Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Peter 5:4
And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
4. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear ] The word for “chief Shepherd” is not found elsewhere, and would seem therefore to have been coined by St Peter, to express the thought which had been impressed on his mind by his Lord’s words, “I am the good Shepherd” (Joh 10:14). In his own work, as in that of all pastors of the Church, he saw the reproduction of that of which Christ had set the great example. For “shall appear” it would be better to read is manifested.
a crown of glory that fadeth not away ] More accurately, as the Greek has the article, “ the crown of glory.” The four last words answer to the one Greek word, “amaranthine,” or “unfading,” the adjective being a cognate form of that in chap. 1Pe 1:4. The crown here is the wreath or chaplet of flowers worn by conquerors and heroes, as in 1Co 9:25, Jas 1:12, and differs from the “crowns” or diadems of Rev 12:3; Rev 19:12, which were distinctively the badge of sovereignty. It is possible, as the adjective “amaranth” was applied to the kind of flowers which we know as “everlastings,” that there may be an allusive reference to the practice of using those flowers for wreaths that were placed in funerals upon the brows of the dead. The word and the thought reappear in one of Milton’s noblest passages:
“Immortal Amaranth, a flower which once
In Paradise, hard by the tree of life,
Began to bloom, but soon, for man’s offence
To heaven removed, where first it grew, there grows
And flowers aloft, shading the fount of life;
And where the river of bliss through midst of Heaven
Rolls o’er Elysian flowers her amber stream
With these, that never fade, the spirits elect
Bind their resplendent locks, inwreathed with beams.”
Paradise Lost, III. 353 361.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And when the chief Shepherd shall appear – The prince of the pastors – the Lord Jesus Christ. Peter, in the passage above, ranks himself with the elders; here he ranks Christ himself with the pastors – Benson. See the notes at 1Pe 2:25. Compare Heb 13:20.
Ye shall receive a crown of glory – A glorious crown or diadem. Compare the notes at 2Ti 4:8.
That fadeth not away – This is essentially the same word, though somewhat different in form, which occurs in 1Pe 1:4. See the notes at that verse. The word occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. Compare the notes at 1Co 9:25.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 4. When the chief Shepherd] That is, the Lord Jesus Christ, whose is the flock, and who provides the pasture, and from whom, if ye are legally called to the most awful work of preaching the Gospel, ye have received your commission; when he shall appear to judge the world in righteousness, ye who have fed his flock, who have taken the superintendency of it, not by constraint, nor for filthy lucre’s sake, not as lords over the heritage, but with a ready mind, employing body, soul, spirit, time and talents, in endeavouring to pluck sinners as brands from eternal burnings, and build up the Church of Christ on its most holy faith; YE shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away, an eternal nearness and intimacy with the ineffably glorious God; so that ye who have turned many to righteousness shall shine, not merely as stars, but as suns in the kingdom of your Father! O ye heavenly-minded, diligent, self-denying pastors after God’s own heart, whether ye be in the Church established by the state, or in those divisions widely separated from, or nearly connected with it, take courage; preach Jesus; press through all difficulties in the faith of your God; fear no evil while meditating nothing but good. Ye are stars in the right hand of Jesus, who walks among your golden candlesticks, and has lighted that lamp of life which ye are appointed to trim; fear not, your labour in the Lord cannot be in vain! Never, never can ye preach one sermon in the spirit of your office, which the God of all grace shall permit to be unfruitful; ye carry and sow the seed of the kingdom by the command and on the authority of your God; ye sow it, and the heavens shall drop down dew upon it. Ye may go forth weeping, though bearing this precious seed; but ye shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing your sheaves with you. Amen, even so, Lord Jesus!
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
And when the chief Shepherd; the Lord Jesus Christ, the only Prince of pastors, called the great Shepherd of the sheep, Heb 13:20, as here the chief Shepherd, not only for his supereminent dignity over all other pastors, but because of the power he hath over them, they being all subject to his authority, receiving their charge from him, and exercising their office in his name, and being accountable to him for their administrations.
Shall appear: see 1Pe 1:7,13; 4:13.
Ye shall receive; or, carry away, viz. from Christ, who, as the Judge, shall award it to you.
A crown of glory; either, a glorious crown; or, that glory which shall be as a crown to you. It is called a crown of righteousness, 2Ti 4:8; a crown of life, Jam 1:12.
