1 PETER 2: 13-17
RESPECT CIVIL AUTHORITY [Renewing Hope Series]
[Romans 13:1-7 / Acts 4:19-20; 5:29]
From this point on 1 Peter discusses the effect of our salvation on our life and relationships. Because of our fallen understanding, what living the Christian life entails needs to be spelled out using practical details. Peter here indicates that our salvation should impact how we related to governmental authority.
Submission is certainly not a popular topic, but it is needful, especially in our rebellious and self-gratifying society. Submission does not mean slavery or subjugation but is a recognition of God's right to govern our lives. God established the home, government and the church and He has the right to tell us how these institutions should run. We will not understand or exercise authority properly, until we come under God's authority. [Wiersbe, Warren. The Bible Exposition Commentary. Vol 2. 1989. Victor Books. Wheaton IL. P. 403.]
These imperative [verb] instructions and encouragements relay at least four specific elements of Christian submission.
I. The Command to Submit, 13a.
II. To Whom Submission is Due, 13b-14.
III. The Reason For Submission, 15.
IV. The Principle of Submission, 16-17.
God established governments to administer the civil affairs of a nation. Verse 13 commands believers to submit to their established government. "Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority,
Peter does not recommend one form of government over another. The principle is that the Christian should submit to the government or human institution under which he lives. Christianity has existed for two thousand years under all kinds of governmental structures. God has ordained the institution of government to provide order for society, and the Christian ought to fulfill his proper duties within and under it.
The word "submit" [huptass¨; tass¨, made from two words, meaning "to appoint, order, arrange" & hupo, meaning "to place under or subordinate"] which Peter uses in verse 13 is a military expression meaning "to place oneself under." The emphasis is on placing oneself under delegated authority. Does this mean that the Christian is never to oppose delegated authority? The same man who wrote these words once said to a religious council effort to control what he said about Jesus that, "We cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard" (Acts 4:20). Occasions may arise when the Christian feels he must obey God rather than the government, but the Christian ought to have extremely good reasons for disobeying the chosen authority. Scripture says we should submit to our government, and if we disobey, we must accept the punishment.
Christians are responsible to obey the law (Rom. 13:1-7; Titus 3:1-2). They are to abide by governmental laws, to submit . . . to every authority (ktisei,, "a divine creation" or here "institution" or "law") instituted among men (anthr¨pin¨¥, "made by man, human").
The motivation for obedience is not avoiding punishment but is for the Lord's sake. Believers obey earthly authority to honor God who ordained authority including human government. Christians are to observe man-made laws carefully as long as those laws do not conflict with the clear teaching of Scripture (Acts 4:19). [According to some, this means that the Christian should submit because the Lord Himself submitted to the authority of government (v. 23). Yet the previous interpretation seems better because our Sovereign Lord delegated a chain of authoritative command and has granted government the right to administer the affairs of the nation. By our submission to the institution of government, which God established, we are submitting to the Lord also.]
[The principle of submission to government is found in many passages in the New Testament. The teaching of the Lord concerning the payment of taxes to Caesar (Mt. 22: 21), and the fact that He Himself paid taxes (Mt. 17:24-27) indicate that He submitted to the authority of government during His life on earth. When arrested, He submitted to the authority of the Roman soldiers and did not call for legions of angels to release Him (Mt. 26:52-53), even though He had committed no offense.
The apostle Paul states that the Christian should submit to the authority of government (Rom. 13:1-7) and reminds us of our responsibility to pray for those who are in positions of authority over us (1 Tim. 2:1-2). Titus 3:1-2 also confirms the principle of the authority of government. [Barbieri, Lou. First & Second Peter. 2003 The Moody Bible Institute. Chicago. P. 64.]
The Old Testament articulates the same principle. Daniel, in interpreting the dream of King Nebuchadnezzar, declared that "the God of heaven [had] given [to Nebuchadnezzar] the kingdom, the power, the strength and the glory" (Dan. 2:37). And in Daniel 4:17, the king himself would rightly acknowledge "that the living [should] know that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, and bestows it on whom He wishes and sets over it the lowliest of men." The king had been removed from his throne until he learned this lesson. The Bible teaches that God is sovereign in the affairs of men, and thus we should submit to government. [Also see Deyt17:14-15; 1 Sam. 10:24; 2Kgs 11:12; 1 Chron. 29:24; Prov. 24:21-22 & Jer.29:4-14.]]
