Shepherds, Not Cowboys: The Grammar of Godly Authority Text: 1 Peter 5:1-5
Introduction: The Crisis of Authority
We live in an age that is profoundly confused about authority. On the one hand, our culture is fiercely egalitarian and anti-authoritarian. We are told to question everything, to deconstruct all hierarchies, and to be suspicious of anyone who claims to have the right to tell anyone else what to do. This manifests as a radical individualism that chafes at any external constraint. On the other hand, this same culture craves and creates tyrants. Having rejected the legitimate, delegated authorities established by God in the family, church, and state, we find ourselves increasingly under the thumb of a massive, impersonal, and godless bureaucratic state that seeks to micromanage every aspect of our lives. We have traded fathers for functionaries, and shepherds for social workers.
This confusion has, as it always does, seeped into the church. We have churches that are run like Fortune 500 companies with a CEO pastor at the top, and we have churches that are run like anarchic communes where every decision is subject to the tyranny of the popular vote. We have pastors who are abusive taskmasters, and we have pastors who are pathetic pleasers, terrified of offending anyone. Both are a dereliction of duty. Both are a distortion of the biblical pattern.
Into this confusion, the Apostle Peter speaks with pastoral clarity and apostolic authority. He is writing to churches scattered and suffering, and he knows that in times of trial, sound leadership is not a luxury; it is a necessity. A flock without shepherds is just a collection of meals waiting for wolves. In this passage, Peter lays out the nature of true spiritual authority. It is not a worldly authority based on coercion, power-plays, or personal charisma. It is a delegated authority, an authority under authority. It is the authority of a shepherd, not a cowboy. A cowboy drives the cattle from behind with whoops and hollers. A shepherd leads the sheep from the front, and they follow because they know his voice.
What Peter gives us here is the essential grammar of godly rule within the church. It is a grammar that must be understood by those who lead, and it must be understood by those who are led. When this grammar is honored, the church is a place of order, safety, and flourishing. When it is ignored, the church becomes a playground for either tyrants or rebels, and in either case, the sheep are the ones who get hurt.
The Text
Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, shepherd the flock of God among you, overseeing not under compulsion, but willingly, according to God; and not for dishonest gain, but with eagerness; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.
(1 Peter 5:1-5 LSB)
The Ground and Manner of the Exhortation (v. 1)
Peter begins by establishing his standing to give this charge.
"Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed..." (1 Peter 5:1)
Notice how Peter approaches them. He doesn't pull rank, though as an apostle, he certainly could have. He doesn't say, "I, the Apostle Peter, the rock on which the church is built, hereby command you..." No, he appeals to them as a "fellow elder." This is a masterstroke of pastoral wisdom. He is modeling the very humility he is about to command. True authority does not need to constantly advertise itself. It is secure. Peter places himself alongside these men, not over them in some domineering fashion. He is in the trenches with them.
His authority to speak comes from two places. First, he is a "witness of the sufferings of Christ." This is not just a claim to have been there. He saw the ultimate act of servant leadership. He saw the Chief Shepherd lay down His life for the sheep. He witnessed the cost of redemption firsthand. This gives his words an immense weight. He is not talking about abstract leadership principles; he is talking about a bloody, cross-centered reality. To lead God's people is to be conformed to the image of the suffering Servant.
Second, he is a "partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed." His vision is not limited to the present suffering. He has his eyes fixed on the final prize. He knows that the story does not end with the cross, but with the crown. This eschatological hope is what fuels faithful ministry. We endure the present hardship because we have a sure and certain hope of future glory. This combination is crucial for any elder: a deep memory of Christ's suffering and a vibrant hope for Christ's return.
The Job Description: Shepherd and Overseer (v. 2)
Peter then lays out the central command with three crucial qualifying pairs.
"...shepherd the flock of God among you, overseeing not under compulsion, but willingly, according to God; and not for dishonest gain, but with eagerness..." (1 Peter 5:2)
The main verb is "shepherd." This is the heart of the matter. Elders are not corporate executives, board members, or event planners. They are shepherds. This metaphor is rich with meaning. A shepherd feeds, leads, protects, and cares for the sheep. It is a constant, demanding, and often messy job. And notice whose flock it is: "the flock of God." The sheep do not belong to the elders. They are God's sheep, purchased with the blood of His own Son (Acts 20:28). This is the ultimate preventative against pastoral pride. An elder is a steward, an undershepherd, caring for someone else's flock. He will give an account to the Owner for every single one.
