1 Peter 2:17

Contextual Overview

¹³Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, ¹³ Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, ¹³ Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, ¹³If you want to honor the Lord, do what those in authority on earth tell you to do. I don't care if he is a king, a governor, ¹³ Keep all the laws of men because of the Lord; those of the king, who is over all, ¹³ Be in subjection [therefore] to every human institution for the Lord's sake; whether to [the] king as supreme, ¹³ Therefore subject yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether to the king, as supreme; ¹³ Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether it be to the king as supreme, Or to governors, ¹³ Submit, for the Lord's sake, to every authority set up by man, whether it be to the Emperor as supreme ruler, ¹³ Submit your selues to euery ordinance of man for the Lordes sake, whether it be to the King, as supreme,

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Honour: or, Esteem, 1 Peter 5:5, Exodus 20:12, Leviticus 19:32, 1 Samuel 15:30, Romans 12:10, Romans 13:7, Philippians 2:3, 1 Timothy 6:1

Love: 1 Peter 1:22, John 13:35, Hebrews 13:1, Zechariah 11:14

Fear: Genesis 20:11, Genesis 22:12, Genesis 42:18, Psalms 111:10, Proverbs 1:7, Proverbs 23:17, Proverbs 24:21, Ecclesiastes 8:2, Matthew 22:21, Romans 13:7, 2 Corinthians 7:1, Ephesians 5:21

Honour: 1 Samuel 15:30, 1 Chronicles 29:20, Proverbs 24:21

Reciprocal: Genesis 9:23 - General Genesis 13:8 - brethren Genesis 13:11 - they Genesis 47:7 - And Jacob Exodus 22:28 - nor curse Leviticus 19:14 - fear 1 Samuel 24:8 - David stooped 2 Samuel 15:3 - there is 2 Samuel 16:9 - curse 1 Kings 1:23 - he bowed 1 Kings 18:8 - thy lord 1 Kings 18:46 - ran before Job 29:8 - the aged Job 34:18 - General Ecclesiastes 12:13 - Fear Malachi 1:6 - a servant Mark 12:17 - Render John 15:17 - General 1 Thessalonians 5:15 - and 1 Timothy 5:3 - Honour Titus 3:2 - all men 1 Peter 3:8 - love as brethren 2 Peter 1:7 - brotherly Revelation 16:10 - full

Cross-References

Genesis 2:1
Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array.

Genesis 2:1
Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array.

Genesis 2:1
Thus the heavens and the earth were completed, and all their hosts.

Genesis 2:1
Thus the heavens and the earth were completed, and all their hosts.

Genesis 2:1
The heauens also & the earth were finisshed, & all the hoast of them.

Genesis 2:1
So the earth, the sky, and everything in them were finished.

Genesis 2:1
Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.

Genesis 2:1
Therfor heuenes and erthe ben maad perfit, and al the ournement of tho.

Genesis 2:1
Thus the heauens and the earth were finished, and all the hoste of them.

Genesis 2:1
Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Honour all men,.... To whom honour is due, according to the place, station, and circumstances in which they are, the gifts of providence and grace bestowed on them, and the usefulness they are of, whether they be Jews or Gentiles, rich or poor, believers or unbelievers: it is a saying of Ben Zoma e,

"who is to be honoured, or is worthy of honour?

מכבד את הבריות, "he that honoureth creatures";''

meaning men in general, or the Gentiles particularly, who were sometimes so called by the Jews; :-, and may be meant by "all men" here:

love the brotherhood; or "your brethren", as the Syriac version renders it: the whole company of the brethren in Christ, who are born of God, are members of Christ, and of the same body, and have the same spirit, belong to the same family, and are of the household of faith, let them be of whatsoever nation, or in whatsoever circumstances of life. The Jews had not that good opinion of, nor that affection for the Gentiles, but were ready to treat them with indifference, neglect, and contempt; and not only those that knew not God, but even believing Gentiles themselves; and which is the reason of these exhortations, that they should despise no man, but honour all; and especially should express their love, both by words and deeds, to those that were in the same spiritual relation with them, and that without any difference, on account of their being of another nation:

fear God; not with a servile, but a filial fear, the new covenant grace of fear; which springs from the goodness of God, has that for its object, and is increased by the fresh instances and discoveries of it; and which shows itself in a reverential affection for God, a strict regard to his worship and ordinances, and a carefulness of offending him. This is placed between what goes before, and follows after, to show the influence it has on each of them; for where the fear of God is, there will be due respect shown to all men, more or less, and an hearty and affectionate love to all the saints, as brethren, and a proper regard to those that are set in high places of dignity and power:

honour the king; Caesar, the Roman emperor, though a wicked, persecuting Nero, and so any other king or governor; who, so far as he acts the part of a civil magistrate, preserves the peace, the property, and liberty of his subjects, is a terror to evil works, and an encourager of good ones, and rules according to the laws of God, and civil society, is deserving of great honour and esteem from men; and which is to be shown by speaking well of him; by a cheerful subjection to him; by an observance of the laws, and by payment of tribute, and doing everything to make him easy, and honourable in his government: advice much like this is given by Isocrates f;

"fear God, honour parents, revere friends, and obey the laws.''

e Pirke Abot, c. 4. sect. 1. f Paraen. ad Demos Orat. 1.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Honor all men - That is, show them the respect which is due to them according to their personal worth, and to the rank and office which they sustain. See the notes at Romans 13:7.

Love the brotherhood - The whole fraternity of Christians, regarded as a band of brothers. The word used here occurs only in this place and in 1 Peter 5:9, where it is rendered “brethren.” The idea expressed here occurs often in the New Testament. See the notes at John 13:34-35.

Fear God - A duty everywhere enjoined in the Bible, as one of the first duties of religion. Compare Leviticus 25:17; Psalms 24:7; Psalms 25:14; Proverbs 1:7; Proverbs 3:13; Proverbs 9:10; Proverbs 23:17; See the Romans 3:18 note; 2 Corinthians 7:1 note. The word fear, when used to express our duty to God, means that we are to reverence and honor him. Religion, in one aspect, is described as the fear of God; in another, as the love of God; in another, as submission to his will, etc. A holy veneration or fear is always an elementary principle of religion. It is the fear, not so much of punishment as of his disapprobation; not so much the dread of suffering as the dread of doing wrong.

Honor the king - Referring here primarily to the Roman sovereign, but implying that we are always to respect those who have the rule over us. See the notes at Romans 13:1-7. The doctrine taught in these verses Romans 13:13-14 is, that we are faithfully to perform all the relative duties of life. There are duties which we owe to ourselves, which are of importance in their place, and which we are by no means at liberty to neglect. But we also owe duties to our fellow-men, to our Christian brethren, and to those who have the rule over us; and religion, while it is honored by our faithful performance of our duty to ourselves, is more openly honored by our performance of our duties to those to whom we sustain important relations in life. Many of the duties which we owe to ourselves are, from the nature of the case, hidden from public observation. All that pertains to the examination of the heart; to our private devotions; to the subjugation of our evil passions; to our individual communion with God, must be concealed from public view. Not so, however, with those duties which pertain to others. In respect to them, we are open to public view. The eye of the world is upon us. The judgment of the world in regard to us is made up from their observation of the manner in which we perform them. If religion fails there, they judge that it fails altogether; and however devout we may be in private, if it is not seen by the world that our religion leads to the faithful performance of the duties which we owe in the various relations of life, it will be regarded as of little value.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 17. Honour all men. — That is, Give honour to whom honour is due, Romans 13:7. Respect every man as a fellow creature, and as one who may be a fellow heir with you of eternal life; and therefore be ready to give him every kind of succour in your power.

Love the brotherhood. — All true Christians, who form one great family of which God is the head.

Fear God. — Who gives you these commandments, lest he punish you for disobedience.

Honour the king. — Pay that respect to the emperor which his high authority requires, knowing that civil power is of God; that the authority with which he, in the course of his providence, has invested him, must be respected in order to its being obeyed; and that if the man be even bad, and as a man be worthy of no reverence, yet he should be respected on account of his office. If respect be banished, subordination will flee with it, and anarchy and ruin will rise up in their place. Truly religious persons are never found in seditions. Hypocrites may join themselves with any class of the workers of iniquity, and say, Hail, brethren!