That fadeth not away; in opposition to those crowns which were given to conquerors in war, and in public games, which were made of perishable flowers or herbs: see 1Pe 1:4; 1Co 9:25.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
4. And“And so”: asthe result of “being ensamples” (1Pe5:3).
chief Shepherdthetitle peculiarly Christ’s own, not Peter’s or the pope’s.
when . . . shallappearGreek, “be manifested” (Col3:4). Faith serves the Lord while still unseen.
crownGreek,“stephanos,” a garland of victory, the prizein the Grecian games, woven of ivy, parsley, myrtle, olive, or oak.Our crown is distinguished from theirs in that it is”incorruptible” and “fadeth not away,” as theleaves of theirs soon did. “The crown of life.” Nota kingly “crown” (a different Greek word,diadema): the prerogative of the Lord Jesus (Re19:12).
gloryGreek,“the glory,” namely, to be then revealed(1Pe 5:1; 1Pe 4:13).
that fadeth not awayGreek,“amaranthine” (compare 1Pe1:4).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And when the chief Shepherd shall appear,…. This is the encouraging motive and argument to engage the elders and pastors of churches to discharge their office faithfully, cheerfully, and in an humble manner: by “the chief Shepherd” is meant Christ, who may well be called so, since he is God’s fellow, and in all respects equal with him, and is the Shepherd and Bishop of the souls of men; all other bishops, pastors, and elders, are under him; they receive their commissions from him to feed his lambs and sheep; are made pastors and overseers by him; and have their gifts, qualifying them for such offices, from him; and have their several flocks assigned unto them by him; and from him have they all the food with which they feed them, and are accountable to him for them, and the discharge of their office; so that Christ is the chief Shepherd, in the dignity of his person, he being God over all, blessed for ever; in his qualifications for his office, having all power, grace, and wisdom in him, to protect his flock, supply their wants, guide and direct them; and in the nature and number of his flock, being rational creatures, the souls of men, even elect men; and though they are, when compared with others, but a little flock, yet, considered by themselves, are a great number; and especially the general assembly will be, in comparison of the little bodies and societies of saints under pastors and teachers, of Christ’s setting over them, with respect to whom, principally, he is called the chief Shepherd: the allusion is to the principal shepherd, whose own the sheep were, or, however, had the principal charge of them; who used to have others under him, to do the several things relating to the flocks he directed, and were called “little shepherds”; so Aben Ezra says s, it was customary for the shepherd to have under him
, “little shepherds”: the same perhaps with the hirelings, whose own the sheep are not, Joh 10:12 who are retained, or removed, according to their behaviour; these, in the Talmudic language, are called t, or ; though, according to Guido u, the word, pronounced in the latter way, signifies a “chief shepherd”, who takes care of men, and has other shepherds, servants under him; and such an one used to be called , “the great”, or “chief shepherd”; so Maimonides w says, it was the custom of shepherds to have servants under them, to whom they committed the flocks to keep; so that when , “the chief shepherd”, delivered to other shepherds what was under his care, these came in his room; and if there was any loss, the second shepherd, who was under the “chief shepherd”, was obliged to make good the loss, and not the first shepherd, who was the chief shepherd; and to the same purpose says another of their commentators x; it is the custom of , “the chief shepherd”, to deliver (the flock) to the little shepherd that is under him; wherefore the shepherd that is under him is obliged to make good any loss: now, such a shepherd is Christ; he has others under him, whom he employs in feeding his sheep, and who are accountable to him, and must give up their account when he appears: at present he is out of the bodily sight of men, being received up to heaven, where he will be retained till the time of the restitution of all things; and then he will appear a second time in great glory, in his own, and in his Father’s, and in the glory of his holy angels: and when he thus appears,
ye shall receive a crown of glory which fadeth not away; in distinction from those crowns which were given to the conqueror, in the Olympic games; which were made of divers flowers, of the olive, wild olive, pine tree, and of parsley, and inserted in a branch of the wild olive tree y and which quickly faded away; or in allusion to crowns made of amaranthus z, the plant “everlasting”, so called, from the nature of it, because it never fades: the eternal glory and happiness, which is here meant by a crown of glory, or a glorious crown, never fades away, but ever shines in its full lustre; and this faithful ministers shall receive at the hands of the chief Shepherd, as a gift of his, as a reward of grace; when they have finished their work, they will enter into the joy of their Lord, and shine as the stars for ever and ever; they shall reign with Christ, as kings, on a throne of glory, wearing a crown of glory, and enjoying a kingdom and glory to all eternity.
