EXHORTATION TO ELDERS (Part 1)

1 Peter 5:1-4 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock: And when the Chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

The word, elder, is most often used in reference to an older person, as a tribute to their age. However, in the lesson text, elders, is referring to those having authority over an individual body of Christians making up a particular church of Christ. Elders are mentioned as being in the church at Jerusalem (Acts 11:30). Also, elders were to be ordained in every church according to Acts 14:23. There is no biblical reference to elders being ordained over multiple churches, rather, they were to be over a single body of Christ. In various other places in the New Testament, elders are also referred to as bishops, and as the presbytery (See Phil. 1:1 and 1 Tim. 4:14). Based on their duties and responsibilities, they were also called "pastors" (Eph. 4:11), "overseers" (Acts 20:28), and by inference, teachers (1 Tim. 3:2), as well as shepherds, according to our lesson text.

Here, also, Peter identifies himself as an elder of the church of Christ. To what specific body of Christ Peter referred to is not revealed, but possibly it was the church in Jerusalem. However, after being chosen as an apostle, Peter followed Jesus practically every where He went. We know Peter witnessed the agony Christ suffered in the garden of Gethsemane, as well as the mock trial of Jesus before the high priest. And, as inferred in Acts 3:15, probably witnessed the crucifixion and death of Jesus on the cross. Not only was Peter an apostle, an elder, and a witness of Christ's suffering, he was also a partaker, or an heir, of the glory of God, which is eternal life, through Jesus Christ. It was these qualifications that gave Peter the authority to exhort elders of the body of Christ.

Peter's charge to the elders, was to act as good shepherds and feed the flock of God which is among you. In doing so, they would discharge one of their responsibilities to the particular church of which they were appointed overseers. It seems appropriate for Peter to compare elders to shepherds when you consider Christ's admonition to Peter. Three times Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him; and three times Peter answered, I love thee. After his answer, Jesus told Peter, once to feed My lambs, and twice to feed My sheep (See John 21:15-17). Elders, in the first churches, as well as elders today, are to provide spiritual nourishment for the congregation. They are, themselves, to teach, but they are also to see that qualified teachers and preachers are made available to their congregation, in order to give the fullest knowledge possible of God's word to every member of the congregation over which they were shepherds.

Much can be studied from the bible about individual duties and responsibilities of becoming a Christian and living an obedient life. However, all scriptures point to one basic lesson - Jesus Christ. He is the source from which all New Testament scriptures are derived. He is the basis on which Christianity is founded. Notice that, even though the Ethiopian eunuch was reading from the Old Testament book of Isaiah, Philip began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus ( Acts 8:35).

This same Jesus is the spiritual food that elders are to teach and make available to their individual flocks, or congregatioins. Jesus says that under the new covenant, God would provide the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He (Christ Jesus) which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life to the world (John 6:32-33). Immediately after this, Jesus told His audience, Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on Me hath everlasting life. I am that bread of life (John 6:47-48). Jesus, then, concludes this particular sermon by saying, ...he that eateth of this bread shall live forever (John 6:58).

Peter exhorts all elders to feed the flock of God which is among you. Jesus, Himself, tells us that spiritual food is to be the bread of God - the bread that came down from heaven - the bread of life. To nourish their congregation, elders are to feed them the doctrine of Jesus Christ - The Son of God.