1 Peter 5
It’s our final week in 1 Peter and we are studying Chapter 5! In this chapter, Peter is wrapping up his letter by giving some encouragement and challenges to the elders of the church. While we are obviously not all elders or leaders within a church, there is still value to be found in the words that Paul leaves with the church at the end of this letter.
Consider reading through all of Chapter 5 at least once at the beginning of your study. It’s important to take time to read the entire chapter in one sitting so that you can get a proper feel for the big picture, before you dig in to try and understand what God is speaking directly into your life. Perhaps your time in 1 Peter 5 this week could look something like this:
Day 1: 1 Peter 5
Day 2: 1 Peter 5:1-5
Day 3: 1 Peter 5:6-11
Day 4: 1 Peter 5:12-14
As you prepare for studying 1 Peter 5 this week, spend some time in prayer, talking to God and asking Him to speak to your heart as you read His Word and dig into this chapter. Through the rest of this post, you will find each section of the chapter and some study notes and questions to help you process what you are reading and will hopefully challenge you in your personal relationship with Jesus and how you live out your faith in Him in daily life.
1 Peter 5:1-5
I exhort the elders among you as a fellow elder and witness to the sufferings of Christ, as well as one who shares in the glory about to be revealed: Shepherd God’s flock among you, not overseeing out of compulsion but willingly, as God would have you; not out of greed for money but eagerly; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. In the same way, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. All of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because
God resists the proud
but gives grace to the humble.
Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
Peter is wrapping up his letter to the church by speaking directly to the church elders. Now, we clearly are not all elders or leaders of our local church, but there is still great value and we should not overlook what Peter is saying at the end of his letter. Think for a moment about the church that you currently attend - when you read what Paul is saying to the elders of the church in his letter, do you see some of those same characteristics at the church that you attend?
Sometimes, when we come across parts of the passage that don’t make sense right away, it’s a good idea to look up the verse or the phrase in a commentary. Consider searching online for “1 Peter 5 Commentary” or looking in a Bible app for study notes, to see if they give any insight to the following questions.
Who is the “chief Shepherd”?
What does Peter mean when he says you will receive the “unfading crown of glory”? What do you think it takes to get that?
Who in your life would you consider “elders” and how can you “be subject” to them? What does that look like?
How can you “clothe yourself with humility” towards other people today?
Spend time in prayer today and ask God to show you areas of your life where you need to work on humility.
1 Peter 5:6-11
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you. Be sober-minded, be alert. Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. Resist him, firm in the faith, knowing that the same kind of sufferings are being experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world. The God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, establish, strengthen, and support you after you have suffered a little while. To him be dominion forever. Amen.
Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
Peter is being intentional to continue to drive home the importance of humility within the Christian community. Often times, when there is a specific word that is repeated within a passage of Scripture, it can be a good idea to do a word study and look up other passages that also talk about that word. This can help to give a more complete understanding of this word and how it can impact the context of this passage or how you can apply what you are learning to your life in a real way.
Look up the definition of the word “humble” or “humility.” Write out this definition in your own words. Take time to look up the following verses and write a summary of what it says about humility:
Ephesians 4:1-3
Philippians 2:3
Colossians 3:12-13
1 Peter 3:8-9
Proverbs 3:34
In Psalm 55:22 it says “Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never allow the righteous to be shaken.” How does this verse connect with 1 Peter 5:7? What cares (worries or concerns) do you have right now that you need to share with God? Spend some time writing those out or praying and talking to God about the worries or concerns that you have right now.
I find great encouragement in 1 Peter 5:9 - to know that I am not alone in my current sufferings, when it comes to Satan (our adversary) always looking for ways to discourage and corrupt believers of Christ, and persecution for my belief in and relationship with Christ. It’s especially important at this time of so much isolation and “social distancing” to remember that we are not alone! If you are feeling alone, find someone that you can reach out to and share how you are feeling and ask them to pray with you.
Spend time in prayer today to thank God for his grace and how He sustains you. Reflect on God’s character and then ask Him to show you areas where He may already be sustaining you during a season of suffering.
1 Peter 5:12-14
Through Silvanus, a faithful brother (as I consider him), I have written to you briefly in order to encourage you and to testify that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it! She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you greetings, as does Mark, my son. Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ.
Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
Peter is wrapping up his letter to the church with a reminder for why he was writing. “I have written to you - in order to encourage you and to testify that this is the true grace of God!”
Where have you seen God’s grace in your life over this past month? You may also want to reflect on this past year, or maybe the past several years, and look for areas where you have seen God’s grace for you in difficult times.
Take time to review your time studying in 1 Peter - what has been the most encouraging to you during this study?
Over and over, throughout 1 Peter, we have often seen Peter reminding us that suffering is not meant to last forever - even though it may feel never-ending when we are in the midst of difficult days, weeks, or months, there is always an end. It is often when we get to that end that we can see or acknowledge the purpose for that suffering. In 1 Peter, we are often reminded that the suffering we experience, when it is suffering with humility and for the case of Christ, will result in glory for God. As you wrap up your study of 1 Peter, write out a prayer of thanks for ways that you have seen God at work in your life. Have you been able to see God receiving glory because of hard or difficult situations in your life? How do you want to be prepared to face sufferings or difficult situations in the future?
