A Shepherd To Follow Series

• The shepherd’s primary task is to edify and strengthen the saints 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. He is to feed the sheep. There is a dual responsibility: The shepherd is to feed the flock, the responsibility of the flock is to consume the provision and thereby be strengthened. But, this will not put the most bodies in the pews. God warned of the tendency, as seen by the Old Covenant false teaches before, of telling people what they want to hear, what makes them most comfortable and feel good about themselves. 2 Timothy 4:3-4 [3] For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, [4]and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. (ESV).

Back in 1 Peter 5:1, Peter reminded his hearers that he was a witness of the sufferings of Christ. Witness (martus) has a twofold meaning: one who personally saw and experienced something, and one who testified to what he saw. This testifying for Christ might require the ultimate sacrifice. Because the Greek term for this witness is martus and so many who gave testimony to their experiences with Christ were and are still 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). We are thus commissioned to proclaim the suffering, death and resurrection of Christ which is the heart of the gospel message (cf. Luke 24:45–48; Acts 22:15), 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). “A witness of the sufferings of Christ” bluntly recalled, for Peter and anyone else who remembers him, the most painful event of his life. That very night, immediately after his denial of Christ, Peter came eyeball-to-eyeball with Christ’s initial sufferings. “Peter replied, ‘Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!’ Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter” (Luke 22:60–61). Peter was a witness … a witness who stood forgiven, who stood restored, who basked in the warmth of God’s grace (Walls, D., & Anders, M. (1999). I & II Peter, I, II & III John, Jude (Vol. 11, p. 88). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)

Peter’s mention of future glory motivates by anticipation. As one who was a partaker in/also of the glory that is going to be revealed, Peter could offer the other elders the genuine hope of an eternal reward for their faithful service. The glory that is going 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) when He comes in full expression of His glory to destroy the ungodly, reward His own, and finalize His kingdom forever. This revelation is not a single event, but a continuous act. The unfolding of divine glory in an unbroken process. Peter was a spiritual leader, a pastor, who had sinned, repented, and been restored. He was a sinner who would share with Christ in glory (Wayne Grudem, 1 Peter, Tyndale New Testament Commentary [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1989], p. 187.)