The apostle Peter, after various exhortations to strengthen the brethren, turns at the close of his Epistle to his fellow ministers, and gives them his parting counsel. St. Peter calls the Church "the flock of God." It is not man's flock, but God's, which He hath purchased with His own blood. Our Saviour spoke of the Church as His flock — My sheep, My lambs — and Himself as the Good Shepherd. Each believer will have his own history. There will be peculiarities in it, not found in any other — in what way he wandered; where Jesus found him — in the house of God, on the bed of sickness, at the grave of some one dear to him as his own soul. When thus brought home to the fold, he becomes one of those sheep to whom Jesus gives eternal life. He feels that he is not his own, that he has been bought with a price and can no longer live to his own will, but to the will of Him that loved him. But though thus made one of the flock of Christ, the believer has not yet reached heaven; he must be fed, cared for, guided on his way there, and it is for this end, as well as to add to this flock, that the office of the ministry was instituted. Jesus so loves the souls of men, for whom He died, that He commits them only to those who love Him, and will feed His flock. Having thus considered the office of the ministry, let us consider the spirit in which it is to be exercised — not of constraint, but willingly, of a ready mind, neither as lording it over your charge. There may be a constraint in taking upon us this office and ministry, but it is such a constraint as St. Paul had when he said, "Necessity is laid upon me; woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel! The love of Christ constraineth me." We may shrink from it from a sense of our utter insufficiency for such a work. Isaiah said, "I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell among a people of unclean lips." There may be a shrinking from the work from these causes, and at the same time a willing and ready mind. The constraint St. Peter speaks of is where there is no heart for the work, where there are secular motives of base gain or ambition. Where there is this constraint, a penurious, stinted service will be rendered. Christ praises the angel of the Church of Ephesus for labour unto weariness. This is what Christ praises in His servants. Neither as being lords over God's heritage, the Church. Our Saviour had warned His apostles against the spirit of ambition which was found in the world. "You know," He said to them, "that the great ones of this world exercise lordship over men, but it shall not be so among you." And last of all in the qualifications of the Christian minister, we are to be examples to the flock in word, in manner of life, in love, in faith, in purity. Having thus considered the office of the ministry, and the spirit in which it is to be exercised, let us now notice the reward of the faithful minister. "And when the Chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory which fadeth not away." The service of Christ in the ministry of the gospel is not without its reward. It has its reward, not only in prospect, after it is finished, but by the way, in the life which now is. Our work brings us in contact with Divine truth, which grows upon us in interest and delight, so that we are overmastered by its power and glory. This truth raises the soul above itself on the wings of faith and hope, and makes us heavenly minded, which is life and peace. There is a satisfaction growing out of the nature of our work, so that the labour itself is its own exceeding great reward. Our work, again, brings us into a loving sympathy with the Man of Sorrows. The gospel we preach began first to be preached by the Lord Himself. And as He was grieved at the unbelief and hardness of heart of those who heard Him, as He wept over Jerusalem, so does every faithful minister of Christ mourn over those who obey not the gospel and neglect its great salvation.

(J. Packard, D. D.)

It is quite plain that St. Peter is here addressing distinctively not elders in age, but eiders by office. Age might enter then, more than now, into the question of fitness; nevertheless, what made a presbyter was not age, but ordination. And when we see gathered together a goodly band of youthful ministers, we do well to say to them, Remember, you have an office given you which reckons not by years, but by graces; you have to walk the aisles of your church, to tread the streets of your parish, as men (in one sense) prematurely old — as men of that truest dignity, which consists not in wealth, not in rank, not even in age, but in bearing Christ's commission. St. Peter counts this so honourable an office that he will claim even for himself none higher. Another apostle, his friend and chosen brother, describes himself in like manner in two of his writings, only as "the elder" (2 John 1). They well knew, both of them, the higher compulsion of sympathy, above anything that mere power or official dignity can exercise.

1. I will say a word upon the dedication. The Christian clergyman is a dedicated man. Do you heartily believe that your motive in asking ordination is honest, truthful, pure? Is it the choice of your heart? Do you mean to give your life to it? You must not be satisfied with that sort of average ambiguous twilight state which the world considers good enough for a lay Christian.

2. Thus the dedication passes on into the commission. You dedicate yourselves to Christ, and He gives you His commission. It would be absolutely intolerable to one who knows himself to have to feel, when he robes himself in his vestry for the exercise of one of his clerical functions, that he is volunteering his counsels for that time to a body of rational spiritual beings who have just as good a right to teach him. Bearing this well in mind, still we say, Without Christ's commission we could not speak: with it a dying man may be bold to speak to dying men.

