The Responsibilities of the Eldership (1 Peter 5:1-4).
‘The elders among you I exhort, who am a fellow-elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, who am also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed,'
Peter now calls on the church leaders, in the light of coming anticipated suffering, to be faithful. He does it as a ‘fellow-elder' who has a special right to speak because he himself was a witness of the sufferings through which Christ went, and is thus now able to bear witness of them (1 Peter 2:23-24; 1 Peter 3:18; 1 Peter 4:1), recognising that God's way is to be accomplished through suffering.
But this is also in the light of the glory of which he has partaken in limited measure at the Transfiguration, and which is to be revealed more fully in the future, a glory in which he knows that he will be a partaker (1 Peter 5:1; 1 Peter 5:4). So there is a reminder here that when they suffer it will be as partakers in Christ's sufferings (1 Peter 4:1), which for them also will lead on to glory, as it had for Jesus (1 Peter 3:22).
‘I who am a fellow-elder.' He is wanting them to accept the same responsibility as they saw him as having. Eldership was not seen by the Jews as anything other than the highest of statuses. Thus Peter is not demeaning himself by using this title rather than that of Apostle, but rather calling them to step up to where he is, not strictly as Apostles, but very much as being those who must now bear great responsibility along with him. (Papias later brings out that the Apostles were seen as the Elders supreme, giving them the title ‘the Elders'). Peter may well have had in mind here how Moses passed on some of his spirit to the seventy elders (Numbers 11:16-30). Now he is passing on some of his responsibility to them. Furthermore he does it as ‘a marturos of the sufferings of Christ', as one who witnesses to Him in His sufferings, and has taken up the cross to follow Him, and is calling on them to be willing to be the same. Indeed he has know from the beginning of his ministry that martyrdom was already appointed for him (John 21:18).
We note that Peter humbly points to the fact that it is as a witness of the sufferings of Christ that he is able to speak. He makes no great claims for himself, and although he undoubtedly has what Jesus had said to him in mind (as 1 Peter 5:2 demonstrates), he makes no reference to his appointment by Jesus Christ as an under-shepherd (John 21:15-17). Rather he is calling them to share with him in facing up to their responsibility as those who are following a suffering Saviour. That Peter did witness much of the suffering of Christ is unquestionable.
· He had heard His constant statements, spoken in all solemnity, and no doubt sadness, that He would shortly suffer (Mark 8:31; Mark 8:34; Mark 9:12; Mark 9:31; Mark 10:45).
· He had listened as Jesus had established the covenant, stressing that it was at the cost of His blood (Matthew 26:27-28), and had spoken of a traitor among them.
· He had been close to Him in Gethsemane as He had poured out His soul in prayer (Luke 22:39-46; compare Hebrews 5:7).
· He had been present during His initial trials, full of apprehension, even though only observing from a distance, and it would have been unusual if news of the proceedings had not leaked out from the courtroom into the courtyard through servants. Thus he would have been aware of something of what Jesus was undergoing inside the palace.
· He had been aware of the torn and bleeding figure Who towards the end of the farcical ‘trial' had turned and looked at him (Luke 22:61; John 18:28 suggests that it was after the trial by Caiaphas).
· And in view of his own behaviour it had all been too much for him. He had gone out and wept bitterly. He had taken more than he could bear.
· And he had later seen the nail prints in the hands of the risen Jesus.
So he had certainly witnessed how Jesus had suffered. But his emphasis here is on the content of His witness. He not only saw His sufferings, but now bears testimony to them and what they signify.
But with that in mind he also speaks as one who anticipates being a partaker in the glory which is to be revealed. He remembers vividly his experience, along with James and John, on the holy mount of Transfiguration (Mark 9:1-8; 2 Peter 1:16-18) when they had briefly partaken in His glory. What a contrast that had been with His warning about His coming sufferings. There he had experienced Christ's coming in glory before its time. And now he was anticipating a fuller participation. For he wants them to know that for all of His true people, after suffering comes glory.
His description of himself as a fellow-elder, and his informing of his fellow-elders that they too were responsible for tending God's sheep, is clear evidence that he did not see himself as some special figure and supreme authority to which they must be in subjection (contrast how bishops of later centuries puffed themselves up).