Free Bible Commentary
“First Peter 5:1-4”
Categories: First Peter“Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.”
---End of Scripture verses---
It is the Lord’s desire and design to have elders leading the flock of a local congregation of the His sheep. It is not obvious until you look more closely at the original Greek language that this passage clearly designates elders, shepherds (pastors) and overseers (bishops) to all be different terms describing the same office. This same language is used to describe the elders at the church in Ephesus in Acts 20:17, 28.
From a purely denominational standpoint, a pastor and a preacher are synonymous terms. But from the truthful, biblical pattern revealed in the New Testament this is not the case. God authorizes multiple (at least two) elders (not the denominational single pastor system) to “rule” a local church of Christ (Acts 14:23; 1 Timothy 5:17; Titus 1:5; Hebrews 13:17). We learn of their qualifications in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9.
It helps to look closer at the imagery that these terms convey when considering who elders are and what they are called by God to do. As “elder” leaders of the church must be older men who can guide and direct with the wealth of wisdom and experience that they have accumulated over many years of faithful service to the Lord. As “shepherds” or “pastors” they are to bravely and lovingly lead, feed and guard the “sheep” that are “among” them (verse 2) in all matters of spirituality. Consider the shepherd and sheep imagery of Psalm 23:1-6; Jeremiah 3:15; 23:3-4; Ezekiel 34:11-16; John 10:11-15. As “bishops” or “overseers” they exercise the authority of “managers” over the Lord’s household.
Elders of the Lord’s church are to exercise their duties “voluntarily” and “with eagerness” and “not for sordid gain” (verse 2). The driving force behind their desire to lead is love for the sheep and not “the love of money” (1 Timothy 3:3). Having said that, it was not uncommon in the early days of the church for elders to receive compensation from the “treasury” for the difficult, demanding, time-consuming work that they devoted themselves to (1 Timothy 3:3; 5:17-18; Titus 1:7).
When a qualified man desires, accepts and is appointed to the office of elder in the Lord’s church, he assumes the position of a servant and not a “lord” himself (verse 3). Instead of “lording it over those allotted to” their charge, elders are to lead by their good “examples” of love, virtue, diligence and faithfulness. When shepherds of a local church follow the example of “the Chief Shepherd” while leading the flock, they can eagerly look forward to “the unfading crown of glory” when He returns to reclaim His own (verse 4).
Please read 1 Peter 5:5-7 for tomorrow.
Have a blessed day!
-Louie Taylor
