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1Pe_5:2. ποιμάνατε τὸ ἐν ὑμῖν ποίμνιον τοῦ Θεοῦ ] The work of directing the church is often in the N. and O. T. represented by the figure of pasturing (cf. Act_20:28; Joh_21:16; Jer_23:1-4; Eze_34:2 ff.), and the church by that of a flock (Luk_12:32). τοῦ Θεοῦ is added here very significantly. By it the flock is designated as belonging, not to the elders who tend it, but to God as His peculiar property. Luther takes a too narrow view of the idea of tending,—he limits it to the preaching of the gospel. It applies rather to all and everything that is done by the elders, for the welfare of the individual as well as for that of the entire congregation. τὸ ἐν ὑμῖν must not be separated from ποίμνιον , as if it were equal to quantum in vobis est (cf. Rom_1:15), i. e. intendite omnes nervos (Calvin); it rather forms one idea with ποίμνιον . The greater number of commentators understand ἐν in a local sense, either: in vestris regionibus (Pott), or: “with you, within your reach” (Luther, in the commentary, Hensler, de Wette, Besser, Schott,[266] etc.). Since ἐν ὑμῖν , as a more precise local definition, stands somewhat significantly, and “the churches only are the place where the elders are, and not vice versa” (Hofmann), ἐν ὑμῖν must, according to the analogy of κεῖσθαι ἔν τινι , be interpreted: “that which is committed to you” (Luther’s translation, Bengel, Steiger), or: “that which is placed under your care (hand).” ἐν ὑμῖν then serves to give point to the exhortation.
ἐπισκοποῦντες , cf. the critical notes. It must be observed that ἐπισκοπ . is here placed in conjunction with ποιμάνατε , as in chap. 1Pe_2:25 : ποιμήν and ἐπίσκοπος . This participle, with the adverbs belonging to it, states what should be the character of the ποιμαίνειν .[267] The verb (which, except here, occurs only in Heb_12:15), equivalent to: “to give heed,” denotes the labours of the elders in caring for the congregation, but with the implied meaning of oversight. The still closer definition follows in three adjuncts, each of which consists of a negative and a positive member. The thought is aptly given by Calvin: Dum Pastores ad officium hortari vult, tria potissimum vitia notat, quae plurimum obesse solent, pigritiam scilicet, lucri captandi cupiditatem et licentiam dominandi; primo vitio opponit alacritatem aut voluntarium studium, secundo liberalem affectum, tertio moderationem ac modestiam.
ἀναγκαστῶς (an expression foreign to Greek usage, and occurring only here, which Hofmann erroneously denies) and ἙΚΟΥΣΊΩς (this adverb occurs in the N. T., besides in this passage, only in Heb_10:26; the adjective in Phm_1:14) are opposed to each other, in such a way that the former characterizes the work as undertaken from outward motives only, the latter as from inward. The same antithesis occurs in Phm_1:14 : ΚΑΤᾺ ἈΝΆΓΚΗΝ … ΚΑΤᾺ ἙΚΟΎΣΙΟΝ (similarly the antithesis of ἌΚΩΝ and ἙΚΏΝ , 1Co_9:17); with ἙΚΟΥΣΊΩς , cf. Exo_36:2. The position, etc., must be regarded as the outwardly inciting or compelling motive. Bengel is incorrect: id valet et in suscipiendo et in gerendo munere; to the former there is in this case no allusion.
According to the Rec., ἑκουσίως is yet further strengthened by ΚΑΤᾺ ΘΕΌΝ (cf. chap. 1Pe_4:6; 2Co_7:9-10), equal to ΚΑΤᾺ ΤῸ ΘΈΛΗΜΑ ΤΟῦ ΘΕΟῦ .
ΑἸΣΧΡΟΚΕΡΔῶς (the adverb occurs here only, the adjective 1Ti_3:8; Tit_1:7; Tit_1:11 : ΑἸΣΧΡΟῦ ΚΈΡΔΟΥς ΧΆΡΙΝ ); “the apostle places the impure motive side by side with the unwillingness of ἈΝΑΓΚ .” (Wiesinger).
ΠΡΟΘΎΜΩς (in the N. T. the adverb occurs here only; more frequently the adjective and substantive) as antithesis to ΑἸΣΧΡΟΚΕΡΔῶς : “out of love to the thing itself;” Luther: “from the bottom of the heart.”[268]
[266] Schott’s opinion, that in ἐν ὑμῖν this antithesis to τοῦ Θεοῦ is expressed, “that the church, belonging to heaven, is yet at present in the bodily and visible vicinity of the elders, and surrounded by them,” must be rejected as purely arbitrary.—Gerhard’s interpretation: qui vobiscum est, videlicet cum quo unum corpus, una ecclesia estis, brings out an idea which is in no way indicated by the apostle.
[267] It is doubtless correct that the adverbs do not simply define more nearly the term ἐπισκοποῦντες , in and for itself considered; but it is wrong to make them co-ordinate with this idea (as against Hofmann); closely joined with ἐπισκοποῦντες , they, with this participle, are connected with ποιμάνετε .
[268] Hofmann: “With a joyous devotion—which excludes all secondary considerations—to the work which has to be done.”