I Peter 5 · The Lantern

Elders who are among you, I exhort, who am a fellow-elder, and a witness of the sufferings of the Christ, and of the glory about to be revealed a partaker,

Exhibit therefore even now to me, apostolic sir, prophetic evidences, that I may recognise your divine virtue, and vindicate to yourself the power of remitting such sins!

Since Peter proposes to discuss the modesty of the spirit, which he even touches upon while speaking about "doing good", (1 Peter 4:19) and now calling himself a co-elder, that is, both an elder together with them. Through this, Peter designates either his own age or the honor of bishops. For it is known that bishops are also called elders, as the book of Acts indicates.

The Apostle was about to speak of humility, which he had already mentioned, saying: "doing good" (1 Pet. 4:19). He calls himself a "pastor" (elder) either on account of his age or on account of the dignity of a bishop; for the book of Acts (Acts 20:17) also calls bishops elders.

feed the flock of God that is among you, overseeing not constrainedly, but willingly, neither for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind,

neither as exercising lordship over the heritages, but patterns becoming of the flock,

and at the manifestation of the chief Shepherd, ye shall receive the unfading crown of glory.

But let us, beloved, return in our discourse to that point whence we digressed, exclaiming, Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord: that good and kind Shepherd, voluntarily to lay down His life for His sheep. That just as hunters take by a sheep the wolves that devour sheep, even so the Chief Shepherd,

Furthermore, when it is said, "And when the chief Shepherd appears," it is a conjunction. And it is informally placed for "So that": that is, "So that when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory." Just as in Psalm 89, when it is said, "And look upon your servants and upon your works." For there "And" is placed in the place of "Because of which.…

In the words "and when the Chief Shepherd appears," the conjunction "and" is put in place of "so that," that is, so that when the Chief Shepherd appears, you may receive the crown of incorruption.

In like manner, ye younger, be subject to elders, and all to one another subjecting yourselves; with humble-mindedness clothe yourselves, because God the proud doth resist, but to the humble He doth give grace;

Moreover, you were all distinguished by humility, and were in no respect puffed up with pride, but yielded obedience rather than extorted it, and were more willing to give than to receive.

We add, in the next place, that neither is every one that prophesies holy, nor every one that casts out devils religious: for even Balaam the son of Beor the prophet did prophesy, though he was himself ungodly; as also did Caiaphas, the falsely-named high priest.

Because humility is the dwelling place of grace, the grace of the Holy Spirit rests upon the humble alone. Whence Augustine, in the third book of On Christian Doctrine: "For this reason the sins of great men were written down, so that that apostolic saying might everywhere be feared: Wherefore let him who seems to stand take heed lest he fall.

be humbled, then, under the powerful hand of God, that you He may exalt in good time,

Peter says that this will happen in due time, because he is teaching them that they will have to wait until the next life for this exaltation.

It is added, "In time." For it refers to the exaltation in the future age, which is the only true exaltation, as unchangeable and everlasting, since the present exaltation is neither secure nor firm, but rather contributes to a perpetual humiliation, so that it may be humbled more quickly than it was exalted.

The Apostle speaks of "its own time," just as David says: "which yields its fruit in its season" (Ps. 1:3); by the word "in... time" he hints at exaltation in the age to come, which exaltation, and it alone, is unchangeable and firm. For exaltation here is neither safe nor secure, but is rather brought low than raised up.

all your care having cast upon Him, because He careth for you.

For, like elderly men who have no hope of renewing their strength, and expect nothing but their last sleep, so you, weakened by worldly occupations, have given yourselves up to sloth, and have not cast your cares upon the Lord. Your spirit therefore was broken, and ye grew old in your sorrows.

Then, removing the fear that would arise from humiliation (for perhaps he saw some fearing that by humbling themselves in this present life, they would suffer some evil), he said: "Do not be afraid, casting all your anxiety on the Lord, when you have entrusted yourself to him who will take careful and diligent care of you." "because he cares for you," or concern is placed upon…

Then, in order to remove the fear that comes with humility, he says: do not be afraid, but cast all your care upon the Lord, for He cares, that is, He is concerned about all this.

Be sober, vigilant, because your opponent the devil, as a roaring lion, doth walk about, seeking whom he may swallow up,

whom resist, stedfast in the faith, having known the same sufferings to your brotherhood in the world to be accomplished.

There is a world of difference between God and the devil. If you resist God, he will destroy you, but if you resist the devil, you will destroy him.

Resist strong in faith, etc. Be (he says) so much stronger in faith, have so much more patience to overcome the deceits of the devil, as it is certain that you are not tempted alone, but the same passion that wearies you is common to the Church of Christ which is throughout the whole world, that is to say, to your brotherhood.

The soul is disposed to the gift of fortitude through the unconquerable shield of faith. The devil draws man to the concupiscence of the flesh, to the concupiscence of the eyes, and to the pride of life. What is the means of resisting these? Through truth. "His truth shall encompass you with a shield," namely through faith dwelling within.

And the God of all grace, who did call you to His age-during glory in Christ Jesus, having suffered a little, Himself make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you;

to Him is the glory, and the power--to the ages and the ages! Amen.

Through Silvanus, to you the faithful brother, as I reckon, through few words I did write, exhorting and testifying this to be the true grace of God in which ye have stood.

Salute you doth the assembly in Babylon jointly elected, and Markus my son.

This also the presbyter [John] said: Mark, having become the interpreter of Peter, wrote down accurately, though not in order, whatsoever he remembered of the things said or done by Christ.

Peter calls Rome Babylon, because it was so remarkable and distinguished, as it had been for a long time in Babylon. Peter calls his son Mark according to the spirit, and not according to the flesh. To him, he entrusted the task of writing the Gospel.

"Babylon" he calls Rome on account of its eminence, which Babylon also enjoyed for a long time. "Elect" he calls the Church of God that was established in Rome. By Mark he means the Evangelist, calling him also a son in the Spirit, not in the flesh. It was to him that he gave the command to write the Gospel.

Salute ye one another in a kiss of love; peace to you all who are in Christ Jesus! Amen.

But when is peace more to be concluded with brethren than when, at the time of some religious observance, our prayer ascends with more acceptability; that they may themselves participate in our observance, and thereby be mollified for transacting with their brother touching. their own peace? What prayer is complete if divorced from the "holy kiss?

However, when Paul writes that they should greet each other with a holy kiss (2 Cor. 14:12), Peter says here, "With a kiss of love," saying the same as that. For Paul (1 Cor. 13:1-19) knows the love which is according to Christ and is greater than all virtues, even than martyrdom itself suffered for Christ.

Whereas Paul writes (Rom. 16:16; 1 Cor. 16:20) that believers should greet one another "with a holy kiss," Peter says: greet one another "with a kiss of love." But the thought of both is one and the same. Paul knows that love in the Lord is greater than all virtues, even martyrdom for Christ, and therefore calls holy the kiss that is given in God.

I Peter5