Younger Be Subject Unto the Elders, #1

Introduction: The Apostolic Exhortation to Elders and Younger Members

0:03 The following sermon was delivered on Sunday morning, March 5th, 2000, at the Trinity Baptist Church in Montville, New Jersey. Now let us turn together to 1 Peter, the first letter of the Apostle Peter in chapter 5, and I shall read in your hearing the first five verses. 1 Peter, chapter 5, verses 1 through 5. The elders therefore among you I exhort, who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, who am also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed. Tend or shepherd the flock of God which is among you, exercising the oversight, not of constraint, but willingly, according to the will of God, nor yet for base gain, but of a ready mind. Neither. Neither as lording it over the charge allotted to you, but making yourselves examples to the flock.

1:17 And when the chief shepherd shall be manifested, you shall receive the crown of glory that fades not away. Likewise, you younger, be subject unto the elder. Yea, all of you, gird yourselves with humility to serve one another. For God resists the proud.

1:41 But gives grace to the humble. I begin our study this morning where I began several weeks ago by reading the very perceptive words of John Brown, the Scottish commentator and preacher of another generation, whose commentary on 1 Peter has been my constant companion in this whole series of expositions.

2:08 In commenting on facets of the passage read in your hearing, John Brown writes, A Christian church is a very free society, but they mistake the matter who consider it a democracy. It is a monarchy administered by inferior magistrates chosen by their fellow subjects who are to execute the king's laws, being guided solely by his word and neither by their own judgment or whims, nor by their own judgment or whims, nor by their own judgment or whims, nor by their own judgment or whims, nor by the opinions and will of those whom they govern. Christ is the Lord, and he administers his government by officers appointed according to his ordinance and regulated by his laws. It is of great importance both to the office bearers and private members of a Christian church that they have distinct scriptural views. on this subject, that the former, that is the officers, may not exact what they have no right to, and that the latter, the members, may not refuse what, by the law of Christ, they are bound to give.

3:31 It is important, says John Brown, that both officers and the rank and file of God's people have distinct scriptural views on this matter. So that those who lead will not go beyond the boundaries of Scripture in their leadership, and that those who are to follow their lead will not fall short of that which God requires of them. Now, you have been reminded, again and again, in the course of these expositions, that this apostolic letter was sent to the people of God, gathered in the various churches of Asia Minor, somewhere around 62 A.D.

4:13 And as the letter was circulated among the churches and read aloud, for that's how they had their first encounter with the apostolic letters, and you read about it in several of the letters of Paul, where he says, I charge that this letter be read in this church, and that you read the letter from that church. This is how the community of God's people was first confronted with these things. And as those who would be assigned to read this letter, to the various congregations throughout Asia Minor, would come to what we now locate as chapter 5, verses 1 to 4, it would be evident that the apostle, by the guidance of the Spirit, was giving very clear directives to the elders of the churches. Peter began the exhortation with the words, The elders therefore among you I exhort. And then he gives this Spirit-inspired job description, to the elders. But he gave it in the hearing of the rank and file of God's people, so that both the elders, the shepherds, and the people of God, the sheep who constitute the various flocks, would have the same job description before them.

5:30 That elders would accomplish their tasks by the job description given by Christ, through his inspired apostle, and that the people of God, the various flocks, of God, would have expectations of their elders framed, not by past experience, not by personal whims, not by common consensus among themselves, but by the same authority that laid out the task of the elders. And we have seen in opening up these first four verses, that after Peter identifies himself in this unique threefold way, he sets before the elders the essence of their duty, and those, and those words, you are to perform the functions and sustain the relationship of shepherds to a flock. And we saw from the scriptures that this meant that the elders as shepherds were to secure adequate nourishment for the sheep, secondly, to protect the sheep from anyone and anything that would harm them, thirdly, to guide, to govern, and to direct the sheep, and fourthly, to heal and to restore the sick and the strayed, and fourthly, to heal and to restore the sick and the strayed, and fourthly, to heal and to restore the sick and the strayed, among the sheep. And in so doing, they would be exercising the work of oversight. The overseeing is not something in addition to, or in contrast to,

6:54 it is simply expressing the task from a different perspective. Then Peter laid out the disposition that was to mark the elders in both taking up and in administering this task. The disposition, he focuses upon two aspects of the motive. He says, It is not to be done by external constraint, but a spirit of willingness.

7:18 It is not to be done for base gain, but of a ready mind, a desire in love to lay down one's life for the sheep. And then as to the manner in which they exercise their oversight, it is not to be done as lording it over, oppressive, weight-throwing leadership, but it is to be done in the disposition and spirit, in the presence of the community of Christ, making themselves examples to the flock. And then to focus on that which must ever be in the eye of every true elder. He holds out not only the duty and the disposition of elders, but the gracious reward promised to faithful elders. Verse 4. And when the chief shepherd shall be manifested, You who by the grace and power of God, fulfill your role in the strength of Christ, according to the words of the Lord Jesus Christ, according to the words of the Lord Jesus Christ, word of Christ, you shall receive the reward of Christ. When the chief shepherd shall appear, you shall receive, take to yourself and carry away, is the sense of that verb, the crown of glory that fades not away. Now we come this morning to verse 5a. Look at it with

The Major Difficulty: Identifying 'Younger' and 'Older' Ones

8:32 me. Likewise, a word that connects what follows with what precedes. Likewise, you younger be subject unto the elder. Yea, all of you gird yourselves with humility to serve one another, for God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Now verse 5a reads in the American Standard as I have read it, apart from the Elizabethan ye. Likewise, you younger be subject unto the elder. The New International Version renders it, young men in the same way, be submissive to those who are older. The New King James Version, which many of you have, likewise, you younger people submit yourselves to your elders. New English

