1 Peter 5 – What it means to stand by God’s grace

1 Peter 5   1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: 2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; 3 Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. 5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. 10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. 11 To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. 12 By Silvanus, a faithful brother unto you, as I suppose, I have written briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein ye stand. 13 The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son. 14 Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity. Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Verse 1 – Paul beseeches and entreats elders as a witness of the sufferings (#3804 pathema: something undergone, hardship or pain) of Christ and a companion of the glory that shall be disclosed.

Verse 2 – Feed the flock of God among us, taking the oversight willingly, with a ready mind, not for filthy lucre.

Verse 3 – Not lording over God’s heritage but being examples to the flock.

Verse 4 – When the chief Shepherd appears I will receive a crown of glory that doesn’t fade away.

Summary:  We beseech and entreat as witnesses of the sufferings of Christ and a companion of the glory that shall be revealed: take oversight with readiness to feed the flock of God and be an example to them so that when the Chief Shepherd appears we will receive a crown of glory that doesn’t fade away.

Application Questions:

  1. In what ways have I witnessed the sufferings of Christ?
  2. How am I a companion of the glory that shall be disclosed?
  3. How do I feed God’s flock among me, taking oversight?
  4. How have I kept my mind ready to feed the flock of God?
  5. How has my example been to God’s heritage, His flock?
  6. How does my life demonstrate that I live for that crown of glory that doesn’t fade away?

Verse 5 – Younger submit to the elder. All of us need to subject ourselves one to another and be clothed with humility: God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble.

Verse 6 – Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God that He may exalt me in due time.

Verse 7 – Cast all my care upon Him: He cares for me.

Summary: God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble: submit to one another and be clothed with humility that God may exalt me in due time, casting all my cares upon Him knowing He cares for me.

Application Questions:

  1. If God resists the proud (appearing above others), have my actions caused Him to resist me in any way? How can I be less “appearing above others”??
  2. If God gives grace to the humble (of low degree), have I invited His grace into my life? How can I be more “of low degree”?
  3. Who can I submit/subject myself to?
  4. How can I “clothe myself” with humility?
  5. Have I truly “cast ALL my cares upon Him” KNOWING full well He cares for me?

III.  Stay free of wine! (Amen: sound doctrine!) and be watchful: my adversary the devil is looking for whom he can swallow up: resist him stedfast in faith standing with fellow soldiers of Christ, trusting the God of all grace, Who has called us to eternal glory by Jesus, after we have suffered awhile makes us perfect, stablishes, strengthens and settles me — to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Verse 8 – Be sober (#3525, nepho: to abstain from wine; stay sober), be vigilant (#1127 gregoreuo keep awake, be watchful): my adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour:

Verse 9 – Resist the devil stedfast in faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

Verse 10 – But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered [#3950 pascho: experience a sensation or impression (usually painful)] a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

Verse 11 – To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Summary: Stay free of wine! (Amen: sound doctrine!) and be watchful: my adversary the devil is looking for whom he can swallow up: resist him stedfast in faith standing with fellow soldiers of Christ, trusting the God of all grace, Who has called us to eternal glory by Jesus, after we have suffered awhile makes us perfect, stablishes, strengthens and settles me — to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Application Questions:

  1. How has staying free of wine helped my vigilance?
  2. How have I actively been watchful?
  3. How have I respected the fact that the devil is looking for people he can swallow up and resisted him stedfast in faith standing with fellow soldiers of Christ, trusting the God of all grace?
  4. How have I stood with fellow soldiers of Christ in trusting the God of all grace?
  5. Have my tribulations and suffering made me more perfect in faith, established me, strengthened and settled me?
  6. How do I give glory AND dominion to God, which shall be for eternity?

Verse 12 – By Silvanus, a faithful brother unto you, as I suppose, I have written briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein ye stand.

Verse 13 – The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son.

Verse 14 – Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity. Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Summary: Exhort and testify to the true grace of God wherein we stand: demonstrate love one to another; peace be with all in Christ.

Application Questions:

  1. How does my life call near, invite, invoke by imploration, how do I exhort, incite and give advice to others that testifies to the true grace of God wherein I stand?
  2. How do I demonstrate love to others?
  3. Is God’s peace with me? How does my life demonstrate that? 

parakaleo, par-ak-al-eh´-o; from 3844 and 2564; to call near, i.e. invite, invoke (by imploration, hortation or consolation): — beseech, call for, (be of good) comfort, desire, (give) exhort(-ation), intreat, pray.

Aim: This passage of Scripture would cause me to stand in and exhort and testify to the true grace of God through Christ, demonstrating love to others and having the peace that is Christ’s and all who belong to Him.

Shorter Aim: This passage of Scripture would cause me to exhort and testify to the true grace of God wherein I stand: demonstrate love one to one another; have the peace that is with all in Christ.

  • I stand in the true grace of God: I’ve witnessed Christ’s suffering and am a companion of the glory that shall be revealed.
  • I take oversight with readiness to feed the flock of God and be an example to receive a crown of glory (as a companion of it) that doesn’t fade away.
  • I submit to others clothed with humility knowing God will exalt me in due time.
  • I cast all my cares upon Christ knowing He cares.
  • I am watchful, free of wine, resisting the devil who wants to swallow me up and standing with fellow soldiers of Christ, trusting the God of all grace.
  • God has called me to eternal glory by Jesus: after I have suffered awhile He makes me perfect, stablishes, strengthens and settles me.
  • Jesus has glory and dominion forever and ever.
  • I have peace because I am in Christ.