1 Peter 2:13-25 NKJV
13 Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, 14 or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men— 16 as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. 17 Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.
18 Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. 19 For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. 20 For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. 21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:
22 “Who committed no sin,
Nor was deceit found in His mouth”;
23 who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. 25 For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
Building on his words in the earlier part of this chapter, where he highlighted the noble status of all Christians as kings and priests in the service of God, St. Peter teaches us how such exalted citizens of heaven are to live here on earth: in humble submission to earthly authorities.
This sounds strange to unbelieving ears. Those who have a high and noble status shouldn’t have to submit to anyone! They should demand that others submit to them instead! Those who are free men should not allow themselves to be enslaved by anyone, but should have the freedom to do as they please!
But this is not the Christian way, because it isn’t the way of Christ. Instead, the Lord Jesus, being God over all, submitted to the ordinances of men and willingly suffered for doing good, setting a pattern for Christians to follow. He was free to do as He pleased, and yet He used that freedom, not to indulge in selfish pleasures or to pursue self-centered goals. No, He used His freedom to do good and to serve.
What reason does Peter give for urging us to submit to earthly authorities? Peter alludes to the divine institution of these authorities and their divinely given purpose, namely, “for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good.” But beyond this, Peter expresses the purpose of our submission and good works: “that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.” If Christians are to represent Christ rightly before the world, then we must behave as He did in the world. Any criticism of Jesus, “who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth,” was clearly not founded in facts, and the foolishness of those who slandered Him was obvious. So, too, let no one be able to justly accuse us of wrongdoing, thus enabling them to blaspheme the name of our God, whose name we bear. Rather, let us even be ready to suffer for doing good, that we may truly walk in the footsteps of our Lord. Let us pray: Father in heaven, guard us from abusing our freedom as Your children, that we may always bring honor to Your holy name, through Christ our Lord. Amen.