23  Shepherding the Flock  (1 Peter 5:1–4)

Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. (5:1–4)

“It is no accident that God has chosen to call us sheep, ” wrote W. Phillip Keller. “The behavior of sheep and human beings is similar in many ways…. Sheep do not ‘just take care of themselves’ as some might suppose. They require, more than any other class of livestock, endless attention and meticulous care” (A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1979], 20–21).

For example, God has created most animals with an uncanny instinct to find their way home. But if sheep stray into unfamiliar territory, they become completely disoriented and cannot find their way back home, as in the Lord’s poignant parable of the lost sheep (Luke 15:3–7). Sheep need a shepherd to guide them, provide for them, protect them, and sometimes also to rescue them from harm.

Sheep spend most of their time eating and drinking. But if they become lost, they are helpless to find adequate food and water. Left to themselves, sheep will indiscriminately eat both healthful and poisonous plants, or overgraze and ruin their own pasture. And they need to be led to water that is not impure and stagnant, not too hot or too cold, and water that is not moving too rapidly. That is why the psalmist refers to “quiet waters” in Psalm 23:2.

Sheep are much in need of other assistance as well. Because their wool secretes a large volume of oily lanolin that permeates their fleece, much dirt, grass, and wind-blown debris clings to it. Since they have no ability to clean themselves, they remain soiled until the shepherd shears them. Between shearings that dirty, sticky accumulation must be cut away from under their tails or they cannot eliminate waste and become sick and even die. Because sheep also are naturally passive and virtually defenseless against predators, and when attacked their only recourse is to flee in panic, the shepherd must be continually on guard to defend and rescue the sheep from attack.

It is not surprising, then, that Jesus likened the disoriented, confused, unclean, and spiritually lost crowds to flocks of sheep without shepherds (Matt. 9:36; Mark 6:34). They could not feed themselves spiritually and had no one to lead and protect them. The prophet Isaiah also compared humanity’s lost condition to that of stray sheep, “All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way” (Isa. 53:6).

All the preceding imagery about sheep and shepherds was familiar to the people in the first century’s primarily agrarian society, but it still needs to be borne in mind if one today is to understand the richness of this passage. Certainly Peter understood the imagery when he called believers the flock of God and commanded pastors to shepherd them. Since even believers are prone to wandering, taking in what is bad for them, becoming unclean, and are highly vulnerable, defenseless on their own, and often naive, the demand for shepherds who are faithful and responsible is compelling. And when the church is under severe persecution, as it was in Peter’s day, it is even more vulnerable and in greater need of strong, godly, effective shepherds. The apostle, writing to the elders of various churches in Asia Minor (1:1) and to church elders of all eras, issues several fundamental and crucial commands concerning shepherding. Those commands may be understood by asking four basic questions of this passage: What are the issues in shepherding? Who must be shepherded? How must shepherding be done? Why should shepherds serve?

WHAT ARE THE ISSUES IN SHEPHERDING?

Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, shepherd (5:1–2a)

Therefore refers back to the fact that this epistle’s recipients were suffering persecution (4:12–19) and being attacked for righteousness’ sake. That reality led Peter to exhort the elders to shepherd their troubled, beleaguered sheep. The first and obvious point to note here is that the Holy Spirit affirms that such spiritual leadership and responsibility for the church belongs to elders. That is unmistakable and consistent in the New Testament books dealing with the church. The first mention of elders is in Acts 11:30, where the writer Luke identifies them as the leaders of the Jerusalem church. Subsequent references in Acts (14:23; 15:4, 6, 22, 23; 16:4; 20:17; 21:18) continue to make clear their role. In 1 Timothy 5:17 Paul identifies them as those men who rule while laboring “in the word and doctrine” (KJV). Titus 1:5 establishes that elders were to lead every church in every city. The qualifications for such men appear in 1 Timothy 3:1–7 and Titus 1:5–9. (For a detailed treatment of these two passages, see John MacArthur, 1 Timothy, MacArthur New Testament Commentary [Chicago: Moody, 1995], 91–121; MacArthur, Titus, MacArthur New Testament Commentary [Chicago: Moody, 1996], 17–52.)

