1 Peter 2:13-17
The Testimony of the Free

They have become lords of the earth, kings and priests and citizens of a heavenly kingdom. How, then do they relate to the citizens of this world, especially those who attempt to exercise a sort of authority over them? Clearly these "kings" and "masters" do not esteem them correctly, so what is to be done? The question becomes especially poignant when the citizens of this world do not merely ignore their rightful authority as priestly kings. The citizens of this world actually persecute them. Blow them off? Laugh at them? Strike with the sword in a Christian revolution? Call down fire from heaven?

  1. Submit to every human creature
    1. The command is expansive
      1. Not every "ordinance" or "institution of man as erroneously in the translations. The word "creation" or "creature" is never used this way.
      2. Rather, Peter is saying submit yourselves to all people (to the extent that their earthly position requires submission.
      3. This is not a unique statement in Scripture
        1. Note Galatians 5:13 (med. Passage)
        2. Titus 3:1,2 "Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, 2to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men."
      4. Peter will restate (and define) this command in v. 17 as esteeming all.
      5. In other words he is saying to these kings and priests that they must not strut around as those who own the place.
      6. But their royalty is to be realized as their Lord's was—through suffering and meekness in this present life and exaltation in the age to come.
    2. They should do this "for the Lord's Sake"
      1. Not because these men have real authority over them, but voluntarily (more on this in point III)
      2. Because of Christ, specifically
        1. Peter has in mind not God the Father (although that reasoning would also be proper) but the incarnate Son.
        2. He has in mind the one whom he saw after the resurrection and cried with joy "It is the Lord!"
        3. Because of Christ with whose blood as of a lamb without blemish you are sprinkled (1:2,19)
        4. Because of Christ through whose resurrection they've been begotten anew (1:5)
        5. Because of Christ, the cornerstone of the living temple, the one upon whom your new life is founded and built.
        6. This reason alone is sufficient—because Christ wishes it or because it will render service to him. Even if they have no earthly idea why, the knowledge that this service is render to their Savior suffices.
      3. Because of the teaching of Christ
        1. Render unto Caesar
      4. Because of the example of Christ
        1. Christ himself submitted to the governing authorities
        2. To the Sanhedrin
        3. to Pontius Pilate, being questioned by him regarding his own kingship
        4. To the Roman gov't, even being crucified.
    3. And they should do it, in particular, to civil government
      1. This is the sphere that Peter deals with under this general heading, but others will follow
        1. He starts with government and moves from there to slaves (but not masters) and wives (with a token line for husbands)
        2. Because he is primarily concerned with how believers relate to unbelievers when those unbelievers are in positions of authority over them
      2. Whether to Caesar (the great or supreme King)
        1. Peter here opposes the cult of emperor worship
          1. By calling the king a "human creature"
          2. And taking his title "Lord" and giving it to Christ. It is for the Lord's sake that one submits to the non-Lord Caesar
        2. Whether this is Nero, a wicked man pursuing the persecution and destruction of the church, or a successor, the advice is shocking.
      3. And also to Caesar's underlings
        1. The local governors also may be engaging in persecution of the church
        2. They may, in fact, be sent by Caesar himself to punish evildoers (i.e. Christians maligned as such — see v. 12) and reward those who do good.
        3. The context of the letter indicates Peter presupposes the recipients are suffering for the name of Christ, that the government is either persecuting the church or at least not restraining those who do.
        4. Yet he still speaks of them according to their God-assigned functions and urges submission as the hearers entrust themselves to the one who truly judges righteously (v.23)
        5. Jesus suffered similarly
      4. This requirement extends to us as well and for the same reasons
        1. For the Lord's sake submit to the Federal gov't and local gov'ts even when they judge unrighteously
        2. The early church was not called to blockade the Coliseums where Xians were fed to the lions and we are not called to blockade abortion clinics
        3. We submit to those who exercise authority wrongly and wait for God to judge.
        4. Peter himself knows from experience that there is no place for an armed response toward those who wield authority falsely
  2. This is God's will for silencing accusers
    1. This is the will of God
      1. Again, this should be reason enough, even if they do not understand
      2. Again, points out that God is their only real authority (more on this in point III)
      3. If they are truly God's special people then the world cannot command them. But God can and does and says permit it to be so for a time until I return.
    2. Ignorant fools speak evil of the church
      1. The early pagans used to accuse the church of getting together and eating flesh and drinking blood of ritual murder and cannibalism.
      2. "Fool" is the word used over and over again in Proverbs for one who lacks sense, who does not judge things according to their proper value.
      3. What good will it do to argue with a fool?
        1. Prv. 26.4 "Do not answer a fool according to his folly, Lest you also be like him."
        2. No matter how many defenses you come up with for the practices of the church, no matter how many times you deny or refute his accusations, he has more. If you multiply words in return, you are answering him like a fool (according to his folly)
      4. And if he willfully persists in ignorance, can your reason overcome him and force him to see that the church of Christ is not evil?
    3. Good conduct will silence them
      1. It is their privilege and yours to bear testimony not so much by talking as by living.
      2. Let everything they accuse the church of be false
      3. How well did this approach work? Judge for yourself. Pliny the Younger became governor of the very region to which Peter writes. And less than 50 years after Peter's letter, Pliny writes to the emperor Trajan with his report on the Christians against whom all these charges are made: "On an appointed day the Christians are accustome to meet at daybreak and to sing a hymn to Christ as to a god, and to bind themselves by an oath to abstain from theft and robbery, adultery, and breach of faith. After this they depart, and meet again to take food. To find out the truth concerning them I tortured two maidservants who were called deaconesses. But I found nothing but a depraved and extravagant superstition."
      4. Prov 26.5 "Answer a fool according to his folly, Lest he be wise in his own eyes."
      5. They answered the fool according to his folly and he still spoke evil, but had to himself admit that he had no basis for it. He will be even more silent on the day of visitation.
      6. Let us even so answer fools according to their folly, not by multiplying words, but by scrupulously respecting and submitting to the governments over us. They may say of us that Christians don't feel bound by the law whenever they think the law should not have been made. Our conduct will silence them.
  3. Do this freely as slaves of God
    1. As free
      1. Note the dilemma. The gospel is a gospel of complete freedom
      2. And some might have believed that included a freedom to disobey earthly authorities as those who no longer had any rights to rule over them.
      3. But Peter does not say, no, in fact you are still bound to the authority of unbelievers
      4. Rather, he acknowledges their freedom and says, nevertheless, they should voluntarily submit for the Lord's sake.

