1 Peter Chapter Five.

1 Peter Chapter Five.

This chapter opens with Peter giving exhortation to the elders to shepherd the flock of God.  He addresses the presbyters or elders, and he exhorts them to do the work of a bishop (taking the oversight) and to shepherd the flock of God.  Compare verse one with Acts 20:17,28 - where we have the same three ideas - presbyters, bishops and shepherds.

           

Probably the word `shepherd' sets forth most clearly and centrally the work of the presbyters or bishop. The shepherd leads, protects, feeds and cares for the flock.  Overseer is a work rather than an office.  It is not only an office you can fill in an idle manner.  One is only an overseer as he does the work of an overseer.  But those who are distinguished for caring for the flock of God.  They must be acknowledged for their work.  We are to know such men, 1 Thess 5.  Though we avoid using the word office, yet they form a definite group that the church recognize as their leaders - for in Timothy we read of the presbytery or elders.

           

Peter exhorts them to do this work with eagerness.  He may have heard news that some elders, knowing they would be a special target of the hostile pagans, had flinched in their ministry.  If the leaders did not give an example of boldness, how could the rank and file be expected to stand.  It was most necessary for the presbyters to care for the flock and rally them to face the special crisis. In times of trial the church is better able to face the situation if it has a strong leadership and vigorous ministry.

           

A bishop must care for the flock of God with quite different motives than that of the hireling.  John chapter 10 is full of wholesome teaching for the shepherd or presbyter. The shepherd does not exercise his rule and care by throwing his weight about.  He does not domineer or bully.  A leadership that produces a grieved and unhappy spirit among God's people is of no avail.  When the people of God become grieved and discouraged in spirit, you may have all your "white-hot" evangelists, but it will not bring blessing.  Avoid anything oppressive.  The shepherd leads mostly by means of good example.   Sheep come to know the shepherd's voice and follow him.  The shepherd inspires confidence, security and contentment among the flock.  The sheep become devoted to the shepherd, they trust him, they flee to him, they follow him.

           

Let the shepherds avoid a harsh spirit, for if the people of God grow discontented in the way, and their heart be discouraged, then, though you have all your high-powered, super-charged, stream-lined evangelists, and though you have all your rock and roll round the clock prayer meetings - yet, for all that, the flock will fall apart.  How vital it is that the church have a devoted, whole-hearted leadership and ministry.

           

5:5.  Younger ones are to give full co-operation.  They are to be subject to the elders.  Great emphasis has been given in modern times to self-expression and self-assertion.  These things have been overdone.  The Word of God gives no encouragement to the modern cult of self-assertion.  The writer of this epistle sets great value on the ornament of a meek and quite spirit. The younger often get impatient with their leaders.  They demand more vigorous action and this is commendable to some measure, but it can breed disloyalty and destroy the spirit of co-operation.  The spirit of murmuring and dissatisfaction can do much harm in the Christian community.  All are to be girded with humility towards one another.  Humility is lowliness of mind and that describes a state that springs from within. Eph.5:21.  To be girded with humility would imply some readiness to serve one another.  God is at war with the proud, but He gives grace to the lowly.  It is the lowly that find God's blessing. Matt.5:5.

           

5:6.  "Be ye humbled."  The Passive form implies a willingness to be humble.  The hand of God was on them to humble them.  The trials they endured was the hand of God upon them.  There could be no trials other than what God permitted.  Did the trials sometimes seem ready to destroy them?  Remember, it was the hand of God, though it seem about to destroy, yet nothing could harm them other than the willed.  The hand now chastising was also a hand protecting.  They must learn humility under the hand of God.  The mighty hand of God - so impossible to resist and yet so assuring of protection.

           

The phrase "mighty hand of God," is designed not to create fear, but to inspire courage and confidence.  The excellent quality of humility or lowliness of mind, would be a most depressing feature without hope in God.  The hand that humbled now would in the appointed time raise them up.  God lifts up the lowly in mind.  There is surely an echo of the Lord's teaching here.  It is the lowly He lifts up.  We must become lowly in mind before the Lord will lift us up.  The proud He puts down.  Humility goes before honour.

           

5:7.  "All your care."  Care here means dividings of mind, distracting care, anxiety, worry.  "Casting all your care." Not some, but all your care. He is able to carry out it all.  Anxious care is the cancer of the Christian faith.  Care destroys faith or faith must destroy distracting care.  They cannot be together.

a.  It is something you must do.  Casting all your care.  "Cast - hurl."  Don't hang on to it.  It is a burden we need not carry.

b.  He is big enough to carry all your care.  He invites us to trust Him and to believe His love, His wisdom and His power.

c.  All your care.  Not some only, but all your care.  You need not carry any of the load.

There is nothing too small or too big.    There are no problems too great for God.

d.  The promise.  Here is our assurance - He cares for us.  Do we truly believe God cares for us?  If we do believe it we shall have no cares.   "He cares for you."