Then come the qualifications, the heart-check. First, the motive must be willing, not compelled. A man should not be an elder because he was cornered, or because it was his turn, or because he felt he "had to." He must serve "willingly, according to God." This is a divine calling, not a committee assignment. The desire to do the work is a prerequisite for the work itself (1 Tim. 3:1). A reluctant shepherd is a dangerous shepherd.
Second, the motive must be pure, not greedy. He is to serve with "eagerness," not for "dishonest gain." This isn't just about embezzling church funds. "Dishonest gain" can be a desire for prestige, for power, for influence, for a respectable career. The ministry is not a platform for self-advancement. A true shepherd is eager to serve the sheep, not to fleece them. He is motivated by love for God and His people, not by what he can get out of it.
The Manner of Shepherding: Example, Not Tyranny (v. 3)
The third qualifying pair addresses the method of leadership.
"...nor yet as lording it over those allotted to you, but being examples to the flock." (1 Peter 5:3)
This gets to the heart of the difference between godly authority and worldly authority. Worldly leaders "lord it over" their subjects. They command, coerce, and control. This is precisely what Jesus forbade among His disciples (Mark 10:42-45). Christian leadership is not about domination. The phrase "those allotted to you" literally means "the lots," referring to the inheritance God has given them to steward. The people are God's portion, not the elder's personal property.
The alternative to lording it over is "being examples to the flock." This is the primary tool in the shepherd's hand. An elder leads by his life. He cannot take the flock where he has not gone himself. He preaches repentance from his own repentance. He teaches forgiveness from his own forgiveness. His life is the sermon illustration. This is why the qualifications for an elder in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 are all about character. A man's life must be in order before he can presume to help order the church of God. Authority flows from character, not from a title.
The Ultimate Reward (v. 4)
Peter concludes his charge to the elders by pointing them to their final reward.
"And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory." (1 Peter 5:4)
All earthly shepherds are temporary. They serve under the "Chief Shepherd," the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the true head of the church. And He is coming back. This is the great accountability day for all undershepherds. The work is hard, often thankless, and comes with much grief. The rewards in this life are few. But the final reward is certain.
It is an "unfading crown of glory." Unlike the laurel wreaths of ancient athletes that would wither and die, this reward is eternal. This is what keeps a faithful man going. He is not working for the applause of men, which is fickle. He is not working for a paycheck, which can be lost. He is working for the "well done, good and faithful servant" from the only one whose opinion ultimately matters. His eyes are on the finish line.
The Corresponding Duty: Submission and Humility (v. 5)
Having addressed the leaders, Peter now turns to the rest of the flock, showing that godly order requires responsibilities on both sides.
"You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE." (1 Peter 5:5)
Authority and submission are two sides of the same coin. You cannot have one without the other. The "younger men" are called to be subject to the elders. This refers not just to age, but also to position and maturity in the faith. This submission is not blind obedience. It is a willing, intelligent recognition of God's ordained structure for the health of His church. It is a trust in the office and a respect for the men God has placed in it. A church full of would-be shepherds and no sheep is a recipe for chaos.
But this is not a one-way street. "All of you," Peter says, elders and younger men alike, are to "clothe yourselves with humility toward one another." Humility is the uniform of the Christian. The word for "clothe" refers to a slave tying on his apron. This is a direct echo of Jesus washing the disciples' feet. In the kingdom of God, the way up is down. Elders must be humble in their leading, and the flock must be humble in their following.
Why is this so critical? Because of the fundamental spiritual law Peter quotes from Proverbs 3:34: "GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE." This is the central operating principle of the universe. Pride puts you in direct opposition to God Himself. It is a declaration of war against the Almighty. To be proud is to invite the resistance of God. Humility, on the other hand, is the posture for receiving grace. Grace flows downhill. When you humble yourself, you place yourself in the path of the flow of God's favor. A proud church is a grace-less church. A humble church, from the pulpit to the pew, is a church where the grace of God flows freely.
Conclusion: The Humble Hierarchy
What Peter has described here is a humble hierarchy. It is a structure of authority, yes, but it is an authority that is exercised in humility, for the good of the flock, by men who are themselves under authority to the Chief Shepherd. And it is a structure that is received in humility, by a people who understand that true freedom is found not in autonomy, but in glad submission to the good order established by God.
This is the biblical antidote to the chaos of our age. It is the path to a healthy, thriving, and resilient church. We need elders who smell like sheep, who lead by example, who hate filthy lucre, and who long for the appearing of Christ. And we need a people who are quick to listen, slow to speak, and eager to submit to their leaders in the Lord. When both are clothed in the apron of humility, God gives grace. And where God gives grace, the gates of hell cannot prevail.