s Comment. in Zech. xi. 8. t T. Bab. Bava Kama, fol. 56. 2. u Dictionar. Syr. Chald. p. 102. w In Misn. Bava Kama, c. 6. sect. 2. x Bartenora in Misn. Bava Kama, c. 6. sect. 2. y Vide Paschalium de Coronis, l. 6. c. 1. p. 339. c. 16. p. 391. c. 18. p. 399. c. 19. p. 413. z Ib. l. 3. c. 11. p. 178.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
When the chief Shepherd shall be manifested ( ). Genitive absolute with first aorist passive participle of , to manifest, and genitive of , a compound (, ) after analogy of , here only in N.T., but in Testam. of Twelve Patrs. (Jud. 8) and on a piece of wood around an Egyptian mummy and also on a papyrus A.D. 338 (Deissmann, Light, etc., p. 100). See Heb 13:20 for (the Shepherd the great).
Ye shall receive (). Future of (1:9, which see).
The crown of glory that fadeth not away ( ). For “crown” () see Jas 1:12; 1Cor 9:25; 2Tim 4:8; Rev 2:10; Rev 3:10; Rev 4:4. In the Gospels it is used only of the crown of thorns, but Jesus is crowned with glory and honor (Heb 2:9). In all these passages it is the crown of victory as it is here. See 1:4 for , unfading. is made from that word as the name of a flower (so called because it never withers and revives if moistened with water and so used as a symbol of immortality), “composed of amaranth” or “amarantine,” “the amarantine (unfading) crown of glory.”
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
The chief Shepherd [] . Only here in New Testament. In harmony with ver. 2. “The last thing Peter could have dreamed of as possible would be its misapplication to himself or his so – called successors” (Cook). Compare Heb 13:20, great Shepherd; and Joh 10:11, 14, good Shepherd. Also, Eze 34:15, 16, 23.
Ye shall receive. See on receiving, 1Pe 1:9.
Crown [] . From stefw, to put round, encircle. It is the crown of victory in the games; of military valor; the marriage wreath, or the festal garland, woven of leaves or made of gold in imitation of leaves. Thus it is distinguished from the royal crown, which is diadhma, of which diadem is a transcript. In Paul, stefanov is always used of the conqueror’s crown, not of the king’s (1Co 9:24 – 26; 2Ti 2:5). Though it is urged that Peter would not have employed a reference to the crown of the victors in the games, because of the abhorrence of the Palestinian Jews for heathen spectacles, yet the reference to the crown of leaves seems to be determined by the epithet unfading, as compared with garlands of earthly leaves. The crown of thorns woven for Jesus is called stefanov, with reference rather to its being twined than to its being a caricature of a kingly crown.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And when the chief Shepherd shall appear” or shall be manifest the chief Shepherd — Jesus at His second coming, Isa 40:11.
a) Joh 10:11 the good Shepherd gives his life for His sheep.
b) Heb 13:20 the great Shepherd was brought forth to make intercession.
2) “Ye shall receive a crown of glory”, and 1Pe 5:3 the chief Shepherd shall see that His faithful shepherds receive the reward of a crown of glory.
3) “That fadeth not away.” (Greek amarantinon) an unfading, untarnishing (Greek stepanon) crown. This seems to be especially promised to faithful elders, mature men of the church, ordained to serve the Lord as either deacons or ministers. See also Dan 12:3; 2Jn 1:8.
GOD DOESN’T GIVE HALF CROWNS
A minister in England was preaching to a crowd of people in a street meeting. A rough man, driving past, shouted, “Well, governor, you’ll be getting a half crown for that job.” Instantly, the minister replied, “No, my man, you are wrong. The Lord Jesus Christ, my Master, never gives half crowns. He gives whole crowns to those who serve Him.”
–Gospel Herald
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
4 When the chief Shepherd shall appear Except pastors retain this end in view, it can by no means be that they will in good earnest proceed in the course of their calling, but will, on the contrary, become often faint; for there are innumerable hindrances which are sufficient to discourage the most prudent. They have often to do with ungrateful men, from whom they receive an unworthy reward; long and great labors are often in vain; Satan sometimes prevails in his wicked devices. Lest, then, the faithful servant of Christ should be broken down, there is for him one and only one remedy, — to turn his eyes to the coming of Christ. Thus it will be, that he, who seems to derive no encouragement from men, will assiduously go on in his labors, knowing that a great reward is prepared for him by the Lord. And further, lest a protracted expectation should produce languor, he at the same time sets forth the greatness of the reward, which is sufficient to compensate for all delay: An unfading crown of glory, he says, awaits you.
