Sunday, August 22, 2010

1 Peter 5

(1) And now, a word to you who are *elders in the
churches. I, too, am an elder and a **witness to the sufferings
of Christ. And I, too, will share in his glory
when he is revealed to the whole world. As a *fellow elder, I appeal to
you:

  • *elders: Acts 20:28: “So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as elders.

    The word "elders" translates presbyteros, from which we derived the English word "presbyters." So Peter is addressing church leaders here.
  • **witness:
    • Matthew 17:1-3: Six days later Jesus took Peter and the two brothers, James and John, and led them up a high mountain to be alone. As the men watched, Jesus’ appearance was transformed so that his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light. Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared and began talking with Jesus.
    • Luke 24:45-48: Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. And he said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’ You are witnesses of all these things.
    • Acts 3:12-15: Peter saw his opportunity and addressed the crowd. “People of Israel,” he said, “what is so surprising about this? And why stare at us as though we had made this man walk by our own power or godliness? For it is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the God of all our ancestors—who has brought glory to his servant Jesus by doing this. This is the same Jesus whom you handed over and rejected before Pilate, despite Pilate’s decision to release him. You rejected this holy, righteous one and instead demanded the release of a murderer. You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. And we are witnesses of this fact!
    • 2 Peter 1:16-18: For we were not making up clever stories when we told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We saw his majestic splendor with our own eyes when he received honor and glory from God the Father. The voice from the majestic glory of God said to him, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.” We ourselves heard that voice from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain.
  • *fellow elder: Is Peter really the first Pope? No, he's a "fellow elder", not a "pope". The apostle Peter does not command, but exhorts. He does not claim power to rule over all pastors and churches.

(2) Care for the flock that God has entrusted to
you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will
get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God.

  • John 21:16: Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.” “Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said.

(3) Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good *example.

  • Ezekiel 34:2: “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds, the leaders of Israel. Give them this message from the Sovereign Lord: What sorrow awaits you shepherds who feed yourselves instead of your flocks. Shouldn’t shepherds feed their sheep?
  • *example: The word for "example" (tupoi) originally meant the mark left by a blow. Our lives should be such that we visibly reflect the unmistakable impact Christ has had on our lives. Titus 2:7: And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching.
  • Since one of the husband's primary roles is that of shepherd of his family, it is worthwhile to read verses 2 and 3 from this perspective. A husband should shepherd his family flock by caring for their needs. He should consider this a privilege, he should make his family a priority and he should be a model of integrity - an example. Certainly he should tell the members of his family that he loves them. It might be profitable to read Psalm 23 and put your name in the place of

    the shepherd if you are a husband.

(4) And when the Great Shepherd appears, you will receive a *crown
of never-ending glory and honor.

  • *crown (Greek - stephanos - garland):
    There are FIVE identified CROWNS for Christians:
    1. CROWN OF LIFE:

      Revelation 2:10:       Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. The devil will throw some of you into prison to test you. You will suffer for ten days. But if you remain faithful even when facing death, I will give you the crown of life.

      James 1:12: God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
    2. INCORRUPTIBLE CROWN:

      1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (KJV): Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
    3. CROWN OF REJOICING:

      1 Thessalonians 2:19 (KJV): For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?
    4. CROWN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS:

      2 Timothy 4:8: And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.
    5. CROWN OF GLORY:

      1 Peter 5:4: And when the Great Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of never-ending glory and honor.
    • The crown of glory is given to those who willingly shepherd God’s people, not because they are paid for it or because they are “lords” over a group of people, but because they are eager to serve and help people maximize their spiritual potential. Christians can be quite ungrateful and dissatisfied. Almost every leader has at one time or another been at his wit’s end as to how to keep people godly and blessed. More than one pastor, elder, or overseer has resigned, not because he or she did not love God, but because it just seemed too difficult to work with people in the Church. There are even Old Testament records of God Himself being disgusted with His people’s attitudes and behaviors. At points He was on the verge of abandoning them altogether. God recognizes that it is hard and often thankless work to shepherd people, so He offers a crown to those who will carry out the task in a godly manner.
  • Rewards:
    • Matthew 25:21: “The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’
    • 1 Corinthians 3:12-15: Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.
    • 2 Timothy 2:3-5: Endure suffering along with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. Soldiers don’t get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them. And athletes cannot win the prize unless they follow the rules.
    • Hebrews 11:26: He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his great reward.
    • 1 Peter 1:4: and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.
    • 2 John 1:8: Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked so hard to achieve. Be diligent so that you receive your full reward.
    • Revelation 3:11: I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take away your crown.
    • Revelation 4:10-11: the twenty-four elders fall down and worship the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever). And they lay their crowns before the throne and say, “You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For you created all things, and they exist because you created what you pleased.”

(5) In the same way, you younger men must accept
the authority of the elders. And all of you, serve each other in humility,
for “God opposes the proud but favors the humble.”

  • Contrast this with the "pomp and circumstance" of the pope!
  • Proverbs 3:34: The Lord mocks the mockers but is gracious to the humble. Greek version reads The Lord opposes the proud but favors the humble.
  • James 4:6: But he gives us even more grace to stand against such evil desires. As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud but favors the humble."

(6) So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the
right time he will lift you up in honor.

  • Philippians 2:3: Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.

(7) Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares
about you.

