In
which the apostle gives particular directions, first to the elders, how to
behave themselves towards their flock (ver. 1-4); then to the younger, to be
obedient and humble, and to cast their care upon God, ver. 5-7. He then
exhorts all to sobriety, watchfulness against temptations, and stedfastness
in the faith, praying earnestly for them; and so concludes his epistle with
a solemn doxology, mutual salutations, and his apostolical benediction.
|
Advice
to Elders.
|
A. D. 66.
|
|
|
1 The elders which are among you I exhort,
who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a
partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: 2 Feed the flock
of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by
constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
3 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to
the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall
receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
Here we may observe,
I. The persons to whom this exhortation is given--to the presbyters,
pastors, and spiritual guides of the church, elders by office, rather than
by age, ministers of those churches to whom he wrote this epistle.
II. The person who gives this exhortation--the apostle Peter: I exhort;
and, to give force to this exhortation, he tells them he was their
brother-presbyter or fellow-elder, and so puts nothing upon them but what he
was ready to perform himself. He was also a witness of the sufferings of
Christ, being with him in the garden, attending him to the palace of the
high-priest, and very likely being a spectator of his suffering upon the
cross, at a distance among the crowd, Acts iii. 15. He adds that he was also
a partaker of the glory that was in some degree revealed at the
transfiguration (Matt. xvii. 1-3), and shall be completely enjoyed at the
second coming of Jesus Christ. Learn, 1. Those whose office it is to teach
others ought carefully to study their own duty, as well as teach the people
theirs. 2. How different the spirit and behaviour of Peter were from that of
his pretended successors! He does not command and domineer, but exhort. He
does not claim sovereignty over all pastors and churches, nor style himself prince
of the apostles, vicar of Christ, or head of the church, but
values himself upon being an elder. All the apostles were elders,
though every elder was not an apostle. 3. It was the peculiar honour of
Peter, and a few more, to be the witnesses of Christ's sufferings; but it is
the privilege of all true Christians to be partakers of the glory that shall
be revealed.
III. The pastor's duty described, and the manner in which that duty ought to
be performed. The pastoral duty is three-fold:-- 1. To feed the flock,
by preaching to them the sincere word of God, and ruling them according to
such directions and discipline as the word of God prescribes, both which are
implied in this expression, Feed the flock. 2. The pastors of the
church must take the oversight thereof. The elders are exhorted to do
the office of bishops (as the word signifies), by personal care and
vigilance over all the flock committed to their charge. 3. They must be examples
to the flock, and practise the holiness, self-denial, mortification, and
all other Christian duties, which they preach and recommend to their people.
These duties must be performed, not by constraint, not because you
must do them, not from compulsion of the civil power, or the constraint of
fear or shame, but from a willing mind that takes pleasure in the work: not
for filthy lucre, or any emoluments and profits attending the place
where you reside, or any perquisite belonging to the office, but of a
ready mind, regarding the flock more than the fleece, sincerely and
cheerfully endeavouring to serve the church of God; neither as being
lords over God's heritage, tyrannizing over them by compulsion and
coercive force, or imposing unscriptural and human inventions upon them
instead of necessary duty, Matt. xx. 25, 26; 2 Cor. i. 24. Learn, (1.) The
eminent dignity of the church of God, and all the true members of it. These
poor, dispersed, suffering Christians were the flock of God. The rest of the
world is a brutal herd. These are an orderly flock, redeemed to God by the
great Shepherd, living in holy love and communion one with another, according
to the will of God. They are also dignified with the title of God's heritage
or clergy, his peculiar lot, chosen out of the common multitude for
his own people, to enjoy his special favour and to do him special service.
The word is never restricted in the New Testament to the ministers of
religion. (2.) The pastors of the church ought to consider their people as the
flock of God, as God's heritage, and treat them accordingly. They are
not theirs, to be lorded over at pleasure; but they are God's people, and
should be treated with love, meekness, and tenderness, for the sake of him
to whom they belong. (3.) Those ministers who are either driven to the work
by necessity or drawn to it by filthy lucre can never perform their duty as
they ought, because they do not do it willingly, and with a ready mind. (4.)
