1 Peter 05 (Contemporary English Version)
- Church leaders, I am writing to encourage you. I too am a leader, as well as a witness to Christ's suffering, and I will share in his glory when it is shown to us.
- Just as shepherds watch over their sheep, you must watch over everyone God has placed in your care. Do it willingly in order to please God, and not simply because you think you must. Let it be something you want to do, instead of something you do merely to make money.
- Don't be bossy to those people who are in your care, but set an example for them.
- Then when Christ the Chief Shepherd returns, you will be given a crown that will never lose its glory.
- All of you young people should obey your elders. In fact, everyone should be humble toward everyone else. The Scriptures say, "God opposes proud people, but he helps everyone who is humble."
- Be humble in the presence of God's mighty power, and he will honor you when the time comes.
- God cares for you, so turn all your worries over to him.
- Be on your guard and stay awake. Your enemy, the devil, is like a roaring lion, sneaking around to find someone to attack.
- But you must resist the devil and stay strong in your faith. You know that all over the world the Lord's followers are suffering just as you are.
- But God shows undeserved kindness to everyone. That's why he appointed Christ Jesus to choose you to share in his eternal glory. You will suffer for a while, but God will make you complete, steady, strong, and firm.
- God will be in control forever! Amen.
- Silvanus helped me write this short letter, and I consider him a faithful follower of the Lord. I wanted to encourage you and tell you how kind God really is, so that you will keep on having faith in him.
- Greetings from the Lord's followers in Babylon. They are God's chosen ones. Mark, who is like a son to me, sends his greetings too.
- Give each other a warm greeting. I pray that God will give peace to everyone who belongs to Christ.
In the closing comments of his first letter, Peter had a word for the leaders of the church. What would we expect to be Peter's counsel to church leaders in the face of growing persecution? Would we expect his counsel to be practical, giving them specific words of advise? That might be our expectation, but instead, Peter references their personal conduct and integrity. They should have a concern for the church, compared to that of a shepherd for his flock, which is motivated, not out of compulsion or a desire for the money, but they should respond eagerly from a free response to God's will. Understanding, then, that their leadership in the church comes from their service to God, they should not lord it over "those entrusted to" them. (5:3) They are, in fact, an under-shepherd of the chief Shepherd who is Christ.
A proper perspective of roles in the church should lead to unity and cohesiveness in the church. From the leaders to all in the church, their roles are a response to their submission to God's will. Therefore, the elders serve as shepherds to the flock, the younger men submit to the elders, and everyone responds with humility toward one another. This humility is motivated first by their own response to God and then by their understanding that each member of the congregation is responding to God's will. Throughout scripture humility is key in our response to God and to others. Without humility we do not even take the first step to respond to God, nor will any further steps of submission follow. Peter says that "God resists the proud", (5:5) and the opposite will also tend to be true - the proud resist God.
Giving attention to roles and relationships in the church, Peter then turns his attention to threats from without. Although they were being threatened by Neroian persecution, the source of their threat was the Devil who Peter described as "a roaring lion." (5:8) Scripture describes Satan in three ways: a roaring lion who terrorizes people through persecution, an angel of light who deceives people, and a snake who lures people into moral corruption. How are we to deal with the Devil's threats? We are to resist him, hold firm to our faith, and recognize that our experience is not unique from that of other brothers in the faith. If we do not resist the Devil, hold firm to our faith, and recognize our experience is not unique, we succumb to self-pity, turn to blaming God, and fall prey to the Devil's attacks.
Peter's benediction states our position in God. "Now the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will personally restore, establish, strengthen, and support you after you have suffered a little." (5:10)
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