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Jamieson, Fausset and Brown on 1 Peter 5:3

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible. Browse this work.

1 Peter5:3

3. being lords--Greek, "lording it": implying pride and oppression. "Not that we have dominion over your faith."

God's heritage--Greek, "the inheritances," that is, the portions of the Church committed severally to your pastoral charge [Bengel]. It is explained by "the flock" in the next clause. However, in 1Pe 5:2, "flock of God which is among you," answering to "(God's) heritages" (plural to express the sheep who are God's portion and inheritance, De 32:9) committed to you, favors English Version. The flock, as one whole, is God's heritage, or flock in the singular. Regarded in relation to its component sheep, divided among several pastors, it is in the plural "heritages." Compare Ac 1:17, 25, "part" (the same Greek). Bernard of Clairvaux, wrote to Pope Eugene, "Peter could not give thee what he had not: what he had he gave: the care over the Church, not dominion."

being--Greek, "becoming."

ensamples--the most effective recommendation of precept (1Ti 4:12). Tit 2:7, "patterns." So Jesus. "A monstrosity it is to see the highest rank joined with the meanest mind, the first seat with the lowest life, a grandiloquent tongue with a lazy life, much talking with no fruit" [Bernard].

Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, 1 Peter 5:3. Public domain.

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