9:26 Bible, in the same way, you young men must be subordinate to your elders. Well, you say, why so many different translations? Well, for the simple reason that it is not easy, to understand and determine precisely what Peter is saying in these words. Hence, our first heading in the exposition this morning is, the major difficulty in determining the meaning of Peter's words. I remind you, I've quoted it many times. Peter said of Paul, he wrote some things hard to be understood. Well, occasionally Peter wrote some things hard to be understood, not because of their complexity, but because of their ambiguity. And as I have wrestled with these words for weeks, and spent many hours wrestling with

10:21 how to handle this this morning, I know no other way than to ask you to gird up the loins of your mind for the next twenty minutes or so, and hang in there with me, while I try to persuade your judgment of what I am convinced Peter's words mean. But in so doing, I have men of tremendous stature all around me. They sit around me, they sit around me, with their Prime Minister, with all the grand and Barker of the United States, with all the Lord's me all the time in my study. Wayne Grudem, Sandley, Dean Alford, Lenski, John Brown, and I can name 15 to 20 of them. They're constantly sitting there, and whenever I take a position in which I have to differ with these giants, I'm very reluctant to do so. But I have good reason to differ with some of the giants and snuggle under the skirts of some others. And so hang in there with me while we address, first of all, the major difficulty in determining the meaning of Peter's words. What did Peter mean when he wrote, likewise you younger be subject unto the elder? The different translations indicate the scope of meaning. Some say younger

11:22 men, you younger one, be subject to the older ones. Some say the elders, and there's ambiguity. Well, the difficulty, first of all, is not in understanding the duty commanded. The text is clear as to the duty commanded. Look at it. Likewise you younger, here's the difficulty. duty, be subject. And there is one of Peter's favorite words. He's used it five times already in this epistle. Anyone who is not at home with the concept of duly constituted authority and the believer's responsibility to embrace that authority from the heart will be very uncomfortable with this letter. We first encountered it in chapter 2 and verse 13, and here it is not only the same word, but in precisely the same form of the imperative. Be subject to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king is supreme or unto governors is sent by him. Here the command comes out to believers in the midst of persecution and opposition, and that word is you are to be subject. You are to deliberately, conscientiously

12:35 range yourself under the authority God has given you. It is vested in the king and as governors sent by him. Verse 18, we encounter our word again. Chapter 2. Servants, be in subjection to your masters. A participial form, but it sucks in the weight of the imperative. Servants, be in subjection to your masters. Range yourself under the authority and will of your masters. And only when they command something that

13:09 is in the word and law of God, you are to be submissive to them, even to the unreasonable, the unrighteous, the irascible and cruel masters that you may have. Chapter 3 and verse 1. Third use. In like manner, you wives, be in subjection to your own husbands. Range yourself conscientiously under the headship of your husbands. Obey them in all things except those things in which they would be subject to your own husbands. And only then will you be subject to your own husbands. And only then will you be subject to your own husbands. And only then will you be subject to your own husbands. And only then will you be subject to your own husbands. And only then will you be subject to your own husbands. And only then will you be subject to your own husbands. And only then will you be subject to your own husbands. And only then will you be subject to your own husbands. And only then will you be subject to your own husbands. And only then will you be subject to your own husbands. And only then will you be subject to your own husbands. And only then will you be subject to your own husbands.

13:44 And only then will you be subject to your own husbands. And only then will you be subject to your own husbands. And only then will you be subject to your own husbands. And only then will you be subject to your own husbands. And only then will you be subject to your own husbands. And only then will you be subject to your own husbands. And only then will you be subject to your own husbands. And only then will you be subject to your own husbands. And only then Spoked in God, adorned themselves, here's our word again, being in subjection to their own husbands. The meaning is clear. Chapter 3 and verse 22, speaking of the exaltation of Christ, He is on the right hand of God, having gone into heaven angels and authorities and powers, being made subject to Him. He has brought them under His governing authority and power.

14:14 You see, the difficulty in determining the meaning of Peter's words is not in any way connected with understanding the duty commanded. Peter has already made it plain, whether the citizen to kings, the slaves to masters, wives to husbands, angels, authorities and powers to the exalted Christ, the word, be submissive, be subject to, be subordinate to, is unmistakably clear. But now, the difficulty comes on the idea. Identity of the younger ones and the older ones.

14:50 A literal rendering of the Greek text would be this. Younger ones, be submissive to older ones. Younger ones, the word is used to describe literal young men in Acts 5, 6. The young men who carried out Ananias and Sapphira when they thought they could lie in the presence of God and the Apostle and God struck them dead.

15:10 It says the young men came and carried them out and buried them. It's used to contradict. In contrast, a younger with an older man. In the parable of the prodigal son or the welcoming father, whatever we may call it, in Luke 15, 12 and 13, it speaks of the younger brother.

15:30 It's in relationship to one who has more years, whose birth certificate was filed before his. Younger in contrast to older. It's used in both masculine and feminine forms in Paul's directives to Timothy. Treat the younger.

15:46 Younger women, same word, but in the feminine form. Treat the young men. Young and old is used in that sense. Older ones is the standard word presbyteros, found here in the plural, and it can speak of older age.

16:01 The elder brother in the parable, Luke 15, 25, that's the word that's used. He's just the older one. He came into the world before his kid brother. It's used that way in Acts 2, 17.

16:11 Your old men shall dream dreams. Old men. It's speaking of chronological age. It's also the standard word throughout the New Testament to describe those who hold an official office and function of leadership within the community of God's people.

16:28 All the way through the Gospels, if you took a concordance and you looked up the use of this word whenever it speaks of the chief priest and the elders, this is the word that is always used. And when we come into Acts and the epistles, it's the standard word used to describe pastors. Overseers, overseers, used interchangeably with the word episkopos, overseer, used interchangeably with those who have the rule over you, those who are over you in the Lord. It's found that way in Acts 11, 30.

17:01 They brought their gifts and laid them at the feet of the elders. 14, 23 of Acts. Paul and his companion ordained elders in every city. Titus 1, 5.

17:12 I've left you at Crete that you might set in order. What are the things that are wanting and ordained elders in every city? And here it is in 1 Peter 5, 1. Elders among you.

