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SUBMIT
YOURSELVES FOR THE LORD'S SAKE: hepotagete (2PAPM) pase anthropine
ktisei dia ton kurion: (Pr
17:11; 24:21; Je 29:7; Mt 22:21; Mk 12:17; Lk 20:25; Ro 13:1, 2, 3, 4,
5, 6, 7; Eph 5:21; 1Ti 2:1,2; Titus 3:1; 2Pe 2:10; Jude 8, 9, 10)
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Section
Theme
SUBMISSION
FOR THE LORD'S SAKE
1 Peter 2:13-3:9 |
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Responsibility of
Believers |
"Repercussions"
of our Actions |
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Submit to human institutions
(2:13-14) |
Silence ignorance of foolish
men (2:15) |
|
Servants submit to masters (2:18) |
Finds favor with God
(2:19-2:20) |
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Wives submit to husbands (3:1) |
Might win unbelieving husband
(3:1-3:2) |
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Husbands be understanding
toward and grant wives honor (3:7) |
Prayers will not be hindered
(3:7) |
|
Harmonious, etc, giving
blessing not returning evil (3:8-3:9) |
To inherit a blessing (3:9) |
Spurgeon comments...
We are to obey kings, and
governors, and magistrates, even when they may not be all that we wish
them to be
True Christians give no trouble in
the State they are not law-breakers, but they strive to do that which
is honest and upright. Where the laws are not righteous, they may
cause trouble to bad law-givers and lawmakers; but when rulers ordain
that which is just and righteous, they find that Christians are their
best subjects.
In Peter’s day, the king was a poor
creature, and something worse than that. Indeed, I might say of the
bulk of the Emperors of Rome, who were the chief “kings” of that day,
that they were monsters of iniquity; yet the office was to be
respected even when the man who occupied it could not be much more
should it be respected when the occupant is what a true “king” should
be.
(1
Peter 2 Commentary)
Submit yourselves for the Lord's
sake - As indicated in the chart above, Peter now focuses on
submission through verse 9 of chapter 3. Remember that submission in
simple terms involves not seeking one's own interests but rather
assuming a voluntary commitment of service to others. If one studies
Paul's exhortation for believers to "be subject to one another in the
fear of Christ" (see note
Ephesians 5:21),
it becomes apparent from the context that submission is the fruit of
one who is filled with and controlled by the Holy Spirit, for Paul had
just commanded the believers to...
not get drunk with wine, for that
is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit (see note
Ephesians 5:18)
Submission to others be they
believers or not believers (as is often the case in Peter's "every
human institution") is not our natural reaction, but is the
supernatural reaction of one who allows the Spirit to control their
attitudes and actions.
In Peter's day there were groups of
zealous Jews who recognized no king but God and paid taxes to no one
but God. Believers by contrast are to be model citizens, submitting to
human governments realizing that they are ordained by God. As Daniel
declared when God answered his request to reveal the dream of King
Nebuchadnezzar...
it is He (God in heaven) Who
changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes
kings. He gives wisdom to wise men, and knowledge to men of
understanding. (Daniel 2:21)
Submit
(5293)
(hupotasso from
hupó = under + tássō = arrange in orderly
manner) (Click
for word study on hupotasso) means literally to place under in an orderly fashion. In the
active voice hupotássō
means to subject,
bring under firm control, subordinate as used in (Ro 8.20-note)
(1Pe 3:1-note
for more on "hupotasso").
Hupotássō
means to submit (to
yield to governance or authority), to place in subjection. It is
important to note that many of the NT uses are in the passive
voice with a middle sense which signifies the
voluntary subjection of oneself to the will of another.
Husbands and wives both need to understand the voluntary nature
of the submission called for in the marital relationship lest it be
misapplied. The idea is to put oneself in an attitude of submission.
Hupotássō
was a military term
meaning to draw up in order of battle, to form, array, marshal, both
troops or ships.
Hupotássō
meant that troop divisions were
to be arranged in a military fashion under the command of the leader.
In this state of subordination they were now subject to the orders of
their commander. Thus, it speaks of the subjection of one individual
under or to another.
