A LETTER FROM PETER

Chapter 2 – Part 3

Respecting people in authority

13 For the Lord’s sake, submit to all human authority—whether the king as head of state, 14 or the officials he has appointed. For the king has sent them to punish those who do wrong and to honor those who do right.

15 It is God’s will that your honorable lives should silence those ignorant people who make foolish accusations against you. 16 For you are free, yet you are God’s slaves, so don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do evil. 17 Respect everyone, and love the family of believers. Fear God, and respect the king.

We need to draw a distinction here between the world of Peter’s era and the world of democracy today. In Peter’s era total submission to a dictatorial rule was the order of today, whereas our democratic society calls us to active, compassionate and thoughtful cooperation; for the Christian, that means considering the needs of others above themselves. The other side of the coin is that in a democracy we receive significant benefits and in all fairness, the Christian community and its members must be willing to play their part, to serve and give back.

As we have discussed earlier, our lives need to be genuine and authentic that we might be an honest example to others, for that is God’s will. While there may be times when we are misunderstood or unfairly judged, the truth will usually win out in the end.

There is a sense in which this passage may be challenged in some countries where oppression, genocide and state-sponsored murder are rampant. However, other parts of the Bible deal with these issues. We need to relate this to our western culture of democracy and fair rule if it is to make sense. The Christian community and its members owe allegiance to all human authority, for that is what God requires of us. That is not to say that we will sublimate our right to free speech and at times, open, peaceful and Christian protest. Our democratic culture is based on fairness and the rule of law and order and the Christian community will do well to support the system, even though it is not perfect.

There is probably no Christian doctrine so corrupted as this doctrine Christian grace and freedom.  Often the precious doctrine of grace has been so perverted that it has become what Dietrich Bonhoeffer calls, cheap grace. The tendency of humanity to do as they like and assume the grace of God will cover their errant behaviour. The reality is that the Christian is only as free within the bounds of loving obedience to his Saviour. The Christian always needs to be acutely aware they still live in community, and within community; they are members with privileges and responsibilities to their Christian brothers and sisters.

If there was ever an essential duty that the Christian owes to all people, it is that of courteous and humble respect. While in Peter’s day human rights were not a big issue, in today’s democratic culture it is quite rightly, a primary issue. There is always the tendency to see people and treat them as a number or things, existing as a convenience to meet our needs or serve the purpose of some employer or authority

While we owe respect to all we owe an even deeper commitment to those who share the Christian community with us; we owe them Paul’s definition of love. They are more than simply people with whom we share community, they are part of our family, God’s family and we need to see them through the eyes of God.

We need to understand that When Peter writes; fear God, he is not talking about an emotion of fear and terror but rather the perception of awe and reverence, bearing in mind just who God is. The reality is that as we reverence God we will treat or fellows human beings with the same reverence and respect, it is impossible to truly reverence God, and not his creation, humanity.

What we need to understand that when Peter wrote these words the cruel and insensitive Nero was the ruler and Peter is saying is even if the ruler is Nero, you must honour him.

Slaves

18 You who are slaves must submit to your masters with all respect.[k] Do what they tell you—not only if they are kind and reasonable, but even if they are cruel. 19 For God is pleased when, conscious of his will, you patiently endure unjust treatment. 20 Of course, you get no credit for being patient if you are beaten for doing wrong. But if you suffer for doing good and endure it patiently, God is pleased with you.

In this day and age in our western culture, the idea and presence of slaves are unacceptable and some translations use the terminology, servants, which make it somewhat more relative to our lifestyle. Cast in this scenario we understand, many within the population fall into this category.

The reality is that in a competitive business society management is not always fair and just, and workers, servants, may be exploited and treated unfairly. We need to remember that Peter is writing from a very different cultural background and we perhaps cannot take all the advice without some evaluation, particularly in what has been said about human rights. However, members of the Christian community need to be good employees, giving a fair days work for a fair days remuneration. Once again Christian respect for the employer is owed in all circumstances.

21 For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.

22 He never sinned,
    nor ever deceived anyone.
23 He did not retaliate when he was insulted,
    nor threaten revenge when he suffered.
He left his case in the hands of God,

    who always judges fairly.
24 He personally carried our sins
    in his body on the cross
so that we can be dead to sin
    and live for what is right.
By his wounds
    you are healed.
25 Once you were like sheep
    who wandered away.
But now you have turned to your Shepherd,
    the Guardian of your souls.

Peter now turns to the example of Jesus as our ideal and role model, and what we need to understand is that the Bible deals in ideals, not our puny human performance. Commentators will point out that Christianity sets impossible standards and it is unrealistic to expect people to even try for such a ridiculous paradigm. Rather than being a bridge too far, ideals have the leverage to lift us above the ordinary and in finality; we become better people when we reach for high ideals.

Jesus’ example of enduring injustice and suffering is a pattern to follow when we are subject to unfair and unjust treatment. Peter then concludes with the great Old Testament image of The Lord as my Shepherd.