17:23 He does not use the article the elders. It's just elders among you. The word had become so attached to the concept of office. Peter does not feel it necessary to mark out with greater precision by saying the elders.

17:38 He says elders among you I exhort. And what he exhorts them to do. Clearly. He establishes that this does not mean simply older men.

17:48 Now the word itself could mean that. If you simply extracted Peter's word in 5, 1, you could say he's addressing older men in the congregations. But when you read the context, you know it's not just older men. It is those who hold the office of an episkopos.

18:05 I'm sorry. Hold the office, not of an episkopos, of a presbyteros. Episkopos is overseer, those who overlook the congregation. So the word itself is indefinite, both the younger ones and older ones.

18:20 So when some look at the original text, they say what Peter is doing now is simply saying, having charged the elders with their task, he's telling the younger ones they're to do this in relation to the older ones. Some say, no, it is older ones, younger ones with respect to their elders, officials within the assembly. There is great discussion and very little consensus. Among evangelical, devout commentators with respect to how are we to understand the identity of younger ones and older ones.

Four Main Interpretive Views of 1 Peter 5:5a

18:55 Now, what are the four main views? Now, this isn't going to be spine tingling stuff, but over the years, I'm committed for the long haul and I want under God a congregation that knows how to listen to the word of God with discernment. This is absolutely necessary. I'd get much more fun.

19:15 And enjoyment preaching spine tingling stuff, but I'm not here to feel good. I'm here to feed and shepherd the flock of God. So gird up the loins of your mind. Think with me.

19:26 What are the four main views? The titles to them are mine. I've tried to give them titles that will be hooks in your own mind. The first and the one we can dismiss most readily is what I'm calling the subordinate and superior office view.

19:40 The subordinate and superior office view. It wasn't long after the death of the apostles before people in the professing Christian church began to give up and move away from the simplicity of apostolic church order. In apostolic church order, you have only two offices, elder, deacon. Elder is used synonymously with pastor, with overseer, bishop, those who have the rule over you.

20:08 Those terms are used interchangeably. You had two offices, elder, pastor, and deacon. But it wasn't long before people began to complicate and obfuscate the clarity of this in the Scriptures. And there were commentators into the 3rd and 4th century who said, No, what Peter is saying is, after speaking to the elders in general, he is now saying younger ones, that is, those of you who are on the lower scale of ecclesiastical office.

20:41 Some writers say they had already come up with 5 or 6 different orders other than bishop, overseer, elder, and deacon. And so, because they have a man-made structure, they run to the Bible to justify it, and they thought they found in this text a justification. You younger acolytes, you who are not yet brought up into the office of deacon, elder, bishop, with all of these man-made structures, you be in subjection to the guys who've got more, um, more jewels and they're mightier than you do. Well, we can dismiss that view out of hand because the Bible knows nothing of such a gradation of ecclesiastical office.

21:22 We can dismiss it. But you ought to at least to know that is one of the ways the text has been used. But now, secondly, there is the literal or the chronological age view. Taking the words younger ones and older ones in their most broad and literal terms as referring to, relative age, they view this command as touching congregational life in which young bucks ought to listen and heed what the old bucks say as to how to avoid getting shot by the hunter.

21:55 The old bucks have been around longer and have gone through more hunting seasons than the young bucks. So when the old bucks tell the young bucks, here's how to avoid becoming venison in somebody's oven, you better listen to them. You better listen to them. And they take it.

22:11 As a literal chronological age reference and say that Peter is establishing in the life of the churches, the spirit and the substance of that wonderful directive given under the old covenant in Leviticus chapter 19 and verse 32. And those who hold this position almost invariably quote this text. Leviticus 19 and verse 32. You shall rise up before the grave.

22:45 You shall bow your head and honor the face of the old man and you shall fear your God. I am Jehovah here. One of the outgrowths of a life lived in the fear of God is due respect for the aged on the part of the younger ones. And so good, serious commentators say that's what Peter is doing.

23:08 He's told the elders how they are to shepherd the flock. He's about to give general directions to all of the people. People of God, yay, all of you, 5B. Now he's singling out this that could be a potential area of disruption.

23:24 People rejoicing in all that they have in common. For remember, Peter's already said all of these marvelous things that all of the people of God have in common. They are all begotten again to a living hope. They've all been born of the spirit.

23:39 They all are living temples that some might have assumed from that. Since we have. Equal status in Christ and in the church, then all age distinctions can be obliterated. And Peter says, no, younger ones be in subjection to older ones.

23:56 This is the position of Vaughn, of Calvin and Luther waffles between this and the next position. So it's got some, you see, when I've got Luther and Calvin standing here saying this is what it means, who's a little pipsqueak to differ with them, but call no man master, even Luther, even Calvin. So that's the literal chronological age you, why do I reject it? Because it does not really fit the context.

24:21 It does not really fit the context. And I hope to demonstrate that. And it weakens the imperative verb that lies at the heart of this directive. Nowhere else in scripture are the young commanded to obey the older ones, children who are to obey their parents and you are to honor older ones.

24:40 But the vigor of this verb that Peter's already used five times. Would not suddenly be placed there and weakened in its vigor. Nowhere else in scripture are young ones commanded to range themselves in subjection to older ones. So I reject the view because in my judgment, it does not fit the context and it weakens the force of the imperative verb.

25:05 But anyone who holds it is not holding serious error. They're not twisting the word of God. We can respect them in their persuasion. Then thirdly.

25:14 We have the subordinate superior office view. We reject it out of hand. Secondly, the literal or chronological age you, we reject it, but respect it. Thirdly, we have the youth or younger members to the church officers view.

25:31 They take the word younger ones and they say that means people of younger chronological age. But when Peter says be subject to older ones, older ones now becomes those officials in office. Those elders that was reflected in a couple of the translations that I read. The translators had to make a judgment and they made an interpretive judgment.

