NOTES for Pe1 5:1-14

Today’s reading from the epistle of the holy apostle Peter says: “Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time. Cast all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you.” These words do not mean at all that a Christian must, or has the right to, sit with folded hands and wait for the Lord Himself to solve every problem. They are rather a reminder that He takes part in our life and cares for us even at those times when it seems that He is doing nothing. The Lord does not forget His children, but His action is by no means always visible. The result of His actions can often be seen only many years later, and sometimes we never learn where and what He has done. What matters is to believe, to trust Him, and to do everything we ought to do: not to shift responsibility for our life from ourselves onto God, but always to remember that He is near and helps us.

Today's reading from the epistle of the holy Apostle Peter says: "Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time. Cast all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you." These words certainly do not mean that a Christian should, or has the right to, sit with folded hands and wait for the Lord Himself to solve every problem. Rather, they remind us that He takes part in our lives and cares for us, even at those moments when it seems that He is doing nothing. The Lord does not forget His children, but His action is by no means always visible. The result of what He does can often be seen only after many years—and sometimes we never know where or what He has done. It is important to believe, to trust Him, and to do everything we must do: not to shift responsibility for our lives from ourselves onto God, but always to remember that He is near and helps us.

It is very rare to encounter an adequate reaction to the apostolic call to obedience. Usually one observes one of two extremes: either sharp protest in the name of "personal freedom," or an immediate search for some spiritual authority for unconditional submission to his every decision.

But the apostle Peter gives two clues for the correct understanding of his words. First, the matter is mutual obedience, that is, each person placing the interests of another above his own, in other words, mutual love. Second, he uses the remarkable word "humble-mindedness," in which humility and wisdom are joined together. This means that our wisdom is called to be humble, that is, not proud, not exalting itself over others. But it is also important that humility be wise, and not that self-abasement which is "worse than pride." Our obedience to others does not remove our personal responsibility before God for our life.

Very rarely one succeeds to meet the apostolic appeal to submission with an adequate reaction. We usually observe one of two extremes: either a sharp protest in the name of "individual freedom", or an immediate research of some kind of spiritual authority for an unconditional submission in any of his decision. But the apostle Peter gives two hints for a good understanding of his words. Firstly, it is about a mutual submission, which means each puts the interests of another higher than his’, in other words - mutual love. Secondly, he quotes the remarkable word "humility". It means that our wisdom must be humble, that is no proud, no arrogance on others. But it is also important for humility to be wise, and not this self-humiliation, which is " high proud". Our submission to others does not remove our personal responsibility for our life before God.

The Jewish traditional greeting sounds in English as “peace be to you”. The Same expression is used when saying "goodbye". Of course, in the daily use of the word, it is rather often used and are using without thinking about the sense, approximately as we say in English "hello", without remembering that by doing so we wish the one we greet health, or "thank you", without thinking that this expression comes from "mercy, grace". But what then, if we think, means the wish of peace?

The Jewish corresponding word can mean not only peace, but also health and the prosperity, and then this greeting can be also considered, as the wish of health and prosperity. But "peace in Christ Jesus", as we see, implies in the first place exactly peace. And not only peace in the sense of the absence of enmity or quarrels, but also this peace, about which Jesus Himself said: blessed those who make peace ("peacemakers"). Of course it is here not only about peacemakers in its general or political sense. It is about this peace, which only God can give.

In fact, the fallen human nature is foreign to the state of peace; the fallen man aspires for superiority, priority, competition, victory over an opponent. Such an aspiration, certainly, does not still overflow in an open hostility or, especially, in a war, but can always become the source of either. And only God by His influence is capable of changing the human nature, so that the aspiration for superiority stops being the driving force of its existence. The absence of enmities and wars in that case is only a consequence, the first cause, the transformation of the human nature.

Jesus, leaving with His disciples and followers His peace, the peace of the Kingdom, thus introduced them to the life of the Kingdom. Here the transformation arrives at the logical completion, and it is only here that peace becomes not a temporary spiritual state, but a norm of life. And that is why the wish of peace means in this case nothing else than the wish to remain from now on the inhabitants of the Kingdom. Wish, which to invent better for a Christian is difficult.