Looking at the historical situation in which Peter is writing is helpful. This command to submit to civil authority comes during the reign of the cruel and tyrannical Roman emperor Nero. He was a dictatorial, insane, demagog who was notorious for his persecution and hatred of Christians. Many who received this letter had suffered under Roman Empire sponsored persecution of Christians. [Swindol, Charles. Hope Again. 1996 Thomas Nelson. Nashville, TN. p. 85.]
Yet even unreasonable, evil and harsh rulers and oppressive systems are far better than anarchy [MacArthur, John. New Testament Commentary. 2004. Moody Press. p. 146]. So the context states clearly that we should do all that we can to obey civil authorities. However, this does not mean that we violate the "higher laws" of God nor the lordship of Jesus Christ. It was Peter himself when standing on trial before the Sanhedrin who said, "We must obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29).
When man's laws come into conflict with God's laws, we must always go with God (Ex. 1:17; Dan 3:13-18; 6:10-24; Acts 4:18-20; Heb11:23). Lordship sometimes requires civil disobedience. He is our Lord and King. We are His servants. We are citizens of His kingdom. But in most aspects of daily life, Christians are to live according to the law of their land.
II. To Whom Submission is Due, 13b-14.
Peter continues on to state that our responsibility to submit extends to those who maintain governmental order also. "whether to a king as the one in authority, [14] "or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right."
Having stated the general principle of submission to the government, Peter enumerates those to whom this submission is due. He begins with the highest representative of civil authority of his day, the king (v. 13). However, it is not just to the head of state that the believer is to submit, but also to subordinate officials such as governors (v. 14). Submission is due to the various levels of governmental authority. Since all officials receive their power from God (John 19:11), Christians are to obey them. We are to "render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and render to God the things that are God's (Mt. 22:21).
We also find the general purpose of legal authority here. It is to punish . . . wrong and to commend . . . right. Wrongdoers are to be made to suffer for evil deeds or civil authorities are to exact recompense. Authorities are to reward good citizenship with fair or favorable treatment. God has established government for the well-being of the citizens, for punishment and reward, to restrain evil and to protect and promote good.
[This section of Peter's argument leads some to believe that the organized persecution through oppressive Roman laws either had not begun or had not yet reached the provinces of Asia Minor. Christians were then facing lies and verbal abuse, not torture and death. Christians were still enjoying the protection of a legal system which commended those who obeyed the law. So a believer's best defense against slanderous criticism was good behavior.] [Walvoord, John F.; Zuck, Roy B.; The Bible Knowledge Commentary. Wheaton, IL : Victor Books, 1983, S. 847.]
III. The Reason For Submission, 15.
Because submission is so difficult verse 15 gives us the reason behind our being commanded to submit. "For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men."
It is the will of God that Christians should be subject to their governments, because through their obedience, they entrust themselves to their Lord and commend Him to others. Their law abiding behavior eventually silences those who would oppose Christians and their testimony.
Evidently Christians were being slandered and falsely accused of evil, for Peter stressed that it is God's will (thel¨¥ma, expresses the result of one's purpose or desire; 1 Pet. 3:17; 4:2, 19) that through excellent behavior they silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. [Each of the three Greek words rendered "ignorant talk of foolish men" begins with the letter alpha, as do the three Greek words in 1:4 rendered "never perish, spoil, or fade." Apparently Peter enjoyed alliteration.]
The Greek word translated "silence" [phimoun] here means "to close the mouth with a muzzle." Christians in the first century were the targets of all kinds of slanderous rumors. people said, "They have secret rites." "They are people of another kingdom." . . . "They follow another god." . . . "They have plans to overthrow us." "They are out to change our society, to impose their morality on us." Through out the Roman Empire people gossiped about their secret meetings, their subversive ideologies, their loyalty to another kingdom, their plans to infiltrate, indoctrinate, and lead an insurrection. This kind of paranoia was common, all the way to Nero. To muzzle these rumors, Peter encouraged submission to the powers that be. By submitting, Peter said, by doing right before God, they would muzzle the mouths of those passing around such rumors.