25:55 And this is the way they argue. Peter's given the job description to the elders implied in the command to shepherd is that the sheep will receive their shepherding. That when the shepherds seek to feed them appropriate food, they won't spit it out of their mouths. Assuming that shepherds protect them.

26:14 They won't. They resent the shepherd using his rod to drive away the wolves that would devour them. When the shepherd guides and leads and seeks the straying, the implicit directive to all the sheep of the flock of God is welcome. The shepherding of your shepherds welcome the oversight of your overseers.

26:36 But now these people say Peter knows that within the congregations, those most likely. To draw back from whole hearted submission and embrace of their elders influence is the young smart Alex. It's young men and women who would resist godly shepherding and oversight because in their youth they are generally brash, opinionated and very simplistic. Get any group of 20 year olds and they can fix up every problem in the church in half an hour.

27:09 You don't believe it, just ask them. They know all about it. Human nature has never changed. You remember that incident recorded in the history of the kings of Israel.

27:20 The young king comes to his throne, seeks counsel of the older man. He said, I don't like it. He goes with his buddies and they confirm him in his prejudice. Those smart Alex, they know everything.

27:30 So these who hold this position, the youth or younger members to the church officers, do you say Peter understanding that takes this posture and says, all right, now you younger ones, you are also part of the flock, you younger members. And I'm telling you, that you as well are to embrace from the heart, the oversight of your elders. And then he launches into speaking to all of the members. This is the view of the godly Archbishop Layton, Wayne Grudem and Edmund Clowney among more recent commentators.

28:03 And again, there is no serious error. There's no one biblical thing being imported, but I do not find it persuasive for a couple of reasons. It is not just youth. It's insubordinate.

28:18 The book of Ecclesiastes recognizes that old men and even kings can become bullheaded characters who won't listen to counsel. Ecclesiastes four in verse 13 says better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who knows not how to receive admonition anymore. My experience, 38 years in one pastorate does not persuade me that only young people chafe. That's godly shepherding and oversight.

28:49 It's old people who do as well. They've got their tradition. That's right. Young people sometimes may be a little more subtle, but it doesn't wash with me that youth has a corner on insubordination to legitimate shepherding and oversight.

29:10 And while it does justice to the word for elders, exactly the same as you have in the beginning elders, no article. Elders among you, I exhort shepherd, the flock younger ones be subject to elders. And I believe in that context. He's speaking of officers, but now you've got younger ones use literally and elders used with reference to office.

29:36 And I find it does not do justice to the connecting word. As we shall see, there is a connecting word and believing in plenary verbal inspiration. The word, likewise is tying together what Peter is saying in five a with what has preceded. And this view in my judgment does not do justice to that connective.

29:59 And I hope to show one. Then fourthly, here's the fourth view that when Peter wrote younger ones be submissive to older ones, he's speaking of church members in general to all the church officers in particular, that what Peter is saying, is younger ones in terms of your spiritual leaders being designated as older ones. Same word. Presbyteros means older ones, aged men.

30:31 It comes to mean the office of an elder, a shepherd, younger ones in this metaphorical relationship within the assembly. Your leaders are older ones. All the people of God are younger ones. Church members, all who comprise the flocks of God, range yourself under the legitimate authority, direction, shepherding and overseeing ministry of your elders.

31:01 That's what I'm calling the church member to church officers view. And after, as I said, several weeks of reflection and going back and forth and coming down at times on view number two and view number three, I've settled here on view number four. And why have I done this? Why am I persuaded that this is a directive to church members in general with respect to their church officers in particular?

Arguments for the Church Member to Church Officers View

31:29 Well, number one, this view best fits the context. I've got four reasons. This is reason number one. This view best fits the context.

31:37 Look at the context. Peter's concern about the life and order of the churches, even in the midst of persecution. We saw in chapter four, verses seven to 11, while dealing with this advanced teaching on suffering and persecution, he indicates that the life of the church is still to flourish, even in troubleless times. And he there gives directives about all the believers exercising their gifts, exercising hospitality, forgiving and covering one another's sins.

32:10 He addresses church life in its horizontal dimensions, member among member. Here, in chapter five, he now addresses church life in terms of the structures of leadership and those who follow. I'm charging, exhorting, I'm giving admonition and guidance to the elders among you. This is what the elders are to do.

32:33 This is how they are to do it. What is more natural than to think he would then turn around and say, and this is how you, the members, are to relate to these elders, to whom, I have given this directive. And when he is done doing that in 5A, he then moves out to elders and to the rank and file of God's people and says, yay, all of you gird yourselves with humility to serve one another. So you see in the context, it's a word to elders, to shepherds, to overseers.

33:09 Then it's a word specifically to those who are following their shepherding, who are under their overseers, overseeing. Now he brings them both together and says, I have a word for all of you. Be clothed with humility to serve one another. For God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.

33:28 I say, I find it more comfortable with the context. But then secondly, this view does justice to the connecting word as used by Peter in this letter. And if you want to be preachers, this is what you got to go through. What is the Holy Ghost saying?

33:48 So you get this word homoios, the connecting word, in like manner, likewise. And you say, how does Peter use it? Well, look back with me and you'll see how he uses it. He uses this word, first of all, in 3.1.

34:05 In like manner, you wise. In like manner. What's that referring to? He has started in verse 13 of chapter 2 to give specific directions, about instituted authority structures.

34:21 So he calls upon citizens to be subject to the civil governor. Verse 18, he calls upon servants to be in subjection to their masters. And now he says, likewise you wise in subjection to your husbands. In other words, the likewise ties this grouping of the various spheres in which submission is the will of God.

34:46 Citizen to the state, slaves to their masters, wives to their husbands. And now he's going to give the flip side of the will of God for husbands. And notice how he begins. Verse 7, you husbands, here's our word, homoios, in like manner, dwell with your wives according to knowledge.

35:07 You see what he's doing? Direction to wives. Now he's going to give the flip side, direction to husbands. So when we come to chapter 5, the elders among you, I exhort, likewise, and what should we expect?

