1 Peter 2:13-17

The duty of the Christian towards the State; compare Romans 13:1-7. πάσῃ ἀνθρωπίνῃ κτίσει, every human institution, including rulers (14), masters (18), and husbands (1 Peter 3:1). κτίζειν is used ordinarily in many senses, e.g., of peopling a country, of founding a city, of setting up games, feasts, altar, etc. In Biblical Greek and its descendants it is appropriated to creation. Here κτίσις is apparently selected as the most comprehensive word available; and the acquired connotation creation by God is ruled out by the adjective ἀνθρωπίνῃ. It thus refers to all human institutions which man set up with the object of maintaining the world which God created. διὰ τὸν κύριον, for the sake of the Lord. διά may be (1) retrospective i.e., because Jesus said, Render what is Cæsar's to Cæsar or, generally, because God is the source of all duly-constituted authority; or (2) prospective for the sake of Jesus (Jehovah); your loyalty redounding to the credit of your Master in heaven. βασιλεῖ, the Roman Emperor, as in Revelation 17:9, etc.; Josephus B.J., ver 136, v. infra. ὑπερέχοντι, pre-eminent, supreme, absolute, as in Sap. 6:5, where τοῖς ὑπερέχουσιν corresponds to those who are underlings of His Sovereignty (4), to whom power was given from the Lord (3); cf. διʼ αὐτοῦ below. ἡγεμόσιν, properly Governors of provinces, but Plutarch uses the singular = Imperator. Peter rather follows the conventional rendering of the saying of Jesus, ἐπὶ ἡγεμόνων καὶ βασιλέων σταθήσεσθε, interpreted in the light of popular usage (cf. Luke 21:12) or of Jeremiah 39:3, ἡγεμόνες βασιλέως Βαβυλῶνος. Contrast vague general term, ἐξουσίαις ὑπερεχ · ὡς … which St. Paul employed before his visit to Rome. πεμπ., as being sent through the Emperor. διά implies that the governors are sent by God acting through the Emperor; so Romans 13:1-7 (cf. Sap. 6:3) and John 19:11, εἰ μὴ ἦν δεδομένον σοι ἄνωθεν. εἰς ἐκδίκησιν, κ. τ. λ. The ruler executes God's vengeance (Romans 12:19) and voices God's approval (Psalms 22:25, παρὰ σοῦ ὁ ἔπαινός μου). The former function of governors has naturally become prominent, the latter is exemplified in the crowns, decrees and panegyrics with which the Greek and Jewish States rewarded their benefactors if not mere well-doers. οὕτως … since this is so (referring to 13 f.) God's will is that … (cf. Matthew 18:14, οὕτως οὐκ ἔστιν θέλημα where οὕτως refers to the preceding parable) rather than God's will is thus namely that … or … well-doing thus. Since God has set up governors who express His approval of well-doers, you as well-doers will receive official praise and thus be enabled to silence the slanderers. St. Peter is thinking of the verdict pronounced in the case of St. Paul and of Jesus himself. φιμοῦν, (1) muzzle (1 Corinthians 9:9), (2) silence as Jesus did (Matthew 22:34, ἐφίμωσεν τοὺς Σαδδουκαίους). τὴν ἀγνωσίαν, a rare word perhaps borrowed from Job 35:16, ἐν ἀγνωσίᾳ ῥήματα βαρύνει, He multiplieth words without knowledge. In 1 Corinthians 15:34, ἀγνωσίαν γαρ θεοῦ τινες ἔχουσιν, it is derived from Sap. 13:1, οἷς παρῆν θεοῦ ἀγνωσία. It is the opposite of γνῶσις (ἀγνωσίας τε καὶ γνώσεως, Plato, Soph., 267 B) cf. ἄγνοια, of Jews who crucified Jesus, Acts 3:17. τῶν ἀφρόνων = the foolish men who calumniate you (12). ἀ. is very common in the Wisdom literature (especially Proverbs); as used by Our Lord (Luke 11:40) and St. Paul (2 Corinthians 11); it implies lack of insight, a point of view determined by external appearances.