Chapter 5
2022 - First 3 vss are instructions to elders - from one elder to the rest. Take care of the flock because it is right, it is what Jesus did, and he suffered for his trouble. Be an elder not for personal gain, ambition, and regard, but because God would have it so. And be an example. You don't get "extra privileges" for being an elder, but a narrower road instead.
2023 - The word used for elder here is presbyteros. I don't see that as a general word for old people but as a church office. It is used 66 times in the mGNT. There are some uses in the NT where the "elders and chief priests" is the phrase, and even there, elders are a subset of all elders, I think. They are a group somehow set apart and considered "worthy", deserving of honor and respect, consultants in all matters. I did not look at all 66 uses though, so I may be missing something. I note further that Peter gives himself this same title, co-elder with those he is addressing.
2023 - The exhortation, while in some ways applicable to all, warns against wrong exercise of authority, of functioning for financial gain rather than as service to God. These all reinforce the idea that this is a church office, and a decision-making office, that therefore carries some authority within the church. Authority that ought to be humbly exercised.
2024 - This morning's OT reading included Ezekiel 34, where God indicts the bad shepherd's of that day, and promises a good shepherd to look after the sheep as they come home in the Millennial. Look at the instructions - exercise oversight, not for gain, not domineering but as examples. These themes very precisely parallel Eze 34. This is not coincidence. Peter was thinking of Ezekiel at this point, and though he does not exactly quote Ezekiel, it is hard to deny that Peter wasn't referencing indirectly Eze 34:1-7.
Encouragement to church leaders.
2022 - This verse:
4 And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. [1Pe 5:4 ESV]
I need to include these crowns in the whole bema seat judgment context of my study. An unfading crown of glory...not a special jewel in your displayed crown of reward. And you get this when he appears. Does that Greek word "phanaroo" imply the rapture or the second coming? If the rapture, this crown comes only to those resurrected or living at the rapture - only to those in Christ. OT saints get not such crown. But if we go with this, the rewards do appear to be dispensed in heaven, after the rapture. Maybe that's where the "Judgment seat of Christ" is seen, and the "ho bema ho theos" is the GWT. But what of the sheep and goats if you go with it that way?
MSB note says it this way: " When He appears at the second coming, He will evaluate the ministry of pastors at the judgment seat of Christ." Pastors...not necessarily everyone? He is calling the S&G throne a bema seat if he does this. Least it appears that way. And why restrict it to "pastors", when the word is "elders"? And only the living will be judged at the S&G, not Peter, though Peter includes himself with other elders. Word is "presbyteros". That is always elders.
2023 - Word study on "phanaroo" and its uses in the NT. It is used 49 times in 43 verses in the mGNT and 49 times in the KJV. In the KJV it is translated "make manifest" 19 times and "appear" 12 times. It seems always to be about a literal, physical appearance. That means this is NOT about the rapture and so the bema seat in heaven, but about the Pre-Millennial judgment. This is a judgment of the living. A judgment of those who are on earth at the second coming. The only saved people at this judgment are those saved during tgt. The rest were all raptured 7 years before. So these crowns are available to a very distilled group, which I think we'll be almost exclusively Jews. They can wear these crowns during the Millennial reign. So perhaps these crowns are literal, physical crowns. Here are some relevant verses:
14 Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at table...[Mar 16:14a ESV]
11 This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him. [Jhn 2:11 ESV]
10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. [2Co 4:10 ESV]
Note that this is always a literal, visible, physical word. A "real time for all to see" kind of word. I don't think the rapture will be like that. The second coming will be the kind of "no doubt at all" appearance of Jesus. Based on my study of the three judgments, then, the crown of glory will be given at the Pre-Millennial judgment, the Sheep an Goat judgment.
2023 - The word here translated crown is the Greek "stephanos". This word is used of a wreath or garland as those awarded in athletic contests in those days. It is not a "golden crown" or anything like that. This makes sense in the context of the pre-millennial judgement of those who have survived tgt at the second coming. The sheep will recognized for their faithfulness. I think the word study on phaneroo and the use here of stephanos rather than diadema - which is the conqueror's crown, or xxxxx - which is the King's crown.
BUT, there is this use of stephanos: 14 Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand. [Rev 14:14 ESV]. "a golden stephanos". So...probably best not to be making any interpretations based on a stephanos vs a diadem. "Diadems" is used of the crowns on the beast with seven heads and ten horns and diadems on each head. This word diadems is ONLY in Revelation, and only three times there. I did not find a Greek word that is exclusively a King's crown, but the definition of diadem excluded "King's crown" as if there is another specific word for that crown.
2023 - So, unexpectedly and with no intention to do so, I have learned that the word "stephanos" is the most commonly used Greed word in the NT translated "crown". I have seen that the "experts" say it is a laurel. But I have seen it come in gold too, not just in green. So I will be very very careful from here on about what I read into "stephanos". I will NOT have my interpretation dependent on that word being the one that is used.