Hupotássō
was also used to describe the
arrangement of military implements on a battlefield in order that one
might carry out effective warfare!
In non-military
use, hupotássō
described a voluntary
attitude of giving in, cooperating, assuming responsibility, or
carrying a burden.
Peter commands (aorist
imperative) believers to submit. As citizens in the world and under civil
law and authority, God’s people are to live in a humble, submissive
way in the midst of any hostile, godless, slandering society.
Submission involves not seeking one's own interests but rather
assuming a voluntary commitment of service to others.
The main idea of
submission is that of relinquishing one’s rights to another person.
How is it possible to submit or surrender one's rights to another
whether they are rulers or others? Paul gives us the answer In
Ephesians writing that believers should
not get drunk with wine, for that
is dissipation, but be (continually) filled with (controlled by) the
Spirit (see
note Ephesians 5:18).
Spirit
controlled husbands and wives are then called first to
be subject to (hupotássō - present
tense = our habit, as our lifestyle, continually to) one another in
the fear (reverential awe) of Christ (Eph 5:21
-
see note)
Henry Alford
says:
“As we are otherwise to be filled,
otherwise to sing and rejoice, so also we are otherwise to behave—not
blustering nor letting our voices rise in selfish vaunting, as such
men do,—but subject to one another.” (Alford's Greek Testament)
Subjecting one’s
self to another is the opposite of self assertion, the opposite of an
independent, autocratic spirit. It is the desire to get along with one
another, being satisfied with less than one’s due, a sweet
reasonableness of attitude.
Lyall says
that
The ultimate Christian answer to persecution, detractors
and critics is that of a blameless life, conduct beyond reproach and
good citizenship. In particular ... submission is a supremely
Christlike virtue.
Wuest renders it
this way
"put yourselves in the attitude of submission thus giving
yourselves to the implicit obedience of"
We submit to the right of government to limit our right to choose in
hundreds of areas, especially when the good of others is at stake. We
understand that governments exist to limit the right to choose and we
submit to that.
Nothing is further from the thought of the New Testament that any
kind of anarchy. Jesus clearly taught,
"Render therefore to Caesar the
things that are Caesar's; and to God the things that are God's"
(Mt 22:21).
FOR THE
LORD'S SAKE: dia ton kurion: "because of the Lord":
Lord (2962)
(kurios from kúros = might, power in turn from kuróo = give authority,
confirm) describes One who has absolute ownership and uncontrolled
power. Kurios signifies sovereign power and authority. In the NT, Jesus
is referred to some ten times as Savior and some 700 times as
Lord. When the two titles are mentioned together, Lord
always precedes Savior.
Beloved, is He your kurios?
In classical
Greek, kurios was used of gods and was found on inscriptions
applied to different gods such as Hermes, Zeus, etc. Secular Greek
also used kurios to describe the head of the family, the one who is
"lord" of wife and children (although that does not give him the right
to "lord" it over them!)
Though "our
citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a
Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ" (Php 3:20-note)
we still must
live as an obedient citizen in this world so that God will be honored
and glorified. Rebellious conduct by a Christian brings dishonor on
Christ.
The most important thing this text does is put all of our social and
political life into relation to God. The Bible is not a book about how
to get along in the world. It is a book inspired by God about how to
live to (for) God. Paul wrote that
through the Law I died to the Law, that
I might live to God." (Gal
2:19)
The aim of our
life should be to live to God. This means that we live with God in view
and
under His authority. He is our life (Col 3:4-note)
As believers we are to let our
light shine before men in such a way that they may see (our) good
works, and glorify (our) Father Who is in heaven. (see note
Matthew 5:16)
Why does Peter introduce
this subject here? Recall that he has just taught who we are and
"whose" we are. We as those who have been born again are now a chosen race, a royal
priesthood, a holy nation and a (KJV = peculiar) people for
God's own possession and our purpose is to proclaim the
excellencies of Him Who has called (us) out of darkness into His
marvelous light" (1Pe 2:19-note)
In 1Pe 2:10
(note)
Peter calls us the
people of God. In 1Pe 2:11
(note)
he said that we are to live as aliens and strangers in this
present world (cf those who reside as aliens in 1Pe 1:1-[note]).
