Verse 20
20. In the coming two verses the epistle proper closes, after the Pauline manner, with a benedictory prayer. It is offered with a glance of retrospect over the whole epistle.
God of peace The formula of Paul alone. See Romans 15:33; 1 Corinthians 14:23; 2 Corinthians 13:11; Philippians 4:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; 2 Thessalonians 3:16. The whole of this chapter has, beginning with brotherly love, churchly peace, unity, stability, and obedience to pastoral rule, as its key-note. And the whole epistle has Christian stability and unity under the atoning Christ as its object.
Shepherd of the sheep Under whom it should be one peaceful fold.
Blood of the everlasting covenant Whose import our epistle has so richly unfolded. It is through (or, rather, Greek, in) the blood of the covenant that the risen Jesus is the great Shepherd of the sheep. In that character, and in possession of the power of that atoning blood, he was raised from the dead.
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