Biblical Eldership Church Leadership

Peter ’s Instruction to the Asian Elders

By identifying himself as a “fellow elder,” Peter establishes a special bond of affection with the church elders. He creates a sense of colleagueship and mutual regard. By placing himself on the same level with them, he secures their attention. Calling himself a “fellow elder” is more than a convenient metaphor, however. At one time Peter was a local church elder. He served with eleven other men during turbulent times in the church in Jerusalem. Even though the twelve apostles weren’t called elders, they were the infant community’s acting elders. At the time he wrote 1 Peter, Peter was an active shepherd caring for many churches. Hence, Peter has every right to call himself a “fellow elder.” As a fellow elder, Peter fully sympathizes with the problems and dangers the Asian elders face. He is not an armchair pastor or a heady author dispensing theoretical advice; he is a well-seasoned, veteran shepherd elder. Like his fellow elders, he serves daily on the front lines of battle. He knows how difficult the work is and is well-acquainted with the many pitfalls, abuses, and temptations of leadership. He, too, feels the daily pressures and strains of pastoral responsibility. His in struction wells up from a deep spring of life experiences gained by shepherding God’s people for more than thirty years. Peter next states that he shares with his fellow elders both in suffer ing and in future glory. The “sufferings of Christ” to which Peter testi fies are the sufferings common to all believers as a result of confessing Christ and living in a Christlike manner in an unjust, sinful world (1 Peter 2212,19-21; 421,4,14,16). In the words of New Testament com mentator J. Ramsey Michaels: “Christians share in Christ’s sufferings neither sacramentally in baptism nor in mystical union with him, but simply by following the example of his behavior when facing similar circumstances.”' The future glory that Peter shares with the Asian e1 ders is the joyous anticipation of the glory that will be revealed when Christ returns. In the same way they have shared in Christ’s sufferings, so, too, they will share in the glory to come. In light of these shared experiences, Peter is eminently qualified to speak to the Asian elders.

BE SHEPHERDS TO GOD’S FLOCK

After tactfully winning the elders’ confidence, Peter appeals to them to do their duty: “Therefore, I exhort the elders among you. . .shepherd the flock of God.” Peter’s exhortation demands urgent attention. He

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