Given this status as "other worldly" beings, one might ask whether we
even have any allegiance to the institutions of this world at all,
especially considering the fact that the whole world lies in the power
of the evil one (1 John 5:19)?
Peter explains
in this section that a believer's submission to the institutions of
this world is an act of tribute to God's authority over the
institutions of the world. The idea is that can look a king or a
governor (or an IRS Agent!) in the eye and say,
"I submit to you, I honor you -- but not for your sake. I honor you
for God's sake. I honor you because God owns you and rules over you
and has sovereignly raised you up for a limited season and given you
the leadership that you have. For his sake and for his glory and
because of his rightful authority over you I honor you."
So in this verse
Peter subordinates all submission on earth to a higher submission to
God when it says, submit for the Lord's sake. Is this
practical? Sure it is. Why do we drive the speed
limit? Ultimately we submit for the Lord's sake, not out
of fear we might get caught. What's the result? The result is that
when we have chosen to submit, even everyday tasks like driving
become an act of worship to our Lord!
Did you speed this morning?
Tomorrow morning submit for the Lord's sake!
TO EVERY
HUMAN INSTITUTION: pase
anthropine ktisei:
to every human creation (Literal rendering of Greek)
every human regulation (Wuest)
Keep all the laws of men (BBE)
obey all human authorities (CEV)
to every ordinance of man (KJV)
every
authority instituted among men (NIV)
Paul gave
Titus similar instruction even considering that Crete was not a
"good" place...
Remind them to be subject to
rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good
deed (See note
Titus 3:1)
In his second
epistle Peter described the conduct of false teachers...
who indulge the flesh in its
corrupt desires and despise (view with contempt) authority
(kuriotes - can be civil power but in context angelic power and
authority). Daring, self-willed, they do not tremble when they revile
angelic majesties (See note
2 Peter 2:10)
Institution
(2937)
(ktisis from ktízo = create, form or found) means creation, creature (that which has been created)
and refers primarily to
the act of creating or the creative act in process something which
has not existed before. In the present context it means an
institution or human social structure as something which has been
created or an instituted authority, with the implication that such an
authority has been created or formed
As Morris
explains...
Since only God really creates, we
must regard human ordinances as divine ordinances and submit to them
as unto God, unless they contradict God's written Word (Romans 13:1).
(Morris,
Henry: Defenders Study Bible. World Publishing)
As Paul wrote...
Let every person
be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no
authority except from God, and those which exist are established by
God. (See note
Romans 13:1)
Even to "Caesar"
-- Mt 22:21; Ro 13:1-7: every human creation,” denoting either
everything created for mankind or every creature who is human, but
context supports the former. Since only God really creates, we must
regard human ordinances as divine ordinances and submit to them as
unto God, unless they contradict God's written Word, which guided
Peter and John before the Jewish Sanhedrin and led the apostles to
proclaim...
Whether it is right in the sight of
God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge for we
cannot stop speaking what we have seen and heard (Acts 4:19, 20)
Being an
obedient Christian is increasingly becoming a social, political, legal
issue in America so Peter's advice transcends time and is wise counsel
for believers in post-Christian America.
WHETHER TO A
KING AS THE ONE IN AUTHORITY (continually rising above): eite basilei
os huperechonti (PAPMSD):
Human
governments are "created" by God (Ro 13:1-note).
Rulers are God’s servants (Ro 13:4-note).
Even if the rulers are not believers, they are still God’s men
officially. Even if they are dictators and tyrants, their rule is
better than no rule at all. The complete absence of rule is anarchy
(Jdg 21:25-
note), and no society can
continue under anarchy (Webster's = Latin anarchia <> Greek
anarchos = having no ruler <> an- + archos ruler; cp Proverbs 29:18). So any
government is better than no government at all. Order is better than
chaos (chaos being the confused unorganized state of primordial matter
before the creation of distinct forms!)
If Peter could
command the Christian community to honor the king and the governor,
knowing the wickedness of Nero, then how much more must we honor our
leaders even though they may
endorse and promote acts which we regard as wrong. |
