1 Peter 5

8. Peter has in mind Christ's warning to himself to watch against Satan, from forgetting which he fell.
Be sober . . . vigilant--"Care," that is, anxiety, will intoxicate the soul; therefore be sober, that is, self-restrained. Yet, lest this freedom from care should lead any to false security, he adds, "Be vigilant" against "your adversary." Let this be your "care." God provides, therefore do not be anxious. The devil seeks, therefore watch [BENGEL].
because--omitted in the oldest manuscripts The broken and disjointed sentences are more fervid and forcible. LUCIFER OF CAGLIARI reads as English Version.
adversary--literally, "opponent in a court of justice" ( Zechariah 3:1 ). "Satan" means opponent. "Devil," accuser or slanderer ( Revelation 12:10 ). "The enemy" ( Matthew 13:39 ). "A murderer fro m the beginning" ( John 8:44 ). He counteracts the Gospel and its agents. "The tempter."
roaring lion--implying his violent and insatiable thirst for prey as a hungry lion. Through man's sin he got God's justice on his side against us; but Christ, our Advocate, by fulfilling all the demands of justice for us, has made our redemption altogether consistent with justice.
walketh about--( Job 1:7 , 2:2 ). So the children of the wicked one cannot rest. Evil spirits are in 2 Peter 2:4 , Jude 1:6 , said to be already in chains of darkness and in hell. This probably means that this is their doom finally: a doom already begun in part; though for a time they are permitted to roam in the world (of which Satan is prince), especially in the dark air that surrounds the earth. Hence perhaps arises the miasma of the air at times, as physical and moral evil are closely connected.
devour--entangle in worldly "care" ( 1 Peter 5:7 ) and other snares, so as finally to destroy. Compare Revelation 12:15 Revelation 12:16 .

9. ( Luke 4:13 , Ephesians 6:11-17 , 4:7 .)
steadfast--Compare established in the truth," 2 Peter 1:12 . Satan's power exists only in respect to the unbelieving; the faithful he cannot hurt ( 1 John 5:18 ). Faith gives strength to prayer, the great instrument against the foe ( James 1:6 , &c.).
knowing, &c.--"encouragement not to faint in afflictions": your brethren suffer the same; nothing beyond the common lot of Christians befalls you ( 1 Corinthians 10:13 ). It is a sign of God's favor rather than displeasure, that Satan is allowed to harass you, as he did Job. Your fellow Christians have the same battle of faith and prayer against Satan.
are--are being accomplished according to the appointment of God.
in the world--lying in the wicked one, and therefore necessarily the scene of "tribulation" ( John 16:33 ).

10. Comforting assurance that God will finally "perfect" His work of "grace" in them, after they have undergone the necessary previous suffering.
But--Only do you watch and resist the foe: God will perform the rest [BENGEL].
of all grace--(Compare 1 Peter 4:10 ). The God to whom as its source all grace is to be referred; who in grace completes what in grace He began. He from the first "called (so the oldest manuscripts read for "us") unto (with a view to) glory." He will not let His purpose fall short of completion. If He does so in punishing, much more in grace. The three are fitly conjoined: the call, the glory to which we are called, and the way (suffering); the fourth is the ground of the calling, namely, the grace of God in Christ.
by--Greek, "in." Christ is He in virtue of whom, and in union with whom, believers are called to glory. The opposite is "in the world" ( 1 Peter 5:9 , John 16:33 ).
after that ye have suffered--Join to "called you": suffering, as a necessary preliminary to glory, was contemplated in God's calling.
a while--short and inconsiderable, as compared with the glory.
perfect, &c.--The two oldest manuscripts, and Vulgate and Coptic versions, read, "shall perfect (so that there shall be nothing defective in you), stablish, strengthen," and omit "settle," literally, "ground," or "fix on a foundation." ALFORD reads it in spite of the oldest manuscripts The authority of the latter I prefer; moreover the climax seems to require rather a verb of completing the work of grace, than, as the Greek means, founding it. The Greek has, "shall HIMSELF perfect you": though you are called on to watch and resist the foe, God Himself must really do all in and through you. The same God who begins must Himself complete the work. The Greek for "stablish" (so as to be "steadfast in the faith," 1 Peter 5:9 ) is the same as "strengthen," Luke 22:32 . Peter has in mind Christ's charge, "When thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren." His exhortation accords with his name Peter, "Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church." "Stablish," so as not to waver. "Strengthen" with might in the inner man by His Spirit, against the foe.

11. To him--emphatic. To Him and Him alone: not to ourselves. Compare
glory and--omitted in the oldest manuscripts and versions.
dominion--Greek, "the might" shown in so "perfecting," you, 1 Peter 5:10 .

