Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Peter 2:14
Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.
14. as unto them that are sent by him ] The tense of the Greek participle indicates that obedience was to be paid to those who, from time to time, were the local representatives of the central supreme authority. The identity of thought with Rom 13:3-4, will be noticed as another interesting coincidence in the teaching of the two Apostles. Both alike recognise that even an imperfect and corrupt government works, on the whole, for a greater good than lawless anarchy. Both therefore are against revolutionary attempts to destroy an established order. It has, of course, to be remembered that the Christian citizens of a Christian country now stand in a different position, in relation to the state, from that occupied by the disciples of the Apostolic Church, and have therefore different duties and responsibilities; among others, that of defending the “ordinance” or “institution” under which they live, whether that institution be monarchical or republican in its form, against open or insidious aggression.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Or unto governors – Subordinate officers, appointed by the chief magistrate, over provinces. Perhaps Roman proconsuls are here particularly intended.
As unto them that are sent by him – By the king, or the Roman emperor. They represent the supreme power.
For the punishment of evil doers – One of the leading ends of government. The Roman governors had the power of life and death in such conquered provinces as those mentioned in 1Pe 1:1 – Doddridge. Ulpian, the celebrated Roman lawyer, who flourished two hundred years after Christ, thus describes the power of the governors of the Roman provinces: It is the duty of a good and vigilant president to see to it that his province be peaceable and quiet. And that he ought to make diligent search after sacrilegious persons, robbers, man-stealers, and thieves, and to punish everyone according to their guilt. Again, They who govern whole provinces, have the power of sending to the mines. And again, The presidents of provinces have the highest authority, next to the emperor. Peter has described the office of the Roman governors in language nearly resembling that of Ulpian. See Lardners Credibility, (Works, i. 77, edit. 8vo., Lond. 1829)
And for the praise of them that do well – Praise here stands opposed to punishment, and means commendation, applause, reward. That is, it is a part of their business to reward in a suitable manner those who are upright and virtuous as citizens. This would be by protecting their persons and property; by defending their rights, and, perhaps, by admitting those to share the honors and emoluments of office who showed that they were worthy to be trusted. It is as important a part of the functions of magistracy to protect the innocent, as it is to punish the wicked.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 14. Or unto governors] By king as supreme, the Roman emperor is meant; and by governors, , are meant, leaders, governors, presidents, proconsuls, and other chief magistrates, sent by him into the provinces dependent on the Roman empire.
For the punishment of evil doers] This was the object of their mission; they were to punish delinquents, and encourage and protect the virtuous.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Or unto governors; he seems immediately to intend the governors of provinces under the Roman emperors, such as Pilate, Felix, Festus were in Judea, Sergius Paulus in Cyprus, Act 13:7; and other places; see Luk 3:1; but so as to imply, under the name of governors, all inferior magistrates, as under the name of king he doth all supreme.
As unto them that are sent by him; either:
1. By the king, or supreme magistrate, and then the next words show what should be his end in sending, or appointing officers, or subordinate rulers under him: or rather:
2. Sent by God, from whom all rulers, subordinate as well as supreme, have their authority, and which is the great motive on which they are to be obeyed; and then the following words show what is Gods end in appointing them, and another reason for yielding obedience to them, viz. their being set up for the common good of the societies which they rule.
For the praise of them that do well: praise is a kind of reward, and is here to be taken by a synecdoche for all sorts of rewards given to those that do well, and are obedient to the laws: see Rom 13:3,4.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
14. governorssubordinate tothe emperor, “sent,” or delegated by Csar to preside overthe provinces.
for the punishmentNotyranny ever has been so unprincipled as that some appearance ofequity was not maintained in it; however corrupt a government be, Godnever suffers it to be so much so as not to be better than anarchy[CALVIN]. Although badkings often oppress the good, yet that is scarcely ever done bypublic authority (and it is of what is done by public authority thatPeter speaks), save under the mask of right. Tyranny harasses many,but anarchy overwhelms the whole state [HORNEIUS].The only justifiable exception is in cases where obedience to theearthly king plainly involves disobedience to the express command ofthe King of kings.
