An Exposition Of 1 Peter, Part 13: The Christian And Governmental Authority

The Christian and Governmental Authority

1 Peter 2:13-17

Introduction

In the USA, where I live, there is no more odious word in the English language than “submission.” No one here wants to submit. They don’t want to submit to government. They don’t want to submit to their boss. Women don’t want to be subject to men. Nor do children wish to submit to their parents. The culture boasts about human free will and autonomy. Anything that runs counter to that mantra is anathema.

In our study, we have emphasized that the churches Peter was writing to were undergoing persecution. Those opposed to the church were looking for any excuse to accuse the church. Culture demanded that all be subject to Caesar as emperor. Culture also demanded that slaves be submissive to their masters, and wives be in subjection to their own husbands. Those who violated these norms put themselves in jeopardy before the state. So Peter addresses these issues in this section of his letter. In this study, we will deal with the first of these topics which is submission to governmental authority,

Exposition of the Text

Submit yourself to every man-made ordinance — The New King James Version adds a “therefore” which is not in the Greek text. By doing so, it is tying this section to the previous passage which is an exhortation to good conduct. Besides glorifying God in one’s conduct, it was also a means of witnessing to the Gentiles (unbelievers, or not yet believers). This gives us a reason why we are to submit. The Greek literally says that we should submit ourselves to every “manmade creation.”

A little background of the context is needed here. Peter was addressing churches who lived under the rule of Rome. A generation after this epistle, Pliny the Younger who was governor of that province had to deal with people who were badmouthing the church. We don’t have all of the details of the issue, but Christians were accused of atheism because they would not worship the Emperor, They were accused of incest because of their calling themselves brethren and were sharing in a love feast (Eucharist). They were also accused of cannibalism because they were thought to be eating human flesh and blood at these gatherings. Trajan, who was Emperor at that time took an even-handed approach. If the Christians were found to be truly disruptive, then they should be punished. Otherwise, they were not to be hunted down.

But the situation in Peter’s day was far different than during the days of Trajan. the Emperor Nero was a true monster of a human being. His mother had killed Claudius so that she could rule through the underage Nero. Nero did not his mother ruling over him, so he had her killed so that he could reign without her interference. He was a morally derelict man. He forced his tutor Seneca to commit suicide when Seneca tried to straighten him out. He would a short time after this letter arrest Christians, accusing them (wrongfully) of starting the great fire in Rome in 64 AD. Christians were rounded up and soaked in wax, put on crosses and lit as torches for the sporting events. They were sown in animal skins and thrown to the dogs. It was dangerous to be a Christian. Some Roman laws could not be obeyed without denying Christ. What was the Christian to do? The answer here “submit to every manmade ordinance” seems hard.

For the Lord’s sake — This is the other reason that Christians were to submit. It is the LORD who is truly King. He is the Creator and Ruler of all. Just before Jesus ascended, he told the disciples: “All authority is given unto me in heaven and on earth.” The ordinances the Lord makes are not manmade ones. God is a God of order. All of Creation is subject to Him, whether the Nero’s of the world know it or not. Scripture tells us that God raises and topples earthly leaders according to His will. So, subjecting one’s self to these ordinances is to submit to the rule of God in one’s life through Jesus Christ.

Whether it be to the king as supreme —When we think about the king being supreme, his authority is limited to earthly matters in a particular nation. He is supreme with a small “s” and not a capital “S”. For the Roman nation, that king was the emperor Nero. Acts 17 tells us that it is God who sets up and takes down nations and rulers. All earthly kings rule by the permission of God. These rulers shall one day give account for their rule. Kings can be good or bad, just like Peter will soon refer to earthly masters of slaves could be kind and gentle or mean and demanding. Nevertheless, the Christian is to respect the authority of the king as being supreme, There is a practical side to this. If the Christians were to rise up against the tyranny of Rome under Nero, would they have fared any better than the Jewish nation which was about to rebel against Nero’s Rome? The Jewish revolt of 66-73 AD ended in total disaster for the Jews. The same would be true is the Christians had risen up. Having admitted the pragmatism of remaining obedient to authority, the principal reason to be in submission to secular authority is that God has ordained it.