12. Silvanus--Silas, the companion of Paul and Timothy: a suitable messenger by whom to confirm, as Peter here does, Paul's doctrine of "the true grace of God" in the same churches (compare 2 Peter 3:16 ). We never meet with Silvanus as Paul's companion after Paul's last journey to Jerusalem. His connection with Peter was plainly subsequent to that journey.
as I suppose--Join "faithful unto you [STEIGER], as I suppose." Silvanus may have stood in a close relation to the churches in Asia, perhaps having taken the oversight of them after Paul's departure, and had afterwards gone to Peter, by whom he is now sent back to them with this Epistle. He did not know, by positive observation, Silvanus' faithfulness to them; he therefore says, "faithful to you, as I suppose," from the accounts I hear; not expressing doubt. ALFORD joins "I have written unto you," which the Greek order favors. The seeming uncertainty, thus, is not as to Silvanus' faithfulness, which strongly marked by the Greek article, but as to whether he or some other would prove to be the bearer of the letter, addressed as it was to five provinces, all of which Silvanus might not reach: "By Silvanus, that faithful brother, as expect, I have Written to you" [BIRKS].
briefly--Greek, "in few (words)," as compared with the importance of the subject ( Hebrews 13:22 ).
exhorting--not so much formally teaching doctrines, which could not be done in so "few words."
testifying--bearing my testimony in confirmation (so the Greek compound verb implies) of that truth which ye have already heard from Paul and Silas ( 1 John 2:27 ).
that this--of which I have just written, and of which Paul before testified to you (whose testimony, now that he was no longer in those regions, was called in question probably by some; compare 2 Peter 3:15 2 Peter 3:16 ). 2 Peter 1:12 , "the present truth," namely, the grace formerly promised by the prophets, and now manifested to you. "Grace" is the keynote of Paul's doctrine which Peter now confirms ( Ephesians 2:5 Ephesians 2:8 ). Their sufferings for the Gospel made them to need some attestation and confirmation of the truth, that they should not fall back from it.
wherein ye stand--The oldest manuscripts read imperatively, "Stand ye." Literally, "into which (having been already admitted, 1 Peter 1:8 1 Peter 1:21 , 1 Peter 2:7 1 Peter 2:8 1 Peter 2:9 ) stand (therein)." Peter seems to have in mind Paul's words ( Romans 5:2 , 1 Corinthians 15:1 ). "The grace wherein we stand must be true, and our standing in it true also" [BENGEL]. Compare in "He began his Epistle with grace ( 1 Peter 1:2 ), he finishes it with grace, he has besprinkled the middle with grace, that in every part he might teach that the Church is not saved but by grace."

13. The . . . at Babylon--ALFORD, BENGEL, and others translate, "She that is elected together with you in Babylon," namely, Peter's wife, whom he led about with him in his missionary journeys. Compare 1 Peter 3:7 , "heirs together of the grace of life." But why she should be called "elected together with you in Babylon," as if there had been no Christian woman in Babylon besides, is inexplicable on this view. In English Version the sense is clear: "That portion of the whole dispersion ( 1 Peter 1:1 , Greek), or Church of Christianized Jews, with Gentile converts, which resides in Babylon." As Peter and John were closely associated, Peter addresses the Church in John's peculiar province, Asia, and closes with "your co-elect sister Church at Babylon saluteth you"; and John similarly addresses the "elect lady," that is, the Church in Babylon, and closes with "the children of thine elect sister (the Asiatic Church) greet thee"; to Second John). ERASMUS explains, "Mark who is in the place of a son to me": compare Acts 12:12 , implying Peter's connection with Mark; whence the mention of him in connection with the Church at Babylon, in which he labored under Peter before he went to Alexandria is not unnatural. PAPIAS reports from the presbyter John [EUSEBIUS, Ecclesiastical History, 3.39], that Mark was interpreter of Peter, recording in his Gospel the facts related to him by Peter. Silvanus or Silas had been substituted for John Mark, as Paul's companion, because of Mark's temporary unfaithfulness. But now Mark restored is associated with Silvanus, Paul's companion, in Peter's esteem, as Mark was already reinstated in Paul's esteem. That Mark had a spiritual connection with the Asiatic' churches which Peter addresses, and so naturally salutes them, appears from 2 Timothy 4:11 , Colossians 4:10 .
Babylon--The Chaldean Babylon on the Euphrates. ON THE PLACE OF WRITING this Epistle, in proof that Rome is not meant as Papists assert; compare LIGHTFOOT sermon. How unlikely that in a friendly salutation the enigmatical title of Rome given in prophecy (John, Revelation 17:5 ), should be used! Babylon was the center from which the Asiatic dispersion whom Peter addresses was derived. PHILO [The Embassy to Gaius, 36] and JOSEPHUS [Antiquities, 15.2. 2 23.12] inform us that Babylon contained a great many Jews in the apostolic age (whereas those at Rome were comparatively few, about eight thousand [JOSEPHUS, Antiquities, 17.11]); so it would naturally be visited by the apostle of the circumcision. It was the headquarters of those whom he had so successfully addressed on Pentecost, Acts 2:9 , Jewish "Parthians . . . dwellers in Mesopotamia" (the Parthians were then masters of Mesopotamian Babylon); these he ministered to in person. His other hearers, the Jewish "dwellers in Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia," he now ministers to by letter. The earliest distinct authority for Peter's martyrdom at Rome is DIONYSIUS, bishop of Corinth, in the latter half of the second century. The desirableness of representing Peter and Paul, the two leading apostles, as together founding the Church of the metropolis, seems to have originated the tradition. CLEMENT OF ROME [First Epistle to the Corinthians, 4.5], often quoted for, is really against it. He mentions Paul and Peter together, but makes it as a distinguishing circumstance of Paul, that he preached both in the East and West, implying that Peter never was in the West. In 2 Peter 1:14 , he says, "I must shortly put off this tabernacle," implying his martyrdom was near, yet he makes no allusion to Rome, or any intention of his visiting it.

14. kiss of charity-- Romans 16:16 , "an holy kiss": the token of love to God and the brethren. Love and holiness are inseparable. Compare the instance, Acts 20:37 .
Peace--Peter's closing salutation; as Paul's is, "Grace be with you," though he accompanies it with "peace be to the brethren." "Peace" (flowing from salvation) was Christ's own salutation after the resurrection, and from Him Peter derives it.
be with you all that are in Christ Jesus--The oldest manuscripts omit "Jesus." In Ephesians 6:24 , addressed to the same region, the same limitation of the salutation occurs, whence, perhaps, Peter here adopts it. Contrast, "Be with you all," Romans 16:24 , 1 Corinthians 16:23 .