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1Pe_5:5. ὁμοίως ] cf. chap. 1Pe_3:1; 1Pe_3:7; here also ὁμοίως is not a mere particle of transition (Pott). The exhortation to humility, expressed in this verse, corresponds to those addressed to the elders, wherein they are admonished to submit themselves to the duties of their office with humility, and without seeking their own advantage.
νεώτεροι ὑποτάγητε πρεσβυτέροις ] Who are these νεώτεροι ? Certainly not the whole of the members of the congregation (in contrast to the elders), as Beda, Estius, Pott, Wiesinger, etc., assume, but either the younger members generally, or such of them as were employed in many ministrations, suitable neither for the elders nor the deacons. The first assumption (Luther, Calvin, Aretius, Gerhard, etc.) is opposed by the circumstance that πρεσβυτέροις here seems to have the same official signification as above in 1Pe_5:1 ff. If this be so, then it is plainly inconsistent to take the expression νεώτεροι , as specifying only a particular time of life. The second (Weiss, p. 344 ff., Schott, Brückner), founded chiefly on Act_5:6; Act_5:10, is contradicted by the fact, that there is no historical testimony for the existence of an office, such as it takes for granted. If νεώτεροι indicate only a particular time of life, then the like may be said of the accompanying πρεσβυτέροις . The difficulty which arises from the same name being employed first as an official title, and then to denote a particular age, is solved, in a measure at least, by supposing that since the word contained both references, the apostle might, as he proceeded in his exhortation, lose sight of the one in the other.[272]
The special exhortation is followed by the general: ΠΆΝΤΕς ΔῈ ἈΛΛΉΛΟΙς ] If ὙΠΟΤΑΣΣΌΜΕΝΟΙ is to be erased after ἈΛΛΉΛΟΙς , the words may then be taken either with what precedes (Lach. gr. Ausg., Buttmann, Hofmann) or with what follows. In the first case there is something fragmentary in the structure of the clause, while the second, adopted by almost all commentators (formerly also in this commentary), is opposed by the dative ἀλλήλοις , which is too easily passed over with the remark that it is the dative of reference, equivalent to: “for each other,” or “with reference to each other.” All the passages which Winer (p. 202 [E. T. 270]) brings forward to prove that the dative is used of everything with reference to which anything takes place, are of a different nature. ΠΆΝΤΕς denotes the whole of the members of the church without distinction.
ΤῊΝ ΤΑΠΕΙΝΟΦΡΟΣΎΝΗΝ ἘΓΚΟΜΒΏΣΑΣΘΕ ] In interpreting the word ἘΓΚΟΜΒΏΣΑΣΘΕ , commentators have not unfrequently, but erroneously, started from the meaning of the substantive ἘΓΚΌΜΒΩΜΑ ,[273] understanding (certainly without justification) it to signify “a beautiful dress,” and rendering: “adorn yourselves with humility;” thus Calvin, etc.; or else, whilst correctly explaining the word as the apron worn by slaves, they find in the verb itself the reference to humility in behaviour; thus Grotius, Hornejus, Steiger, de Wette, etc.[274]
Rather, however, must that sense of the verb be retained which is to be had by deriving it from κόμβος , “a band:” “to tie on, or fasten anything by means of a κόμβος , i.e. a band.” Since, now, it is used for the most part of the fastening of a garment, it lies to hand to take the expression here as having the same sense with ἐνδύεσθαι (cf. Col_3:12), yet so that the idea of making fast is more strongly brought out in the former than in the latter: “to clothe oneself firmly, wrap oneself round with ταπεινοφρ ;” Bengel: induite vos et involvite, ut amictus humilitatis nulla vi vobis detrahi possit (thus also Wiesinger, Schott). Other interpreters hold by the one or the other meaning only, i.e. either by that of clothing (Oecumenius: ἐνειλήσασθε καὶ περιβάλλεσθε ) or that of making fast (Luther: “hold fast by humility;” Erasmus: humilitatem vobis fixam habete). Similar exhortations to humility towards one another: Eph_4:2; Php_2:3; Rom_12:16. The exhortation is strengthened by the quotation of the Old Testament passage, Pro_3:34, after the LXX., where, however, κύριος stands instead of ὁ Θεός . The same quotation is to be found in Jam_4:6, where, as here, there is first of all the injunction to submit to God, and then that to resist the devil; cf. also Luk_1:51.
[272] The view that πρεσβυτέροις indicates an office, but νεώτεροι a time of life (de Wette), is opposed by the circumstance that “it remains incomprehensible why the exhortation, which is surely meant to apply to the whole church, should be addressed to the younger members only” (Hofmann).
[273] Steph. s.v. ἐγκομβόω : illigo, involvo; Hesych. enim ἐγκομβωθείς exponit δεθείς et ἐγκεκόμβωται affert pro ἑνείληται .
Ἐγκόμβωμα vestimenti genus est; sctibit enim Poll. 4, 119, τῇ δὲ τῶν δούλων ἐξωμίδι προσκεῖσθαι καὶ ἱματίδιόν τι λευκόν , quod ἐγκόμβωμα s. ἐπίβλημα nominari.
[274] Hofmann holds by this reference (although he does not derive the meaning of the verb from that of the substantive). He says that the verb, of itself, has that sense, since he who prepared himself for the duties of a servant girded himself with a garment fastened by means of a band. This conclusion would be established if ἐγκομβοῦν were used only of the putting on of a slave’s apron, which, however, is not the case.