It ought also to be observed, that he calls Christ the chief Pastor; for we are to rule the Church under him and in his name, in no other way but that he should be still really the Pastor. So the word chief here does not only mean the principal, but him whose power all others ought to submit to, as they do not represent him except according to his command and authority.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(4) And when the chief Shepherd shall appear.Or, And at the chief Shepherds appearing. The and treats it as a simple natural consequence of acting as just indicated. The beautiful word for chief Shepherd seems to have been invented by St. Peter, and it has been apparently imitated in Heb. 13:20. How could an office be more honoured than by speaking of Christ as the chief bearer of that office?
A crown of glory that fadeth not away.It might perhaps be more closely, though less beautifully, represented by the glorious crown of amaranth, or the amaranthine crown of glory. Amaranth is the name of a flower which, like our immortelles, does not lose its colour or form. St. Peter immediately adds of glory, lest we should think too literally of the wreath of immortelles.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
4. The chief Shepherd ”Our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep,” (Heb 13:20,) whose is the flock, and to whom all pastors must give account.
A crown Rather, the crown; the amaranthine crown of glory, a crown as if made of glory, and, like the amaranth, or everlasting flower, unfading. Such bliss will the faithful pastor receive when Christ shall appear at his second advent.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And when the chief Shepherd shall be revealed (in all His glory), you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade not away.’
And their reward for being faithful under-shepherds will be that when the Chief Shepherd is revealed in His glory they will receive an unfading crown of glory. An unfading inheritance was promised for all in 1Pe 1:4. This is therefore referring to a part of that inheritance. It is in stark contrast to the fading crown of pride of Ephraim (Isa 28:1-4), and the crown of glory which will be taken away from the unworthy (Jer 13:18). This is not a crown which brings glory to the wearer. It is a crown that brings glory to the One Who bestowed it (Isa 28:5). Note again Peter’s emphasis on glory. What he had seen of Jesus on the mount of Transfiguration was something that he never forgot (Mar 9:1-8).
‘The Chief Shepherd.’ Compare ‘that great Shepherd of the sheep’ (Heb 13:20); ‘the good and reliable Shepherd’ (Joh 10:11). The point is that He is totally reliable, and totally able.
‘Shall be revealed.’ Just as He was once ‘revealed’ on the Mount of Transfiguration, so will He be revealed in the future. That His ‘revealing in glory’ is in mind comes out in the description of the crown that He will bestow. It is a crown of glory. We should note again that this crown is not one that brings glory to the individual, but is a crown that signifies one who shares in His glory (Isa 28:5). All the glory is to Him, and from Him. John puts it another way, ‘We will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is’ (1Jn 3:2).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
1Pe 5:4. A crown of glory that fadeth not away. See ch. 1Pe 1:4. The ancients used to wear beautiful crowns, or crowns of glory, in times of festivity and joy; and the Greeks used to bestow crowns, made of the leaves of parsley or olive, laurel or bay, upon such as conquered in their games. The glory of such crowns was short-lived, and they soon withered away; the crowns of glory which Christ will bestow upon the faithful shall be incorruptible. But St. Peter is here thought to allude more particularly to the crowns made of the flowers of the amaranth, which Pliny says had that name, because it withered not away. Galen is very particular in describing it; and observes, that when it was cropped, it was preserved, and, when all the flowers failed, it being watered revived again; and, he says, they used to gather it, and dry it in a gentle heat in a furnace; and then kept it, to make crowns of it in the winter; and that it did not lose its colour or its beauty.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
1Pe 5:4 . Assurance of the future reward for the faithful fulfilment of the exhortation just given.
] simply connects the result with the exhortation (cf. Winer, p. 406 [E. T. 542]), and is not to be taken for .
] With . cf. Col 3:4 ; 1Jn 2:28 ; Christ is here termed ( . ., chap. 1Pe 2:25 : ; Heb 13:20 : ) as He “to whom the elders, with the flock they tend, are subject” (Hofmann).
