5:1 The elders. The elders of the churches addressed by Peter are urged to “feed the flock” (that is, to “pastor”), while also “taking the oversight” (that is, to “bishop”) the churches they were serving. This admonition indirectly confirms the implication that the offices of elder, pastor and bishop really are synonymous in effect, all being centered in the same man or men. “Elder” implies maturity in the faith, “pastor” implies teaching the Word,” and “bishop” implies oversight administratively.

5:2 filthy lucre. “Filthy lucre” is one word in the Greek. Lucre, from a Latin word meaning “gain,” only becomes filthy when it corrupts the sincerity of Christian ministry.

5:4 chief Shepherd. See Isaiah 40:11. The Lord Jesus Christ is called the “good shepherd” in John 10:11, and “that great shepherd of the sheep” in Hebrews 13:20. Actually “pastor” is the same word as “shepherd” in the Greek.

5:5 grace to the humble. See Proverbs 3:34; James 4:6.

5:8 devil. “Devil” means “slanderer” and “Satan” means “Accuser;” he is also called the “Adversary.” He is adversary to both God and man, slandering and accusing man to God and God to man.

5:8 roaring lion. Satan is like a “roaring lion” and is “the great dragon” and “that old serpent” (Revelation 12:9), but he can also be “transformed into an angel of light” (II Corinthians 11:14).

5:9 resist. Despite his deceptions, as well as his accusations, his power, his hatred and his ferocity, Satan can be successfully resisted (James 4:7) and even overcome (I John 2:13-14; 4:4; 5:18). He is, in fact, already a defeated foe (Hebrews 2:14). However, for personal victory “against the wiles of the devil” in our present circumstances, we must “put on the whole armour of God” (Ephesians 6:11,14-17).

5:10 God of all grace. Despite any sufferings we experience as Christians (I Peter 4:16), our God is the “God of all grace,” and “He giveth more grace” (James 4:6) as needed. He is also “the God of all comfort” (II Corinthians 1:3), as well as “the God of peace” (Hebrews 13:20) and “the God of hope” (Romans 15:13).

5:10 suffered a while. A dominant theme of Peter’s first epistle is grace and strength while suffering for Christ’s sake. This is his final and summarizing reference to this subject, but note also I Peter 1:6-7; 2:19-21; 3:14-17; 4:12-19, as he returns again and again, in each of his five chapters, to this vital theme.

5:12 Silvanus. Silvanus, who evidently was commissioned by Peter to carry his letter around to the various churches in Asia (I Peter 1:1), is believed to have been Silas, Paul’s companion on one of his missionary journeys (Acts 15:40; 18:5).

5:13 Babylon. Babylon had a large Jewish population, and Peter had evidently gone there to evangelize and make disciples among them, since his special calling was to the Jews, as Paul’s had been to the Gentiles (Galatians 2:7). Some have speculated that Babylon was a mystical name for Rome, but no basis exists for this idea, and there was no indication that Peter had ever been there. Paul wrote a letter to Rome about this same time and had no hesitancy in calling the city by name (Romans 1:7).

5:13 Marcus. John Mark was Peter’s son “in the faith,” and evidently received much of the information for his gospel from Peter.