Exhort (parakaleō) means literally “to call alongside, ” or in the general sense, “to encourage or compel someone in a certain direction.” The related noun is often associated with the ministry of the Holy Spirit (cf. John 14:16–17, 26; 15:26; 16:7). Here Peter directs the appeal to the elders, who are the Lord’s appointed and gifted leaders of the church. There are three New Testament terms used interchangeably to refer to these men: elder (presbuterion; cf. 1 Tim. 5:19; 2 John 1; 3 John 1), bishop or overseer (episkopos; cf. 2:25; Phil. 1:1; 1 Tim. 3:2; Titus 1:7), and pastor (poimēn; cf. Eph. 4:11). Elder emphasizes the man’s spiritual maturity necessary for such ministry, and in many Protestant churches it is the official title chosen for the office. Bishop, or overseer, states the general responsibility of guardianship. Pastor is the word shepherd and expresses the priority duty of feeding or teaching the truth of God’s Word.

The Old Testament is filled with references to elders in Israel (e.g., Lev. 4:15; Num. 11:25; Deut. 25:7; 1 Kings 21:11; Ps. 107:32; Prov. 31:23). The New Testament also indicates elders were still important in Jewish society in those days (e.g., Matt. 15:2; 16:21; Luke 9:22; Acts 4:5; 24:1). Each synagogue had its ruling elders who held leadership duties and were responsible for teaching (cf. Neh. 8:4–8; 9:5; Acts 15:21). The early church broadly adopted a similar model (cf. Acts 2:42–47; 6:4), appointing a plurality of godly and gifted men to lead, guard, and feed each local congregation (cf. Titus 1:5). It was their responsibility to proclaim the truth so as to build up the people and protect them against sin and error, while always being the highest examples of godliness to the flock (5:3; 1 Tim. 4:12; Heb. 13:7).

It is significant that Peter used the plural, elders. In reference to this ministry, the term always appears in the plural in the New Testament, affirming that the office was designed for a plurality of men. A singular usage of the word in reference to church leaders occurs only in such instances as when the apostle John calls himself “the elder” (2 John 1; 3 John 1) or Peter here calls himself a fellow elder, and when instruction is given about an accusation against a specific elder (1 Tim. 5:1, KJV, 19). The plurality of godly leaders, as designed by the Lord, not only provides more ministry care (cf. Ex. 18:13–26) but offers some important safeguards (cf. Prov. 11:14). First, it helps protect the church against error. The apostle Paul told the church at Corinth, “Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others pass judgment…. and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets” (1 Cor. 14:29, 32). No one was to speak or minister independently (cf. 1 Cor. 14:26–33), teaching strictly on his own and not being accountable or subject to the knowledge of other teachers.

A plurality of elders in a local church also preserves it against imbalance. It is common that dominance by one leader results in his evil domineering over the flock, often with an overemphasis on some doctrine or practice that is out of harmony with the rest of Scripture, exposing people to serious doctrinal error and unbiblical practice. There are varieties of offices, gifts, and administrations (Rom. 12:3–8; 1 Cor. 12:4–11), and each believer, including elders, has a unique gift (see the discussion on 4:10–11 in chapter 21 of this volume), and no two gifts are exactly alike. A plurality of godly and gifted elders enriches the church since God does not give all the spiritual abilities to one man. The undue elevation of one man above what is proper (cf. 1 Tim. 3:6; 5:22) is an abuse against which a plurality of elders in the church safeguards.

Finally, a plurality of elders avoids discontinuity in the church. When a man who has been the sole or dominant leader in a church leaves without ever developing fellow elders, there is no one able to replace him, resulting in a major disruption of ministry for that church. In the shepherdless vacuum, committees of sheep struggle to find a shepherd from among those who have no flock or would like a different one. The results are often disappointing and even divisive. So, God designed the church to be shepherded by a plurality of elders (cf. Acts 14:23; Titus 1:5).