praise of them that dowellEvery government recognizes the excellence of trulyChristian subjects. Thus PLINY,in his letter to the Emperor Trajan, acknowledges, “I have foundin them nothing else save a perverse and extravagant superstition.”The recognition in the long run mitigates persecution (1Pe3:13).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Or unto governors,…. Inferior magistrates, such as were under the Roman emperor; as proconsuls, procurators, c. such as Pontius Pilate, Felix, and Festus, who had under the emperor the government of particular nations, provinces, and cities:
as unto them that are sent by him either by the king, the Roman emperor, by whom they were sent, from whom they received their commission, and derived their authority, under whom they acted, and to whom they were accountable; or by God, by whom they are ordained, and whose ministers they are, and for the ends hereafter mentioned; so that this contains an argument or reason why they should be submitted to:
for the punishment of evildoers; the breakers of the laws of God and men, on whom punishment is to be inflicted, by the civil magistrates, for the breach of them, by lines, scourgings, imprisonment, and death itself, according as the crimes are:
and for the praise of them that do well; who behave according to the laws of God and nations, and are obedient to magistrates, and subject to every ordinance; these have praise of men, of magistrates, and are rewarded by them; by protecting their persons, defending their properties, and preserving them in the peaceable enjoyment of their estates and possessions; see Ro 13:3.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Unto governors (). Dative again of , a leader (from , to lead), old and common word (Mt 10:18).
As sent by him ( ‘ ). Present passive participle of . ‘ is “by God,” as Jesus made plain to Pilate; even Pilate received his authority ultimately “from above” (Joh 18:11).
For vengeance on evil-doers ( ). Objective genitive with , for which see Lu 18:7f.
For praise to them that do well ( ). Objective genitive again, , a late word (Plutarch, Sirach) from and here only in N.T. Found in a magical papyrus.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Sent [] . The present participle. In the habit of being sent : sent from time to time.
By him. The king; not the Lord.
Punishment [] . Not strong enough. Better, vengeance, as Rev. Compare Luk 18:7; Rom 12:19.
Them that do well [] . Only here in New Testament.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “Or unto governors” (G k. eite) or to or toward (Gk. hegemosin) governors — Christians and church members are to be, in all civil matters, subject to absolute kings and governors, national, state and area civil rulers.
2) “As unto them that are sent by him.” Peter is simply asserting that Civil government is of Divine origin and sanction and Christians should recognize civil rulers as having been sent (Gk. pempomenais) – indirectly sent — from God and obey them in civil matters.
3) “For the punishment of evil doers.” Civil rulers are Divinely authorized to administer punishment of a retribution or (Gk. ekdikesin) vengeance nature upon or to evil doers. This punitive discipline is for protective purposes of those who are righteous.
4) “And for the praise of them that do well.” The same God who sends civil rulers (kings and Governors) to, administer punishment on evil doers sends them to commend, praise, or express gratitude to those citizens who conduct themselves uprightly in moral and civil affairs. (Rom 13:1-5)
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
14 Or unto governors, or, Whether to presidents. He designates every kind of magistrates, as though he had said, that there is no kind of government to which we ought not to submit. He confirms this by saying that they are God’s ministers; for they who apply him to the king, are greatly mistaken. There is then a common reason, which extols the authority of all magistrates, that they rule by the command of God, and are sent by him. It hence follows (as Paul also teaches us) that they resist God, who do not obediently submit to a power ordained by him.
For the punishment This is the second reason why it behoves us reverently to regard and to respect civil authority, and that is, because it has been appointed by the Lord for the common good of mankind; for we must be extremely barbarous and brutal, if the public good is not regarded by us. This, then, in short, is what Peter means, that since God keeps the world in order by the ministry of magistrates, all they who despise their authority are enemies to mankind.
Now he assumes these two things, which belong, as Plato says, to a commonwealth, that is, reward to the good and punishment to the wicked; for, in ancient times, not only punishment was allotted to evil-doers, but also rewards to the doers of good. But though it often happens that honors are not rightly distributed, nor rewards given to the deserving, yet it is an honor, not to be despised, that the good are at the least under the care and protection of magistrates, that they are not exposed to the violence and injuries of the ungodly, that they live more quietly under laws and better retain their reputation, than if every one, unrestrained, lived as he pleased. In short, it is a singular blessing of God, that the wicked are not allowed to do what they like.