35:23 The flip side of directives to elders will be directives to the people of God in relationship to their elders. And remember, the book of Ephesians was written probably around 62 AD. And by now, it is assumed it would have circulated among many of the churches where Peter's letter would circulate there in Asia Minor. And this structure is found so precisely, in the book of Ephesians.

35:50 You remember chapter 5? Paul says, wives, be in submission to your husbands. Husbands, love your wives. Children, obey your parents.

36:00 Fathers, provoke not your children. Servants, be obedient to your masters. Masters, remember that you have a master to whom you are accountable. So that couplet of instruction, where one person or group is addressed, and then the parallel group, is addressed, is a structure we find in the Scriptures.

36:21 We find it here in 1 Peter. I then take the position that church member to church officer's view is more convincing. It fits the context. It does justice to the connecting word.

36:33 Thirdly, this view is in harmony with the general teaching of Scripture. This view harmonizes with the general teaching of Scripture, that church members, with all the proper qualifications, are to render conscientious, obedient to their overseers. Hebrews 13, 17. Obey them that have the rule over you and submit to them, for they watch for your souls as they that must give an account.

37:01 Younger ones, I repeat, are not called upon to obey, but to honor older ones, not to obey them. And fourthly, this view has a good pedigree in the history of reverent, evangelical, competent commentary. It has a good pedigree. Henry Alford, one of the most respected Greek scholars of another generation, defends this view quite compellingly.

37:26 Beattie, more recently, John Brown, and even more recently than John Brown, Lenski, the Lutheran commentator. So in answer to the question, who are the younger ones and who are the older ones? I've said there are four possibilities. The subordinate and superior office view, we dismiss that.

37:47 No good in it. The literal, the chronological age view, nothing wrong with it, but I don't believe it fits. The younger members to church officers view, no error, no serious heresy in it. Nonetheless, it has its weaknesses.

38:03 I'm persuaded the church member to church officers view is the most persuasive. Let me give you a little tidbit or two from John Brown. And this was very helpful to me as my own judgment was being persuaded in this direction. And then I read John Brown.

38:18 I go on now to call your attention to the view, which the text gives us of the duties of the members of a Christian church to their office bearers. This is contained in the first clause of verse five. Likewise, you younger submit yourselves to the elder before proceeding further. However, we proper that I endeavor to satisfy you that these words are indeed an injunction of the duties of church members to their office bearers and not as many have supposed to the duties of the younger.

38:48 Once to the older ones, where we merely looking at the words without taking into consideration the connection in which they are introduced. The last mode of viewing them would probably be that which would occur first to every reader. If you simply saw the words and the Greek language that was used younger ones, the in submission to older ones, you'd say, well, that means younger men and women be in submission to older men and women, but it requires only a little reflection to see first. That the connection by no means leads us to expect here an injunction of the duties of the young to the agent and that the language by no means obliges us to understand it this way.

39:31 And secondly, the connection does lead us to expect an injunction of the duties of the private members of the church as distinguished from the office bearers. And still further that while there's nothing in the language, which is inconsistent with this mode of interpretation, there is something which cannot be satisfactory explained on any other supposition. And then as the crowning element in his proof of this position, he says this had the office bearers been represented as spiritual fathers and had the preceding verses read this way, fathers in Christ carefully superintend and instruct the family of God committed to your care. Instead of saying, shall we? Shepherd the flock exercising oversight. Suppose Peter had written fathers in Christ carefully superintend and instruct the family of God committed to your care and then been followed by this command. Likewise, you children be submissive to the fathers and quote would not everyone at once have seen in the latter clause.

40:39 It was not the duty of children to their parents that was enjoined, but that of spiritual children to their spiritual fathers. In other words, of the members of the church to the office bearers of the church. Do you feel the weight of his argument? Had he been using imagery of father and then said children be submissive to your fathers.

40:58 You'd say, well, he's using it metaphorically. Well, he's just said Shepherd the flock of God exercising oversight, government direction. And now he calls upon the members as younger ones in relationship to the older ones. No doubt.

41:16 Many were younger in years. Then their spiritual leaders more youthful in understanding and experience. But the emphasis is not upon age in isolation from character and knowledge and experience. But it is in terms of the leaders being designated the older ones that the members are designated younger ones and are called to a life of submission to them in the Lord.

The Fundamental Duty: Conscientious Submission to Elders

41:45 Well, that's my case for giving that meaning. To the words now, you've hung in there. I haven't seen anyone nod off on me. Now we come.

41:52 Secondly, having addressed the fundamental and major difficulty in determining the meaning of the text. Secondly, the fundamental in all embracing duty established by the text, the fundamental and all embracing duty established by the text. Look at the wording again. Likewise, you younger be subject.

42:18 Unto the elder. The word be submissive is precisely the same as we've indicated in chapter 2 in verse 13 and heiress imperative of hoopoe Tasso and it means consciously to place oneself under a legitimate authority. Now in this text note the objects of that submission younger ones be subject to the older ones. That is to the elders the very same way.

42:48 He addressed them in chapter 5 verse 1 elders among you. Now, he says be subject to elders. It is not the elders. Here with me carefully.

43:01 Now, it's not the elders in their persons as fellow creatures, nor is it the elders in their person as fellow Saints, but it is the elders in their office and function. As shepherding and overseeing the flock of God with the disposition that is mandated by God. You see, you don't rent five a from the preceding context. He is saying to these elders Shepherd the flock of God that is among you exercising oversight, not of constraint, but willingly not for base gain, but of a ready mind not lording it over, but making yourself examples. And when the chief, Shepherd shall appear. The assumption is they are faithful elders. You should receive the crown of Glory in that context.

What Submission to Elders Does NOT Mean

43:56 He says you younger you church members be submissive to your elders, not in terms of their person as fellow creatures or fellow Saints, but in their function and office of shepherding and overseeing the flock of God, according to the standard and revealed will of God. That's the context here. We must pause and ask by what principles and precepts is this submission to be qualified and guarded. And if you value your soul, I beg you to listen with all your powers of concentration.

