1 Peter Chapter 5

“The elders which are among you I exhort, etc.] The apostle returns to particular exhortations, after having finished his general ones, and which chiefly concern patient suffering for Christ; and having particularly exhorted subjects to behave aright to civil magistrates, servants to their masters, and husbands and wives mutually to each other, here proceeds to exhort “elders” to the discharge of their office and duty; by whom are meant, not the elder in age, or the more ancient brethren in the churches, though they are distinguished from the younger, in (<600505>1 Peter 5:5) but men in office, whose business it…”

“EXHORTATIONS TO ELDERS, JUNIORS, AND ALL IN GENERAL. PARTING PRAYER. CONCLUSION. (Pe1 5:1-14) elders--alike in office and age (Pe1 5:5). I . . . also an elder--To put one's self on a level with those whom we exhort, gives weight to one's exhortations (compare Jo2 1:1-2). Peter, in true humility for the Gospel's sake, does not put forward his apostleship here, wherein he presided over the elders. In the apostleship the apostles have no successors, for "the signs of an apostle" have not been transmitted. The presidents over the presbyters and deacons, by whatever name designated, angel, bishop, or moderator, &c.,…”

“The elders which are among you I exhort - The word “elder” means, properly, “one who is old;” but it is frequently used in the New Testament as applicable to the officers of the church; probably because aged persons were at first commonly appointed to these offices. See Acts 11:30, note; Acts 14:23, note; Acts 15:2, note. There is evidently an allusion here to the fact that such persons were selected on account of their age, because in the following verses (1 Peter 5:4) the apostle addresses particularly the younger. It is worthy of remark, that he here refers only to one class of ministers. He does not speak of…”

“I who am a fellow - elder - So the first though not the head of the apostles appositely and modestly styles himself. And a witness of the sufferings of Christ - Having seen him suffer, and now suffering for him. 1 Peter 5:2”

“5:1-14 Peter ends the letter with final exhortations to elders (5:1-4), to younger people (5:5), and to the church as a whole (5:5-11). These exhortations are followed by final greetings and a closing (5:12-14). 5:1-4 Elders were the spiritual leaders of the early churches (see also Acts 14:23; 20:17; 1 Tim 5:17-19; Titus 1:5; Jas 5:14). By calling himself a fellow elder, Peter identifies with them in their responsibilities and with the charge that he gives them.”

“elders: Act 11:30, Act 14:23, Act 15:4, Act 15:6, Act 15:22, Act 15:23, Act 20:17, Act 20:28 \*Gr: Act 21:18; Ti1 5:1, Ti1 5:19; Tit 1:5 who: Plm 1:9; Jo2 1:1; Jo3 1:1 also: Συμπρεσβυτερος \[Strong's G4850\], a fellow-elder, one on a level with yourselves. and a: Pe1 1:12; Luk 24:48; Joh 15:26, Joh 15:27; Act 1:8, Act 1:22, Act 2:32, Act 3:15, Act 5:30-32; Act 10:39-41 a partaker: Pe1 5:4, Pe1 1:3-5; Psa 73:24, Psa 73:25; Rom 8:17, Rom 8:18; Co2 5:1, Co2 5:8; Phi 1:19, Phi 1:21-23; Col 3:3, Col 3:4; Ti2 4:8; Jo1 3:2; Rev 1:9 1 Peter 5:2”