1The elders are exhorted to feed the flock of Christ conscientiously, looking to the chief Shepherd for a reward. 5The younger are required to submit to the elder, and all to practise humility toward each other; 6with resignation to God; 8to be sober, watchful, and stedfast in the faith, resisting the devil. 10The epistle is concluded with a prayer and benediction.
1THE 1elders which are among you I exhort, who am 2also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also 3a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
1 That is, the teachers and pastors of the congregation, as Titus 1:5.
2 Namely, together with you. Peter therefore does not exalt himself above all, as the head of all teachers.
3 This may be understood of the hope of the apostle, as also of all believers, Rom. 8:24, or also of the special beholding of Christ’s glory, which was shown him with the other two apostles on the mount, Mat. 17:1; 2 Peter 1:16, 17, 18, which hereafter shall be perfectly revealed before the whole world, 1 John 3:2.
24Feeda the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, 5not by constraint, but willingly; notb for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
4 That is, teach and attend to the congregation of God, as true shepherds, provide them with all that is necessary to salvation. Or, take heed to them, as Paul speaks in Acts 20:28. A similitude taken from the care of shepherds over their sheep, whereof see in more detail, John 10.
a Acts 20:28.
5 That is, not for fear of reproof or punishment.
b 1 Tim. 3:3; Titus 1:7.
3Neitherc as being lords over God’s 6heritage, butd being 7ensamplese to the flock.
c 2 Cor. 1:24.
6 Gr. klerôn, that is, lots or, heritages; so called, because the inheritances of the land of Canaan, as also other inheritances in general, were divided by lot. The particular congregations, or the believers, are so called because God has chosen them for His possession out of the common multitude of men, and taken them to be children and heirs. See Acts 26:18, as God also so calls His people in general, Deut. 9:29; 1 Kings 8:51; Psalm 28:9, by reason of His special love and care over them, whom He had taken to Himself, as it were, by lot for a possession.
d Philip. 3:17; 1 Tim. 4:12; Titus 2:7.
7 That is, examples in doctrine and life.
e example, model from within a defined group or type
4And when 8thef chief Shepherd shall appear, yeg shall receive a crown of glory 9that fadeth not away.
8 Peter does not call himself thus, but Christ. For, only He is the Shepherd of all shepherds and of all the sheep, both Jews and Gentiles, which title can belong to none else.
f Isa. 40:11; Ezek. 34:23; John 10:11; Heb. 13:20; 1 Peter 2:25.
g 1 Cor. 9:25; 2 Tim. 4:8; James 1:12; 1 Peter 1:4.
9 The Greek word amarantinon is derived from amarant, which is an herb that fades not, of which garlands were made in former times. See 1 Cor. 9:24, 25.
5Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, allhof you be subject 10one to another, and be 11clothed with humility: fori God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
h Rom. 12:10; Philip. 2:3.
10 This the apostle says, not in respect of each office, spiritual or temporal, wherein always proper distinction must be kept, but in respect of common love, wherein everyone must give place and yield to the other as much as is possible. See Rom. 12:10.
11 Or, adorned.
i Prov. 3:34; James 4:6.
612Humblej yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
12 Namely, before all and in all things; that is, submit yourselves with an humble and believing mind to the will and government of God, as the following verse also declares.
j Job 22:29; Prov. 29:23; Mat. 23:12; Luke 14:11; James 4:10.
7Castingk all your care upon him; forl he careth for you.
k Psalm 55:22; Mat. 6:25; Luke 12:22; Philip. 4:6; 1 Tim. 6:8.
l 1 Cor. 9:9; Heb. 13:5.
8Bem sober, be vigilant; becausen your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may 13devour:
m 1 Thes. 5:6; 1 Peter 1:13; 4:7.
n Job 1:7; Luke 22:31.
13 That is, cause you to stumble or to apostatize, and thereby come to destruction.
9Whomo resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions 14are accomplished 15in your brethren that are in the world.
o Eph. 4:27; James 4:7.
14 Gr. finished, that is, happens to them everywhere as well as to you. For, this is the lot of all believers. See Acts 14:22.
15 That is, in all the brethren, who are one with you in the faith, as 1 Peter 2:17.
10But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered ap while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
p Heb. 10:37; 1 Peter 1:6.
11To him be glory and dominion 16for ever and ever. Amen.
16 Gr. to ages of ages.
12By 17Silvanus, a faithful brother unto you, 18as I suppose, I have written briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is 19the true grace of God wherein ye stand.
17 Who is also elsewhere called Silas, a companion and fellow traveler of Peter and Paul, as here and in the epistle of Paul is generally to be seen. See Acts 15; 16; 17; 2 Cor. 1:19; 1 Thes. 1:1.
18 Some join this to the previous word faithful, because one cannot judge so of another but out of a good hope. Others join it to the following word briefly, in this sense: I think I have written unto you with few words. But men do not so easily speak thus of their own actions.
19 That is, the true doctrine of the grace of God, which is preached unto you, and you have received by faith.
13The church that is 20at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth 21Marcus 22my son.
20 Some hereby understand the city of Rome, thereby to prove that Peter was at Rome, which by a comparison would be called by Peter Babylon, because it was an idolatrous city, full of confusion, idolatry and persecutions against the believers, as the city of Rome is also so called in the Revelation of John, Rev. 14:8; 16:19; 17:5 and 18:2, 10, 21. But it is much more probable that here is properly spoken of the true Babylon, situated in Chaldea or Assyria, where the apostle Peter then was as a special apostle of the Jews, seeing in the same there had still remained a great multitudes of Jews after the deliverance out of the Babylonian captivity, as there were also the chief synagogues of all the dispersed Jews; from whence Peter wrote to all others in the dispersion. The rather, because, it is not the manner to speak otherwise than properly in subscriptions, as Paul also in several epistles, no less expresses the name of the city of Rome, than of other cities. It is another matter with the Revelation of John, which consists most in figurative phrases.
21 See of him Acts 12:12, 25; 15:37; Col. 4:10; 2 Tim. 4:11; Philemon verse 24.
22 Namely, not in respect of his birth, but of Peter’s special love towards him, as Paul also so calls Timothy generally.
14Greet ye one another withq a kiss of charity. Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen.
q Rom. 16:16; 1 Cor. 16:20; 2 Cor. 13:12; 1 Thes. 5:26.