44:34 By what principles and precepts is this submission? That is clearly mandated. You can't get around an heiress imperative of hupotassa. No way to get around it.

44:47 You can't it's there. And I know we live in an age when the whole concept of submission to anything is abominable. And there's a knee-jerk reaction, but let God be true in every man a liar, but there must be some qualification what it does not mean. And then in conclusion, what it does mean and hopefully will amplify it further at another time.

45:10 What it does not mean when Peter writes you younger ones. That is you church members be in submission to elders to older ones. That is to your spiritual overseers and God appointed Shepherds. Listen carefully as I underscore three things.

45:26 It does not mean it does not mean it does not mean the church members are to give to their elders absolute authority over their consciences and wills. It does not mean that church members are to give to their elders absolute authority over their consciences and wills Christ alone has such authority. Christ alone has the right to exercise that authority and he forbids any rivals among his people. Listen to his very clear words in Matthew chapter 23.

46:02 When indicting the false Shepherds in Israel the scribes and the Pharisees. He gives an admonition to his own disciples and he says in verse eight. Do not be called Rabbi for one is your teacher. And all.

46:19 You. Are brethren and call no man your father on earth for one is your father even he who is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters for one is your master even the Christ. Now is he saying that you children should never address your dad his father.

46:38 Of course not. Is he saying that no one should be addressed in terms of his official position. You go to a university and a man has an earned doctorate degree and everyone calls him Dr. Jones that you're not supposed to.

46:49 Call him rabbi or doctor no no. What the Lord is saying if you look at his words is you are not to use those words. Expressive of a disposition of yielding to any human being. That place of supreme authority in your conscience and your will.

47:09 Do not be called of men rabbi for one is your teacher. In other words look to no man who would in any way you sir. Christ. Roll as your ultimate authority and supreme profit to guide your conscience and to direct your will call no man father in the sense that you yield up on thinking unquestioned unqualified obedience to him for only one is your father your heavenly father who has purchased you by the blood of his son and you're not to be calling anyone else master or allow others to call you master for one is your master.

47:49 You see. It's master in the sense of yielding up conscience and will to an authority. He says don't give that to any man. And don't give it to the dearest most godly most lovable most faithful elder you've ever known because if he's a true elder he doesn't want it.

48:07 He doesn't want it. He will not seek it in the same way that the Lord says that servants are to be who put a soul to their masters. What's the exception. The master does not have absolute authority even over his slave.

48:24 And when the master demands something of the slave that means the slave would have to disobey his master who bought him he must defy his earthly master and pay the consequences. Same thing with a wife wives be in subjection to your husbands the whole concept of egalitarian marriage is heresy and defiance of God. And I'm prepared to call all the evangelical exegetes and so-called theologians. Heretics at that point it is resting the scriptures wives be in subjection to your husbands.

48:59 Yes but your husband is not your absolute Lord. And when he would require anything of you that would cause you to disobey a clear precept of God you must defy him graciously but firmly and pay the consequences. That's what martyrdom is defiance of man's authority and sealing. That defines with blood.

49:23 And likewise when Peter says younger ones that is church members be in submission to the elders your church leaders. He is not saying that you are to give to your elders a place of absolute authority over your conscience and your will. Listen to John Owen who states this so powerfully quote the obedience due to church rulers is not a blind implicit obedience. A pretense here of has been abused to the ruin of the souls of men but there is nothing more contrary to the whole nature of gospel obedience which is our reasonable service.

50:02 It has respect unto them in their office only that is the obedience required and while they teach the things which the Lord Christ has appointed them to teach. When they depart from these there is neither obedience nor submission due to them. Wherefore. In the performance.

50:20 Of these duties there is supposed a judgment to be made of what is enjoined or taught by the word of God. Our obedience to our elders must be our obedience to God. That means you listen with discernment and when the word of God is opened and the word of God is applied. Your conscience is bound not by your elder but by Christ speaking in and through his word by the instrumentality of the under shepherd and the overseers.

50:51 What it does not mean. It does not mean church members are to give to their elders absolute authority over their conscience and will. Secondly it does not mean that church members are to regard their elders as infallible in all their interpretations and applications of scripture. No.

51:14 When it says younger ones church members be in subjection to older ones your elders. It does not mean. That you as church members are to regard Pastor Lamar Pastor Carlson my exposition and application of the scriptures as infallible. No.

51:33 First Thessalonians 5 20 and 21 applies here and now though we don't have profits even when there were real profits. Men who were organs of direct revelation. They were told to despise not prophesying. Verse.

51:52 21 prove all things put all things to the test hold fast that which is good. The Apostle Paul is urging these Thessalonians not to be gullible. They are to put everything to the test. Acts 17 11.

52:09 These were more noble than those of Thessalonica in that they searched that received the word with all readiness of mind and searched the scriptures daily to see whether these things are so. So when Peter says. Younger ones be in subjection to older ones. He is not calling them to give up their consciences and wills to an absolute authority nor is he saying that they're to regard their elders as infallible in their interpretations and applications of scripture.

52:39 But let me say by way of an aside. It doesn't mean that you are just as competent to open up and apply the scriptures as your elders are. That's one of the requirements for the eldership that a man be apt to teach and that he be able. By sound doctrine both to exhort and to convict.

52:58 And some have taken this qualification and run crazy with it. And they're ready to overturn every single effort at saying proven biblical interpretation and application because of their sovereignty under Christ. I believe in the priesthood of all believers. My friends that's as wicked as any man that would say he's infallible.

53:18 That's to reject Christ's gift of pastors and teachers. Third thing it does not mean it does not mean you must agree with your elders in all their judgments and decisions not explicitly addressed in the scriptures. You don't have to agree with the judgment of your elders in all things that are not explicitly addressed in the scriptures. For example when I felt it lent something to the worship to sing during the offering.