It may, however, be objected here and said, that kings and magistrates often abuse their power, and exercise tyrannical cruelty rather than justice. Such were almost all the magistrates, when this Epistle was written. To this I answer, that tyrants and those like them, do not produce such effects by their abuse, but that the ordinance of God ever remains in force, as the institution of marriage is not subverted though the wife and the husband were to act in a way not becoming them. However, therefore, men may go astray, yet the end fixed by God cannot be changed.
Were any one again to object and say, that we ought not to obey princes who, as far as they can, pervert the holy ordinance of God, and thus become savage wild beasts, while magistrates ought to bear the image of God. My reply is this, that government established by God ought to be so highly valued by us, as to honor even tyrants when in power. There is yet another reply still more evident, — that there has never been a tyranny, (nor can one be imagined,) however cruel and unbridled, in which some portion of equity has not appeared; and further, some kind of government, however deformed and corrupt it may be, is still better and more beneficial than anarchy.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(14) Governors, as unto them that are sent by him.This word will include legati, proconsuls, propraetors, procurators, all officers entrusted with the administration of provinces. Of course the person by whom they are here said to be (from time to time) sent is Csar, not the Lord. The persons to whom the letter is addressed would have very little to do with Csar himself directly, their submission would be chiefly shown to the lieutenants. Yet how personal was the Imperial government, even in details, is shown in Plinys letters; the very letter before that in which he asks how to deal with the Christians of Bithynia requests Trajans leave to cover in an unhealthy beck in the town of Amastris.
For the punishment of evildoers.St. Peter credits Roman imperialism (rightly in the main) with having as its aim the promotion of moral behaviour among its subjects. The word for punishment is that which is translated vengeance in 2Th. 1:8, and implies forcing the malefactors to make satisfaction to those whom they had wronged, the avenger being, of course, quite disinterested. The praise which here, as in Rom. 13:3, is said to have been bestowed by the government on welldoers, must mean the solid praise of preferments, which is hardly so marked a feature of government as the foregoing. Be it observed that neither St. Peter nor St. Paul lay down any exceptions to the rule of complete obedience. They refuse to contemplate, at least to formulate, the occasions when disobedience may be necessary. Obedience is the first thing to learn, and when they have learnt it, they will know of themselves when to disobey. St. Peter himself stands to all time as the type of magnificent disobedience (Act. 4:19).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
14. Governors Presidents, proconsuls, and legates, appointed by the emperor, and sent out by him into the provinces.
Punishment praise The end and duty of good government.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
14 Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.
Ver. 14. Or unto governors ] In the kingdom of Christ, this is wonderful, saith Zanchy, that he wills and commands all princes and potentates to be subject to his kingdom, and yet he wills and commands likewise that his kingdom be subject to the kingdoms of the world.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
14 .] or to governors (“ prsides provinciarum, qui a Csare mittebantur in provincias,” Gerh.) as to men sent ( in the habit of being sent , sent from time to time: the pres. part. describes the genus: the particular would be described as ) through him ( the king , not , as some, and Calvin very positively, “qui pronomen ad regem referunt multum falluntur.” But there can be little doubt that he is wrong. For first the analogy of the clauses, , shews that the grounds of obedience in each case, all being alike , belong to the actually existing rights of power in that case. The king is supreme, in his own right: governors rule by delegation from the king, ‘ mittuntur ’ . Then, the right understanding of , as applying to all, forbids this view. For thus we should obey the king as , no mention of the Lord being made, whereas rulers are to be obeyed as sent by the Lord. Finally, the prep. , as distinguished from , designates rather the subordinate than the original sender. A governor could surely not be said to be sent ) for (to bring about) vengeance on (as in ref.: , being a ‘vox media,’ has another meaning, that of “avenging of,” in Luk 18:7-8 . c., taking it in this latter meaning, gives a convenient limitation to the duty, which was the furthest possible from the mind of the Apostle: , ) evil-doers, and praise of well-doers .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
governors. Greek. hegemon. Elsewhere, only in the Gospels and Acts. The title of Pilate, Felix, and Festus.
sent. App-174.
for. App-104.
