Here Peter says "you younger people submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another," Peter is continuing his theme of right relationships for the purpose of glorifying God in a hostile environment. In previous chapters Peter exhorted us as employer-employee relationship we are to submit to each other, as well as husband and wife, government-authority, as a church body we are to serve in unity to glorify God. In every aspect of our lives we have seen how submission plays apart. Not only are we to submit to our elders as it says here in verse five, but we are also to submit to one another and be clothed with humility. All believers are to acknowledge, respect, and honor each another.
The phrase "be clothed" in verse five means to gird oneself with an apron. It is the picture of what Jesus did in the upper room when He girded Himself with an apron and assumed the role of a servant and washed the feet of the disciples. Jesus, the Son of God and Sovereign Majesty of the universe, actually clothed Himself with the apron of humility and served the disciples. The word "humility" means to offer oneself as lowly and submissive; to walk in a spirit of lowliness. It is the opposite of thinking you are better than others, prideful and arrogant. So we are told to clothes ourselves in humility. Now note why we are to clothe ourselves in humility – because God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. Peter here is quoting Proverbs 3:34.
Pride – we all know what pride does in our lives, It was pride—a desire to be like God—that stirred Eve to take the forbidden fruit. 1 John 2:16 “For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world.” "The pride of life" is an evidence of worldliness. The only antidote to pride is the grace of God, and we receive that grace when we yield ourselves to Him.
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