The task of the shepherd carries with it an unequalled responsibility before the Lord of the church (Heb. 13:17; cf. 1 Cor. 4:1–5). While it includes the positive elements of spiritual leadership toward maturity and Christlikeness, and spiritual guardianship to protect the flock, its chief objective is the feeding of the flock through the skillful preaching and teaching of divine revelation, which is the source of all those positive elements. Peter received firsthand instruction on the shepherd’s foremost responsibility from the risen Lord Himself:

Twice Jesus used the word “tend” (boskō), which could be better translated “to feed.” “Shepherd” (poimainō) embodies all the aspects of shepherding. The shepherd’s task is not to tell people only what they want to hear (2 Tim. 4:3–4), but to edify and strengthen them with the deep truths of solid spiritual food that produces discernment, conviction, consistency, power, and effective testimony to the greatness of the saving work of Christ. No matter what New Testament terminology identifies the shepherd and his task, underneath it all is the primacy of biblical truth. He is to feed the sheep.

In Old Testament times, whenever Israel’s spiritual shepherds failed to feed or care for the people, God, through His prophets, rebuked them. Jeremiah declared:

Peter includes some compelling motivation in this exhortation for leaders to shepherd. First, the respected apostle humbly identified with them, calling himself a fellow elder. Rather than take advantage of their respect for him as an apostle and elevate himself, he empathized with their task as one who understood the challenges and difficulties inherent in shepherding (see again John 21:15–17).

As another motivation, Peter reminded them that he was a witness of the sufferings of Christ. That he had seen the suffering and risen Christ affirmed the reality of his apostolic identity (Luke 6:12–16; cf. Acts 1:12–17) and gave him authority. Witness (martus) has a twofold meaning: one who personally saw and experienced something, and one who testified to what he saw. Because so many who gave testimony to their experiences with Christ were killed, the term martyred came to refer to one who was killed for being a Christian witness (cf. Matt. 16:24–25; 24:9; Rev. 6:9; 20:4). In Peter’s case, his being a witness to the sufferings of Jesus along with his fellow apostles, and being commissioned to proclaim those sufferings, to declare the gospel message (cf. Luke 24:45–48; Acts 22:15), made him a trustworthy source to encourage the elders to their duty. The Lord’s redemptive work was a primary focus in Peter’s preaching (Acts 2:14–36; 3:12–26; 4:8–12), and a major theme in this letter (1:11, 19; 2:21–24; 3:18; 4:1, 13).

Peter’s mention of future glory motivates by anticipation. As one who was a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, Peter could offer the other elders the genuine hope of an eternal reward for their faithful service. The glory that is to be revealed looks at the return of Christ (cf. 1:7–9; 4:7, 12–13; Matt. 24:30; 25:31; Mark 13:26; Luke 21:27; see the discussion of 4:7a in chapter 21 of this volume) when He comes in full expression of His glory to destroy the ungodly, reward His own, and establish His kingdom forever. Peter says he is a partaker (koinōnos) also in that ultimate blessing, indicating that so are the elders. That believers share in eternal glory with their Lord is the essence of their hope (5:10; cf. 2 Cor. 1:1–7; Phil. 3:20–21; Col. 1:27; 3:4; 2 Thess. 2:14; Heb. 2:10; 2 Peter 1:3; 1 John 3:2). And that those shepherds would one day receive that reward from Christ Himself should have been a powerful motivation to all Peter’s readers (see the discussion of 4:13 in the previous chapter of this volume and of 1:3–5 and 1:13 in chapters 2 and 5, respectively). Certainly Peter’s anticipation was magnified exponentially because he had seen that coming glory at the Transfiguration (cf. Matt. 17:1–8; 2 Peter 1:16–19).

