彼得的書信中，這一章是對教會的領袖（長老）說的，彼得鼓勵他們專心牧養，服事信徒不是出於顧主關係，乃是甘心樂意順服的服事，彼得要求他們避免自大、自誇，行為上要成為群羊的榜樣，作一個跟隨基督的人（3節）；彼得也提醒他們，利己主義只是暫時有物質的回饋，而他們所需要的是存著信心等待上帝的回報，也就是當「大牧者」顯現時，得那永不衰殘的榮耀冠冕（4節）。彼得又談到年輕人，鼓勵他們效法長老及順服他們，年輕人要謙卑，因到適當的時候，上帝要升高他們成為可信賴的教會領袖（6節）。

        彼得又說：將憂慮卸給上帝，因祂顧念你（7節）。在此節聖經中，我們常有些衝突，我們因為害怕貧窮，就一心想賺錢；因怕被人拒絕，就先顯出自大；又怕自己卑微不被看重，就立下雄心，努力工作、利用人為要能在人之前，但我們知道貪財、自大、雄心都是危險的，所以我們也服事人，如此做是為克己。上帝已看見我們所付出的努力，祂知道我們的心思，也知道我們需要什麼，如果我們把自己交在祂手中（憂慮卸給祂），祂必定要完全的顧念我們。相信祂！

        主啊！賜下恩典使我們能服事人，像耶穌謙卑自己，做奴僕的工作，替祂的門徒洗腳，願我們像您。奉主耶穌聖名，阿們！

English

        Peter concludes this letter with some words for the church leaders (the elders). He encourages them to focus on pastoring and to serve not as hirelings but as obedient servants (v.2). He wants them to avoid arrogance and pompousness and be "examples to the flock" of what it means to be a follower of Christ (v.3). He reminds them that any self-seeking, in terms of temporal reward for their labours, pales in the light of the true reward awaiting the faithful under-shepherd "when the chief shepherd appears" (v.4). Then he shifts to the young men and encourages them to emulate the elders and be submissive to them. He says they should "humble" themselves, and when the time is right they too will be elevated to responsible leadership (v.6).

        Then Peter says, "Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you" (v.7 NIV). Here is the critical point. Any lust for money (v.2), lordly arrogance (v.3), or galloping ambition is rooted in insecurity. We fear poverty, or rejection, or insignificance, and we strive to be ahead of the next guy. We use people. But we're to serve people. And to do so means ongoing self-denial. That doesn't mean, however, that God is blind to our labours. He knows our heart and our needs. And, if we'll let Him do it, He'll care for us. We can be sure He'll care for us completely. Trust Him.

        Lord, give us grace to serve others, for this is what Jesus did, even in such menial tasks as washing the feet of His disciples. Oh to be like Jesus is our plea!