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1 Peter Chapter 5

1 Peter Chapter 5

(Underlining marks a quotation/allusion. [Brackets] mark a textual variant.fnWhen two (or more) different copies of an original manuscript disagree on any given word or phrase — addition, omission, word order, etc. — the disagreement is called a "textual variant". ~99% of existing textual variants are either minor (like spelling), obviously not original (often appearing only in a few late manuscripts), or don't affect meaning (like "Jesus Christ" vs. "Christ Jesus"). The ~1% that remain do not affect any central doctrine of Christianity. The BOS Bible only marks significant textual variants that affect the meaning; smaller variants that do not affect meaning won't be marked for readability.  "Love" with a caret ("^love") is agapé.fn"agapé" The Greek words ἀγάπη (agapé, noun), and ἀγαπάω (agapaó; verb) are typically translated "love".  However, unlike our English word "love" – which primarily speaks of affection and feelings — agapé centers on choice and behavior.  It’s the "love" based on will, choice, behavior, and action; not feelings.  (Feelings-based love is the Greek word φιλέω (phileó), which properly means "brotherly love/affection".)  Thus, you could hate someone passionately and still treat him with "agapé".  Agapé "love" is best understood as the pursuit of what is most beneficial to someone or something, regardless of the cost to yourself or the type of response received from the person or thing.  It can also indicate a preference for someone or something over other things. An asterisk (*) indicates a verb in the Greek perfect tense.fnThe Greek perfect tense signifies a completed action in the past with a result and/or an ongoing state that extends into the present. For example, Hebrews 12:2 says in part: "He *sat down at the right hand of the throne of God"; the verb for "sat" is in the perfect tense, indicating that He sat down once (completed action in the past), and also that He remains seated until the present moment (ongoing state).)

Glossary

Note: this glossary is currently a work in progress; entries that do not expand will be added as time permits

Ages/of ages
“ages” and “of ages” are the Greek words “αἰών” (aión, noun form) and “αἰώνιος” (aiónios, adjective form) respectively.  The adjective form is typically translated “eternal”, as in “eternal life”. The noun form refers to a whole time period, (Keizer, “Life Time Entirety”) such as a person’s lifetime (an older Greek sense), an age/epoch (e.g., 2 Cor 4:4), or even time in its entirety, making its meaning similar to “forever” (e.g., John 14:16). The adjective form is similarly context-dependent, and the New Testament context often dictates a meaning similar to “forever” (but not always: e.g. 2 Tim 1:9).  Alternately or additionally, it can indicate the quality of a time period — indicating greatness/severity — like the English idiom “of ages” (e.g. “battle of the ages”). Thus, “of ages” was chosen for the adjective form so that both the time and quality senses remain visible.

Clean/unclean

Covenant

Faith

Flesh

Forgive/forgiveness

Grace
The Greek word is “χάρις” (charis), most often translated “grace”, “gift”, or “thanks”. It was a technical term in the 1st century, referring to the Patronage system in place. The Patron (from “pater” = “father”) would give gifts or do favors (both called a charis). A charis was always given/done freely to anyone who would be grateful for it, and this person then became a “client” of the patron. The clients were expected to reciprocate by telling everyone what the patron had done, and offering their services to the patron whenever the patron needed them. This reciprocal act was also called “charis”, and the ones who reciprocated were “being faithful” by giving thanks in this way. Both were done out of gratitude, not legal obligation. A client who wasn’t faithful and grateful probably wouldn’t receive any more charis from his patron, or any other patrons. The patron was responsible for taking care of all his clients, and making sure their needs were met. New Testament usage typically casts God the Father as a Heavenly Patron, to whom Christians should be grateful and faithful because of the gifts He has given us. (e.g. salvation, provision, protection, etc.)

Holy

Justification

Law (Torah)

Make purification

Pure/Impure

Purification offering
In the Old Testament, this is typically the Hebrew “חַטָּ֖את” (khat-tat); in the New Testament, it’s typically “περὶ ἁμαρτίας” (peri hamartias), which is what the Septuagint (an ancient translation of the Old Testament into Greek) used to translate the Hebrew. It’s traditionally translated “sin offering”, but that translation has less support in high-level scholarship. The Hebrew word can mean “sin”, but it can also mean “purification” (e.g. Numbers 8:7). This offering was used to purify uncleanness, whether or not a sin was committed. Thus, it was required even when no sin was committed, such as after childbirth (Leviticus 12:1-8), for certain diseases (Leviticus 14), etc. High-level, peer-reviewed scholarship dedicated to the field (e.g. Milgrom, Levine, Gane, Sklar, Wright, Gorman, etc.) is largely united on the “purification offering” understanding. The BOS Bible has aligned itself with that high-level, peer-reviewed scholarship in its translation.