The summary verses for living life as a Christian seem to be these:
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. [1Pe 5:6-7 ESV]
2022 - Vs 6 above goes right along with this. How will he exalt us, and when is the proper time? Is this the judgment for what we might have done but did not? Why would that result in exaltation? All of us, even the saved, fall far short of what we might have done? Are we going to be exalted for the few things that we did get right? For investing the talents instead of burying them...usually? And here is another thing...If we have a chance to witness and we do not, how is that not a sin of omission? And if, at the bema seat, we are judged for not doing what we could have/should have, how is that not a judgment for sin? And if we are judged for those sins, why not all sins? It should be all or none shouldn't it? Are we to think that at this judgment of the saved, all that will be mentioned are the successes, however few, however trivial, and that we are to receive some reward even for those? Because that's what it would have to be according to this thinking.
2022 - This verse:
10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. [1Pe 5:10 ESV]
Is this to happen on earth, or this a heavenly reward? Surely this must point to restoration of our bodies, confirmation of our name in the book, is strengthen the best word here, and then show you where you live in heaven for eternity?
Pretty much ALL the translations use "strengthen" here. NIV says "make you strong". Interestingly though, this is the only place in the Bible where this word is used. Just Peter, and just in 1Pet 5. So there's no context to say another word might be better. No context to say there isn't a better word for this usage. But I think I am out there a little bit on this one. Peter is talking about present suffering. Just back in vs 9, he encourages us to remember that our brothers elsewhere are suffering similarly to what we are going through, and we should be encouraged by that. So he is talking about earthly, current, ongoing persecution, which also ties us back to his original intention in the letter, back in 1:6. "...you have been grieved..." for a little while so that, having survived this present testing, we will have praise, glory, and honor at his appearing. And there's that word again...
The tie between chapter 1 and chapter 5 cannot be overlooked. This is about earthly testing, resulting in heavenly reward, at his appearing. What is meant by "appear", rapturo or phaneroo? Back in vs 4, the MSB note clearly connects this with the second coming, not with the rapture. So he is saying that "pastors", not elders and not the rank and file who are saved, get judged at the S&G. I don't seem to be the only one tempted to divide divide divide to make it all fit. I don't think that is how it is meant to be done. But I don't know. Perhaps I will get deeper into it as part of the judgment study.
2023 - This interesting phrase:
13 She who is at Babylon, who is likewise chosen, sends you greetings, and so does Mark, my son. [1Pe 5:13 ESV]. "She" is a church, in Rome, we believe. Babylon is a "misdirection" should the letter fall into the wrong hands, so that the persecutors are not "directed" to the church at Rome.
2024 - I am not sure that in vs 13 "She" is the church in Rome. I think we might see this as a reference to Peter's own wife, who was crucified also in Rome. She was with him there. He refers perhaps to his wife and the "son" they were not able to have themselves? This makes good sense, and then we are left to discuss what it means that she is "likewise chosen"? Surely it does not mean apostle. Perhaps though it means partner in the ministry of the church? Helpmate in that huge task? Could mean elect. Here is the BLB definition of the word ESV translates "likewise chose": συνεκλεκτόςsyneklektós, soon-ek-lek-tos'; from a compound of G4862 and G1586; chosen in company with, i.e. co-elect (fellow Christian):—elected together with.
This is the only time this word is used in the Bible.
ESV is above, here are a few others:
13 The [church that is] at Babylon, elected together with [you], saluteth you; and [so doth] Marcus my son. [1Pe 5:13 KJV]. In this KJV, the words in parenthesis here mean that are "supplied by the translator". The words are not there "one for one".
13 The [church that is] at Babylon, elected together with [you], saluteth you; and [so doth] Marcus my son. [1Pe 5:13 KJV]. They'd already changed it by the NKJV.
This one is interesting: 13 Your sister church here in Babylon sends you greetings, and so does my son Mark. [1Pe 5:13 NLT]. This really trots on out there into interpretation rather than translation.
Obviously, there is a lot of discussion as to what this word really means.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon makes it a pretty specific term:
συνεκλεκτός, συνεκλεκτή, συνεκλεκτον (see ἐκλεκτός), elected or chosen (by God to eternal life) together with: 1 Peter 5:13. He makes it reference elect, which I would think definitely means it is about a person rather than a church.
2023 - This is about the second coming. I am basing this on the use of phanaroo here and not any of the "rapture" words. So if this is The Millennial, how are we to understand what Peter is saying? Perhaps this is another example of just how quickly the 1st century Christians expected the second coming to happen. Perhaps they ALL thought they'd see it. But it didn't happen...and since inspired, these words must also have some meaning for us. What is it we are to see in this?