1 Peter 5:2

Feed the flock of God which is among you ; rather, tend , as a shepherd tends his flock. The verb ποιμάνατε is aorist, as if St. Peter wished to concentrate into one point of view all the labors of the ministerial life. He is echoing the word so solemnly addressed to himself by the risen Lord, "Feed my sheep ποίμαινε τὰ πρόβατά μου ." The word covers all the various duties of the pastoral office: "Pasce mente, pasce ore, pasce operc, pasce animi oratione, verbi exhortatione, exempli exhibitione" (St. Bernard, quoted by Alford). St. Peter lays stress upon the solemn fact that the flock belongs to God, not to the shepherds (comp. Acts 20:28 ). Some understand the words rendered "which is among you τὸ ἐν ὑμῖν " as meaning" quantum in vobis est," " as far as lies in your power." Others as " that which is committed to you," or "that which is placed under your care." But the simple local meaning seems the best. Taking the oversight thereof. This word ἐπισκοποῦντες is not found in the Sinaitic and Vatican Manuscripts. Alford thinks that "it has, perhaps, been removed for ecclesiastical reasons, for fear πρεσβύτεροι should be supposed to be, as they really were, ἐπίσκοποι . It is in the Alexandrine and most other ancient manuscripts and versions, and there seems to be no sufficient reason for omitting it. It shows that when this Epistle was written, the words πρεσβύτερος and ἐπίσκοπος , presbyter and bishop, were still synonymous (comp. Acts 20:17 and Acts 20:28 in the Greek; also Titus 1:5 and Titus 1:7 ). Not by constraint, but willingly . The word ἀναγκαστῶς , by constraint, occurs only here. St. Paul says ( 1 Corinthians 9:16 ), "Necessity is laid upon me;" but that was an inward necessity, the constraining love of Christ. Bede, quoted by Alford, says , " Coacte pascit gregem, qui propter rerum temporalium penurium non habens unde vivat, idcirco praedicat evangelium ut de evangelio vivere possit ." Some good manuscripts add, after "willingly," the words κατὰ θεόν , "according to God," i.e. according to his will (comp. Romans 8:27 ). Not for filthy lucre. The adverb αἰσχροκερδῶς occurs only here. It would seem that, even in the apostolic age, there were sometimes such opportunities of gain (see Titus 1:11 ; 2 Timothy 3:6 ) as to be a temptation to enter the ministry for the sake of money. St. Peter uses a strong word in condemnation of such a motive. But of a ready mind. This adverb προθύμως occurs nowhere else in the New Testament; it has a stronger meaning than the preceding word ἑκουσίως , willingly; it implies zeal and enthusiasm.