3. Next to the sanctity, the twofold sanctity, of the office, let me strongly urge upon you its Divine humanity. The secret of all influence is, Be human. One word of genuine kindness, of hearty compassionate sympathy, will be worth ten thousand expositions of your claim to reverence: it will open hearts otherwise barred against you, and, letting you in, will let in Christ after you. And as in your intercourse, so also in your preaching. Let it indeed assert strongly the direct revelation and inspiration of your gospel. But in the application of this Divine gospel, speak as a man to men; speak as one who knows its necessity to himself, as one who knows the nature, the life, the heart, to which he has to offer it, and has learned, not from hooks but from men, what is that heart sickness too, and eager inward thirst, to which Christ his Lord came to minister, and has of His infinite mercy set him to minister in His absence, in His presence!

4. Need I say, then, in the fourth place, that the Christian ministry is a work? It is no pastime. It is no outside perfunctory propriety. It is a work. Be able to say, I am an elder of Christ's Church, and therefore my time, my strength, nay life, is the Church's, is Christ's.

5. Who shall deny then this other avowal — that the ministry is a difficulty? Do you suppose, ye who pass by, that a clergyman's ordination sets him above the most trying snares of world, flesh, or devil?

6. Then let me record, for your encouragement, this one other characteristic — the ministry an honour, a privilege, and a blessing. There is a special coronet for the faithful presbyter, over and above that which he shall share with the lowliest of the redeemed. In this life if is his, if he be earnest in his work, to enjoy a gratitude scarcely given to another — the gratitude of lives remodelled, the gratitude of souls saved.

(Dean Vaughan.)

I. A WELL-EQUIPPED SOLDIER.

1. An elder.

(1)In age.

(2)In knowledge.

(3)In experience.

(4)In position.

2. A witness. Of Christ's —(1) Suffering;(2) Atonement;

(3)Love;

(4)Sympathy;

(5)Humanity.

3. A partaker — of the glory which shall be revealed. "Come ye blessed of My Father," etc.

II. A HUMBLE-MINDED SAINT. This was not one of St. Peter's early characteristics. But he had learnt by experience to form a true opinion of his real position in the sight of God, and of the many infirmities which pertain to fallen humanity. This chastened spirit is particularly manifested —

1. By the position assumed. "Fellow elder." There is no assumption of extra wisdom or superior knowledge.

2. By the method of his teaching. Not "I command, decree," "enforce"; simply "I exhort." He would suggest, remind, urge on. What a heavenly spirit!

(J. J. S. Bird, B. A.)

I. A WITNESS OF THE SUFFERINGS OF CHRIST. So far as possible, let us be witnesses with Peter.

1. An eyewitness of those sufferings. In this we cannot participate, nor need we desire to do so.

2. A faith witness of those sufferings.

(1)He had personally believed on Jesus at the first.

(2)He had further believed through after communion with Him.

3. A testifying witness of those sufferings.

(1)He bore witness to their bitterness when borne by Jesus.

(2)He bore witness to their importance as an atonement.

(3)He bore witness to their completeness as a satisfaction.

(4)He bore witness to their effect in perfect salvation.

4. A partaking witness of those sufferings.

(1)In defence of truth he suffered from opposers.

(2)In winning others he suffered in the anguish of his heart.

(3)In serving his Lord he suffered exile, persecution, death. What he witnessed in all these ways became a motive and a stimulus for his whole life.

II. A PARTAKER OF THE GLORY TO BE REVEALED. It is important to partake in all that we preach, or else we preach without vividness and assurance.

1. Peter had enjoyed a literal foretaste of the glory on the holy mount. We, too, have our earnests of eternal joy.

2. Peter had not yet seen the glory which shall be revealed, and yet he had partaken of it in a spiritual sense: our participation must also be spiritual. Peter had been a spiritual partaker in the following ways:

(1)By faith in the certainty of the glory.

(2)By anticipation of the joy of the glory.

(3)By sympathy with our Lord, who has entered into glory.

3. Peter had felt the result of faith in that glory.

(1)In the comfort which it yielded him.

(2)In the heavenliness which it wrought in him.

(3)In the courage with which it endowed him.

(C. H. Spurgeon.)

'Tis a very sad thing when preachers are like printers, who compose and print off many things, which they neither understand, nor love, nor experience; all they aim at is money for printing, which is their trade. It is also sad when ministers are like gentlemen ushers, who bring ladies to their pews, but go not in themselves — bring others to heaven, and themselves stay without.

(Ralph Venning.)

I. THEIR DUTY. Feeding, leading, controlling, protecting.

II. THEIR MOTIVE.

1. Negatively.

(1)Not constrainedly.

(2)Not covetously.

(3)Not ambitiously.

2. Positively.

(1)Voluntariness.

(2)Sympathy.

III. THEIR HOPE.

1. "The crown" — symbol of dignity.

2. "Of glory" — not tinselled or tarnished, but unalloyed.

3. "That fadeth not away" — imperishable.

