1 Pietro 5:7 Commento

In which the apostle gives particular directions, first to the elders, how to behave themselves towards their flock (Pe1 5:1-4); then to the younger, to be obedient and humble, and to cast their care upon God (Pe1 5:5-7). He then exhorts all to sobriety, watchfulness against temptations, and stedfastness in the faith, praying earnestly for them; and so concludes his epistle with a solemn doxology, mutual salutations, and his apostolical benediction.

INTRODUCTION TO 1 PETER 5 In this chapter the apostle first exhorts pastors and members of churches to their respective duties as such; and then to those which were common to them all, as Christians; and closes the epistle with prayers for them, salutations of them, and with his apostolic benediction. He begins with the pastors or elders, and describes himself as a fellow elder, an eyewitness of Christ's sufferings, and a partaker of his glory, Pe1 5:1, and these he exhorts to feed the flock of God, where they were; to take the charge and oversight of them, freely, readily, and willingly, and not through force or covetousness; and not to exercise a tyrannical dominion over them, but to be examples to them, Pe1 5:2, and the argument made use of to encourage them to all this is, that at the appearance of Christ, the chief Shepherd, they should receive a never fading crown of glory, Pe1 5:4 and next, the members of the churches are exhorted to submit to the rule and government of their pastors, being according to the word of God; and to be subject to one another; and particularly to put on humility, as a garment very ornamental to them; and the rather, since God opposes himself to men that are proud, but gives more grace to the humble, Pe1 5:5 and especially he exhorts them to be humble under the hand of God, since that is a mighty one, and this is the way to be exalted in due time; and also to cast their care upon him, seeing he cared for them, Pe1 5:6 and then the apostle proceeds to the common duties of Christians, and to exhort them to sobriety and watchfulness, since Satan their adversary was a cruel and indefatigable one, and ever seeking the ruin of men; and to resist him in the steadfast exercise of faith, and patiently bear all afflictions, seeing the same were accomplished in their brethren in the world, Pe1 5:8 and then he puts up some petitions for them, that they might be perfected, stablished, strengthened, and settled, Pe1 5:10 and ascribes glory and dominion for ever to the God of grace, to whom he prays, Pe1 5:11 after which he names the person by whom he sends this epistle, giving a summary of it; that it was an exhortation and a testimony to the true doctrine of grace wherein they stood, Pe1 5:12, and next follow the salutations of the church at Babylon, and of his son Marcus, to them, Pe1 5:13, and lastly, he desires they would salute one another with a kiss of love, and gives them his benedictory wish, Pe1 5:14.

Casting all your care upon him,.... "Upon God": as the Syriac and Ethiopic versions read. The words are taken out of, or at least refer to Psa 55:22, where, instead of "cast thy burden upon the Lord", the Septuagint have it, "cast thy care upon the Lord"; the care of the body, and of all the affairs of life, concerning which saints should not be anxiously thoughtful, but depend upon the providence of God, though in the diligent use of means, which is not forbidden, nor discouraged by this, or any such like exhortation; as also the care of the soul, and the spiritual and eternal welfare of it, which should be committed into the hands of Christ, on whom help is laid, and who is become the author of eternal salvation; nor should this slacken and make persons negligent in the use of means, for the good, comfort, and advantage of their souls: for he careth for you; for the bodies of his people, and their outward concerns of life, for food and raiment for them, and for the preservation of them, who will not suffer them to want, nor withhold any good thing from them, or ever leave them and forsake them; and for their souls, for which he has made provision in his Son, and in the covenant of his grace has laid help upon a mighty Saviour; and who has obtained an eternal redemption for them, bestows his grace upon them, and gives every needful supply of it to them, and keeps them by his power through faith unto salvation.

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.

