"Younger men"is literally "younger ones"and includes females as well as males.190Nevertheless younger men were probably in Peter's mind since the contrast is with older men in verses 1-4.
"In the ancient world the division of society into older people and younger . . . was just as much taken for granted as the division into men and women, free men and slaves, etc."191
Leaders of the church were normally in the older age group. Peter addressed the younger in this verse. "Elders"here refers to those in the older age group. That he did not mean just the official elders of the church seems clear from the contrast with "younger"in this verse (cf. 1 Tim. 5:1, 17).
The younger people in the church were and are to take a position under the authority of the older people. The reason for this, though unexpressed, seems self-evident. The older have more experience in living (cf. Job 32:4).
All Christians, regardless of our age, should put on humility as a garment, (i.e., let it be what others see as we serve; cf. 3:8). The Greek word translated "clothe"is a rare one that comes from a word referring to the apron that slaves put on over their regular clothes. This garment prepared them for service (cf. John 13:4-15). We should be ready and eager to serve one another rather than expecting others to serve us (Mark 10:45).
"In other words, believers should not insist on having their way over others."192
Peter again quoted Proverbs (3:34) for support. This is the theological reason for his ethical charge (cf. James 4:6). He then proceeded to expound the ideas expressed in this proverb in the following six verses.
