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Observe here, 1. The persons exhorted, The elders that are amongst you, the guides and governors of the church: elders by age and office, who were both to rule well, and also to labour in the word and doctrine; and for doing both faithfully, were to be accounted worthy of double honour.
Observe, 2. The person exhorting, I exhort, who am also an elder.
Mark, he says not, "I who am the universal Head of the church, Christ's vicar upon earth; but I, who am an elder by age, and by apostleship, who have been long the minister of the circumcision, I exhort, beseech, and entreat you, as my brethern, fellow-labourers in our Lord's vineyard."
Observe, 3. The humble testimony which St. Peter gives of himself: he doth not say, "I command, who am the chief of the apostles, with whose confession of faith Christ was so well pleased, that he said, Thou art Peter, and upon this rock will I build my church;" but, "I exhort, who am a witness of the sufferings of Christ, an eye-witness of what our dear Lord and Master suffered in the faithful discharge of his office, both in his life and at his death; and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed; I was also an eye-witness of Christ's glory in his transfiguration here on earth, and hope to be partaker of that glory which shall hereafter be revealed in heaven."
Learn hence, That such exhortations to duty are likely to be most effectual and successful, which are propounded in the humblest manner. St. Peter was placed in an high degree above these elders, being an apostle, a chief apostle; yet he gives himself no such title, but says, The elders I exhort, who am also an elder; not an apostle, much less the head and chief of the apostles.