When the Chief Shepherd Appears 1 Peter 5:4

Peter the apostle instructed the “elders” who were among the “scattered” Christians to “be examples to the flock” rather than “being lords over God's heritage”. In chapter five and verse four of his letter, Peter shared what will happen “when the chief Shepherd shall appear” where we read:

And when the chief Shepherd shall appear,

you shall receive a crown of glory that fades not away.

The verse begins, “And when the chief Shepherd shall appear,...” Peter began with the word, “And” which means “also, even, indeed” “when the chief Shepherd” which refers to “Christ as head of the church” “shall appear” or “to make manifest or visible or known what has been hidden or unknown, to manifest, whether by words, or deeds, or in any other way”. There will be a time “when” Jesus, our “chief Shepherd” “appears”, and Peter continues to share what will happen when he does.

The verse continues, “... you shall receive a crown of glory that fades not away.” Peter went on to promise, “you shall receive” or “care for or of, provide for and preserve” “a crown” which literally means “a mark of royal or exalted rank” and metaphorically means “the eternal blessedness which will be given as a prize to the genuine servants of God and Christ” “of glory” or “opinion, judgment, view, estimate, splendor and brightness” “that fades not away” or “composed of amaranth which is a flower that dissolves and disappears, fadeless and like a symbol of perpetuity and immortality”. Peter's promise is for those who are “genuine servants of God” and Jesus Christ to receive a “mark of royal or exalted rank” which will last forever.

When we think through these words of Peter, we should be excited about the promise he made. We are to be faithful servants to Jesus, and as we are, when Jesus “appears” we shall reap great eternal reward! May the Lord Jesus by His Holy Spirit keep us serving Him faithfully, and may we always be looking for and expecting His appearance.

Next time Peter gives instructions to the “younger” among the Christians, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.