¹Therefore, 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 . . .

Even during times of persecution, godly leadership is necessary. Remember Peter is writing to believers who have been scattered by persecution across the northeastern Mediterranean basin. Their lives have been disrupted, their families at times have been separated, and their lives in general have become hard. And still carrying the same human shortcomings, they are struggling with interpersonal relationships and selfish attitudes. Lest we be too hard on them, we recognize the presence of these same themes among the fellowship of believers with whom we identify today. The work of sanctification does not take a hiatus when persecution and trials come.

This is also true for the leaders of God’s people. Peter writes to the primary leadership of any and all churches, namely the elders. He doesn’t address “the pastor” or “the bishop” or “the priest.” The NT knows of only one leadership structure in the church, and that is the eldership, composed of a plurality of biblically qualified men who share in shepherding the people of God. They do this through leading, teaching, caring, and protecting them (see Acts 20:17–38, 1 Tim. 3:1–7, Titus 1:5–9 for the other primary passages teaching on eldership).

Quite noticeably, Peter changes his tone and writes directly to the elders, and he does so not highlight his apostolic authority but his status as a fellow elder. Secondly, he speaks as a witness of the sufferings of Christ, which gives him standing for addressing the whole subject of Christian suffering, as well as serving as an elder in the midst of suffering. In other words, he is not an armchair teacher of pastoral theology, but he writes from the trenches.

Thirdly, he speaks as one who has already experienced to some degree the glory that awaits all faithful elders, which he addresses a few verses later: “And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory” (1 Peter 5:4). Undoubtedly, he has in mind his experience on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matt. 17:1–5, to which he refers more in 2 Peter 1:16–18).

His addressing them in this way endorses the elders as the primary local church leadership. Authority and shepherding in the church do not reside with one person, one pastor, or an ecclesiastical or denominational hierarchy over the church. Thus, all elders need to heed Peter’s teaching, which speaks more to the character qualities required of elders than to the gifting or functioning of the elders. This is true especially during times of stress, hardship, and persecution.

Lord, I pray for the elders of my church, that they may shepherd well.