  • Worry is a form of pride because it involves taking concerns upon oneself instead of entrusting them to God. Believers can trust God because, as their Father, he cares for them.
  • Psalm 55:22: Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.
  • Matthew 6:25: “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing?
  • Philippians 4:6: Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.
  • Hebrews 13:5: Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”

(8) Stay alert! Watch out for *your great enemy, the devil. He prowls
around like a **roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.

  • **your great enemy, the devil (Greek - Ho antidikos diabolos). Diabolos means "false accuser, slanderer".
  • roaring lion: He is deceptive and hidden, but "roaring" in the sense of being ready to destroy.
  • Job 1:7: “Where have you come from?” the Lord asked Satan. Satan answered the Lord, “I have been patrolling the earth, watching everything that’s going on.”

  • 2 Corinthians 2:10-11: When you forgive this man, I forgive him, too. And when I forgive whatever needs to be forgiven, I do so with Christ’s authority for your benefit, so that Satan will not outsmart us. For we are familiar with his evil schemes.
  • James 4:7: So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
  • Revelation 2:10: Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. The devil will throw some of you into prison to test you. You will suffer for ten days. But if you remain faithful even when facing death, I will give you the crown of life.
  • Revelation 12:10-11: Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, “It has come at last— salvation and power and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth— the one who accuses them before our God day and night. And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die.

(9) *Stand firm against him, and be strong
in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters
all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering
you are.

  • *Stand firm against: The Greek word translated "stand firm" or "resist" means to defend oneself against as opposed to attacking.
  • Ephesians 6:11-13: Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.
  • The Christian's 3-fold enemy:
    1. The World (1 John 2:15-17): Lust of the flesh, Lust of the eyes, Pride of life - We are to FLEE.
    2. The flesh (Romans 7:18-24) - We are to DENY.
    3. The devil (1 Peter 5:8) - We are to resist.

(10) In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal
glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered
a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will
place you on a firm foundation.

  • From God's perspective, one's time in this world is notably brief. Thus, no matter how long or intense one's suffering may be, it will be short compared to the joys of eternity.
  • 1 Peter 1:6: So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while.
  • 2 Timothy 3:12: Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

(11) All power to him forever! Amen.

(12) I have written and sent this short letter to you with the help
of *Silas, whom I commend to you as a faithful brother.
My purpose in writing is to encourage you and assure you that
what you are experiencing is truly part of God’s grace for you.
Stand firm in this grace.

  • *Silas:
    • Acts 15:22: Then the apostles and elders together with the whole church in Jerusalem chose delegates, and they sent them to Antioch of Syria with Paul and Barnabas to report on this decision. The men chosen were two of the church leaders - Judas (also called Barsabbas) and Silas.
    • Acts 15:40: Paul chose Silas, and as he left, the believers entrusted him to the Lord’s gracious care.
    • Acts 18:5: And after Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul spent all his time preaching the word. He testified to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah.
    • 2 Corinthians 1:19: For Jesus Christ, the Son of God, does not waver between “Yes” and “No.” He is the one whom Silas, Timothy, and I preached to you, and as God’s ultimate “Yes,” he always does what he says.
    • 1 Thessalonians 1:1: This letter is from Paul, Silas, and Timothy. We are writing to the church in Thessalonica, to you who belong to God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. May God give you grace and peace.
    • 2 Thessalonians 1:1: This letter is from Paul, Silas, and Timothy. We are writing to the church in Thessalonica, to you who belong to God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

(13) Your sister church here in *Babylon sends you greetings, and so does my son **Mark.

  • *Babylon: We know so little of Peter’s later activities that there is no reason why we should not take this as literally meaning Babylon in Mesopotamia. We know that initially he ministered in Jerusalem and the surrounding area (Acts 1-12), that later he was found at Syrian Antioch (Galatians 2:11) and possibly for a short time at Corinth (1 Corinthians 1:12), and we know from this letter that he had at least some ministry in north west Asia Minor (1:1). It is certainly not therefore against the balance of probability that he then ministered in Mesopotamia, and wrote from there. The majority, however, see ‘Babylon’ as symbolic of Rome. The issue is not, however, of great importance, apart from for those who try to make a big thing of Peter having been in Rome for some years.
  • **Mark is the same John Mark who traveled with Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey (see Acts 12:25; 13:5, 13; 15:36–39). Though he left Paul and Barnabas, he was later restored to his former usefulness (Colossians 4:10; 2 Timothy 4:11; Philemon 24). Peter would have known Mark from the earliest days, because the church met in his mother's home (Acts 12:12). In addition, this verse shows a close relationship between Peter and Mark (my son) and is one indication of the validity of the early church tradition that Mark wrote his Gospel at Peter's direction (see Introduction to Mark: Author and Title).
  • Acts 12:11-12: Peter finally came to his senses. “It’s really true!” he said. “The Lord has sent his angel and saved me from Herod and from what the Jewish leaders had planned to do to me!” When he realized this, he went to the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where many were gathered for prayer.
  • Colossians 4:10: Aristarchus, who is in prison with me, sends you his greetings, and so does Mark, Barnabas’s cousin. As you were instructed before, make Mark welcome if he comes your way.
  • Philemon 1:24: So do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my co-workers.

(14) Greet each other with Christian love. Peace be with all of you who are in Christ.

NOTE: Unless otherwise noted, the scripture version used is the New Living Translation.

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