(cf. chap. 1Pe 1:9 ) ] The greater number of commentators consider as equal to in chap. 1Pe 1:4 ; but the direct derivation of the word from is hardly to be justified. It comes rather from the substantive , and therefore means, as Beza explains: ex amaranto videlicet, cujus floris (inquit Plinius) summa natura in nomine est, sic appellato quoniam non marcescit. Accordingly the figure present to the mind of the apostle was an amaranthine wreath; thus also Schott. [271] It is at least uncertain whether here (as frequently in the writings of Paul) is thought of as a wreath of victory (thus the greater number of commentators), since among the Jews, also, wreaths of flowers and leaves were in use as tokens of honour and rejoicing (cf. Winer’s bibl. Realwrterbuch, s.v. Krnze).
is the genitive of apposition; cf. 2Ti 4:8 ; Jas 1:12 ; Rev 2:10 : the is the unfading crown which they shall obtain.
[271] Perhaps, however, Hofmann may be right when he supposes that stands in the same relation to as to and to , and that accordingly the word should be written .
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
Ver. 4. Ye shall receive a crown ] A crown imports perpetuity, plenty, dignity, the height of human ambition. Quarta perennis erit It will be the fourth part of eternity, was Sir Thomas Bodly’s posy. Manet ultima caelo It remains by the greatest heaven, was Henry III’s of France, who was first crowned king of Poland. See Trapp on “ Jam 1:12 “
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
4 .] and (then) ( of the result of something previously treated, as Mat 26:55 ; Joh 10:16 al. fr.: see Winer, 53. 3) when the chief Shepherd (see ch. 1Pe 2:25 ; Heb 13:20 ; and compare Eze 34:15-16 ; Eze 34:23 ; Mat 25:32 ) is manifested (used by St. Peter, as , in a double reference, to Christ’s first coming, and His second also: cf. ch. 1Pe 1:20 ; so also by St. Paul, Col 3:4 ; 1Ti 3:16 ; by St. John, 1Jn 2:28 ; 1Jn 3:2 ; 1Jn 3:5 ; 1Jn 3:8 . Here, clearly of the second coming. It would not be clear, from this passage alone, whether St. Peter regarded the coming of the Lord as likely to occur in the life of these his readers, or not: but as interpreted by the analogy of his other expressions on the same subject, it would appear that he did), ye shall receive (reff.) the amarantine ( is adj. from , the everlasting, or unfading, flower. Most Commentators have assumed without reason that it = , ch. 1Pe 1:4 , unfading. Philostr. in Heroicis, p. 741, cited in Wolf, has : see also Palm and Rost, sub voce. In the sense, there will be no difference: but the Apostle would hardly have used two derivatives of the same word, to express one and the same quality) crown (reff.) of His glory (or, of glory: but I prefer the other. That we shall share His glory, is a point constantly insisted on by St. Peter: cf. 1Pe 5:1 , ch. 1Pe 4:13 , 1Pe 1:7 ; and above all, 1Pe 5:10 below. This idea reaches its highest in St. John, with whom the inner unity of the divine life with the life of Christ is all in all. Cf. especially 1Jn 3:2 f.).
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
1Pe 5:4 . , at the manifestation of the chief Shepherd, i.e. , Christ, is the equivalent of of Heb 13:20 , being formed on them analogy of = ; else it occurs only as Symmachus’ rendering of (LXX, ) in 2Ki 3:4 and in a papyrus. Cf. appeal to Jehovah, of Psa 80:1 = the crown of life which He promised (Jas 1:12 ). The metaphor is probably derived from the wreath of fading flowers presented to the victor in the games ( cf. ); but it may also be due to the conception of the future age as a banquet, at which the guests were crowned with garlands (Sap. 1Pe 2:8 , ). See on 1Pe 1:4 .
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
chief Shepherd. Greek. archipoimen. Only here. See Joh 10:11.
appear. App-106.
receive. See 1Pe 1:9.
a = the.
crown. Greek. Stephanos. The victor’s crown. Compare Rev 12:3 (diadema).