IV. THEIR SPIRIT.

1. Mutual subjection.

2. Perfect humility.

V. THEIR HELP. "Grace" — the favour of God, the greatest and mightiest inspiration of souls.

(U. R. Thomas.)

I. THE DUTY ENJOINED. Every step of the way of our salvation hath on it the print of infinite majesty, wisdom, and goodness; and this amongst the rest, that sinful, weak men are made subservient in that great work of bringing Christ and souls to meet, and that the life which is conveyed to them by the word of life in the hands of poor men, is by the same means preserved and advanced. Oh, what dexterity and diligence, and, above all, what affection are needful for this task! Who would not faint in it, were not our Lord the Chief Shepherd, were not all our sufficiency laid up in His rich fulness, and all our insufficiency covered in His gracious acceptance?

II. THE DISCHARGE OF THIS HIGH TASK we have here duly qualified. The apostle expresses the upright way of it both negatively and positively.

1. There be three evils he would remove from this work — constrainedness, covetousness, and ambition — as opposed to willingness, a ready mind, and exemplary temper and behaviour.(1) We are cautioned against constrainedness, against being driven to the work by necessity, indigence, and want of other means of subsistence, as it is with too many, making a trade of it to live by; yea, making it the refuge and forlorn resource of their insufficiency for other callings. This willingness should not arise from any thing but pure affection to the work.(2) Not for filthy gain, but purely from the inward bent of the mind. As it should not be a compulsive motion from without, so it should not be an artificial motion by weights hung on within, avarice and love of gain. The former were a wheel, driven or drawn, going by force; the latter little better, as a clock made to go by art, by weights hung to it. But there should be a natural motion, like that of the heavens in their course.(3) The third evil is ambition, and that is either in the affecting of undue authority, or the tyrannical exercise of due authority, or to seek those dignities that suit not with this charge.

2. "But being ensamples": such a pattern as they may stamp and print their spirits and carriage by, and be followers of you as you are of Christ. And without this, there is little or no fruitful teaching.

III. THE HIGH ADVANTAGE. "And when the Chief Shepherd shall appear," etc. Thou shalt lose nothing by all this restraint from base gain, and vain glory, and worldly power. Let them all go for "a crown" — that weighs them all down, that shall abide forever. Oh, how far more excellent: — "a crown of glory," pure, unmixed glory, without any pride or sinful vanity, or any danger of it — and a crown "that fadeth not," of such a flower as withers not. May they not well trample on base gain and vain applause, who have this crown to look to? They that will be content with those things let them be so; they have their reward, and it is done and gone, when faithful followers are to receive theirs.

(Abp. Leighton.)

I thought that I was passing by a sheepfold, where the shepherds seemed extremely busy. But they were occupied entirely with the gate and the hurdles, and had turned their backs on the sheep. The pasture was bare and brown, little better in some places than a sandy waste; the water was muddy, and full of dead leaves. The sheep were few in number — thin, emaciated, and looked scarcely more than half alive. "What are you doing, friends?" I asked of the shepherds. "Our master told us to feed his sheep," they replied. "We want to attract those sheep out on the mountain side; they are his too." "And what are you doing to attract them?" "Do you not see? We are gilding the gate and the hurdles, in the hope that, when the sun shines on them, those outside sheep will be attracted by curiosity. Then when they come inside we can feed them." "And why do you not feed those that are inside?" "Oh, they are in; they are safe enough! They can pick up food for themselves. We have not time to attend to them as well as attract the outsiders, and the latter business is by far the most important. We have a further attraction also: we play on the shepherd's pipe. The outside sheep often come round to listen." "But, friends, it is for the sheep inside that my concern is awakened. Your Master said, 'Feed My sheep.' Your gilding and music will never feed them." "Oh, no; those are for the sheep outside. We do feed them inside. Look, here is grass, and there are turnip troughs." "Do you call it grass? Parched, poor, uninviting stuff! My good friends, these troughs want cleansing and filling." "Do you think we have any time for that? We must attend to these other things." "Surely not to the neglect of the main thing? To what are you attracting these sheep? To what are you dooming the others? Attraction to starvation is not a very attractive idea." "Then you would have us to spend all our time on the sheep inside, and never gather the others in at all?" "By no means. I would have you to attract the outsiders; but I would have them attracted by fresh food and clear water, not by golden hurdles and shepherds' pipes. Trust me, the true way to attract lost sheep is by letting them see that the found sheep are better off than they are." "That is exactly what we are trying to do. Therefore we gild the hurdles to entice them to come and look into the fold." "And when they come and look in, you show them — what? A bare patch of ground, and a few half-starved sheep. My poor mistaken friends, the day is coming — ay, and fast too — when you will stand alone behind your gilded hurdles; for the fold will be left empty. The sheep will either be starved to death, or will have dragged their emaciated limbs to other fields than yours, where there is yet green grass left, and the fountain of living water is fresh and pure. Will you put down the paint pot and lay aside the reed, and begin at once to clear out the water and refill the troughs? It is not yet quite too late. It soon will be." Does the parable need interpretation? Will the shepherds listen?

