I PETER 5:1-11

 From a purely literary view, it is first interesting to note the close thematic parallels between verses 2:11-3:17 and 4:12-5:11:

        General admonition to obey civil authorities (2:11-17; 4:12-19)

        Ethical lists (2:18-3:7; 5:1-5a)

        Blessings to the humble (3:8-17; 5:5b-11)

Then concerning how 5:1-11 itself is organized, we see the following repetition of themes:

A. sufferings of Christ (1a)

        B. elders (1b)

                C. glory to be revealed (1c)

                        D. do not lord it over the flock (2-3)

                C'. crown of glory (4)

        B'. elders (5a)

                        D'. humility, humble (5b-6a, 3x)

                                E. mighty hand of God (6b)

                                        F. will exalt you (6b)

                                                G. resist the devil (8-9a)

                                                G'. be steadfast in your faith (9a)

A'. your sufferinga (9b)

                C''. eternal glory (10a)

A''. having suffered himself (10b)

                                        F'. God will restore, establish and strengthen you (10c)

                                E'. His is the might (11)

Below are some selected thoughts on this chapter:

verse 1 “Elders (Gk. presbyteroi) were appointed from earliest times to take spiritual charge of the infant churches which came into being with the spread of the gospel (cf. Acts 14:23; 20:17). Acts 15:2 shows that even the Jerusalem church had this order of ministry at an early date, and it probably derived from Jewish precedent...Their task was primarily a pastoral one...” (Wheaton)

verse 2 Goppelt: “The image of 'shepherding the flock' is applied to congregational leadership in only two passages in the NT, here and in Acts 20:28f.), which agree terminologically almost completely, so that a common tradition must lie behind them.”

verse 3 Unfortunately, in the many churches I have attended over the years, I have run into a number of cases where the elders of the congregations did act like total dictators imposing their sometimes not very informed views on the rest of the flock. Apparently that particular temptation for church leaders is not a new phenomenon by any means.

verse 4 For comments on this verse, I turn to the anonymous articles found in The Dictionary of Biblical Imagery.

        “The image of a golden crown is another evocative NT image for immortality (2 Tim 4:8; Jas 1:12; 1 Pet 5:4).”

        “The crown is a symbol of royal authority in the Bible (e.g., Ps 89:19-20) or even an emblem of redemption (1 Pet 5:4, etc.).”

        “The actual pictures of the afterlife for believers stress six motifs. One is that the future blessed state of the redeemed is a state of triumph, usually pictured by the image of a crown (I Cor 9:25; 2 Tim 2:5; 4:8; Jas 1:12; 1 Pet 5:4; Rev 3:11; 6:2)...”

        “Even the trials that made the eyes of Job and the psalmist dim can bring forth benefit in heaven, for such trials are meant to test 'the genuinenness of your faith...may result in praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed' and in a 'crown of glory that never fades away' (1 Pet 1:7; 5:4 NRSV). Thus the Christian has hope in Christ that he or she may escape the fading caused by death and sin.”

        “The imagery used to portray heavenly reward in the NT stresses the transcendent permanence of the reward...The preferred image comes from the monarchy, as we read about a crown of righteousness (2 Tim. 4:8), a crown of life (James 1:12) and a crown of glory (1 Pet 5:4; Rev 2:10).”

        “The prize of faith is imperishable (cf. 2 Tim 2:5; 4:8; 1 Pet 1:4; 5:4), not like the celery crown that was awarded to the winner of a race at the games!”

verse 5 Quanbeck points out that “humility is not natural to anyone; it must be put on like clothing. The quotation is from Pr.3.34.”

The annotation in the Jerusalem Bible notes: “the 'younger people' here are not adolescents as opposed to 'older people', cf. Tt 2:6, but the body of faithful as opposed to the 'presbyters' or elders, 5:1+.”

verses 6-7 “Humility, vs. 6, is not only to characterize the relationship of the Christians one to another (as was emphasized in vs. 5), but it is also to be the manner of the whole church in meeting God's dispensations. The reward will be exaltation when the time comes. Consequently there is no occasion for anxiety now, vs. 7, but all earthly worries may be placed upon him, who in his fatherly care sustains and guides his faithful ones toward the determined goal.” (Reicke)

verse 8-9 Goppelt notes, “In affliction it is not only God who is at work, but also 'your adversary, the devil.' This aspect of the situation, not yet mentioned up to this point, follows from its interpretation as peirasmos (1:6; 4:12). As viewed by both OT and NT tradition, peirasmos [trial] not only goes forth from God as examination, but also from Satan as temptation. Jesus himself developed the idea that the eschatological drawing near of God provokes, at the same time, the powers of evil and brings them into alliance under Satan for a unified counteraction (Mt. 12:25f., 28f.); evil thus also takes on an eschatological shape.”

verses 8-10 “In 1 Peter 5:8-9 the devil is portrayed as a 'roaring lion' who causes suffering in the lives of God's people. 1 Peter 5:10 then provides the readers assurance that their experience of suffering in the spiritual warfare will last only 'a little while' before God brings them to the point of spiritual completeness. Though this is not stated explicitly, it is possible to infer that martyrdom completes this process.” (Luter)

And Arnold comments, “In spite of his defeat at the cross, Satan continues to rage in powerful opposition to the people of God...The image of Satan as 'a roaring lion' (1 Peter 5:8) captures the fear he seeks to instill in people...Peter perceived the devil as behind the suffering which the believers in Asia Minor were experiencing when he wrote to them (1 Peter 5:8-9)...Satan's ability to prevent or sever a relationship with God comes through his power to incite sin and transgression. The death of Christ on the cross has effectively dealt with the problem...It is precisely the blood of Christ that redeems people from and bondage to sin and Satan (cf. Rev 5:9).”

verses 10-11 Boring says, “The body of the letter ends not in the imperative but in the indicative mood, not with a command but with a promise (5:10)...The concluding doxology (5:11) is not just a religious flourish with which to end. The power (kratos) attributed to God is cognate to the 'mighty hand' (krateia) of 5:6 with which the unit began, the two words forming an inclusio for the unit.”