WHO MUST BE SHEPHERDED?

the flock of God among you, (5:2b)

This text clearly states that elders have the most serious, delegated stewardship, to shepherd not their own flock, but the flock of God. Jesus Christ came to earth to redeem His church (cf. John 10:11; Eph. 5:25b–27). After He ascended back to heaven, He sent His Spirit to empower His church (cf. John 16:5–11; Acts 1:4–9) with the necessary spiritual gifts and gifted men to shepherd the flock to Christlikeness (cf. John 14:26; 15:15–17; Eph. 4:11–12). And the fact that Christ purchased that flock with His own blood (1:18–19; cf. Acts 20:28) emphasizes the church’s value to the Lord. In form, the term rendered flock here (poimnion) is a diminutive, a term of endearment, further stressing the preciousness of the church (cf. John 10:1–5). Commentator R. C. H. Lenski echoes this emphasis:

HOW MUST SHEPHERDING BE DONE?

exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock. (5:2c-3)

To the key question of how elders are to shepherd, Peter provides both positive and negative answers. Exercising oversight actually translates a single Greek word, episkopeō, which literally means “to have scope over, ” or “to look upon.” The noun is episkopos (“bishop, ” or “overseer”; cf. 1 Tim. 3:1). Its clear connotation here in this first positive answer is that shepherds must watch over the sheep to assess their condition, so as to lead, guard, and feed them.

The second positive way elders exercise oversight is by proving to be examples to the flock. Shepherds are to become sufficiently involved in the lives of the flock that they establish a godly pattern for the people to follow. The most important aspect of spiritual leadership and the best test of its effectiveness is the power of an exemplary life (cf. the apostle Paul’s application of this in Acts 20:17–38; 2 Cor. 1:12–14; 6:3–13; 11:7–11; 1 Thess. 2:1–10; 2 Thess. 3:7–9; 2 Tim. 1:13–14). Paul even went so far as to exhort his sheep to be imitators of him (1 Cor. 4:16; 11:1; 1 Thess. 1:6; cf. Heb. 13:7).

Biblical spiritual oversight also involves avoiding three perils inherent in the shepherding task. The first danger Peter mentions is shepherding under compulsion, rather than as eager, willing servant-leaders who minister voluntarily. The obvious point is that the shepherd must be diligent rather than lazy, heart motivated rather than forced to be faithful, and passionate about his privileged duty rather than indifferent. When the heart is fully Christ’s and driven by love for Him and for souls, there is much internal compulsion that precludes any need for external motivational pressure.

Along this line, Paul declares, “If I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel” (1 Cor. 9:16). He defined the proper compulsion to ministry when he wrote, “Knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men … the love of Christ controls us” (2 Cor. 5:11, 14). Paul’s personal passion is also evident in Romans 1:14–16,

This zealous service is according to the will of God, just as the Lord wills the unjust suffering that perfects His saints (4:19). Those who shepherd God’s people should have no doubt about the diligence and seriousness with which they should fulfill their spiritual ministry of caring for the precious souls who are the Lord’s, and they will give an account: “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you” (Heb. 13:17).

The second peril for shepherds to avoid is the temptation to be motivated by money or material benefits. In Acts 20:33–35, Paul manifests the right attitude:

The basic scriptural qualifications for an elder also make it clear that he is characterized as a selfless servant committed to sacrifice and not preoccupied with money and materialism (1 Tim. 3:3; Titus 1:7; cf. 2 Tim. 3:1–2). That is not to say, however, that shepherds should not be properly compensated. Paul taught that those who minister the Word have a right to live by that ministry (1 Cor. 9:7–14). In fact, those elders who serve diligently, with greater commitment and excellence in teaching the Word and leading the sheep, should receive greater acknowledgment and more generous remuneration from their congregations (1 Tim. 5:17–18; cf. 1 Thess. 5:12–13).

Sordid gain actually goes beyond just seeking wealth and speaks to the shameful acquisition of it. True shepherds will never use the ministry to steal the sheep’s money or acquire it dishonestly, like false prophets always do. Such despicable behavior is typical of false shepherds, the charlatans and heretics who masquerade as the servants of God, to make themselves rich and their victims destitute (Isa. 56:11; Jer. 6:13; 8:10; Mic. 3:11). In his second letter, Peter characterizes false teachers in vivid language: “In their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep” (2:3). True shepherds, instead, will eagerly rejoice at the privilege to serve at all personal costs; as Paul told the Corinthians, “I will most gladly spend and be expended for your souls” (2 Cor. 12:15). Ministry for money and personal gain is a prostitution of the calling of the Lord of the church, as is laziness and indifference toward the people entrusted to elders. No true shepherd should need personal wealth to motivate him, but he should serve with eagerness (prothumōs, “willingly, freely, eagerly”) because of the high calling and privilege (cf. 1 Tim. 1:12–17).

