Matthew Poole and continuators on 1 Peter 5:1

1 THe elders that 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 .

Viz. Those that were such, not so much by Age as by Office, as appears by his exhorting them to feed the Flock, v. 2. he means the ordinary Ministers of the Churches among the Believing Iews.

Elder is a general Name comprehending under it even Apostles themselves, who were Elders, though every Elder were not an Apostle.

Either, 1. In his Doctrine, in which he held forth Christ's Sufferings whereof he had been an Eye-witness, in which respect the Apostles are often called Witnesses, Luke 24.48. Act. 1.8, 22. and 2.32. Or, 2. In his Example, in that he by suffering so much for Christ, did give an ample Testimony to the reality of Christ's Sufferings, and that Christ had indeed suffered; or, both may well be comprehended.

Viz. at Christ's last coming, chap. 1.5. and 4.13. and Rom. 8.17, 18.

Marginal references: Philem. 9.; Rev. 1.9.