1 Peter 5

1 who am also an elder. Rather, “who am a fellow-elder.”

2 feed. R.V., “Tend,” the word used by our Lord in His charge to Peter (John xxi. 16). So the Saviour’s words have been handed on from generation to generation: cp. 1 Cor. xi. 23.

taking the oversight. See Acts xx. 28, and note.

3 neither as being lords, etc. This may be rendered “nor as lording it over the charges allotted to you; but rather as models”: living as you would wish them to live. The word “God’s” is not in the original.

4 the chief Shepherd. Cp. ii. 25; John x. 11-18; Heb. xiii. 20.

that fadeth not away. One word in orig., “amaranthine,” or “unwithering.”

5 the elder. Rather, “the elders” (as in ver. 1); whose authority and teaching the younger persons should respect.

be clothed. The word denotes a close-knitted garment, an outer wrapper, worn by servants; hence its use in the exhortation to humility. Not elsewhere found in the New Testament.

God resisteth the proud, etc. See notes on Prov. iii. 34, and James iv. 6.

6 under the mighty hand of God. Alluding to the severe afflictions they had to pass through (iv. 12).

7 care. Rather, “anxiety”: see Psa. iv. 22; Matt. vi. 25; Phil. iv. 6. The word for “careth” is different, implying loving guardianship.

8 a roaring lion. Satan instigated the persecutions to which the apostle has been referring. These imperilled not only the bodily life, but the faith and constancy of believers. Hence the need of watchfulness.

9 the same afflictions, etc. “How to pay the same tax of suffering as your brethren throughout the world” (Moffatt).

12. Silvanus. No doubt, the Silas or Silvanus mentioned in Acts xv. 22; 2 Cor. i. 19; 1 and 2 Thess. i. 1. He was the bearer of the letter, or perhaps Peter’s amanuensis. The words “unto you” are connected in R.V. with “I have written.”

as I suppose. Rather, “as I account him”; implying that Peter had carefully estimated his worth.

13. The [church that is] at Babylon, etc. Lit., “She that in Babylon is elected together with [you] salutes you”; probably meaning the church at Rome, the spiritual Babylon.

Marcus. Most likely John Mark, nephew to Barnabas, and the writer of the Gospel. From Acts xii. 12 it appears that Peter was intimate with Mark’s family; and the title “son” may be expressive of the affection of an elder (cp. 1 Tim. i. 2; Titus i. 4). Or Mark may have been a convert of Peter.

14. Greet ye one another, etc. See note on Rom. xvi. 16.

Peace. This Jewish formula of salutation was appropriate from “the apostle of the circumcision,” as “Grace” was from the apostle of the Gentiles: see on Heb. xiii. 25.

may be, generally, excellence; or specifically and more probably, “might” or “energy.”