A brother asked a hermit, ‘Would you like me to keep two shillings for myself, in case I fall ill?’ The hermit, seeing that in his heart he wanted to keep them, said, ‘Yes.’ The brother went into his cell, but he was worried, asking himself, ‘Did he tell me the truth or not?’ He got up and went back to the hermit, bowed down and asked him, ‘For the Lord’s sake tell me the truth, for I am worrying about those two shillings.’ The hermit said to him, ‘I told you to keep them because I saw you intended to do so anyway. But it is not good to have more than the body needs. If you keep two shillings, you will put your hope in them. If by chance they are lost, then God will no longer be interested in your needs. Let us cast all our care upon the Lord, for He cares for us.’

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 him regarding all these things.

Peter tells us that we have a guide and leader and that if we act according to his instructions, we shall keep ourselves pure and spotless.

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.

Directions to the elders to feed the flock of God, and not to be lord over God's heritage, that when the chief Shepherd does appear, they may receive a crown of glory, Pe1 5:1-4. The young are to submit themselves to the elder, and to humble themselves under the mighty hand of God, and cast all their care upon him, Pe1 5:5-7. They should be sober and watchful, because their adversary the devil is continually seeking their destruction, whom they are to resist, steadfast in the faith, Pe1 5:8, Pe1 5:9. They are informed that the God of all grace had called them to his eternal glory, Pe1 5:10-11. Of Silvanus, by whom this epistle was sent, Pe1 5:12. Salutations from the Church at Babylon, Pe1 5:13. The apostolic benediction, Pe1 5:14.

Casting all your care - Την μεριμναν· Your anxiety, your distracting care, on him, for he careth for you, ὁτι αυτω μελει περι ὑμων, for he meddles or concerns himself, with the things that interest you. Whatever things concern a follower of God, whether they be spiritual or temporal, or whether in themselves great or small, God concerns himself with them; what affects them affects him; in all their afflictions he is afflicted. He who knows that God cares for him, need have no anxious cares about himself. This is a plain reference to Psa 55:22 : Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he will sustain thee. He will bear both thee and thy burden.

EXHORTATIONS TO ELDERS, JUNIORS, AND ALL IN GENERAL. PARTING PRAYER. CONCLUSION. (Pe1 5:1-14) elders--alike in office and age (Pe1 5:5). I . . . also an elder--To put one's self on a level with those whom we exhort, gives weight to one's exhortations (compare Jo2 1:1-2). Peter, in true humility for the Gospel's sake, does not put forward his apostleship here, wherein he presided over the elders. In the apostleship the apostles have no successors, for "the signs of an apostle" have not been transmitted. The presidents over the presbyters and deacons, by whatever name designated, angel, bishop, or moderator, &c., though of the same ORDER as the presbyters, yet have virtually succeeded to a superintendency of the Church analogous to that exercised by the apostles (this superintendency and priority existed from the earliest times after the apostles [TERTULLIAN]); just as the Jewish synagogue (the model which the Church followed) was governed by a council of presbyters, presided over by one of themselves, "the chief ruler of the synagogue." (Compare VITRINGA [Synagogue and Temple, Part II, chs. 3 and 7]). witness--an eye-witness of Christ's sufferings, and so qualified to exhort you to believing patience in suffering for well-doing after His example (Pe1 4:19; Pe1 2:20). This explains the "therefore" inserted in the oldest manuscripts, "I therefore exhort," resuming exhortation from Pe1 4:19. His higher dignity as an apostle is herein delicately implied, as eye-witnessing was a necessary qualification for apostleship: compare Peter's own speeches, Act 1:21-22; Act 2:32; Act 10:39. also--implying the righteous recompense corresponding to the sufferings. partaker of the glory--according to Christ's promise; an earnest of which was given in the transfiguration.

Casting--once for all: so the Greek aorist. care--"anxiety? The advantage flowing from humbling ourselves under God's hand (Pe1 5:6) is confident reliance on His goodness. Exemption from care goes along with humble submission to God. careth for you--literally "respecting you." Care is a burden which faith casts off the man on his God. Compare Psa 22:10; Psa 37:5; Psa 55:22, to which Peter alludes; Luk 12:22, Luk 12:37; Phi 4:6. careth--not so strong a Greek word as the previous Greek "anxiety."