53:50 I called one of my fellow elders last night or this morning. I don't remember when said look. I was impressed with that. Here's this lovely hymn that validates the passage we're reading.

53:59 You have any objection to doing this. I don't act unilaterally in this. I had to consent to one of my fellow elders. Now if one of you meets me they don't see no pastor.

54:06 I didn't like that. I really enjoy sitting quietly while the offering is passed and I think about God's goodness and all he's done. I hope that's not going to become. I made a judgment about an element in the worship this morning.

54:18 Do I claim infallibility though as a judgment was the judgment. You don't have to agree with that judgment. You don't have to agree with it. But you don't have any right to go start a fuss in the squawk and cause division any more than a wife.

54:33 The husband seeks her input says this I think would be the best family car. And she said well I think this would be better and they talk and discuss. But the moment of truth comes and they got to go down to the got to go down to showroom pick out a car. And she says dear I really don't believe that's going to be best.

54:48 But if that's your decision I'm going to rub it under your nose day and night until you trade it in and get what. I want. That's the way some of you do with decisions you don't agree with in the eldership. And that's wicked.

55:02 That wife must say sweetheart. I believe you goofed in your choice of a vehicle. I hope time vindicates that you were wise. And if time vindicates that my decision would have been better.

55:14 I promise I won't rub it under your nose and make life miserable for you. That's what a godly wife does. And that's what godly church members do because many times your disagreement with the decision of administration. That's not explicitly addressed in the Bible is based on your very limited knowledge of the facts.

55:34 The shepherds and the overseers have far more input than the ordinary child of God in the life of the church does. But that notwithstanding if there's a legitimate difference in judgment that's your liberty. No one in the Bible and no one in his right mind governing by the Bible wants people to say your judgment is infallible. Any more than your interpretation and application.

What Submission to Elders DOES Mean

55:59 Of the scripture is infallible. So when Peter says younger ones be subject to older ones. We've looked at what it does not mean. And with those negatives acting as it were a fence around us much more briefly.

56:13 What does it mean? What does it mean when it says younger ones be in submission to your elders? Church members I've directed the elders to shepherd you and all that that means exercising oversight. I've admonished them to do it not not not but but but.

56:34 And I've held before them the promise in so doing the chief shepherd will smile on their labors and give them the reward of an unfading crown. Now you church members you be in submission to such elders be in submission to them. What it does not mean what it does mean two very basic things. It means that you thankfully recognize their position over you in the Lord.

56:58 As a. Gracious gift and blessing from Christ himself. It means that you thankfully recognize their position over you in the Lord. As a gracious gift and blessing from Christ himself.

57:15 Now where do I get such notions? Well you know Ephesians 4 don't you? Speaking of Christ being raised to the place of highest honor and authority. From that position what did he do?

57:28 The scripture tells us in Ephesians 4. In Ephesians 4 verse 10. He that descended is the same that ascended far above all the heavens that he might fill all things. And from that position of exaltation subsequent to all of the tragedies that surrounded the cross.

57:47 The shame. The ignominy. The bitterness. The spittle.

57:51 The blows. The nails. The spear. Raised in glory and power ascended.

57:56 From that position what has he done? And he gave some. He gave some apostles. And some prophets.

58:03 And some evangelists. And some shepherds. Shepherds. Pastors.

58:09 And shepherds. Poimane. Shepherds and teachers. Now wait a minute.

58:15 Christ fills all things. He's been vindicated. Exalted and glorified. Why can't he do all his work from heaven by the spirit?

58:24 Directly in the hearts of his people. He's the chief shepherd. He's the sinless shepherd. He's the perfect shepherd.

58:31 In his wisdom and love he gave under shepherds. You see this idea of being pastors and shepherds and having bonified Christ given authority. This didn't originate in some ambitious men who wanted to worm their way into a place of prominence and power. It has its origin in the wisdom and the rights of King Jesus.

58:56 And chapter 5 says. The Christ who loved the church. Gave himself for the church. It says he continues to nourish and cherish the church.

59:07 And what's one of the expressions of his nourishing, cherishing love? He continues to give pastors and teachers. And it's a wonderful thing. When we get beyond this wretched, carnal, worldly notion.

59:22 That it's us and them. And somehow there's got to be the tension of a power struggle. What a wretched thing. What an ungodly thing.

59:34 But when we see in those whom God gives to us. Who have the biblical marks of qualification of character and of gift. And are recognized by the citizens in the commonwealth. And set over them to administer the will and the laws of the king.

59:55 To see in the presence of biblically qualified elders. Nothing less. Than the gracious gift of the ascended Christ. In his nourishing and cherishing love.

60:09 The same love that took him to the cross. Took him to the throne. And causes his hand to stretch down with pastors and teachers. What a terrible thing to say.

60:20 All my hope for life and salvation is in the Christ who died. But I don't want the Christ who gives pastors and teachers. I've got the Holy Ghost and my Bible. I need nothing else.

60:31 My friend. You're making yourself wiser than Christ. And putting yourself in the way of spiritual disaster. What does it mean?

60:42 Younger ones. Be submissive to your elders. It means that you first of all. Thankfully recognize their position over you in the Lord.

60:52 As a gracious gift and blessing. From Christ himself. And secondly. It means that you conscientiously submit yourself.

61:01 To every aspect. Of their biblically directed shepherding and overseeing of you. The text says. Younger be submissive to people.

61:14 That's what is the rub with many. I'll be submissive to the Lord. And I'll be submissive to the Bible. Don't ask me to be submissive to people.

61:22 The text says. Younger ones. Church members. Be submissive to the elders.

61:29 With all the qualifications. Their authority is not absolute. Over your conscience or will. They claim no infallibility.

61:36 In their interpretation and application of scripture. And it is not wrong to differ with their judgment. In matters that are not explicitly addressed in the Bible. But it does say.

61:47 Younger ones. Be submissive to the elders. People. With their faults.

