16 τῶν ἀφρόνων ὡς ἐπικάλυμμα ἔχο 17 00 δοῦλοι πάντας τιµή 18 τὸν Ov do τασσόµενοι ἐν παντὶ 10 ἀγαθοῖς
(cf. Luke xxi. 12) or of Jet. xxxix. 3, ἢγε- poves βασιλέως Βαβυλῶνος. Contrast vague general term, ἐξουσίαις ὑπερεχ' ὡς - - » which St. Paul employed before his visit to Ἐοπε.- πεμπ., as being sent through the Emperor. διά implies that the governors are sent by God acting through the Emperor; so Rom. xiii. 1-7 (cf. Sap. vi. 3) and John xix. 11, et μὴ Fv δεδοµένον σοι avwlev.—eis ἐκδίκησιν, κ.τ.λ. The ruler executes God’s ven- geance (Rom. xii. 19) and voices God’s approval (Ps. xxii. 25, παρὰ σοῦ 6 ἔπαινός pov). The former function of governors has naturally become prominent, the latter is exemplified in the crowns, decrees and panegyrics with which the Greek and Jewish States rewarded their benefactors if not mere well-doers.—ottTws... since this is so (referring to 13 f.) God's will is that ... (cf. Matt. xviii. 14, οὕτως οὐκ ἔστιν θέλημα where οὕτως refers to the preceding parable) rather than God’s will is thus namely that ... or... well-doing thus. Since God has set up governors who express His approval of well-doers, you as well- doers will receive official praise and thus be enabled to silence the slanderers. St. Peter is thinking of the verdict pro- nounced in the case of St. Paul and of Jesus ΠἰπιθεΗ.--ϕφιμοῦν, (1) muzzle (1 Cor. ix. 9), (2) stlence as Jesus did (Matt. xxii. 34, ἐφίμωσεν τοὺς Σαδδουκαίους). --τὴν ἀγνωσίαν, ατατεννοτά-- ρετπαρς borrowed from Job xxxv. 16, ἐν ἀγνωσίᾳ ῥήματα βαρύνει, He multiplieth words without knowledge. In 1 Cor. xv. 34, ἀγνωσίαν yap θεοῦ τινες ἔχουσιν, it is derived from Sap. xiii. 1, οἷς παρῆν θεοῦ ἀγνωσία. It is the opposite of γνῶσις (ἀγνωσίας τε καὶ γνώσεως, Plato, Soph., 267 B) cf. ἄγνοια, of Jews who crucified Jesus, Acts iii. 17.- τῶν Adpdvev = the foolish men who calumniate you (12). &. is very common in the Wisdom litera- ture (especially Proverbs); as used by Our Lord (Luke xi. 40) and St. Paul (2 Cor. xi.); it implies lack of insight, a point of view determined by external appearances.
Ver. 16. ὡς ἐλεύθεροι, the con- trast with τῆς κακίας supports the connection of é. in thought with ἄγαθο-
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ποιοῦντας, Which explains the nature of the self-subjection required. Christians are free (Matt. xvii. 26 f. g.v.; John viii. 36; Gal. ii. 4) and therefore must sub- mit to authority. Peter generalises sum- marily St. Paul’s argument in Gal. v. 13, which refers to internal relations.—k at μὴ... EXevOeplay, and not having your freedom as a cloak of your malice. For ἐπ. cf. Menander (apud Stobaeum Florileg.) πλοῦτος δὲ πολλῶν ἐπικάλυμμ᾽ ἐστιν κακῶν. The verb is used in Ps.
cited Rom. iv. 7 = "\9)5; and this sense may perhaps be contemplated here ; early Christians regarded their freedom as con- stituting a propitiation for future as for past sins.
Ver. 17. Sweeping clause based partly on Rom. xiii. 7 f. (cf. Matt. xxii. 21), partly on Prov. xxiv. 21, φοβοῦ τὸν θεὸν υἱὲ καὶ βασιλέα καὶ µηθετέρῳ αὐτῶν ἀπειθήσῃς.- πάντας τιµήσατε. The aorist imperative is used because the present would be ambiguous; cf. ἀπό- Sore, Rom. ζ.ο., and for matter, Rom. xii. το, TH Tipp ἀλλήλους προηγούμενοι, since πάντας covers both the brotherhood and the emperor.—ot οἰκέται, voca- tive; the word is chosen as being milder than δοῦλος and also as suggesting the parallel between slaves and Christians who are God’s household (ii. 5)-—¥ a o- τασσόµενοι has force of imperative resuming ὑποτάγητε or goes with τιµ- ήσατε (17) as being a particular applica- tion of that general principle-—rots δεσπόταις, to your masters, not ex- cluding God, the Master of all, as is indi- cated by the insertion of i all fear (cf. 17, etc.) and τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς καὶ ἐπιεικέσιν (cf. Ps. Ixxxvi. 4, σὺ κύριος χρηστὸς καὶ ἐπιεικής).--τοῖς σκολιοῖς, the βεγ- verse, cf. Phil. ii. 15, ἵνα γένησθε.. . τέκνα θεοῦ ἅμωμα µέσον γενεᾶς σκολιᾶς καὶ διεστραµµένης, where the full phrase is cited from Deut. xxxii. 5 (ox. = wy):