Readings
- Exodus 18:13–27
- 1 Peter 5:1–14
- Matthew 3:1–6
- Psalms: 25; 9, 15
1 Peter 5:1–14
Now as an elder myself and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as one who shares in the glory to be revealed, I exhort the elders among you to tend the flock of God that is in your charge, exercising the oversight, not under compulsion but willingly, as God would have you do it, not for sordid gain but eagerly. Do not lord it over those in your charge, but be examples to the flock. And when the chief shepherd appears, you will win the crown of glory that never fades away.
In the same way, you who are younger must be subject to the elders. And all of you must clothe yourselves with humility in your dealings with one another, for
"God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you.
Discipline yourselves; keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in your faith, for you know that your brothers and sisters in all the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering. And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the power forever and ever. Amen.
With the help of Silvanus, whom I regard as a faithful brother, I have written to you briefly, encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it. Your sister church in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you greetings, and so does my son Mark. Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ.
Notes
Peter opens this final section by calling himself a "fellow elder" — sympresbyteros — not an apostle pulling rank, but a peer. And "one who shares in the glory to be revealed." The repeated theme of the whole letter: what is true of Jesus is true of us.
The word for what elders are called to do is poimanate — tend. Not lead, not lord, not rule. Tend. This is the same verb Jesus uses in John 21 at Peter's restoration: "Do you love me?… Tend my sheep." For Peter, this word carries personal weight. And verse 3 drives it home: "do not lord it over those in your charge" — katakyrievontes, the exact word Jesus uses in Mark 10:42 about gentile rulers who dominate their subjects. The anti-hierarchical ethic of Jesus runs straight through Peter's ecclesiology. Be examples, not bosses.
Verse 5: "in the same way." One last time. Same phrase that governed the submission passages in chapters 2 and 3 — slaves, wives, husbands, now younger members. The logic is not hierarchy but mutual humility. The church only works when all parties are humble. Peter quotes Proverbs 3:34: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." And verse 6 echoes the Philippians 2 hymn — humbling leads to exaltation. The Christ-pattern again.
Verse 7 is a play on words that most translations miss. "Cast your anxiety on him, because he cares for you." The Greek for "anxiety" is merimnan; the word for "cares" is melei — your worry becomes God's concern. The Message gets at it: "Live carefree before God; he is most careful with you." Or give your anxieties to God who is anxious on your behalf.
Then the lion. "Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour." Worth noting: lions in the Old Testament are used for leaders who exploit the poor and marginalized (Proverbs 28:15, Ezekiel 22:25, Zephaniah 3:3). There may be political subtext here — the "devil" prowling around is not necessarily a red figure with horns but the imperial apparatus that devours vulnerable communities. The "satan" character doesn't appear in the Hebrew Scriptures until very late in their composition, coinciding with Jewish exposure to Zoroastrian dualism. Peter may be working with a more concrete adversary than we assume.
Verse 9: "your brothers and sisters in all the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering." Solidarity. You are not alone. The scattered exiles are scattered together. And then verse 10 — four verbs cascading: restore, support, strengthen, establish. A torrent of divine action after suffering. The suffering is temporary; the restoration is God's own work.
The letter closes with a few gems. Silvanus (Silas) is credited as secretary in verse 12, which may explain the polished Greek throughout. "Babylon" in verse 13 is a common cryptogram for Rome. "My son Mark" is traditionally identified as John Mark — the owner of the upper room where Jesus held Passover, and the author of the earliest Gospel. Early church tradition holds that Mark wrote down Peter's recollections of Jesus. And verse 14: "Greet one another with a kiss of love." The letter ends the way it began — with community, affection, and peace.
That wraps up 1 Peter. A letter written to exiles, strangers, and the scattered — reminding them that their displacement is an identity, not a defeat; that what is true of Jesus is true of them; and that the God who made them can be trusted with them.
Questions for reflection
Peter says the call to lead is not to lord over but to tend. Where does your understanding of leadership need that correction?
"Cast your anxiety on him, because he cares for you." What are you carrying right now that was never meant to be carried alone?