punishment of = vengeance on. Greek. ekdikesis See Act 7:24.
them, &c. Greek. agathopoios. Only here. Compare 1Pe 4:19.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
14.] or to governors ( prsides provinciarum, qui a Csare mittebantur in provincias, Gerh.) as to men sent (in the habit of being sent,-sent from time to time: the pres. part. describes the genus: the particular would be described as ) through him (the king, not , as some, and Calvin very positively, qui pronomen ad regem referunt multum falluntur. But there can be little doubt that he is wrong. For first the analogy of the clauses, , shews that the grounds of obedience in each case, all being alike , belong to the actually existing rights of power in that case. The king is supreme, in his own right: governors rule by delegation from the king, mittuntur . Then, the right understanding of , as applying to all, forbids this view. For thus we should obey the king as , no mention of the Lord being made, whereas rulers are to be obeyed as sent by the Lord. Finally, the prep. , as distinguished from , designates rather the subordinate than the original sender. A governor could surely not be said to be sent ) for (to bring about) vengeance on (as in ref.: , being a vox media, has another meaning, that of avenging of, in Luk 18:7-8. c., taking it in this latter meaning, gives a convenient limitation to the duty, which was the furthest possible from the mind of the Apostle: , ) evil-doers, and praise of well-doers.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
1Pe 2:14. , those that do well) A word of frequent occurrence in this Epistle.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
for the punishment: Rom 13:3, Rom 13:4
Reciprocal: Num 16:12 – General Jdg 18:7 – magistrate 1Sa 10:25 – General 2Ch 19:5 – General Neh 13:21 – I will lay Isa 53:2 – he hath no Dan 6:1 – Darius 1Co 11:17 – I praise 1Th 2:2 – shamefully 2Ti 2:9 – as 1Pe 4:2 – no 2Pe 2:10 – despise
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Pe 2:14. Or unto governors refers to the deputies or other executioners acting under the supreme ruler. In either case the obligation of obedience is the same on the part of the disciples. This verse shows two objects of government and they are summed up in the words punishment and praise. The first is classified as the penal code and is the one being considered in 1Ti 1:9-10. The second is for the encouragement of those who wish to be good citizens. The two parts of government are denoted also in Rom 13:3. All this disproves a theory that we would not need any government if everybody lived righteously. The human family could not continue in an orderly manner without some form of government, and hence the Lord’s people are required to respect that form under which they are living.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
1Pe 2:14. or to governors, i.e administrators of provinces, procurators, propraetors, proconsuls, as also Asiarchs and other officials. Wycliffe renders it dukes; Tyndale, Cranmer, the Genevan and the Rhemish, rulers.
as sent through him, that is, through the king; not, as some (including even Calvin) strangely imagine, through the Lord,a reference precluded not only by the parallelism with as supreme, but also by the choice of the peculiar preposition through. These governors should have our submission, because they are the kings delegates.
for punishment of evil-doors and for commendation of well-doers. The object, with a view to which they are sent with their delegated powers, is itself a reason for yielding them respect and subjection. They are meant to be on the side of order and right, and therefore on the side of God. The idea of their office is the repression (the word is a very strong one = vengeance, as Wycliffe puts it; it is rendered revenge in the Rhemish Version) of the evil, and the protection and praise, i.e the honourable recognition of the good (this last term, literally = well-doers, occurring only here in the New Testament). Peter says nothing of the questions which may be forced upon the Christian when the idea of the office is perverted, or when the governor sinks the office in his person and personal ends. Neither does he suggest that the duty of submission extends the length of abstention from the use of ordinary civil rights in withstanding the unjust action of rulers. Paul made the most of his rights as a Roman citizen, and carried his appeal from governor to Caesar (Act 16:37; Act 22:25; Act 25:11). He speaks, nevertheless, of the heathen magistrate as the minister of God, and of the duty of being subject not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake (Rom 13:5). The rule that injures is to be obeyed until it can be amended. The rule that offends morality and conscience is not to be obeyed; yet its penalties are to be submitted to.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
2:14 Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him {18} for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.
(18) The second argument taken from the end of this order, which is not only most profitable, but also very necessary: seeing that by that this means virtue is rewarded, and vice punished, in which the peacefulness and happiness if this life consists.