(Emily S. Holt.)

It is not enough for ministers to preach, yea, sacredly and diligently, but they must besides take a particular oversight of their flock, and looking into the conversation and behaviour, and applying themselves accordingly in admonition, exhortation, comfort. If a minister know any of his people riotous or profane, he must rebuke them; if any out of the way, admonish them; he must hearten them that be in a good course to go on still, and must comfort them that languish under their sins, temptations, and fears; in a word, deal with every one as the cause requireth.

1. This rebukes those ministers that be absent from their people usually or continually. How can these take care of them that come not at them but rarely, except they could indent with the devil, never to trouble their people, or tempt them in their absence.

2. It rebukes those also that living among their people, yet care not thus, but think themselves discharged that they meet them at Church on Sunday, and then preach them a sermon, whereas all the week after they consider not of them.

(John Rogers.)

You cannot serve two masters — you must serve one or other. If your work is first with you, and your fee second, work is your master, and the Lord of work, who is God. But if your fee is first with you, and your work second, fee is your master, and the lord of fee, who is the devil; and not only the devil, but the lowest of devils — "the least erected fiend that fell." So there you have it in brief terms — work first, you are God's servants; fee first, you are the fiend's. And it makes a difference, now and ever, believe me, whether you serve Him who has on His vesture and thigh written, "King of kings," and whose service is perfect freedom; or him on whose vesture and thigh the name is written, "Slave of slaves," and whose service is perfect slavery.

(John Ruskin.)

The noblest deeds which have been done on earth have not been done for gold. It was not for the sake of gold that our Lord came down and died, and the apostles went out to preach the good news in all lands. The Spartans looked for no reward in money when they fought and died at Thermopylae; and Socrates the wise asked no pay from his countrymen, but lived poor and barefoot all his days, only caring to make men good. And there are heroes in our days also, who do noble deeds, but not for gold. Our discoverers did not go to make themselves rich when they sailed out one after another into the dreary frozen seas; nor did the ladies, who went out to drudge in the hospitals of the East, making themselves poor, that they might be rich in noble works; and young men, too, did they say to themselves, "How much money shall I earn?" when they went to the war, leaving wealth and comfort, and a pleasant home, to face hunger and thirst, and wounds and death, that they might fight for their country and their queen? No, there is a better thing on earth than wealth, a better thing than life itself, and that is, to have done something before you die, for which good men may honour you, and God your Father smile upon your work.

(C. Kingsley.)

Mr. Fletcher, of Madeley, was once offered a living in a small parish in the county of Durham; the duty was light, the stipend £400, and the surrounding country very charming. Mr. F. thanked the donor for his kind offer, but at the same time declined it, saying, "There is too much money for me, and too little labour."

1. Ministers must not exercise civil authority and temporal power over their people, but use a spiritual rule over them, by teaching them, etc., and ruling them by the Word of God.

2. Ministers must not carry themselves proudly and disdainfully.

3. Nor must a minister rule them with violence (Ezekiel 34:18).

(John Rogers.)

wrote to Pope Eugene, "Peter could not give thee what he had not; what he had he gave: the care over the Church, not dominion."

Of Mr. Henry Townley, who died in 1861, Dr. Henry Allon, his pastor, said in his funeral sermon: "I doubt whether a holier man than Henry Townley has ever lived...I have often, in his presence, felt humbled and awed at his manifest sanctity and consecration. I never remember to have left him without shame and penitence, and prayer that God would forgive my shortcoming, and make me like him."

I. THE STYLE AND CHARACTER HERE APPROPRIATED TO OUR DIVINE REDEEMER.

1. "Shepherd."(1) He has received His Church as a charge from the hand of the Father.(2) He 'has ransomed the sheep with His most precious blood.(3) He lives to gather the wanderers into His fold, by the power of His Spirit and the instrumentality of His Word.

2. "Chief Shepherd."(1) His infinite dignity.(2) His official supremacy.(3) The preeminent qualities He. possesses, for the office with which He has been invested.

(a)The comprehensiveness of His knowledge.

(b)His almighty power.

(c)His exquisite tenderness and sympathy.(4) To Him all the subordinate agents in His kingdom are responsible.

II. THIS CHIEF SHEPHERD IS ABOUT TO APPEAR.

1. This fact is most certain.

2. The circumstances of His second coming will be marked with peculiar splendour.

III. THE RECOMPENSE WHICH WILL BE AWARDED AT THAT SOLEMN HOUR, TO THOSE WHO HAVE FAITHFULLY FULFILLED THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE OF UNDER SHEPHERDS. —

1. The beautiful imagery employed by the apostle to exhibit this recompense — "a crown of glory that fadeth not away."

2. What are the substantial truths couched under this imagery?

(1)The approbation of his Master.