Finally, those called to shepherd can be imperiled by the desire to sinfully dominate others. Lording it over (katakurieuō) connotes intensity in domineering over people and circumstances (see Diotrephes as an example in 3 John 9–10). Any kind of autocratic, oppressive, and intimidating leadership, with elements of demagoguery—traits that typically characterize the leadership style and methodology of unregenerate men—is a perversion of the overseer’s office. In Matthew 20:25–28, the Lord Jesus set the standard:

As if to further challenge elders with the weight of their responsibility, Peter adds a strong reminder that those who shepherd do not choose their responsibility, or those for whom they are responsible. Every shepherd has a flock allotted to his charge (klērōn, “that which is given to another’s care”) by the Lord Himself. Christ’s teaching in Matthew 18, the first instruction regarding life in the church, emphasizes how precious His children (believers) are and how they are to be treated.

WHY SHOULD SHEPHERDS SERVE?

And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. (5:4)

Chief Shepherd is one of the most beautiful titles for the Savior in all of Scripture. The shepherd imagery for Messiah first appears in the Old Testament (Zech. 13:7; cf. Ps. 23:1). The gospel of John calls Him the Good Shepherd (10:11; cf. vv. 2, 12, 16, 26–27). The writer of Hebrews calls Christ the Great Shepherd (13:20–21). Earlier in this letter, Peter calls Him the Shepherd and Guardian of souls (2:25).

Appears (phaneroō) means “to make manifest, ” “to make clear, ” or “to reveal.” Here, as in 5:1, the reference is to Christ’s revelation at the Second Coming, at which time shepherds will receive the unfading crown of glory. In the Greco-Roman world of Peter’s day, crowns rather than trophies were the awards for victory at athletic events:

Temporal crowns would eventually rust, fade, or, if made from plants, die quickly. Peter was not looking forward merely to some unfading version of an earthly crown, but metaphorically to eternal glory, which can never fade. The term unfading is from the same cognate as the name of the flower (amaranth) that supposedly never faded or lost its bloom. (See again the brief discussion of this term under 1:4, in chapter 2 of this volume.) Peter’s phrase can be expressed “the unfading crown that is glory.” This is consistent with the use of the genitive case in other mentions of eternal reward. James wrote of the crown that is life (1:12). Paul wrote of the crown that is righteousness (2 Tim. 4:8) and the crown that is rejoicing (1 Thess. 2:19). All those are facets of eternal blessing and all are imperishable.

The reward of eternal glory ought to be all the reason any shepherd needs for desiring to serve faithfully. The theme of future rewards as incentive for Christian service has already been one of Peter’s emphases in this letter (1:4–5, 13; 4:13; cf. 4:7). The full expression of a shepherd’s eternal, glorious crown will be in proportion to his faithful service on earth (cf. 1 Cor. 9:24–27; 2 Cor. 5:10; 2 Tim. 4:6–8; Rev. 2:10).

Shepherding the flock is a serious, sobering responsibility, and elders are accountable to God for their ministry. James was fully aware of that accountability when he wrote the following warning: “Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment” (3:1; cf. Ezek. 3:17–19; 33:7–9; Acts 20:26–27; 2 Tim. 4:1–2; Heb. 13:17). James was not trying to discourage truly qualified and willing shepherds, but reminded the ambitious of God’s high standards for them and of the reward (“judgment”) they will receive before the judgment seat of Christ (cf. 1 Cor. 3:9–15; 4:3–5; 2 Cor. 5:9–11). Christ’s undershepherds face a daunting task, but faithful oversight brings eternal reward in the form of greater service and joy in the Lord’s heaven: “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master’” (Matt. 25:23).