The best way a minister can take to engage the respect of a people is to
discharge his own duty among them in the best manner that he can, and to be
a constant example to them of all that is good.
IV. In opposition to that filthy lucre which many propose to themselves as
their principal motive in undertaking and discharging the pastoral office,
the apostle sets before them the crown of glory designed by the great
shepherd, Jesus Christ, for all his faithful ministers. Learn, 1. Jesus
Christ is the chief shepherd of the whole flock and heritage of God.
He bought them, and rules them; he defends and saves them for ever. He is
also the chief shepherd over all inferior shepherds; they derive their
authority from him, act in his name, and are accountable to him at last. 2.
This chief shepherd will appear, to judge all ministers and under-shepherds,
to call them to account, whether they have faithfully discharged their duty
both publicly and privately according to the foregoing directions. 3. Those
that are found to have done their duty shall have what is infinitely better
than temporal gain; they shall receive from the grand shepherd a high degree
of everlasting glory, a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
|
Humility
Recommended.
|
A. D. 66.
|
|
|
5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves
unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be
clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the
humble. 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of
God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7 Casting all your care
upon him; for he careth for you.
Having settled and explained the duty of the pastors or spiritual guides of
the church, the apostle comes now to instruct the flock,
I. How to behave themselves to their ministers and to one another. He calls
them the younger, as being generally younger than their grave
pastors, and to put them in mind of their inferiority, the term younger
being used by our Saviour to signify an inferior, Luke xxii. 26. He exhorts
those that are younger and inferior to submit themselves to the elder,
to give due respect and reverence to their persons, and to yield to their
admonitions, reproof, and authority, enjoining and commanding what the word
of God requires, Heb. xiii. 17. As to one another, the rule is that they
should all be subject one to another, so far as to receive the
reproofs and counsels one of another, and be ready to bear one another's
burdens, and perform all the offices of friendship and charity one to
another; and particular persons should submit to the directions of the whole
society, Eph. v. 21; Jam. v. 16. These duties of submission to superiors in
age or office, and subjection to one another, being contrary to the proud
nature and selfish interests of men, he advises them to be clothed with
humility. "Let your minds, behaviour, garb, and whole frame, be
adorned with humility, as the most beautiful habit you can wear; this will
render obedience and duty easy and pleasant; but, if you be disobedient and
proud, God will set himself to oppose and crush you; for he resisteth the
proud, when he giveth grace to the humble." Observe, 1.
Humility is the great preserver of peace and order in all Christian churches
and societies, consequently pride is the great disturber of them, and the
cause of most dissensions and breaches in the church. 2. There is a mutual
opposition between God and the proud, so the word signifies; they war
against him, and he scorns them; he resisteth the proud, because they
are like the devil, enemies to himself and to his kingdom among men, Prov.
iii. 34. 3. Where God giveth grace to be humble, he will give more grace,
more wisdom, faith, holiness, and humility. Hence the apostle adds: Humble
yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in
due time, v. 6. "Since God resisteth the proud, but giveth
grace to the humble, therefore humble yourselves, not only one to another,
but to the great God, whose judgments are coming upon the world, and must
begin at the house of God (ch. iv. 17); his hand is almighty, and can
easily pull you down if you be proud, or exalt you if you be humble; and it
will certainly do it, either in this life, if he sees it best for you, or at
the day of general retribution." Learn, (1.) The consideration of the
omnipotent hand of God should make us humble and submissive to him in all
that he brings upon us. (2.) Humbling ourselves to God under his hand is the
next way to deliverance and exaltation; patience under his chastisements,
and submission to his pleasure, repentance, prayer, and hope in his mercy,
will engage his help and release in due time, Jam. iv. 7, 10.
