To the elders among you…
Summary: When Peter addresses part of his letter to “the elders,” he inadvertently highlights a sad and serious shift in cultural norms.
Imagine, if you will, a place and time where age and wisdom are synonymous. Imagine living in a culture where people respect those who are older because they know more.
I don’t mean “know more” in the sense that someone knows more trivia than another person. I mean “know more” in the sense that they have had more life experience than other people. They have seen more, they have a unique perspective that has value.
Imagine, if you will, living with people who respect people who are older than themselves. That doesn’t mean that they do everything the older person says, but that they treat the older person with respect. To use an old fashioned term, they “pay them respect.”
Can you imagine such a place? What would it be like?
Peter knows. He lives in that kind of culture. He appeals to the elders among the believers in the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia because they are respected. He appeals to them because they are the ones people in their communities look to for guidance and counsel.
The elders of Peter’s day are like the keel of a sailboat. The keel keeps the boat upright and on course. The keel holds the rest of the boat steady. The keel is what makes it possible for the boat to sail against the wind.
If you are having trouble imagining the kind of world where Peter would want to appeal to the elders of the community, it is because our world has changed. For one thing, we have more elders these days. People are living longer than they ever have before.
Another reason is that many elders today don’t act like they are older. We live in a culture that worships youth. Entire industries are built around the premise of helping older people look younger than they are. Wisdom has given way to consumerism, and age is just another demographic that the media tracks for advertising purposes.
If Peter were writing his letter today, who would he appeal to as shepherds of God’s flock? Would it still be worth the papyrus and ink to write to the elders among us?
Application: Not all elders are wise, but all are worthy of respect.
Food for Thought: Who do we turn to today instead of our elders?
The term “elders“ can refer to age or an office in the church. Later in this passage it appears that Peter is referring to the office. I know there is some crossover between the office and the age bracket. Hopefully those who are older in the faith are also more mature in the faith.
Who do we turn to today instead of our elders (the question seems to be based upon those with life experience)? I know this is a very subjective question this morning. But based on what I see in our culture, many turn to social media and are swayed by the politics and pressures of their peer group.
From my point of view, it would appear that for many the ones they turn to for guidance is social media, social programming and celebrities. Those who are popular as opposed to those who are wise.
I think it would benefit us to turn to God’s word and His counsel. Otherwise the input we receive is worldly and of the flesh. Seeking Gods counsel through the ministry of God’s word and prayer is supposed to be what elders are helping us to do as they serve the church body.
Rich,
Thank you for your thoughts today. I concur. I was listening to a discussion online (!) a few days ago and it was posited that the reason so many turn to celebrities for guidance is related to the lack of family structure in many homes. I found it a very sad thought.
I’ve heard wisdom defined as the ‘proper application of knowledge’.
Here’s a quote attributed to Charles Spurgeon:
“Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. To know is not to be wise. Many men know a great deal, and are all the greater fools for it. There is no fool so great a fool as a knowing fool. But to know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom.”
This excerpt is timely, as we can clearly see that feelings / emotions are rapidly replacing the base on which people (of all ages) make decisions, which cannot lead to wise actions or decisions.
The elevation of emotions / feelings to a ‘legitimate’ base for making those decisions also means that looking externally, like to an elder or God’s word is not even in the mix – my feelings are sufficient ‘truth’ by itself.
Hopefully, that makes sense. I haven’t finished my first cup of coffee yet. Have a great day, guys!
Brent
Minor correction made at Brent’s request. – JE
Brent,
Not bad for half a cup of coffee! The Spurgeon quote is spot on. We have more knowledge at our fingertips now than at any time in human history and what has it got us?
Who do we turn to today instead of our elders?
In our home we rely on Gods guidance through His Spirit, His written word. The men used by God to record His truths are my elders and Jesus has given us direct access 24/7. If we are having difficulty in some area, we have christian friends to turn to. We also have some non believer friends who we associate with. Some are younger people, we enjoy their company and the guy’s and I will talk about how to best approach home improvement or vehicle projects while my wife will talk about American cooking with the ladies.
All media, NEWS, and the opinions being offered as reliable are filled with contradictions, questionable information being offered as truth and I simply don’t need to spend my time trying to sort it out.
Trust in God.
Amen, brother! Trust in God. Amen.
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