(2)The visible tokens and pledges of ministerial success.

(3)His own personal exaltation and felicity.Learn:

1. The vast importance of the Christian ministry as an ordinance of God for the present and everlasting welfare of His Church.

2. The true honour which is due, and ought to be presented, to those who have faithfully discharged this office on earth, and especially when their course has terminated.

(G. Clayton.)

I. THE TITLE WHICH IS HERE GIVEN TO CHRIST AS THE CHIEF SHEPHERD. The very name of "shepherd" is full of lustre and beauty, of condescension and grace. And whilst other names describe the different parts of Christ's work, and the various principles of Christ's character, this seems to combine them all. As Prophet, He was to teach His Church, to convey to it the lessons of Divine wisdom; as Priest, He was to make atonement for the sins of His people; as King, He was to rule over them in the gentleness and sanctity of His sway; but as He is the Chief Shepherd, we have the wisdom and goodness which instructs, the grace and mercy which unfolds, the power which rules, the authority which legislates, all in one.

1. He is called the Chief Shepherd. In relation, without doubt, to the inferior and subordinate shepherds. For the universal Church, in all its subdivisions, is His vast sheepfold, and the ministers of religion are the shepherds in subordination to Him. And, according to the manners of the East, and in ancient and early times, there was one — the Chief Shepherd whose own the sheep were. It is in reference to this, that Christ, in the passage before us, is called "the Chief Shepherd."

2. It describes, also, the dignity of His person, and the glory of His perfections. In every respect He is chief — chief among the angels, having a name as much more excellent than they, as His nature is more excellent than theirs. He is first among the priests: Adam was a priest, Abel, Enoch, Abraham, Melchisedec, and Moses were priests; and then come the descendants of Ham in their rank and order; but Christ is Chief Priest. So He is among the prophets; He infinitely transcended Moses. He is so among the kings; "King of kings and Lord of lords," the blessed and only Potentate, whose power and splendour overwhelms them all. And so He is among the shepherds — the Chief Shepherd, the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and ending.

3. He is Chief Shepherd also in having set a perfect example of a shepherd's duty in watchfulness, care, and love. What instructions He delivered; with what authority, dignity, and power!

4. And, finally, He is called Chief Shepherd on account of His exaltation and majesty in the heavenly world. He has a name above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow.

II. THE APPEARANCE WHICH HE SHALL HEREAFTER MAKE IN GLORY; and the word "appear" denotes that He is now hidden. The God of this world has blinded the eyes of many, that they neither see nor believe. And as it respects bodily vision, He is hidden also from His own people; for we walk by faith and not by sight.

1. But the passage before us speaks of His appearance; He is to be made manifest. As the heavens were opened at the baptism, and the Holy Ghost descended visibly in the shape and appearance of a dove, so are the heavens hereafter to be opened, and the Chief Shepherd will appear and descend again.

2. And respecting the time of this appearance, it is reserved in the bosom of heaven, as a deep secret — not one of the holy angels is permitted to know — not one of the spirits of the just made perfect, have any more apprehension of the time of the second advent than you or I have.

3. Respecting the purpose of His coming. It is not to teach, to suffer, and to die; this He did once, and will do it no more. He will come, it is said, without a sin offering unto salvation; He will come to accomplish the resurrection of all the dead.

4. And as to the manner of the Advent. I take it that all which was seen and heard at Sinai, the greater revelation of Divine power and justice, when the sign of the Son of Man was seen in heaven, and Jerusalem was overturned, is but a faint type and foreshadow of that which shall then be. Oh, all miracles, all prodigies of Divine power, which have taken place from the beginning of the world to this day, will be as nothing amidst all the miracles which shall then be accomplished. It will be a day of God emphatically, in which it will he seen what God can do.

5. And now let those of us who are in the ministry learn what we are to look for. Contempt there may be from men, but there will be honour of God.

(J. Stratten.)

I. I shall DESCRIBE THE NATURE, QUALIFICATIONS, AND DUTIES OF THE MINISTERIAL OFFICE AS STATED IN THE CONTEXT.

1. I shall consider the duties which this figurative description of the pastoral office implies.(1) It is incumbent on a Christian shepherd to feed the flock. And what is the provision with which he is to feed them? Food for the mind and heart, suited to their condition as rational beings, as fallen sinners, and as immortal creatures, the truth as it is in Jesus.(2) Inspection of the state of the flock is another duty implied in this figure. We should know the circumstances of our people, the sorrows which oppress, the cares which perplex, the sins which beset them, and the difficulties which embarrass them, in order that we may give to each "a portion of meat in due season."(3) Protection of his flock is also the duty of a shepherd. Is not Satan perpetually going about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour? Is not the spirit of the world ever watching for an opportunity to devastate the interests of piety in our churches? Are there not heresies ever lurking about the pastures of truth?(4) Affectionate tenderness is generally associated with the character of a shepherd.(5) A faithful minister will enforce all his instructions by his example.