II. The apostle, knowing that these Christians were already under very hard
circumstances, rightly supposes that what he had foretold of greater
hardships yet a coming might excite in them abundance of care and fear about
the event of these difficulties, what the issue of them would be to
themselves, their families, and the church of God; foreseeing this anxious
care would be a heavy burden, and a sore temptation, he gives them the best
advice, and supports it with a strong argument. His advice is to cast all
their care, or all care of themselves, upon God. "Throw your
cares, which are so cutting and distracting, which wound your souls and
pierce your hearts, upon the wise and gracious providence of God; trust in
him with a firm composed mind, for he careth for you. He is willing
to release you of your care, and take the care of you upon himself. He will
either avert what you fear, or support you under it. He will order all
events to you so as shall convince you of his paternal love and tenderness
towards you; and all shall be so ordered that no hurt, but good, shall come
unto you," Matt. vi. 25; Ps. lxxxiv. 11; Rom. viii. 28. Learn, 1. The
best of Christians are apt to labour under the burden of anxious and
excessive care; the apostle calls it, all your care, intimating that
the cares of Christians are various and of more sorts than one: personal
cares, family cares, cares for the present, cares for the future, cares for
themselves, for others, and for the church. 2. The cares even of good people
are very burdensome, and too often very sinful; when they arise from
unbelief and diffidence, when they torture and distract the mind, unfit us
for the duties of our place and hinder our delightful service of God, they
are very criminal. 3. The best remedy against immoderate care is to cast
our care upon God, and resign every event to the wise and gracious
determination. A firm belief of the rectitude of the divine will and
counsels calms the spirit of man. We ceased, saying, The will of the Lord
be done, Acts xxi. 14.
|
Sobriety
and Vigilance Enjoined.
|
A. D. 66.
|
|
|
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your
adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may
devour: 9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the
same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
Here the apostle does three things:--
I. He shows them their danger from an enemy more cruel and restless than
even the worst of men, whom he describes,
1. By his characters and names. (1.) He is an adversary: "That
adversary of yours; not a common adversary, but an enemy that impleads
you, and litigates against you in your grand depending cause, and aims at
your very souls." (2.) The devil, the grand accuser of all the
brethren; this title is derived from a word which signifies to strike
through, or to stab. He would strike malignity into our natures and poison
into our souls. If he could have struck these people with passion and
murmuring in their sufferings, perhaps he might have drawn them to apostasy
and ruin. (3.) He is a roaring lion, hungry, fierce, strong, and
cruel, the fierce and greedy pursuer of souls.
2. By his business: He walks about, seeking whom he may devour; his
whole design is to devour and destroy souls. To this end he is unwearied and
restless in his malicious endeavours; for he always, night and day, goes
about studying and contriving whom he may ensnare to their eternal ruin.
II. Hence he infers that it is their duty, 1. To be sober, and to
govern both the outward and the inward man by the rules of temperance,
modesty, and mortification. 2. To be vigilant; not secure or
careless, but rather suspicious of constant danger from this spiritual
enemy, and, under that apprehension, to be watchful and diligent to prevent
his designs and save our souls. 3. To resist him stedfast in the faith.
It was the faith of these people that Satan aimed at; if he could overturn
their faith, and draw them into apostasy, then he knew he should gain his
point, and ruin their souls; therefore, to destroy their faith, he raises
bitter persecutions, and sets the grand potentates of the world against
them. This strong trial and temptation they must resist, by being
well-grounded, resolute, and stedfast in the faith: to encourage them to
this,
III. He tells them that their care was not singular, for they knew that the
like afflictions befel their brethren in all parts of the world, and that
all the people of God were their fellow-soldiers in this warfare. Learn, 1.
All the great persecutions that ever were in the world were raised, spirited
up, and conducted, by the devil; he is the grand persecutor, as well as the
deceiver and accuser, of the brethren; men are his willing spiteful
instruments, but he is the chief adversary that wars against Christ and his
people, Gen. iii. 15; Rev. xii. 12. 2. The design of Satan in raising
persecutions against the faithful servants of God is to bring them to
apostasy, by reason of their sufferings, and so to destroy their souls. 3.
Sobriety and watchfulness are necessary virtues at all times, but especially
in times of suffering and persecution. "You must moderate your
affection to worldly things, or else Satan will soon overcome you." 4.
"If you would overcome Satan, as a tempter, an accuser, or a
persecutor, you must resist him stedfast in the faith; if your faith give
way, you are gone; therefore, above all, take the shield of faith,"
Eph. vi. 16. 5. The consideration of what others suffer is proper to
encourage us to bear our own share in any affliction: The same
afflictions are accomplished in your brethren.
|
The Apostle's Prayer.
|
A. D. 66.
|
|
|
10 But the God of all grace, who hath called
us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a
while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
11 To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
12 By Silvanus, a faithful brother unto you, as I suppose, I have written
briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God
wherein ye stand. 13 The church that is at Babylon,
elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my
son. 14 Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity. Peace be
with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen.