Let's translate it into today's terms. We live in a city where the government is run by civil authorities. Our church building is located in that city. Now, those civil authorities have no right to tell us what to preach, what to teach, or which philosophy to adopt as a church. If they attempt to do that, we have a right-in fact, it's a duty-to rebel, because there is a higher law than their law, the higher law relating to the declaration of truth. However, they do have the right to say, "In this room you may put 350 people and no more. If you go beyond that you are violating the fire code and will be subject to a fine and possibly other penalties." It is neither right nor wise for us to break this civil law. It does not violate God's law and is, in fact, there for our protection. So we must submit to that law. [Swindoll, p. 87.]
We don't have to look far in our society to find things we don't like. God has a standard of right and wrong, and it contrasts greatly with the crime, sexual immorality, and declining standards of decency that seem to be everywhere.
It would be easy to do nothing but point out the wrongs in our world and spend a lifetime denouncing them. But if we did, people would tire of listening to us and eventually write us off as complainers.
A newsletter called- Communication Briefings suggests a more positive approach. Instead of being against a social ill, be for its remedy. As an example, the newsletter suggests, "Instead of being against illiteracy, be for literacy-and you will help improve literacy."
So how does this apply to us? The apostle Peter said that by doing good we will silence those who criticize us. For instance, instead of only speaking out against immoral programming on TV be in favor of positive change-and then work with local stations to make it happen. Instead of being against poverty, make a tangible contribution in the life of someone who needs help.[JDB. Our Daily Bread.]
Let's be known as people who are for the good, not just against the bad. While we may want to criticize our sick society, We should instead do what is good in order to change the bad we see. Even a small example can have a big influence.
IV. A Principle of Submission, 16-17.
As Peter continues on the theme of living good lives before others, he provides a list of specific examples of how that kind of lifestyle should be carried out in day-to-day living. The emphasis on submission is balanced by teaching that Christians are to live as free men in verse 16. "Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God."
Submission does not mean subjection or slavery to the state. Christians are not bond-slaves of the government but of God. Irrespective of a believer's worldly status we have been liberated from the bondage to the way and sins of this world. We have been released by a new birth to live life on a spiritual plane instead of under the domain of the natural order of man.
It's important to keep the right perspective on the principle here. We do not submit because we necessarily agree. We do not submit because deep within we support all the rules, codes, and regulations. At times they may seem petty and galling, terribly restrictive, and even prejudicial. We submit because it is the "will of God" and because we are "bondslaves (doulos) of God." [Christian freedom is really the freedom to serve God, and freedom comes only as we take on the yoke of God. Some people interpret freedom as the right to throw off any restraint and do whatever they please. This attitude weakens the character of a nation.]
[Jesus Christ has invited us to enjoy His life of freedom. For only in Christ can we be truly free. When we know Him, we know truth personified and the truth will make us free (John 8:32). But, the freedom that comes from Jesus Christ is not to be used as "a cloak for vice" or an excuse for sin. As Paul wrote, "For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh" (Gal. 5:13). In fact, the freedom or liberty which comes from Christ cannot be used as an excuse for sin. As soon as we misuse it for those ends, we shall lose it and once again we are entangled with the slavery to sin.] Authentic freedom is ours only when we walk in the Spirit; only when Jesus Christ is reigning as the Lord of our lives. [Cedar, Paul. The Preacher's Commentary Series, Vol. 34 : James / 1 & 2 Peter / Jude. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson. 1984, S. 143.]
The highest calling of life is to use our liberty as servants or bond-servants of Jesus Christ. The freedom and liberty which come from Him continue to flow as we serve Him and others--as we continue in the fellowship or flow of the Holy Spirit. Liberty misused is like a mighty river overflowing its banks and bringing terrible destruction upon all in its path. Liberty used as service is like a mighty river flowing within its banks bringing life and refreshment to all who drink of its waters.
How do we know if we are flowing or living within the banks of Christian liberty? Love. Paul wrote, "Do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Gal. 5:13--14).
Submission to lawful authority does not negate Christian liberty (Gal. 5:1, 18). Civil laws should be freely obeyed, not out of fear but because doing so is God's will. Christian freedom is always conditioned by Christian responsibility (Gal. 5:13) and must never be used as a cover-up (epikalymma, lit. "veil") for evil. Do not use or abuse grace so that your freedom becomes a cloak for evil. We must be aware of the temptation to abuse liberty. It's so easy to stretch it; so easy to make it work for ourselves rather than for the glory of God. Christians enjoy true freedom when they obey God and live as servants (douloi, lit., "slaves" Rom. 6:22) of God.
