For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorance of foolish men.
15 For so is the will of God He returns to his former doctrine, lest an occasion should be given to the unbelieving to speak evil, though he expresses less than what he had said before; for he says only that the mouths of the foolish ought to be stopped.
Christians were slandered as seditionists, so the apostle settles Christian duty to magistrates clearly: submit to every human institution, whether king or provincial governor, because God ordained magistracy for the good of mankind. Obey not from fear of the rod but from conscience toward the Lord who requires it and whose honor depends on our subjection.
AI summary
Commenting on 1 Peter 2:13-25
As free,.... These converted Jews might value themselves on their freedom, partly as the descendants of Abraham, and so freeborn, and not to be brought into bondage to other people; and chiefly because of their liberty which they had in and by Christ Jews.