that fadeth not away. Greek. amarantinos. Only here. Compare 1Pe 1:4. 1Co 9:25.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
4.] and (then) ( of the result of something previously treated, as Mat 26:55; Joh 10:16 al. fr.: see Winer, 53. 3) when the chief Shepherd (see ch. 1Pe 2:25; Heb 13:20; and compare Eze 34:15-16; Eze 34:23; Mat 25:32) is manifested (used by St. Peter, as , in a double reference, to Christs first coming, and His second also: cf. ch. 1Pe 1:20; so also by St. Paul, Col 3:4; 1Ti 3:16; by St. John, 1Jn 2:28; 1Jn 3:2; 1Jn 3:5; 1Jn 3:8. Here, clearly of the second coming. It would not be clear, from this passage alone, whether St. Peter regarded the coming of the Lord as likely to occur in the life of these his readers, or not: but as interpreted by the analogy of his other expressions on the same subject, it would appear that he did), ye shall receive (reff.) the amarantine ( is adj. from , the everlasting, or unfading, flower. Most Commentators have assumed without reason that it = , ch. 1Pe 1:4, unfading. Philostr. in Heroicis, p. 741, cited in Wolf, has : see also Palm and Rost, sub voce. In the sense, there will be no difference: but the Apostle would hardly have used two derivatives of the same word, to express one and the same quality) crown (reff.) of His glory (or, of glory: but I prefer the other. That we shall share His glory, is a point constantly insisted on by St. Peter: cf. 1Pe 5:1, ch. 1Pe 4:13, 1Pe 1:7; and above all, 1Pe 5:10 below. This idea reaches its highest in St. John, with whom the inner unity of the divine life with the life of Christ is all in all. Cf. especially 1Jn 3:2 f.).
Fuente: The Greek Testament
1Pe 5:4. , is manifested) It is the part of faith to serve the Lord, though yet unseen.-) the Chief Shepherd. has the acute accent on the penultimate, as , .
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
the: 1Pe 5:2, 1Pe 2:25, Psa 23:1, Isa 40:11, Eze 34:23, Eze 37:24, Zec 13:7, Joh 10:11, Heb 13:20
appear: Mat 25:31-46, Col 3:3, Col 3:4, 2Th 1:7-10, 1Jo 3:2, Rev 1:7, Rev 20:11, Rev 20:12
a crown: 1Pe 1:4, Dan 12:3, 1Co 9:25, 2Ti 4:8, Jam 1:12, Rev 2:10, Rev 3:11
Reciprocal: Psa 80:1 – O Shepherd Psa 91:15 – honour Psa 103:4 – crowneth Pro 4:9 – a crown Pro 14:18 – the prudent Ecc 12:11 – given Isa 28:5 – shall the Eze 48:11 – charge Mat 5:19 – great Mat 6:20 – General Mat 24:47 – That Luk 9:48 – he that Luk 19:17 – Well Luk 22:29 – General Joh 10:2 – the shepherd Joh 10:16 – one shepherd Rom 2:10 – glory 1Co 1:7 – coming 1Co 3:8 – and every 1Co 3:14 – General 1Co 4:5 – praise 1Th 2:19 – crown 2Ti 2:5 – is he 2Ti 4:1 – at Jam 1:11 – so 1Pe 1:8 – full 1Pe 5:1 – a partaker 1Jo 2:28 – when
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
A MESSAGE FOR WORKERS
And when the Chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
1Pe 5:4
When the Chief Shepherd shall appear. As I hear that message it tells me three things.
I. There is a Chief Shepherd.As we think of our great cities and of the millions of souls living in them, some of them so sad, so lonely, so tempted, it should be everything to us to know that there is a Chief Shepherd Who knows and cares for every one of them; that even those whom we cannot reach ourselves, He knows and tries to protect and care for. When, again, we think of the 800,000,000 of heathen and 180,000,000 of Mohammedans, it is everything to know that this world is not left to itself. There is a Chief Shepherd, and the claim which He makes is ringing unto the ends of the earth. All souls are Mine, saith the Lord of Hosts, all souls are Mine.
II. The Chief Shepherd is near.When you read your New Testament in the Revised Version you will find that all those passages which speak of His appearing are translated when He is manifested, and the old idea, founded, I suppose, on the parable of the man who went into a far country, that Jesus is a long way off somewhere is shown by those passages to be entirely erroneous. He is in the midst of us. There is one standing in our midst Whom we see not but Who is close by, and the word manifested means that at the Second Advent the veil will be taken from our eyes at a flash and we shall see Him Who is in the midst of us all the time. It is as if we came into this Church blindfolded, and suddenly, in a flash, the bandage is taken from our eyes and we see the Chief Shepherd Who was there all the time. The Chief Shepherd is not only alive, but near.
III. We shall see the Chief Shepherd.The one certain thing about our lives, be they long or short, be they sad or merry, is that we shall see the Chief Shepherd. Our eyes shall see Him. The one certain truth is that the Chief Shepherd will see us and that we shall see Him, and the only question that will matter in life will be not What do I think of Jesus Christ, but What does He think of me?