2. The apostle states in a negative form the manner in which the duties of the pastoral office are to be entered upon and discharged.(1) A minister is not to take upon him the oversight of flock under constraint, but with a willing mind.(2) We are forbidden to take the oversight of the flock for the sake of filthy lucre.(3) A Christian minister is not to lord it over God's heritage. He has no dominion over the conscience; his power in the church is ministerial, not legislatorial.

II. I shall consider his SUBORDINATION AND RESPONSIBILITY TO CHRIST. These are implied in the expression, "the Chief Shepherd." It is needless to say that this refers to our Divine Lord. This epithet implies —

1. His superiority to all others. They are mere men of the same nature as their flocks; He in His mysterious and complex person unites the uncreated glories of the Godhead with the milder beauties of the perfect man. They (in a good sense of the term) are hired pastors; He is the great Proprietor of the sheep. They partake of the infirmities of the people; He is holy, harmless, and undefiled. They are encompassed with ignorance, and with the best intentions often err in the direction of the church. Unerring wisdom characterises all His dispensations. They possess affection for their flock, but the warmest bosom that ever glowed with ministerial love is as the frigid zone itself compared with the love of His heart. They are weak, and are often ready to sink under the multiplied cares of office; but though the government is upon His shoulder, He fainteth not, neither is weary. They are mortal, and continue not by reason of death; He is the "blessed and only Potentate, who only hath immortality," and reigns, as Head over all things to His Church, not "by the law of a carnal commandment, but by the power of an endless life."

2. This epithet implies the authority of Christ. He, in this respect, is the Chief Shepherd. It is exclusively His right to rule in the Church, to regulate all its concerns and all its officers.

III. Turn we now to contemplate THE FAITHFUL MINISTER'S GLORIOUS REWARD.

1. The reward will be bestowed when the Chief Shepherd shall appear.

2. But I must consider of what the reward is to consist. "He shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away."(1) The figure implies honourable distinction. The crown was an emblem of honour. The faithful pastor will no doubt be singled out amidst the solemnities of the last day, and occupy a station where every eye will behold him. He will receive a public testimony of approbation from the Chief Shepherd.(2) Perfect felicity is evidently implied in this figurative description of a minister's reward. The crown of victory was worn on days of public rejoicing, and he who wore it was considered the happiest of the festive throng, and the centre of the universal joy. He received the congratulations of the admiring multitude as having reached the summit of human happiness. The apostle, therefore, intended to include the idea of perfect happiness in his beautiful illusion. The holy pastor shall partake, in common with his people, of all those sublime felicities which the Father hath prepared for them that love Him.(3) Eternal duration is ascribed by the apostle to the honour and happiness promised in the text.

(J. A. James.)

Marcus, Mark, Peter, Silas, SilvanusAsia, Babylon, Bithynia, Cappadocia, Galatia, PontusAppeal, Chief, Christ, Christ's, Church, Death, Elder, Elders, Exhort, Eye-witness, Fellow, Fellow-elder, Glory, Myself, Partaker, Request, Revealed, Rulers, Serious, Share, Sharer, Sufferings, Witness1. He exhorts the elders to feed their flocks;
5. the younger to obey;
8. and all to be sober, watchful, and constant in the faith;
9. and to resist the cruel adversary the devil.

1 Peter 5:1

     2422   gospel, confirmation
     2427   gospel, transmission
     4945   history
     5624   witnesses, to Christ
     6214   participation, in Christ
     6730   reinstatement
     7025   church, unity
     7923   fellowship, in gospel
     8105   assurance, basis of
     9414   heaven, community of redeemed

1 Peter 5:1-2

     5727   old age, attitudes
     5942   security

1 Peter 5:1-3

     4065   orderliness
     5700   headship
     7026   church, leadership
     7708   apostles, function
     8210   commitment, to God's people
     8313   nurture

1 Peter 5:1-4

     7720   elders, in the church
     7748   overseers

1 Peter 5:1-5

     7797   teaching

1 Peter 5:1-6

     5959   submission

Third Sunday after Trinity Humility, Trust, Watchfulness, Suffering
Text: 1 Peter 5, 5-11. 5 Likewise, ye younger, be subject unto the elder. Yea, all of you gird yourselves with humility, to serve one another: for God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time; 7 casting all your anxiety upon him, because he careth for you. 8 Be sober, be watchful: your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9 whom withstand stedfast …
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. III

