Lawrence DeMetrius

Lyrics

Letter of Apostle Peter – I Peter
An Intimate Review
Pt 12
By Lawrence DeMetrius

Apostle Peter expounds upon Christian ELDERS writing,

The ELDERS which are among you I exhort, who am also an ELDER, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
[I Pet 5:1]

*elder Gk #4245 presbuteros (pres-boo-ter-os) it is…
• an older and senior person
• a Hebrew Sanhedrist or member of the celestial council
• a member of the Christian presbyter, which is…
o (in the early Christian church) an office bearer who exercised teaching, priestly and administrative functions
o (in hierarchical churches) a priest

Apostle Peter gives specific instructions to Christian ELDERS.

1. FEED the flock of GOD which is AMONG you. [I Pet 5:2; Jn 21:16]

*feed Gk #4165 poimaino (poy-mah-ee-no) it means to…
• tend as a shepherd, which is to lead or conduce to some result or resulting condition
• supervise, which is to…
o oversee a process, work and workers during execution or performance and to superintend
o have the oversight and direction of

*among Gk #1722 en (en) it is…
• a primary preposition denoting a fixed position in place, time and state
• medial and constructive instrumentality

Per [I Pet 5: 4] ELDERS in Christ are admonished to make themselves available to FEED the sheep of Yahweh’s flock that reside within their geographical area. There are always souls hungry for the Word of THE LORD. In fact, Christ advised that this harvest of hungry souls is plenteous. What is lacking is qualified laborers to tend them all. [Mt 9:37, 38]

2. Take the OVERSIGHT thereof, not by CONSTRAINT, but WILLINGLY.

*oversight Gk #1983 episkopos (ep-is-kop-os) it means to oversee, beware and diligently look

*constraint Gk #317 anagkatos (an-ang-kas-toce) it means required, mandatory and obligatory

*willingly Gk #1596 hekousios (hek-oo-ee-oce) it means voluntarily

Serving in the pastoral office should not feel like a task that one MUST perform but a labor of love that one is WILLING to perform. Some believe that if they do not answer the call to the pastoral office that Yahweh is going to punish them. Per this passage this is not true. It makes no sense for Yahweh to force one to serve as a pastor if they are not willing to do so. THE LORD chooses, anoints and equips who HE wants to serve any office of HIS Church. One’s unique persona is always suitable for the office Yahweh calls one to. THE LORD also gives them a mind to will and do in their appointed offices. [Phil 2:13] Because of this, they actually enjoy what they do for THE LORD and are recognized as being of great in the perspective of those they serve. As a loving Parent, THE LORD would not entrust HIS children into the hands of someone who has no desire to properly care for them, especially as a pastor.

3. Take the oversight thereof, not for FILTHY LUCRE, but of a READY MIND.

*filthy lucre Gk #147 aischrokerdos (ahee-skhrok-er-doce) it is payment that is of a sordidly nature, meaning…
• morally ignoble and base
• vile, meanly selfish, self-seeking and mercenary
• dirty, squalid, wretchedly poor and run-down

*ready mind Gk #4289/4290 prothumos (proth-oo-mos) it means…
• spiritually forward, which is…
o directed toward a point in advance and moving ahead
o ready, onward and being in a condition of advancement
o well-advanced, prompt and eager
• predisposed, which means to…
o give an inclination or tendency beforehand
o make susceptible and render subject or liable
o dispose beforehand as in a will and legacy
• alacrity, which is…
o cheerful readiness, promptness and willingness
o liveliness and briskness

4. Take the oversight thereof, not as LORDS over Yahweh’s HERITAGE, but as ENSAMPLES. [I Pet 5:3]

*lord Gk #2634 katakurieuo (kat-ak-oo-ree-yoo-o) it means to…
• lord against, control and subjugate
• exercise dominance over, overcome and be lord over

*heritage Gk #2819 kleros (klay-ros) it is a portion as if secured, an acquisition or patrimony, which is…
• an estate inherited from one's father or ancestor
• a heritage and any quality or characteristic that is inherited
• the aggregate of one's property, lot or part
• the estate or endowment of a church or religious house

*ensample Gk #5179 tupos (too-pos) it is…
• die as struck, a stamp and scar
• a shape, statue or style
• an example, resemblance, sampler or type
• a model for imitation and instance for warning

The flock of Yahweh already have HIM as their GOD and ABBA, FATHER. Therefore, they don’t need another as such. They have Christ as their personal Savior. So, they do not need another Savior. [I Cor 8:6; II Cor 5:18]
However, Yahweh has determined that they do need Pastors after HIS OWN HEART, who will serve them with READY MINDS and as proper ENSAMPLES of mature Christians. [Jer 3:15] Per Apostle Peter, the reward of ELDERS who govern themselves wisely will receive a Crown of Glory that will not fade away. [Eccl 10:1; Jer 3:15; S of S 1:8; 3:3; 6:1; Eph 4:11; Rm 10:10-17; Heb 10:25] Apostle Peter was the First and Chief Apostle of The Christian Faith, as well as the First Official Christian Pastor, who was directly ordained by Jesus Christ Himself. The evidence of his devotion to Christ was his willingness to FEED the flock of Christ, which is actually the flock of Yahweh, His GOD and ABBA, FATHER. [Mt 16:18; Jn 21:15-17; 6:37-40, 44, 45; 17:9, 10, 20; Jn 8:47; 10:26, 1-30; Rm 8:28-30]

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