      TRANSITION: Story of Jesus and Peter and the fish with the coin in its mouth (Matthew 17:24-26). Note that the question concerns a Temple tax by the Roman gov't and so is entirely germane to this question.

    2. But not abusing freedom
      1. The unbelieving king has no right to command them. What authority does he have in the Kingdom of which they are citizens?
      2. The federal gov't has no real authority over you to constrain you to do anything. You are an ambassador for Christ from another kingdom. Yet don't act as though you have diplomatic immunity.
      3. Yet, Peter says, don't take your freedom and use it as a cover for disobeying the King and becoming evildoers (i.e. bad citizens)
      4. Again consider Christ who had the right to command the entire creation yet submitted himself to it on our behalf
      5. Refrain from everything from grosser sins against society such as theft (income tax evasion) to more subtle sins (such as speeding) lest your freedom in Christ become an opportunity for the flesh or a bad testimony to the unbelievers who have authority over you
    3. Rather, as slaves of God
      1. The paradox, the divine contradiction, that we are most free when we live as God's slaves
      2. For God is no harsh taskmaster to his children, but gently guides us.
      3. So, although earthly kings have no real authority over the sons of heaven, God does; and we should live in submission to him.
      4. Let us never take our glorious freedom in Christ as a freedom from God. We have no freedom to sin, but freedom from sin to be and to do all that God calls us to. Let us live that way.
  4. By properly esteeming everyone
    1. The repetition and the chiasm
      1. Repeats v. 13 by telling us to honor everyone
      2. And then distinguishes the ways in which we owe honor, so that we will not think the same honor attaches to all
      3. ABB'A'
    2. The respect due to all
      1. Honor all (i.e. esteem them). Love your neighbor as God loves him (sending sun and rain)
      2. But especially honor fellow believers by loving them as more than neighbor.
      3. IOW Peter's not giving a blanket command without differentiating. There are levels of honor.
    3. The respect due to those in authority
      1. Especially honor God
        1. by fearing him
        2. Do not fear those who can kill the body but not the soul
        3. There is one judge who has all authority, fear him (not with terror but with reverence and awe
      2. And also honor Caesar
        1. back to the generic term
        2. Respect his edicts, but don't fear him or worry when he threatens.

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