Christ's Church: Serving as Overseers

In 1 Peter 5:1-5, Peter helps to answer the question 'How ought we conduct ourselves in the household of God? (1 Tim 3:15).' And he begins by giving exhortation to elders of the church.

First, the John 10:1-30 account of Christ's discourse on the good shepherd--right after the contrasts of good and bad shepherds and true and false sheep are exemplified in John 9--is shown to be the fulfillment of the OT teaching of the bad shepherds over God's people being replaced by the Good Shepherd. And then Jesus' account of His own shepherding in John 10 shows our Savior to be the example, again, of what a true shepherd is and does.

Then the three contrasts of the local flock's shepherds' duties as given in Peter's humble exhortation to the elders in 1 Peter 5:1-3 are exposited. Like the Good Shepherd, a local shepherd is to serve not by compulsion, but willingly; not for greedy gain, but eagerly; and not lording over the flock, but as an example to her.

Finally, it is shown how Christ Jesus perfectly fulfills all three of those characteristics as our Good Shepherd and Great Savior.