This RESPECT FOR AUTHORITY is not easy and is best begun EARLY in life. Children struggle to balance independence with obedience to parents. Have you hear or maybe said the words: "I know what is best for me. I have a brain, so why won't you let me make my own choices? Can't you see I know what I'm doing? Even if something happens, I know how to fall and get up again!" Then as children mature, they better understand some of the reasons God placed parents in authority over them. They begin to appreciate and honor that authority.
[The more we, as God's children, grow in Christ, the more we submit willingly to His authority. We get frustrated less often if we decide God knows what is best for our lives because His all-wise perspective transcends our pinpointed perspective. When we chose to walk on His path we try to avoid detours we may have chosen in the past.]
As we submit to God's authority, we are enabled to love others and honor the authority of those who rule over us. We even begin to pray, "Thank You Father for guiding me to gain a healthy respect for authority."
Peter concludes this section on the Christian's submission to his government in verse 17 with a fourfold injunction which may have been a motto in the early Church. "Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king."
In little staccato bursts, Peter gives us several commands that list specific examples of how we must be servants of God. Again, remember Peter is writing within the context of acute suffering by Christian brothers and sisters at the hand of Rome and at the hand of the established religious rulers of Israel. [Surely Christians today should have no problem submitting to government officials.]
The first command that concludes this section four-point summary of Christian citizenship is to "Honor all people." The word "honor" or respect (tim¨¢¨, "honor, value, esteem") is the same word Jesus uses in telling us to honor our father and mother (Mt. 15:4), and that we should honor the Son even as we honor the Father (John 5:23). This is a mark of authentic Christian lifestyle--that we honor all people as our Lord does (Rom. 12:10; 13:7). We never violate others nor use them as objects. We are to love and honor them. Believers should be conscious of the fact that each human has been uniquely created in God's image.
In Guideposts Joann Jones wrote: During my second year of NURSING SCHOOL our professor gave us a pop quiz. I breezed through the questions until I read the last one: "What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?" Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times, but how would I know her name? I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank.
Before the class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our grade. "Absolutely, the professor said. "In your careers you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say hello.
I've never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was Dorothy.
We have not begun to show the love of Christ to others until we have treated them with respect.
Second, Christians are to "love the brotherhood" of believers, their brothers and sisters in Christ. God's family members should love each other. Agape love must flow freely and generously from the lives of true Christians. It is another mark of authentic Christian lifestyle that we love one another. As Jesus said, "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35).
Third, Christians are to "fear God." To fear God (phob¨¦omai) is "to revere or reverence Him," "to be in awe in His presence." It means "to be put in fear or fright," "to be afraid." It is the word which describes the fear of the disciples when the storm arose, and they were alone in the boat (John 6:19). It does not mean to be in terror, but an awe and reverence that leads to obedience [phob¨ in 1 Peter 1:17, phobou in 3:16, and phobon in 2 Cor. 7:11]. One will never truly respect people until he reverences God.
To appropriately fear God is one of the greatest needs of the contemporary church. We have made Him all too familiar. We have tended to create Him in our own image as "the man upstairs," "the good guy," or "the good Lord." We need to see the Lord high and lifted up in all of His glory and might, and then to bow in awe in His presence, to revere and worship Him.
Fourth, believers are to "honor the king." The same word is used here for honor (tim¨¢¨) as is used earlier in verse 17 in encouraging us to honor all people. The respect or "honor" due to all is especially to be given to those God has placed in authority ("the king" in 1 Peter 2:13 and "governors" in 2:14; Rom. 13:1).
It is natural for us to honor a good king or a ruler whom we respect. However, Peter is asking his readers to honor even the evil emperor Nero. That is another mark of authentic Christian lifestyle--to love and honor even the tyrants of our society, those who would abuse and persecute us (Mt. 5:44).
IN CLOSING,
Christians should increasing appreciate their special status, privilege, and position as children of God Almighty, but that is no reason for us to look down on others. All that believers are and can become is solely by God's grace. To guard against the tendency to feel superior to others we are to show proper respect to all. Respect is due to others simply because they have been created by God, in His image.
[Many if not most of these Peter wrote to were slaves and were treated as less than human.] If God asked these believers to submit to a terrorizer and killer of Christians, how, then, can we have the audacity to snivel about our president or whine about our bosses when our brothers and sisters served cruel masters and honored a demented king whose main objective was to annihilate them? Lord, forgive us.
