Do You Love Me?

Nothing would have been so painful for Peter to hear than Jesus say, “Do you love me?” three times. He had known Jesus for nearly three years and been his right-hand man. Jesus had appointed him as the leader of the disciples and promised to establish his congregation with him. But their relationship was strained, at least from Peter’s perspective, when he denied him three times. When Jesus had resurrected from the dead, and they were restored to each other, Jesus asked him three times: “Do you love me?” Each time Peter acknowledged he did, the Lord asked him to care for his sheep.

Now that Peter was at the end of his life and would soon die as a martyr, he passed that baton of feeding the sheep to the older people in the congregation.

“As a fellow elder, a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and one who would fellowship in the about-to-be-revealed glory, I ask you, elders, shepherd the sheep of God among you, overseeing not out of compulsion but willingly according to God, neither greedily but desiring, neither lording over the lot but being examples to the flock, and you will receive an unfading crown of glory when the chief shepherd appears.” (1 Pet 5:1–4)

Peter saw himself as a fellow elder with the elders shepherding the people. But in addition, he was a witness to Christ’s sufferings, and he would soon receive glory, a metaphor for his imminent death. Perhaps the Lord revealed to him that his time to depart was near.

With these self-descriptions, Peter gave one command – “Shepherd the sheep of God among you” (v. 2). But he gave several modifiers so the elders would know how to shepherd the sheep exactly. Three of these descriptions were participles, emphasizing ongoing actions – “overseeing them” (v. 2), “not lording over them” (v. 3), and “being examples to the flock” (v. 3b). While they were to be constantly looking out for the sheep – perhaps to protect them from wolves (false teachers) – they shouldn’t lord over them; instead, they should show them what to do by their examples.

The rest of the descriptions were adverbs: “not under compulsion but willingly according to God” (v. 2a) and “not greedily but desiring” (v. 2b) – modifying the participle, “overseeing the sheep.” Shepherding was to be done willingly, without feeling pressured to shepherd, not for material gain, and out of love to lead the people. Peter didn’t let them guess how they would lead as shepherds; he gave them clear directions.

When they properly led the sheep as he prescribed, they received “an unfading crown of glory” from the chief shepherd, especially when they stood in his presence. It was Peter’s time to be transformed into glory, but it wasn’t yet for the elders in his congregation. Until that time, they should shepherd faithfully.

Later churches introduced other criteria, such as elders must be male, married, etc., combining this passage with Paul’s exhortation to Timothy and Titus. But Peter’s audience wouldn’t have seen any such restrictions. They would have seen their older Christians as shepherds over them.

Asian cultures respect older folks. I hope that never changes. Not all older folks are wise or examples for others to follow. But when we see godly older women and men in our congregations, we should rejoice and follow their examples. And when we become older people, we must shepherd as Peter instructed.