not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.not as lording it over those entrusted to you, but making yourselves examples to the flock.Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.neither as lording it over the charge allotted to you, but making yourselves ensamples to the flock.
3 sermons cite this verse
I can't read this without my mind going back to John 21. The author of these words is the same guy that Jesus there by a charcoal fire early on that Galilean morning says, Peter, do you love me? Feed my sheep. feed my sheep. And now it's near the end of his life and as a much older, wiser man, he who has faithfully fed the sheep of God is now encouraging younger elders to do the same thing. Feed the Lord's sheep. You know, Peter identifies himself here as a fellow elder. And it's the only time that word appears in all the New Testament. He's not just an elder, a fellow elder. He wants them to see he's one of them. But he appeals to them on the basis of two credentials. that he's a witness of Christ's sufferings and a partaker of the glory that is about to be revealed. I'm intrigued by the connection of these two things, suffering and glory. This has been something of a theme in 1 Peter all the way back in chapter 1 and verse 11. …
The temptation, I think, in coming to the end of a book like this, and it's probably a temptation coming to the end of many of these New Testament letters, is to think that when we come to the end, what we have here is just a nice little disjointed lesson, rather than seeing this chapter as being connected with everything that has come before it. we're apt to think that what Peter is communicating is well dear saints before I wrap things up and let you go I did want to change gears a little bit and just give you a few words about eldership and everyone if they're having the letter read to them oh really Peter we're almost done and we have a lesson on eldership before you finish your letter. But we would be wrong to think that Peter is simply tacking on here a lesson about eldership because who doesn't want polity whenever you can get it? No, what he's telling us is very much connected to everything that you have been hearing and studying over the summer. …
Beside the obligation that rests upon us to follow the good example of all, and beside the eminence of his example, there are some special reasons why we are under greater obligations to be influenced by the good example of this great apostle, than by the very same example in others. This appears if we consider, 1. In general, that those whom God has especially appointed to be teachers in the Christian church, he has also set to be examples in his church. It is part of the charge that belongs to teachers, to be examples to others. It is one thing that belongs to their work and office. So this is part of the charge that the apostle gives to Timothy, “Be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” The same charge is given to Titus, “In all things showing thyself a pattern of good works. ” And this is part of the charge the apostle Peter gives to the elders and teachers of the Christian church, “The elders which are among you, I exhort; feed the flock of God. Neither being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. ” Thus Christ, the chief Shepherd of the sheep, whom God ordained to be the greatest teacher, he also ordained to be the greatest example to his church. And so those shepherds and teachers that are under him, according as they are appointed to be teachers, are also to be examples. They are to be guides of the flock in two ways, viz. by teaching and by example, as shepherds lead their flocks in two ways; partly by their voice by calling them, and partly by going before them, and by leading the way. And indeed guiding by word and guiding by example, are but two different ways of teaching; and therefore both alike belong to the office of teachers in the Christian church. But if this be so, if God has especially set those to be examples in the Christian church whom he has made its teachers, then it will follow, that wherever they have left us good examples, those examples are especially to be regarded. For God has doubtless made the duty of teachers towards the church, and the duty of the church towards her teachers, to answer one another. And therefore the charge is mutual. The charge is not only to teachers to set good examples, but the charge is to the church to regard and follow their good examples: Heb. xiii. 7. “Remember them which have the rule over you, which have spoken unto you the word of God, whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.” It is with respect to the good examples of the teachers of the Christian church, as it is with their words, their instructions and exhortations. We ought to hear good instructions and good counsels of any one, let him be whom he may. But yet we are under special obligations to hearken to the good instructions and examples of those whom God has made our teachers; for that is the very office to which God has appointed them to teach and to counsel us. …