Sylvanus
'By Sylvanus, our faithful brother, as I account him, I have written unto you briefly.'--1 Peter v. 12 (R.V). I adopt the Revised Version because, in one or two small points, it brings out more clearly the Apostle's meaning. This Sylvanus is, beyond all reasonable doubt, the same man who is known to us in the Acts of the Apostles by the name of Silas. A double name was very common amongst Jews, whose avocations brought them into close connection with Gentiles. You will find other instances of it …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Ephesians, Peter,John

An Apostolic Testimony and Exhortation
'... I have written briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein ye stand.'--1 Peter v. 12. 'I have written briefly,' says Peter. But his letter, in comparison with the other epistles of the New Testament, is not remarkably short; in fact, is longer than many of them. He regards it as short when measured by the greatness of its theme. For all words which are devoted to witnessing to the glory of God revealed in Jesus Christ, must be narrow and insufficient as compared …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Ephesians, Peter,John

The Church in Babylon
'The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you ...'--1 Peter v. 13. We have drawn lessons in previous addresses from the former parts of the closing salutations of this letter. And now I turn to this one to see what it may yield us. The Revised Version omits 'the church,' and substitutes 'she'; explaining in a marginal note that there is a difference of opinion as to whether the sender of the letter is a community or an individual. All the old MSS., with one weighty exception, …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Ephesians, Peter,John

Marcus, My Son
'... So doth Marcus, my son.'--1 Peter v. 13. The outlines of Mark's life, so far as recorded in Scripture, are familiar. He was the son of Mary, a woman of some wealth and position, as is implied by the fact that her house was large enough to accommodate the 'many' who were gathered together to pray for Peter's release. He was a relative, probably a cousin (Col. iv. 10, Revised Version), of Barnabas, and possibly, like him, a native of Cyprus. The designation of him by Peter as 'my son' naturally …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Ephesians, Peter,John

The Slave's Girdle
'... Be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.'--1 Peter v. 5. The Apostle uses here an expression of a remarkable kind, and which never occurs again in Scripture. The word rendered in the Authorised Version 'be clothed,' or better in the Revised Version, 'gird yourselves with,' really implies a little more than either of those renderings suggests. It describes a kind of garment as well as the act of putting it on, and the sort of garment which it describes …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Ephesians, Peter,John

A New Year's Benediction
I have this morning taken this text as a new year's blessing. You are aware that a minister of the Church of England always supplies me with the motto for the new year. He prays much before he selects the text, and I know that it is his prayer for you all to-day. He constantly favors me with this motto, and I always think it my duty to preach from it, and then desire my people to remember it through the year as a staff of support in their time of trouble, as some sweet morsel, a wafer made with honey, …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 6: 1860

30TH DAY. A Crown of Life.
"He is Faithful that Promised." "When the Chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away."--1 PETER v. 4. A Crown of Life. What! is the beggar to be "raised from the dunghill, set among princes, and made to inherit a throne of glory?" is dust and ashes, a puny rebel, a guilty traitor, to be pitied, pardoned, loved, exalted from the depths of despair, raised to the heights of Heaven--gifted with kingly honour--royally fed--royally clothed--royally attended--and, …
John Ross Macduff—The Faithful Promiser

The Millennium in Relation to Satan.
In our last chapter we saw that Christ descends from Heaven to find an organized effort to prevent him coming back to the earth. Under the leadership of Anti-christ, the kings of the earth with their armies assemble together at Armageddon with the express purpose of making war upon the Lamb (Rev. 17:14). It is in connection with this impious revolt that we read, "He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh" (Ps. 2:4), laugh at their folly and madness, "The Lord shall have them in derision." As well …
Arthur W. Pink—The Redeemer's Return

A Preliminary Discourse to Catechising
'If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled.' - Col 1:23. Intending next Lord's day to enter upon the work of catechising, it will not be amiss to give you a preliminary discourse, to show you how needful it is for Christians to be well instructed in the grounds of religion. If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled.' I. It is the duty of Christians to be settled in the doctrine of faith. II. The best way for Christians to be settled is to be well grounded. I. It is the duty of Christians …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

The Royal Marriage Feast.
PART I.--THE WEDDING GUESTS. "And Jesus answered, and spake unto them again by parables, and said, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, and sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. But they made light of …
William Arnot—The Parables of Our Lord

Consolations against Impatience in Sickness.
If in thy sickness by extremity of pain thou be driven to impatience, meditate-- 1. That thy sins have deserved the pains of hell; therefore thou mayest with greater patience endure these fatherly corrections. 2. That these are the scourges of thy heavenly Father, and the rod is in his hand. If thou didst suffer with reverence, being a child, the corrections of thy earthly parents, how much rather shouldst thou now subject thyself, being the child of God, to the chastisement of thy heavenly Father, …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

