11 Beloved, I call upon 'you', as strangers and sojourners, to keep from the fleshly desires, that war against the soul, 12 having your behaviour among the nations right, that in that which they speak against you as evil-doers, of the good works having beheld, they may glorify God in a day of inspection.
13 Be subject, then, to every human creation, because of the Lord, whether to a king, as the highest, 14 whether to governors, as to those sent through him, for punishment, indeed, of evil-doers, and a praise of those doing good; 15 because, so is the will of God, doing good, to put to silence the ignorance of the foolish men; 16 as free, and not having the freedom as the cloak of the evil, but as servants of God; 17 to all give ye honour; the brotherhood love ye; God fear ye; the king honour ye.
18 The domestics! be subjecting yourselves in all fear to the masters, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the cross; 19 for this 'is' gracious, if because of conscience toward God any one doth endure sorrows, suffering unrighteously; 20 for what renown 'is it', if sinning and being buffeted, ye do endure 'it'? but if, doing good and suffering 'for it', ye do endure, this 'is' gracious with God, 21 for to this ye were called, because Christ also did suffer for you, leaving to you an example, that ye may follow his steps, 22 who did not commit sin, nor was guile found in his mouth, 23 who being reviled—was not reviling again, suffering—was not threatening, and was committing himself to Him who is judging righteously, 24 who our sins himself did bear in his body, upon the tree, that to the sins having died, to the righteousness we may live; by whose stripes ye were healed, 25 for ye were as sheep going astray, but ye turned back now to the shepherd and overseer of your souls.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Peter 2:11-25
Commentary on 1 Peter 2:11-12
(Read 1 Peter 2:11-12)
Even the best of men, the chosen generation, the people of God, need to be exhorted to keep from the worst sins. And fleshly lusts are most destructive to man's soul. It is a sore judgment to be given up to them. There is a day of visitation coming, wherein God may call to repentance by his word and his grace; then many will glorify God, and the holy lives of his people will have promoted the happy change.
Commentary on 1 Peter 2:13-17
(Read 1 Peter 2:13-17)
A Christian conversation must be honest; which it cannot be, if there is not a just and careful discharge of all relative duties: the apostle here treats of these distinctly. Regard to those duties is the will of God, consequently, the Christian's duty, and the way to silence the base slanders of ignorant and foolish men. Christians must endeavour, in all relations, to behave aright, that they do not make their liberty a cloak or covering for any wickedness, or for the neglect of duty; but they must remember that they are servants of God.
Commentary on 1 Peter 2:18-25
(Read 1 Peter 2:18-25)
Servants in those days generally were slaves, and had heathen masters, who often used them cruelly; yet the apostle directs them to be subject to the masters placed over them by Providence, with a fear to dishonour or offend God. And not only to those pleased with reasonable service, but to the severe, and those angry without cause. The sinful misconduct of one relation, does not justify sinful behaviour in the other; the servant is bound to do his duty, though the master may be sinfully froward and perverse. But masters should be meek and gentle to their servants and inferiors. What glory or distinction could it be, for professed Christians to be patient when corrected for their faults? But if when they behaved well they were ill treated by proud and passionate heathen masters, yet bore it without peevish complaints, or purposes of revenge, and persevered in their duty, this would be acceptable to God as a distinguishing effect of his grace, and would be rewarded by him. Christ's death was designed not only for an example of patience under sufferings, but he bore our sins; he bore the punishment of them, and thereby satisfied Divine justice. Hereby he takes them away from us. The fruits of Christ's sufferings are the death of sin, and a new holy life of righteousness; for both which we have an example, and powerful motives, and ability to perform also, from the death and resurrection of Christ. And our justification; Christ was bruised and crucified as a sacrifice for our sins, and by his stripes the diseases of our souls are cured. Here is man's sin; he goes astray; it is his own act. His misery; he goes astray from the pasture, from the Shepherd, and from the flock, and so exposes himself to dangers without number. Here is the recovery by conversion; they are now returned as the effect of Divine grace. This return is, from all their errors and wanderings, to Christ. Sinners, before their conversion, are always going astray; their life is a continued error.