1 Peter 5:1

1 Peter 5:1. Elders, therefore, among you I exhort. Instead of ‘ the elders,' which the A. V. and R. V. both (though probably for different reasons) adopt, the better supported reading is simply ‘elders.' The omission of the article perhaps generalizes the statement, as if Peter had said, ‘Such as are elders among you I exhort.' The best authorities also insert ‘therefore,' which the A. V. omits. This implies that what is to be said of the duties of elders is to be urged specially on the ground of the considerations with which the previous chapter has closed, and as involved in that ‘well-doing' which is to accompany fearless trust in God under the pressure of fiery trial. The next verse makes it clear that the term ‘elders,' or (to reproduce the Greek word itself) ‘presbyters,' is used in the official sense. The New Testament gives no account of the rise of this office in the Christian Church. When it first mentions Christian elders, it simply refers to them as the recognised persons in the Church of Jerusalem to whom the contributions of the Church of Antioch for the relief of ‘the brethren which dwelt in Judaea,' were sent ‘by the hands of Barnabas and Saul' (Acts 11:30). When it next mentions them, it is to state that Paul and Barnabas ‘ordained elders in every church' in the course of the first missionary journey in Asia (Acts 14:23). It has been a question, therefore, whether the Apostles proceeded from the first on the definite plan of organizing the Christian Church on the model of existing institutions, and at once took over this office and others from the synagogue, or whether, without setting out with any definite plan, they simply adopted the various offices as circumstances and experience from time to time made it wise or necessary to do so (on which see Neander, Hist. of the Planting of Christianity ', vol. i. p. 30, etc., Bohn). On the term ‘exhort' a term with a fulness of meaning (covering persuasion, entreaty, admonition, consolation, etc.) which no single English word can reproduce see on 1 Peter 2:11. your fellow-elder: or, co-presbyter. This compound word occurs only here. So John calls himself simply ‘the elder' (2 John 1:1; 3 John 1:1). Any claim to primacy is far enough removed from Peter's meek association of himself with the men of these scattered Asiatic churches as simply an elder like themselves. Even apostolic authority is waived for the time.

and witness of the sufferings of the Christ. One distinction, and only one, is alluded to. It is that of having seen what Christ suffered. Among all these fellow-elders he was the one who had witnessed that. The distinction did not give him lordship over them, but it did give him a title to speak to Christians who were to suffer, and who were tempted to think their trial a strange thing. This word ‘witness' is used in the N. T. not only in the simple sense of ‘spectator' (e.g. Acts 10:41, etc.), in the extended sense of ‘one who testifies of what he has seen' (e.g. Acts 1:8, etc.), and in the forensic sense of one who gives evidence at law (e.g. Matthew 26:65), but also in the ethical sense of ‘one who seals his faith in Christ by suffering,' or ‘martyr' (Acts 22:20; Revelation 2:13; Revelation 17:6). Hence some think that in designating himself a witness of the sufferings of the Christ, Peter means here that he was a sharer in Christ's sufferings. But the expression is to be understood rather in the light of what the Apostles were declared to be to the Church eye-witnesses of what they preached. It is the nearest approach, therefore, which Peter allows himself to make at resent to an appeal to his apostolic authority.

the partaker also of the glory destined to be revealed. The ‘glory' is presented here in the same large and inclusive sense as in Romans 8:18; Colossians 3:4; 1 John 3:2. Peter speaks of himself as heir of that. But in so doing he also suggests that those associated with him in faith have the like honour. If for a moment, therefore, he distinguished himself from them, he at once places himself again on common ground with them. Neither here, nor in what follows, is there any allusion even to the distinction so solemnly given him by his Lord (Matthew 16:18-19). Having engaged the interest and sympathy of the elders by the threefold designation of himself, he now speaks freely and emphatically of their duties and dangers.