Exhortations to Christians as they are Children of God
1 There is a bill of indictment against those who declare to the world they are not the children of God: all profane persons. These have damnation written upon their forehead. Scoffers at religion. It were blasphemy to call these the children of God. Will a true child jeer at his Father's picture? Drunkards, who drown reason and stupefy conscience. These declare their sin as Sodom. They are children indeed, but cursed children' (2 Peter 2:14). 2 Exhortation, which consists of two branches. (i) Let …
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12

Some Other Writers of the New Testament
[Illustration: (drop cap L) Ancient engraving of man reading scroll] Let us now look at the rest of the books which make up the New Testament. In the days when Paul preached at Athens, the old capital of Greece, much of the ancient splendour and power of the Greek people had passed away, for the Romans had conquered their country, and they were no longer a free nation. Yet, although the Greeks had been forced to yield to Rome, their conquerors knew that the Grecian scholars and artists were far …
Mildred Duff—The Bible in its Making

Its Source
Let us here review, briefly, the ground which we have already covered. We have seen, first, that "to justify" means to pronounce righteous. It is not a Divine work, but a Divine verdict, the sentence of the Supreme Court, declaring that the one justified stands perfectly conformed to all the requirements of the law. Justification assures the believer that the Judge of all the earth is for him, and not against him: that justice itself is on his side. Second, we dwelt upon the great and seemingly insoluable …
Arthur W. Pink—The Doctrine of Justification

The Scriptures
apo blefouV ta iera grammata oidaV Many Allusions to Scripture In the year 1729,' wrote John Wesley, I began not only to read but to study the Bible.' The results of that devoted study of the Word of God are to be seen in every page that he wrote. Both the brothers must have had a most profound, exact, and extensive acquaintance with the Scriptures. Indeed, it is only a close study of the Bible on our own part that can reveal to us the extent of their intimacy with it. There can hardly be a single …
Charles H. Kelly—The Hymns of Methodism in their Literary Relations

How the Gospels came to be Written
[Illustration: (drop cap B) Early Christian Lamp] But how did the story of the Saviour's life on earth come to be written? We have seen that many years passed before any one thought of writing it down at all. The men and women who had really seen Him, who had listened to His voice, looked into His face, and who knew that He had conquered death and sin for evermore, could not sit down to write, for their hearts were all on fire to speak. But as the years passed, the number of those who had seen Christ …
Mildred Duff—The Bible in its Making

Some Gospel Truths Opened, According to the Scriptures; Or, the Divine and Human Nature of Christ Jesus;
HIS COMING INTO THE WORLD; HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, DEATH, RESURRECTION, ASCENSION, INTERCESSION, AND SECOND COMING TO JUDGMENT, PLAINLY DEMONSTRATED AND PROVED. AND ALSO, Answers to several Questions, with profitable Directions to stand fast in the Doctrine of Jesus the Son of MARY, against those blustering Storms of the Devil's Temptations, which do at this Day, like so many Scorpions, break loose from the bottomless Pit, to bite and torment those that have not tasted the Vertue of Jesus, by the Revelation …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

In the Dungeon of Giant Discourager
IN THE DUNGEON OF GIANT DISCOURAGER I feel very discouraged at times, and sometimes the spells of discouragement hang on for a long while. I wonder if I am sanctified. From unaccountable sources, bad feelings of every description depress my soul, and along with these bad feelings come doubts that cast gloom over me. I have prayed and prayed that these feelings of discouragement might leave me; but they have not done so. I despair of prayer bringing me the help I need. Really, I know not what to do. …
Robert Lee Berry—Adventures in the Land of Canaan

The Poor in Spirit are Enriched with a Kingdom
Theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:3 Here is high preferment for the saints. They shall be advanced to a kingdom. There are some who, aspiring after earthly greatness, talk of a temporal reign here, but then God's church on earth would not be militant but triumphant. But sure it is the saints shall reign in a glorious manner: Theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.' A kingdom is held the acme and top of all worldly felicity, and this honour have all the saints'; so says our Saviour, Theirs is the …
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12

The Providence of God
Q-11: WHAT ARE GOD'S WORKS OF PROVIDENCE? A: God's works of providence are the acts of his most holy, wise, and powerful government of his creatures, and of their actions. Of the work of God's providence Christ says, My Father worketh hitherto and I work.' John 5:17. God has rested from the works of creation, he does not create any new species of things. He rested from all his works;' Gen 2:2; and therefore it must needs be meant of his works of providence: My Father worketh and I work.' His kingdom …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

1 Peter 5:1 NIV
1 Peter 5:1 NLT
1 Peter 5:1 ESV
1 Peter 5:1 NASB
1 Peter 5:1 KJV

1 Peter 5:1 Bible Apps
1 Peter 5:1 Parallel
1 Peter 5:1 Biblia Paralela
1 Peter 5:1 Chinese Bible
1 Peter 5:1 French Bible
1 Peter 5:1 German Bible

1 Peter 5:1 Commentaries

Bible Hub