Ransom

Redemption

Repent/repentance

Righteous/righteousness

Salvation/save

Soul
“soul” is the Greek word “ψυχή/psuché” and Hebrew word “נֶפֶשׁ/nephesh”. The BOS Bible translates these words as “soul” for consistency, and so the full meaning of “soul” isn’t obscured by different translations in different places. They closely overlap in meaning and are typically translated “soul” or “life”. They refer to the animating force of a living thing, and thus can also refer to its life, or to the whole of any person or creature, including animals (e.g. fish in Revelation 8:9 and Genesis 1). They are frequently used as an emphatic reference to a person’s whole self, including longings, deep emotions, and inner life. (e.g. Ps 42:11) Note: while “soul” has significant overlap in meaning with “spirit”, the words have distinct meanings and usages throughout scripture. For example, lions tear apart a soul in Psalm 7:2, and a “dead soul” is mentioned in Leviticus 21:11; “spirit” has no analogous usages, and it returns to God at death (Ecc 12:7; Acts 7:59). The adjective forms of soul and spirit are contrasted in 1 Corinthians 2:14-15; see also: Hebrews 4:12; 1 Thessalonians 5:23.

Sin

Click to Collapse the Glossary
Final instructions
  1. I urge the elders among you – as a fellow elder, and a witness of the sufferings of the Anointed, and a partaker in the glory about to be revealed –
  2. shepherd the flock of God among you, looking afterfn“looking after” is one word in Greek.  It focuses on care by “looking after” someone or something by paying close attention to it. them not because of compulsion, but voluntarily according to God.  And not for dishonest gain, but eagerly,
  3. and not like you’re exercising authority over the men in your lot, but becoming examples to the flock.
  4. And when the Chief Shepherdfnquotation/allusion to Ezekiel 34:23, Psalm 23:1, and Isaiah 40:10-11, and possibly Ezekiel 34 is revealed, you will receive back the unfading crown of glory.
  5. In the same way, younger menfn“younger men” is one word in Greek.  In Roman society, boys would cease to be children between 14 and 16 at the yearly festival Liberalia.  At this point, the boy became a man in the sense of becoming legally responsible for his own actions.  However, he didn’t become a man with full rights in society until he turned 25, and had restrictions on what he could do until that age.  Hebrew culture had a similar arrangement, beginning at the bar-mitzvah and also ending at about 25.  These “younger men” were often considered irresponsible and prone to making bad decisions, which is a possible reason for Peter’s instruction here. be submitted to the elders.  And all of you, gird yourselvesfn“gird yourselves” is one word in Greek, which can also carry the connotation of clothing yourself. “Girding” is a cultural reference, referring to the process of tying a belt or rope around the waist to gather their long robes and prevent them from getting in the way of work.  It figuratively came to mean getting ready for action or work. with humility towards one another because “God arrays Himself in battle against the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”fnquotation/allusion to Proverbs 3:34
  6. Therefore, be humbled under the mighty hand of God so He might elevate you in a proper season,
  7. having cast all your anxiety upon Him because He cares about you.fnquotation/allusion to Psalm 55:22
  8. Be sober-minded.  Keep watch.  Your adversary the Accuser walks about like a roaring lion seeking whom to devour,fnquotation/allusion to Psalm 22:13, Psalm 10:9, and Psalm 7:2
  9. whom you must resist, firm in the faith, *knowing that the same sufferings are to perfectfn“to perfect” could also be translated “to be accomplished”.  The Greek word literally means to “bring to an end” (Thayers), which can have to connotation of accomplishing, completing, or perfecting, depending on context. your brotherhood in the world.
  10. And after having suffered a short time, the God of all grace – the One who called you into His glory of ages by Jesus the Anointed – He will prepare, establish, strengthen, and ground you.
  11. To Him be the dominion through the ages of the ages, Amen.
Closing
  1. I wrote to you through a few words through Silvanus (as I consider him a faithful brother), admonishing and testifying this to be the true grace of God, in which you must stand.
  2. The fellow elect woman in Babylon greets you, and so does my son, Mark.
  3. Greet one another with a kiss of ^love.  Peace to all of you who are in the Anointed.  [Amen]

 

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