61:53 With their sins. With their limitations. But in so far as they are Christ gifts. Judged by the standard of the word of God.

62:02 It means. That you. Conscientiously submit yourself to every aspect. Of their biblically directed shepherding and overseeing of you.

62:12 And that means those of us who stand here. In our relationship to our pastors. I wonder how many of you would like to go off for a retreat. Where for a period of four to five hours.

62:27 A group of five of you. Were evaluating each other's life and conduct. Under the microscope of intimate love. Under the microscope of intimate knowledge of you.

62:36 And in the light of the word. And then leave the room. When for an hour. Your brethren discuss their insights about you.

62:43 And their perception of areas of character weakness and strength. And then you come and sit down. And have a mini judgment day. When they look you in the eye.

62:51 And say brother. We appreciate this and this and this. And we feel God's helping you here and here. But this is an area of your life and character.

62:58 That we believe needs to be shored up. Would you like to do that? Well the elders did with one another several months ago. And not a one of us reared back and said who in the world.

63:10 I am a pastor. We had been out on our ear. If you don't believe me. Ask the other elders.

63:20 And then charge us all with publicly lying. And pray God will strike us dead for being such hypocrites. Because some of you think. Oh Pastor Martin gets carried away with his rhetoric.

63:28 And hyperbole. No this is dead honest truth. Is it not Pastor Lamar? Pastor Carlson?

63:35 The other two elders are in Denmark. But if they could answer, you'd hear their amen. Folks, I'm not calling you to something that by the grace of God, I'm not obeying.

63:47 In terms of my accountability, I'm one of the younger ones. And my four fellow elders are my older ones. And by the grace of God, I'm in submission to them. Pastor Dixon spent 30 years in that relationship.

64:03 Ask him. Ask him.

64:08 Why won't you be submissive to your elders?

64:12 It's a serious question.

Requisites for Biblical Submission

64:16 Could it be? And here my time has gotten away from me. I wanted to address what are you going to have to have in your heart if you're going to do these two simple things. You've got to have a heart that has undergone a genuine work of regeneration.

64:28 That's the starting point. The carnal mind is enmity against God. It is not subject to the law of God. Neither indeed can it be.

64:35 Now think with me for a minute. If that's the disposition of every unregenerate heart, it's one massive clenched fist against God's law. What will the attitude be to those whom God puts? What will the attitude be to those whom God puts over you to administer His law?

64:49 It'll be exactly the same attitude. In fact, a little more virulent because you can see them and you can't see Him. And there's many a person who wouldn't clench his fist and go out in the center of the parking lot and curse God and say, what's God doing trying to order my life around? You'll get together with other malcontents and you'll grouse about your elders when all they're seeking to do is administer the rule and will of Christ the King.

65:18 See, that's why we have to be so careful. We have to be so careful the best we can to make sure that we do not admit into membership any who do not give reasonable marks of regenerating grace. Because within the community of the church, you're assuming you've got sheep, not goats, who want to hear the voice of their shepherd spoken through His Word and by His servants.

65:44 You see, the first requisite for having this disposition is a deep, thorough work of regenerating grace in which God takes out the heart of stone, gives the heart of flesh, writes His law upon the heart. You see, when Peter writes 5.5, Younger ones, church members, be submissive to your elders. He's assuming all the things he described earlier happened in them.

66:06 They've been begotten again. They have been born of the Spirit. They have purified their souls. They've been made alive in union with Christ.

66:14 When he says, younger ones, submit to your elders, church members, be in submission to your elders, he's assuming all the dynamics of grace are working in them. And if they aren't, there's no way they're going to do it. That may be the problem with some of you. Your chronic irritation at anything that looks like assertiveness on the part of your elders, though based in the Word of God, it rankles and disturbs you.

66:40 Why? Because your heart is still at enmity with God. Then you must have a well-grounded conviction concerning the divine authority of church order. John Brown points that out.

66:52 If you're not convinced the Bible, Christ, and God, have instituted an order in the church, then it's going to be hard to embrace that order.

67:03 Are you convinced that this order is not a matter of pragmatism, but is mandated by God himself? And then you've got to have a Bible based in spirit-wrought love for those who are in the office in function of elders. Know them that are over you in the Lord. Esteem them highly in love for their work's sake.

67:22 I have to just pass over that. Perhaps take another message to amplify. There are several aspects of this. It's absolutely crucial.

67:30 And I asked you who sat here when I expounded the first four verses, did I slip over what the elders were to do and how they were to do it? Or did I open it up in detail?

67:43 Should I be less detailed when I'm telling you what God says to you out of fear that some of you may say, and I'm not so naive as to think there may not be some who know there's an ear or two here or there into which you can grow. Fair. He did get out of it. Good friend.

67:58 Frankly, I don't care. About the grassy. I want to be faithful to the souls of the true sheep who want true shepherds and want to see this church function under the rule of Christ according to the word of Christ in order to accomplish the purposes of Christ to advance the kingdom of Christ and promote the honor and glory of our dear Lord Jesus. Let us pray.

Prayer and Benediction

68:27 Oh, our father. We're so thankful for your word. Thank you that you have given us this word to be a lamp to our lives. Our feet in a light to our pathway.

68:38 And if we have rightly understood and preached and applied that word to that extent, oh, Lord, we pray that the Holy Spirit will attest to his own voice speaking in the scriptures and will write this truth upon our hearts. We thank you, Lord Jesus, for your nurturing care of the church and that you continue to give her pastors and teachers, overseers and shepherds. And we pray that we as a people may think clearly and biblically and have deeply rooted convictions on these matters. We think especially of the rising generation with the whole mood of egalitarianism where everyone feels that he's on an equal plane with everyone else. Lord, help us to think in biblical categories and to reject every worldly perspective on the life and ministry of your church. We pray that you would. Feel this word with power to each of our hearts and bring glory and honor to yourself in the outworking of our obedience.

69:43 Thank you for your presence with us. Continue with us throughout this day for our good and for your glory in Jesus name. Amen.