We come now to the conclusion of this epistle, which,
I. The apostle begins with a most weighty prayer, which he addresses to God
as the God of all grace, the author and finisher of every heavenly
gift and quality, acknowledging, on their behalf, that God had already
called them to be partakers of that eternal glory, which, being his own, he
had promised and settled upon them, through the merit and intercession of
Jesus Christ. Observe,
1. What he prays for on their account; not that they might be excused from
sufferings, but that their sufferings might be moderate and short, and, after
they had suffered awhile, that God would restore them to a settled and
peaceable condition, and perfect his work in them--that he would establish
them against wavering, either in faith or duty, that he would strengthen
those who were weak, and settle them upon Christ the foundation, so firmly
that their union with him might be indissoluble and everlasting. Learn, (1.)
All grace is from God; it is he who restrains, converts, comforts, and saves
men by his grace. (2.) All who are called into a state of grace are called
to partake of eternal glory and happiness. (3.) Those who are called to be
heirs of eternal life through Jesus Christ must, nevertheless, suffer in
this world, but their sufferings will be but for a little while. (4.) The
perfecting, establishing, strengthening, and settling, of good people in
grace, and their perseverance therein, is so difficult a work, that only the
God of all grace can accomplish it; and therefore he is earnestly to be
sought unto by continual prayer, and dependence upon his promises.
2. His doxology, v. 11. From this doxology we may learn that 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.
II. He recapitulates the design of his writing this epistle to them (v.
12), which was, 1. To testify, and in the strongest terms to assure them,
that the doctrine of salvation, which he had explained and they had
embraced, was the true account of the grace of God, foretold by the prophets
and published by Jesus Christ. 2. To exhort them earnestly that, as they had
embraced the gospel, they would continue stedfast in it, notwithstanding the
arts of seducers, or the persecutions of enemies. (1.) The main thing that
ministers ought to aim at in their labours is to convince their people of
the certainty and excellency of the Christian religion; this the apostles
did exhort and testify with all their might. (2.) A firm persuasion
that we are in the true way to heaven will be the best motive to stand fast,
and persevere therein.
III. He recommends Silvanus, the person by whom he sent them this
brief epistle, as a brother whom he esteemed faithful and friendly to them,
and hoped they would account him so, though he was a ministers of the
uncircumcision. Observe, An honourable esteem of the ministers of religion
tends much to the success of their labours. When we are convinced they are
faithful, we shall profit more by their ministerial services. The prejudices
that some of these Jews might have against Silvanus, as a minister of the
Gentiles, would soon wear off when they were once convinced that he was a
faithful brother.
IV. He closes with salutations and a solemn benediction. Observe, 1. Peter,
being at Babylon in Assyria, when he wrote this epistle (whither he
travelled, as the apostle of the circumcision, to visit that church, which
was the chief of the dispersion), sends the salutation of that church to the
other churches to whom he wrote (v. 13), telling them that God had elected
or chosen the Christians at Babylon out of the world, to be his church, and
to partake of eternal salvation through Christ Jesus, together with them and
all other faithful Christians, ch. i. 2. In this salutation he
particularly joins Mark the evangelist, who was then with him, and who was
his son in a spiritual sense, being begotten by him to Christianity.
Observe, All the churches of Jesus Christ ought to have a most affectionate
concern one for another; they should love and pray for one another, and be
as helpful one to another as they possibly can. 2. He exhorts them to
fervent love and charity one towards another, and to express this by giving the
kiss of peace (v. 14), according to the common custom of those
times and countries, and so concludes with a benediction, which he confines
to those that are in Christ Jesus, united to him by faith and sound
members of his mystical body. The blessing he pronounces upon them is peace,
by which he means all necessary good, all manner of prosperity; to this he
adds his amen, in token of his earnest desire and undoubted
expectation that the blessing of peace would be the portion of all the
faithful.
