5:5 {8} Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all [of you] be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: {9} for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
(8) He commends many peculiar Christian virtues, and especially modesty: an admonition all of us need, but especially the younger ones by reason of the perverseness and pride of that age.
(9) Because pride seems to many to be the way to the glory of this life, the apostle testifies to the opposite, that dishonour and shame is the reward of pride, and glory the reward of modesty.
5:5 Likewise, ye younger. Some scholars think that all who are not elders are meant. Among the Greeks younger sometimes meant those inferior in position. Perhaps the word enforces this sense as well as those younger in years.
Submit yourselves to the elder. Elders in the Greek. The duty of submissiveness and humility is the thought of the passage.
Be subject one to another. Mutual deference must be shown, as well as mutual service.
Be clothed with humility. The literal rendering is Wrap yourselves up in humility.
God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Quoted from Pr 3:34.
5:5 Ye younger, be subject to the elder - In years. And be all - Elder or younger. Subject to each other - Let every one be ready, upon all occasions, to give up his own will. Be clothed with humility - Bind it on, (so the word signifies,) so that no force may be able to tear it from you. James 4:6; Prov 3:34
5:5-9 Humility preserves peace and order in all Christian churches and societies; pride disturbs them. Where God gives grace to be humble, he will give wisdom, faith, and holiness. To be humble, and subject to our reconciled God, will bring greater comfort to the soul than the gratification of pride and ambition. But it is to be in due time; not in thy fancied time, but God's own wisely appointed time. Does he wait, and wilt not thou? What difficulties will not the firm belief of his wisdom, power, and goodness get over! Then be humble under his hand. Cast all you care; personal cares, family cares, cares for the present, and cares for the future, for yourselves, for others, for the church, on God. These are burdensome, and often very sinful, when they arise from unbelief and distrust, when they torture and distract the mind, unfit us for duties, and hinder our delight in the service of God. The remedy is, to cast our care upon God, and leave every event to his wise and gracious disposal. Firm belief that the Divine will and counsels are right, calms the spirit of a man. Truly the godly too often forget this, and fret themselves to no purpose. Refer all to God's disposal. The golden mines of all spiritual comfort and good are wholly his, and the Spirit itself. Then, will he not furnish what is fit for us, if we humbly attend on him, and lay the care of providing for us, upon his wisdom and love? The whole design of Satan is to devour and destroy souls. He always is contriving whom he may insnare to eternal ruin. Our duty plainly is, to be sober; to govern both the outward and the inward man by the rules of temperance. To be vigilant; suspicious of constant danger from this spiritual enemy, watchful and diligent to prevent his designs. Be stedfast, or solid, by faith. A man cannot fight upon a quagmire, there is no standing without firm ground to tread upon; this faith alone furnishes. It lifts the soul to the firm advanced ground of the promises, and fixes it there. The consideration of what others suffer, is proper to encourage us to bear our share in any affliction; and in whatever form Satan assaults us, or by whatever means, we may know that our brethren experience the same.