IV. A message for workers.I need hardly point out what a message that is for all who are working for God. If we forget that our sole task in life is to gather in the thousands of souls, not only here but throughout the whole world, we shall incur the displeasure of the Chief Shepherd, because we only live to gather in souls for whom He died and whom He loves. All souls are Mine, saith the Lord of Hosts. Then every day, every night, with every power we have, before He comes again and before we see Him, let us seek to gather that great flock in all parts of the world. What does He say about you? He says two things.
(a) Can the Chief Shepherd rely upon you? He says, Upon this rock I will build My Church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. He is building on you. The one hope of having a really missionary, loyal-hearted, honourable, God-fearing Church is on the laity who believe, and I want to ask you whether you are failing the Chief Shepherd in that place where He has placed you? In that warehouse or office, are you a man He can depend upon, a man of God, the one who witnesses, who is perfectly certain to be firm and will not have bad language used in the presence of boys or in his own presence, who stands up for truth and honesty in all dealings. Remember that Jesus Christ, the Chief Shepherd, Whom you have to see one day, and Who sees you now, looks to you as a rock man.
(b) Are you gathering? Then again, He that is not with Me is against Me, and he that gathereth not with Me scattereth. If that does not mean that a man is not a Christian who takes no part in missionary work, I do not know what it means. Whom have you gathered? I ask myself the same question. Whom have I gathered? What a useless clergyman I am if I have gathered no one, what a useless layman you are if you have not gathered any one?
Bishop A. F. Winnington-Ingram.
Illustration
What are the facts? There are 800,000,000 of heathen still who do not believe in Jesus Christ, and 180,000,000 of Mohammedans, and the Church exists to convert the world. There are secondary objects in the Church, but the first object is to convert the world, and in the light of that first fact I ask you what are you going to do about it. The Holy Spirit is only promised to a missionary Church. Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. The secret of the deadness of the Church at home in some parishes is due to the dying of the missionary spirit. The promise of the presence of Jesus Christ is to a missionary parish and missionary circle. A wonderful blessing is vouchsafed to the missions of the Church when they are carried on in the right spirit. The only thing that can stop that is the want of faithful Christians. Jesus could do no mighty work in a certain place because of their unbelief, and it is an awful thought that we may be stopping Christs missionary work throughout the world by our want of zeal. Jesus Christ said of the world, All souls are Mine. He says of you, He that is not with Me is against Me; and he that gathereth not with Me scattereth. When the Chief Shepherd shall appear, we shall find what He expected us to do. You dare not meet Him empty-handed. If in the spirit of pastoral work and pastoral service you live your life, when the Chief Shepherd shall appear you shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
1Pe 5:4. The writer continues the subject of a shepherd and his flock. Chief Shepherd is Christ who calls himself the “good shepherd” in Joh 10:11. When He is included in the parable it represents the elders of congregations as shepherds who are acting on behalf of the Chief who owns all of the groups of sheep where-ever they may he in the world. If these under shepherds perform their work faithfully they will be rewarded when the chief Shepherd appears. Fadeth not away. The phrase is used in contrast with the crowns bestowed by men; being composed of material substances they soon fade and lose their glory or beauty.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
1Pe 5:4. And when the Chief Shepherd is manifested. The title Chief Shepherd is nowhere else given to Christ. It is appropriate here, where the duties and rewards of those are dealt with who are called to act the Shepherds part of tending Christs flock for Him on earth. In chap. 1Pe 2:25 He is called simply the Shepherd; in Heb 12:20 He is that great Shepherd; in Joh 10:11, etc., He names Himself the good Shepherd. The word manifested is the same as in chap. 1Pe 1:20, as also in Joh 1:31; Col 3:4; 1Jn 2:28; 1Jn 3:2, etc.ye shall receive; on this see on chap. 1Pe 1:9.the amaranthine crown of glory. In this passage, as also in Rev 2:10, the A. V. overlooks the article, and gives a crown. Peter speaks of the crownthe one well known to Christian hope. He calls it the crown of glory, meaning by that not merely that it is a glorious one, but that it consists of glory. Glory itself, and nothing less than that, will crown the heads of the elders as their reward for the meek discharge of their vocation. Isaiah speaks of a crown of beauty (Isa 52:3); Paul