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1 Peter

About this book
Chapter 5

1 So as your fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings and as one who shares in the glory that will be revealed, I urge the elders among you: 2 Give a shepherd’s care to God’s flock among you, exercising oversight not merely as a duty but willingly under God’s direction, not for shameful profit but eagerly. 3 And do not lord it over those entrusted to you, but be examples to the flock. 4 Then when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that never fades away.⁠ 5 In the same way, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another because God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.⁠ 6 And God will exalt you in due time, if you humble yourselves under his mighty hand⁠ 7 by casting all your cares on him because he cares for you.⁠ 8 Be sober and alert. Your enemy the devil, like a roaring lion, is on the prowl looking for someone to devour.⁠ 9 Resist him, strong in your faith, because you know that your brothers and sisters throughout the world are enduring the same kinds of suffering. 10 And, after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory in Christ will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 11 To him belongs the power forever. Amen. 12 Through Silvanus, whom I know to be a faithful brother, I have written to you briefly, in order to encourage you and testify that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it. 13 The church in Babylon, chosen together with you,⁠ greets you, and so does Mark, my son. 14 Greet one another with a loving kiss. Peace to all of you who are in Christ.

Texts in conversation

Compare LXX Proverbs 3:34 and 1 Peter 5:5

Septuagint · New Testament

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Summary

In 1 Peter the statement that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble echoes Proverbs 3, one of several proverbs referenced in the letter. By drawing on Israel's wisdom tradition, 1 Peter connects its teaching to an authoritative tradition.

Passages

LXX Proverbs 3:34

Septuagint
31 Do not bring on the reproaches of bad men, neither do you covet their ways. 32 For every transgressor is unclean before the Lord; neither does he sit among the righteous. 33 The curse of God is in the houses of the ungodly; but the habitations of the just are blessed. 34 The Lord resists the proud; but he gives grace to the humble. 35 The wise shall inherit glory; but the ungodly have exalted their own dishonor.
100–1 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in LXX Proverbs

1 Peter 5:5

New Testament
3 And do not lord it over those entrusted to you, but be examples to the flock. 4 Then when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that never fades away. 5 In the same way, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another because God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. 6 And God will exalt you in due time, if you humble yourselves under his mighty hand 7 by casting all your cares on him because he cares for you.
80–90 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in 1 Peter

References

"... A first proverb in 1 Peter occurs in 4:8, where Proverbs 10:12 appears to have been substantially reformulated. Most commentators would call it an allusion or an echo. The rendering is obviously very free, but still too apparent to ignore ... A second proverb occurs in 4:18, which follows Proverbs 11:31 rather closely ... 4:17-18 as a whole illustrates that the way wisdom sayings are applied in 1 Peter, intertwine with eschatological motives. 4:18, without losing its sapiential flavour, has an eschatological touch to it. Verse 17 'For the time has come for judgment to begin with the household of God' may loosely allude to Ezekiel 9:5-6, where God commands concerning his judgment, 'Begin at my sanctuary! So they began with the elders who were in front of the house.' From there the argument proceeds: 'If it begins with us, what will be the end for those who do not obey the gospel of God?' and ends in the question charted above. Wisdom and admonishment are positioned here in view of God’s coming wrath, compare 2:12. A second proverb, 5:5, is an almost citation of Proverbs 3:34, with only the divine name differing. We can therefore suffice with one translation: 'God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble' ..."
Hans van Nes, "Traces of A Three Part Canon underlying 1 Peter" in Riecker, Siegbert (ed.) Das heilige Herz der Tora: Festschrift für Hendrik Koorevaar zu seinem 65. Geburtsatg. (Shaker, 2011), 183–197.

References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.

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LXX Proverbs 3:34 and 1 Peter 5:5

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