1 Peter 5:4

And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. AND - And so: as the result of "being ensamples" (1 Peter 5:3). CHIEF SHEPHERD - Christ's special title, not Peter's or the pope's. WHEN ... SHALL APPEAR - `be manifested' (Colossians 3:4). Faith serves the Lord while still unseen. CROWN, [ stefanos (G4735)] - a garland of victory; in the Grecian games woven of ivy, parsley, myrtle, olive, or oak. Our crown is distinguished from theirs in that it "fadeth not away," as their soon did. "The crown of life." Not a kingly "crown" [ diadeema...

4_When the chief Shepherd shall appear _Except pastors retain this end in view, it can by no means be that they will in good earnest proceed in the course of their calling, but will, on the contrary, become often faint; for there are innumerable hindrances which are sufficient to discourage the most prudent. They have often to do with ungrateful men, from whom they receive an unworthy reward; long and great labors are often in vain; Satan sometimes prevails in his wicked devices. Lest, then, the faithful servant of Christ should be broken down, there is for him one and only one remedy, — to turn his eyes to the coming of Christ. Thus it will be, that he, who seems to derive no encouragement from men, will assiduously go on in his labors, knowing that a great reward is prepared for him by the Lord. And further, lest a protracted expectation should produce languor, he at the same time sets...

1-4 The apostle Peter does not command, but exhorts. He does not claim power to rule over all pastors and churches. It was the peculiar honour of Peter and a few more, to be witnesses of Christ's sufferings; but it is the privilege of all true Christians to partake of the glory that shall be revealed. These poor, dispersed, suffering Christians, were the flock of God, redeemed to God by the great Shepherd, living in holy love and communion, according to the will of God. They are also dignified with the title of God's heritage or clergy; his peculiar lot, chosen for his own people, to enjoy his special favour, and to do him special service. Christ is the chief Shepherd of the whole flock and heritage of God. And all faithful ministers will receive a crown of unfading glory, infinitely better and more honourable than all the authority, wealth, and pleasure of the world....

Verse 1 Peter 5:4. _WHEN THE CHIEF SHEPHERD_] That is, the Lord Jesus Christ, whose is the flock, and who provides the pasture, and from whom, if ye are legally called to the most awful work of preaching the Gospel, ye have received your commission; when he _shall appear_ to judge the world in righteousness, ye who have fed his flock, who have taken the _superintendency_ of it, not by _constraint_, nor for _filthy lucre's sake_, not as _lords over the heritage_, but with a _ready mind_, employing body, soul, spirit, time and talents, in endeavouring to pluck sinners as brands from eternal burnings, and build up the Church of Christ on its most holy faith; YE shall _receive a crown of glory_ that _fadeth not away_, an eternal nearness and intimacy with the ineffably glorious God; so that ye who have turned many to righteousness shall shine, not merel...

AND WHEN THE CHIEF SHEPHERD SHALL APPEAR - The prince of the pastors - the Lord Jesus Christ. “Peter, in the passage above, ranks himself with the elders; here he ranks Christ himself with the pastors” - Benson. See the notes at 1 Peter 2:25. Compare Hebrews 13:20. YE SHALL RECEIVE A CROWN OF GLORY - A glorious crown or diadem. Compare the notes at 2 Timothy 4:8. THAT FADETH NOT AWAY - This is essentially the same word, though somewhat different in form, which occurs in 1 Peter 1:4. See the notes at that verse. The word occur

EXPOSITIONS 1 PETER 5:1 THE ELDERS WHICH ARE AMONG YOU I EXHORT. The Vatican and Alexandrine Manuscripts omit the article, and insert "therefore" (the Sinaitic gives both), reading, "Elders, therefore, among you I exhort." The solemn thoughts of the last chapter, the coming judgment, the approach of persecution, the necessity of perseverance in well-doing, suggest the exhortation; hence the "therefore." The context shows that the apostle is using the word "elder" (πρεσβύτερος,_ _presbyter) in its official sense, though its original meaning was also in his thoughts, as appears by 1 Peter 5:5. We first meet with the word in the Old Testament (Exodus 3:16,...

AND WHEN THE CHIEF SHEPHERD SHALL APPEAR,.... This is the encouraging motive and argument to engage the elders and pastors of churches to discharge their office faithfully, cheerfully, and in an humble manner: by "the chief Shepherd" is meant Christ, who may well be called so, since he is God's fellow, and in all respects equal with him, and is the Shepherd and Bishop of the souls of men; all other bishops, pastors, and elders, are under him; they receive their commissions from him to feed his lambs and sheep; are made pastors and overseers by him; and have their gifts, qualifying them for such offices, from him; and have their several flocks assigned unto them by him; and from him have they all the food with which they feed them, and are accountable to him for them, and the discharge of their office; so that Christ is the chief Shepherd, in the dignity of his person, he being God over a...

1 Peter 5:1. _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:_ Here again, as in the first chapter, Peter links the sufferings of Christ with his glory. 1 Peter 5:2. 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; neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. 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.

V. EXHORTATIONS CONCERNING SERVICE AND CONFLICT CHAPTER 5 _ 1. As to Christian service (1 Peter 5:1)_ 2. Conflict and victory (1 Peter 5:8) 3. The conclusion (1 Peter 5:12) 1 Peter 5:1 Peter now speaks in great tenderness exhorting to service. The exhortation is addressed to the elders and he speaks of himself as a “fellow-elder.” Does he mean by this an official title or does he mean simply his age and experience? He is not writing in any official capacity, but the word elder has the meaning of old in years. He assumes no ecclesiastical authority to dictate, but speaks out of a ripe experience and a

The writer, himself a presbyter, gives wise and loving counsel to his fellow-presbyters and to their flocks. Sincerity, humility, and love are to mark all their intercourse, and continual subjection to the will of God. If the author is the apostle Peter we cannot fail to trace the extreme appropriateness of his language in light of the interview recorded in John 21. He does not lay stress on his apostleship, but this may be an evidence of the very humility to which he exhorts them. The phrase a witness of the sufferings of Christ certainly denotes a disciple who knew Him in the days of His flesh; and a partaker of the glory may have reference to promises made to the Twelve (_cf._ Matthew 19:28). The full force of the exhortation gird with humility seems again reminiscent of the scene in John 13, and may indicate the sense in which the exhortation of Jesus there given was understood. The...