of a crown of righteousness (2Ti 4:8); James (1Pe 1:12) and John (Rev 2:10) of the crown of life. It is doubtful whether the figure is drawn here from the wreath with which the victors in the Greek games were crowned, from the diadem set on the heads of kings, or from the wreath which the Jews themselves made use of on festal occasions. It is less likely in the case of Peter than in that of Paul, that the imagery should be taken from the heathen spectacles. For these were abhorrent to the Palestinian Jews. The word chosen for crown, though different from the ordinary term for a diadem, appears to have that sense occasionally (e.g. Rev 4:10), and it is possible, therefore, that here, as also perhaps in Rev 2:10, the idea is that of kingship. But it is most probable on the whole that Peters term is borrowed from familiar Jewish practice, and that the figure of the crown points more generally to the honour and joy into which Christs faithful stewards shall enter when He returns. The crown is further described by an adjective which differs but slightly from the one already applied to the inheritance in chap. 1Pe 1:4. It may be translated, therefore, simply unwithering. It seems, however, rather to be formed immediately from the noun which denotes the flower known as the amaranth. We should translate it, therefore, amaranthine, the figure being that of a wreath constructed of immortelles, which change neither in contour nor in colour. So Milton speaks of the blissful bowers of amarantine shade whence the sons of light hasten (P. L. Book 11). Compare also the description in the third book of Paradise Lost:
And to the ground
With solemn adoration down they cast
Their crowns inwove with amarant and gold;
Immortal amarant, a flower which once
In Paradise, fast by the tree of life,
Began to bloom.
And Cowpers,
The only amaranthine flower on earth
Is virtue; th only lasting treasure, truth.
Task, B iii.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
As if our apostle nad said, “It is possible you may miss of your reward here from the hands of men; but when Christ, the great and good Shepherd, shall appear, when the owner, ruler, and lover of his church shall come to judgment, you shall have from him your full reward, a never-fading, ever-flourishing crown of glory, for faithfully discharging your duty to God and his people.”
Learn hence, 1. That Jesus Christ, the chief Shepherd, will at length appear.
2. That when he doth appear, he will call the under shepherds to account, how they have discharged every part of their ministerial office, as well private inspection, as public preaching.
3. That to all such, and to only such, as have been faithful to the interest of Christ and souls, shall the reward be assigned, even a crown of glory that fadeth not away: When the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory, &c.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
5:4 {7} And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
(7) That the shepherds’ minds are not overcome either with the wickedness of men, or their cruelty, he warns them to continually look at the chief shepherd, and the crown which is laid up for them in heaven.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Elders are shepherds who serve under the Chief Shepherd, Jesus Christ (Joh 21:15-17). Peter wanted the Chief Shepherd to find his fellow elders faithful when He returns at the Rapture. Then they would have to give an account of their stewardship at His judgment seat (cf. Heb 13:17).
"To prevent the faithful servant of Christ from being cast down, there is this one and only remedy, to turn his eyes to the coming of Christ." [Note: John Calvin, "The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews and the First and Second Epistles of St Peter," Calvin’s Commentaries, p. 317.]
The crown (Gr. stephanos, garland) of glory that does not fade probably refers to glory as a crown that will come to every faithful Christian when Christ returns. It is probably not a material but a metaphorical crown (as is the crown of righteousness in 2Ti 4:8, the crown of life in Jas 1:12 and Rev 2:10, and the crown of joy in Php 4:1 and 1Th 2:19-20). [Note: Michaels, p. 287. See Joe L. Wall, Going for the Gold, pp. 125-71, for a practical discussion of these crowns.] The reason for this conclusion is that the biblical writers described the crowns in figurative language (glory, righteousness, etc.), not in literal language (gold, silver, etc.; cf. Heb 2:9). Elders who are faithful now will receive glory that will not fade when Jesus Christ returns. [Note: For a further helpful study of elders, see Alexander Strauch, Biblical Eldership, pp. 295-308.]
|
Believers’ Crowns |
|
Title |
Reason |
Reference |
|
An Imperishable Crown |
For leading a disciplined life |
1Co 9:25 |
|
A Crown of Rejoicing |
For evangelism and discipleship |
1Th 2:19 |
|
A Crown of Righteousness |
For loving the Lord’s appearing |
2Ti 4:8 |
|
A Crown of Life |
For enduring trials |
Jas 1:12; |
|
A Crown of Glory |
For shepherding God’s flock faithfully |
1Pe 5:4 |