Metaphysical Bible Interpretation of I Peter Chapter 5
Metaphysically Interpreting I Peter 5:1-11
5:1The elders among you I exhort, who am a fellow-elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, who am also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: 5:2Tend the flock of God which is among you, exercising the oversight, not of constraint, but willingly, according to the will of God; nor yet for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; 5:3neither as lording it over the charge allotted to you, but making yourselves ensamples to the flock. 5:4And when the chief Shepherd shall be manifested, ye shall receive the crown of glory that fadeth not away.5:5Likewise, ye younger, be subject unto the elder. Yea, all of you gird yourselves with humility, to serve one another: for God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble.
5:6Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time; 5:7casting all your anxiety upon him, because he careth for you. 5:8Be sober, be watchful: your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour, 5:9whom withstand stedfast in your faith, knowing that the same sufferings are accomplished in your brethren who are in the world. 5:10And the God of all grace, who called you unto his eternal glory in Christ, after that ye have suffered a little while, shall himself perfect, establish, strengthen you. 5:11To him be the dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
June 26, 1927: I Peter 5:1-11
Today’s lesson is a review of the lessons of the last quarter. What is the central theme of these lessons? Faith (Peter) is the central theme. The lessons explain how faith works in and through man’s soul and opens the way for the Christ consciousness to be established therein. Faith is the key that opens the door of the kingdom of the heavens.
The first lesson of this quarter gave an account of Jesus’ calling the first four of his apostles, Peter, Andrew, James, and John. Jesus had these four apostles with him in doing nearly all his miraculous works. Why? Faith (Peter), the firm conviction of the reality and power of Spirit (Andrew), good judgment (James), and love (John) form an invincible spiritual thought combination through which man can rise above and outdo the slow processes of nature.
Does faith ever lose confidence in the power of Spirit to sustain it in the midst of troubled thoughts (waters)? Yes. Doubt and fear cause one to lose hold of the sustaining power of the I AM (Jesus). Peter tried to walk on the water. He was able to walk on the water so long as he kept his attention riveted on Jesus, but when he looked at the boisterous waves about him, he began to sink. Jesus said to him, “O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?” If man will persist in affirming his I AM power and ability, he may become a spiritual and mental giant; when he has reached this state of consciousness, he will find that all apparently adverse conditions have become stepping stones to great achievements.
Peter (faith) denied Jesus (the Christ). Explain. When our faith begins to waver because of adverse conditions, we find that our thoughts recede from Truth; we are then likely to make violent denunciations of Truth. We should be careful not to allow our faith in Truth to waver at any time; we should, as Paul says, “having done all ... stand.”
After Jesus had been crucified he was resurrected from the dead. When does the resurrection of Jesus take place in individual consciousness? The resurrection of Jesus takes place in us every time we have enough faith to rise to the realization of perpetual indwelling life, which connects us with the Father.
What state of mind will produce the Pentecostal baptism? The state of mind that will produce the Pentecostal outpouring is established by a realization of the prayer, “I am that which I conceive myself to be in Spirit.” When one gets a realization of true ideas about God and man, his understanding and his speech are stimulated until his words are so charged with spiritual faith and power that they carry the message of the Holy Spirit to every part of his being.
March 31, 1935: I Peter 5:6-11
What power is essential to the development of spiritual consciousness? The receptive or discerning power that we call faith is necessary if one desires to grow in spiritual consciousness.
What kind of service leads to greatness? Devotion to spiritual principles is the service that develops greatness of mind and heart.
What are the infallible indicators of our faith? The things we fear and the things we love both show us where our faith is strongest.
When faith in the power of the good has given way to fear, how can it be restored? Affirming divine love to be active in consciousness restores our faith after it has been overcome by fear.
Define baptism by the Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit baptism is the charging of man with spiritual power, when he has had a complete change of mind from error in Truth, has denied all desire to indulge in further wrong thinking and acting, and has dedicated himself to the way of the Christ.
How can we be sure we are keeping the divine law? When we do right for right’s sake, and when our love and loyalty are engaged in the service of our highest conception of universal good, we may know that we are keeping the divine law.
August 17, 1941: I Peter 5:6-11
Does exaltation follow humility in divine order? Yes, because one learns better as one becomes humble; whereas worldly exaltation closes the mind to understanding, leaving one further than ever from the kingdom.
Is anxiety the same as watchfulness? Anxiety is the effect of doubt and worry, and both are negative thought habits that everyone should overcome. Watchfulness is wide-awake presence of mind and alertness to whatever may come.
June 6, 1943: I Peter 5:6-10
What “adversary ... as a roaring lion” seeks to devour the follower of Truth?
Whatever succeeds in weakening his faith in the good is the principle adversary, and he must guard against it at all cost.June 24, 1951: I Peter 5:6-11
Why is humility essential to Chris-likeness? Because obedience is the first requirement of the divine law and no one who lacks humility can be truly obedient.
What is it to humble oneself “under the mighty hand of God”? It is to try to align oneself with the divine law so as to express the wisdom, love, and power of the Holy Spirit. We are not to follow our personal leading, but to depend on divine leading.
What faculty do we need to develop in order to cast all our anxiety upon God? Faith. Faith gives us the courage to meet life in a serene spirit, knowing that whatever may come, we shall be able to extract good from the experience by meeting it in the name and through the power of Jesus Christ.
Are soberness and watchfulness compatible with the casting of all our care upon God? They are, because soberness is an inner state, and we are to be watchful first of our own thoughts and tendencies rather than of others. Care in these matters is quite consistent with casting all our care or anxiety upon God and trusting Divine Mind to be equal to our emergencies.
Metaphysically Interpreting I Peter 5:12-14
5:12By Silvanus, our faithful brother, as I account him, I have written unto you briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand ye fast therein. 5:13She that is in Babylon, elect together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Mark my son. 5:14Salute one another with a kiss of love.
Transcribed by Lloyd Kinder on 12-25-2013
