesus. Peter is drawing the attention of his fellow elders to that, so that they may be encouraged to faithfully continue to do their often difficult and heavy task. It is a heavy order that can only be carried out with the view to the coming of the Lord and the reward that He has for those who have served in that way. All who have taken the lowest place on earth, will soon take the highest place with Him, distinguished from all others. Then they will be handed out “the unfading crown of glory” by the Chief Shepherd.

This particular encouragement for this often thankless task is certainly justified. Serving the believers is often harder than preaching the gospel to the unbelievers. Still this task is of great importance. Therefore the Holy Spirit led Peter to write these words. Let every older believer who has a task as a shepherd be encouraged by it and persevere in his task until the coming of the Lord in glory.

1Pet 5:5. After this exhaustive word to the elders Peter addresses the younger men. He tells them to be subject to the elders. A lot will depend on the attitude of the elders. To develop spiritually sound, the younger men need elders to be subject to them because they give the good example to them. Though also elders are not perfect people. Younger men are inclined to use the mistakes of elders as an excuse not to be subject. But that is not the right attitude.

Each authoritative source that is established by God must be acknowledged. That doesn’t mean that they should be obeyed without consideration, but it means that there must be an attitude of subjection with those who are under this authority. The Lord Jesus subjected to His fallible earthly parents (Lk 2:51). It is an exercise for younger people to follow Him in this and to deal with the elders in subjection.

The enemy will do his utmost to cause a division between younger people and elders. He will try to cause them not to understand one another. But younger people and elders need each other. Elders have to serve younger men. When they do that, the younger men will want to be subject to them.

For both groups, this requires humility, to which all are now called. If you clothe yourself “with humility”, that is, if humility is your power of living, you will experience the blessing of it. He who is humble doesn’t pretend anything and due to that he will not encounter conflicts with someone else and definitely not with God. With Elihu you see a beautiful example of a younger man who takes the right place toward the older Job and his friends (Job 32:1-11).

However, if you oppose and try to fight for your own rights, God will oppose you. A spirit of pride is a direct attack on God’s right over man.

Now read 1 Peter 5:1-5 again.

Reflection: How do you as a young believer, look at older believers?