5:1 The 1 elders which are among you 2 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:
(1) He describes peculiarly the office of the Elders, that is
to say, of them that have the care of the Church.
(2) He uses a preface concerning the circumstance of his own
person: that is, that he as their companion communes with
them not of manners which he knows not, but in which he is
as well experienced as any, and propounds to them no other
condition but that which he himself has sustained before
them, and still takes the same trouble, and also has the
same hope together with them.
5:23a Feed the 4 flock of God which is 5 among you,
6 taking the oversight [thereof], not by constraint, but
willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
(3) The first rule: he that is a shepherd let him feed the
flock.
a
(4) The second: Let not shepherd consider, that the flock is
not his, but Gods.
(5) The third: Let not shepherds invade other men's flocks, but
let them feed that which God hath committed unto them.
(6) Let the shepherds govern the Church with the word and
example of godly and unblamable life, not by force but
willingly, not for greedy gain, but with a ready mind, not
as lords over God's portion and heritage, but as his
ministers.
5:3 Neither as being lords over [God's] b heritage, but being
ensamples to the flock.
(b) Which is the Christian people.
5:47 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall
receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
(7) That the shepherds' minds are not overcome either with the
wickedness of men, or their cruelty, he warns them to
continually look at the chief shepherd, and the crown which
is laid up for them in heaven.
5:58 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder.
Yea, all [of you] be subject one to another, and be clothed
with humility: 9 for God resisteth the proud, and giveth
grace to the humble.
(8) He commends many peculiar Christian virtues, and especially
modesty: an admonition all of us need, but especially the
younger ones by reason of the perverseness and pride of
that age.
(9) Because pride seems to many to be the way to the glory of
this life, the apostle testifies to the opposite, that
dishonour and shame is the reward of pride, and glory the
reward of modesty.
5:6 Humble yourselves therefore 10 under the mighty hand of
God, that he may exalt you in due time:
(10) Because those proud and lofty spirits threaten the modest
and humble, the apostle warns us to set the power of God
against the vanity of proud men, and to rely completely on
his providence.
5:811 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the
devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may
devour:
(11) The cruelty of Satan, who seeks by all means to devour us,
is overcome by watchfulness and faith.
5:9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, 12 knowing that the
same afflictions are accomplished in your c brethren that
are in the world.
(12) The persecutions which Satan stirs up, are neither new nor
proper to any one man, but from old and ancient times
common to the whole Church, and therefore we must suffer
patiently, in which we have such and so many fellows of
our conflicts and combats.
(c) Amongst your brethren which are dispersed throughout the
world.
5:1013 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].
(13) He seals up as with a seal the former exhortation with a
solemn prayer, again willing them to ask increase of
strength at his hands, of whom they had the beginning, and
hope to have the accomplishment: that is, of God the
Father in Christ Jesus, in whom we are sure of the glory
of eternal life.
5:1214 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.
(14) Continuance and perseverance in the doctrine of the
apostles is the only ground and foundation of Christian
strength: Now the sum of the apostles doctrine, is
salvation freely given by God.
5:1315 The [church that is] at d Babylon, elected together
with [you], saluteth you; and [so doth] Marcus my son.
(15) Familiar salutations.
(d) In that famous city of Assyria, where Peter the apostle
of circumcision then was.