           

Do we intend to carry some ourselves?  We need not.  All those things that distract us we may hurl upon Him, for with Him there is care for you.  The Greek must mean, - "with Him there is a care for you."  Our beautiful rendering goes back to Tyndale, - "for He careth for you."

           

"He careth for you," beautiful words.  Do we believe them to be true?  These words surely go back to our Lord's teaching.  The Bible throughout tells of God's care for His people.  When the Lord was on earth He taught His disciples to take no anxious thought, - not even a sparrow fell to the ground that their heavenly Father did not know thereof.  The very hairs of their head are numbered.  Is not the Gospel itself the message of God's care, - the love and grace of God is His caring for men.

           

We would not pray unless we believe God cared.  Of what use would it be to pray if we did not believe that God cared?  We pray to Him as the Father for we believe He cares for us. When we sin, when failure discourages - these wonderful words come to us, - "He careth for you."  They invite us to forsake sin and to seek His forgiveness.  Does God care when we sin?  He does, and He still continues to care - it is this that makes confession and forgiveness possible. 

           

To the lonely - how grand to hear of such a friend.  Dr Ling speaks of mass loneliness and of loneliness unlimited.  To those who believe that God cares, there can be no loneliness.

           

To the weak, the sad, the discouraged worker, to the wronged, to those who suffer - these words bring comfort and encouragement.  They bring us sympathy, cheer, courage and strength.  "He careth for you."  If we did not believe that God cared - then life itself would be a tragedy.  There may be a psychological connection between verses 6 and 7.  It is the proud that are so beset with anxieties.  Where there is humility, there is contentment.

           

5:8.  "Be sober," - "calm and vigilant."  "Be watchful," - "be awake, watchful and on the alert."  The enemy is on the prowl.  Our adversary is the devil, and as a roaring lion would devour any he may find straggling.  It is the stragglers of the flock that are most easily snatched away and devoured.

           

Don't think of our enemy is tame, - he is a roaring lion, dangerous and destructive.  He seizes upon any whom he may devour or swallow down.  The unwatchful believer may be swallowed down when he thought himself safe.

           

5:9.  We must resist Satan.  Where faith is active and strong, Satan is defeated, Eph.6.  It is with the shield of faith that we quench the fiery darts of the wicked.

           

Satan uses the trials (persecutions) we endure to overthrow our faith.  We must remember that we meet only such trials as Christians everywhere endure.  All the people of God live in a world under Satan's power.  They might think of their sufferings in a way that would foster a spirit of brotherhood.

           

5:10.  "The God of all grace." - The needs of Christians may be varied, but there is a grace for every need and situation.  To say He is "the God of all grace" is to say He has and commands infinite resource.   God has wonderful resources of grace.

           

Note the contrast:- "all your care," - "all His grace."  There is no need beyond His resources.   "Called." - Our divine call is proof that we are recipients of His grace.   "Called you to His eternal glory." - The greatness of the call marks us out as especially favoured.  The eternal glory to which we are called transcends anything we may suffer down here, and this `call' brings out the wealth of His grace bestowed upon us.

           

"Suffered for a little time." - "The suffering of this present time," as Paul wrote.

           

"Himself" (Greek), - "Himself, yes, He Himself will work for and in us."  He does not leave it to others, but working with His own great resources He will fulfil His will in us.  How assuring is all this, the whole affair is in His hands.  Observe how complete and comprehensive is the work He will do: "perfect."  He will perfect; He will establish; He will strengthen; He will found.  God gives grace to the humble, and His grace enables them to stand where the proud fall.  They mighty hand of God was upon them.  Who could resist it?  By prayer we are able to cast our burdens upon the Lord.

           

Satan as a roaring lion.  A lion that roars is intimidating.  Satan would frighten Christians, and shake them from their faith.  He swallows up those who panic and lose their faith, but if we resist him, we shall call his bluff, and prove his roar is worse than his bite.  We must resist steadfastly, i.e. not just sometimes, but firmly and always. We resist steadfastly when we stand our ground all the time.

           

5:10-11.  His grace does not remove all suffering from us, but He gives grace to endure the little time of suffering.  He gives grace to the humble.  Suffering helps us to be humble.  If He calls upon us to suffer, it is His will and He will give more grace.

           

Peter's charge to the elders (shepherds). v.1-4. There is need for humility and submission.  v.5-6.  The younger ones are to give submission to the elders.  All must be subject one to another and be clothed with humility. Eph.5:21.  They were to humble themselves under the mighty hand of God.  This meant being submissive to God.  God cares for us. Casting, throw, toss, hurl.  v.7.

           

Peter's call to Watchfulness.   We have an enemy who hopes to catch us off our guard.   v.8-9.   Our Resources.  "He giveth grace and glory."  Grace now, glory then.  He supplies sufficient grace to carry us through to glory.   v.10-11.

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