1 Peter 5:5

VII. FINAL EXHORTATIONS TO BE SUBMISSIVE, HUMBLE, TRUSTFUL AND WATCHFUL 1 Peter 5:5-11

1 Peter 5:5 Likewise, ye younger, be subject unto the elder. Yea, all of you gird yourselves with humility, to serve one another; for God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble.

Expanded Translation

Also, the younger ones must arrange themselves under the older ones. Indeed, all of you must be clothed with a lowly opinion of yourselves [subjecting yourselves to one another];[28] because God opposes and resists the high-minded and arrogant, but gives grace and favor to those who are humble, lowly, and condescending.

[28] Omitted in some MSS.

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Likewise, ye younger, be subject unto the elder

The elder here mentioned is plural in the Greek, and is the same Greek word so rendered in 1 Peter 5:1. But the exhortation here is apparently a general one concerning conduct among Christian brethren. That the elder ones here refers to the elderly in the congregation and not to the bishop as such, I submit the following reasons:

1. It is in plain contrast here to the younger (neoteroi) which invariably has reference to age in the New Testament.

2. The term elder (presbuteros) is elsewhere used in its literal significance. Why not here? Compare Luke 15:12 with Luke 15:25. See also Acts 2:17.

3. A very parallel passage is 1 Timothy 5:1-2, where the same contrast is found, even in the original. And note there, as here, the previous context concerns the office of the eldership (1 Timothy 3:1-7; 1 Timothy 4:14).

But in what way are younger Christians to be submissive to older ones? They are to arrange themselves under them (see 1 Peter 3:1, where hupotasso is defined). They must be respectful, kind, courteous, and thoughtful of them.[29]

[29] Compare 2 Kings 2:23-25, Leviticus 19:32, Proverbs 16:31; Proverbs 20:29, Lamentations 5:12.

yea, all of you gird yourselves with humility

That is, surround and clothe yourself with it. Humility (tapeininophrosune) is the having a deep sense of one's (moral) littleness; modesty, lowliness of mind,[30]

[30] Thayer's Greek Lexicon. See also Trench, Synonyms of the N.T., xlii. Also, note our discussion of tapeinophron under 1 Peter 3:8.

to serve one another

What a different way is the Christian life from that of the world's dog eat dog philosophy! Compare 1 Peter 3:8-9; Philippians 2:3-4.

for God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble

See the same phrase in James 4:6. The proud, arrogant, and haughty are opposed and resisted by God, though this opposition is not always immediately discernable. But just as certain is his favorable regard for the humble (topeinosliterally, low, not rising far from the ground; hence lowly in his own estimation of himself, lowly in spirit), Only the humble are in a position to receive the spiritual blessings and kindnesses God has to offer him.