1 Peter 2:18

My Notes

What Does 1 Peter 2:18 Mean?

"Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward." Peter commands servants to submit to masters — and then EXTENDS the submission beyond the EASY cases: not just to GOOD and GENTLE masters (the ones who treat you fairly) but also to the FROWARD (skewed, crooked, harsh, unreasonable). The submission isn't conditional on the master's CHARACTER. It's commanded regardless of the master's behavior. The good master gets submission. The harsh master gets submission too.

The phrase "be subject to your masters with all fear" (hypotassomenoi en panti phobō tois despotais — being subordinate in all reverence to the masters) uses STRONG subordination language: hypotassomenoi (submitting, placing oneself under) to despotais (masters, lords, owners — the strongest word for authority). The submission is comprehensive ('all fear/reverence') and positional (placing yourself UNDER). The command is to the SERVANT, not to the master.

The "not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward" (ou monon tois agathois kai epieikesin alla kai tois skoliois — not only to the good and reasonable/gentle but also to the crooked/perverse) EXTENDS the command to the WORST case: skoliois means crooked, bent, perverse — masters who are UNREASONABLE, unfair, harsh. The submission to the good master is EASY (anybody can submit to a kind authority). The submission to the FROWARD master is the TEST — the one that reveals whether the submission is to the MASTER or to the LORD (verse 19 — 'for conscience toward God').

Reflection Questions

• 1.What unreasonable authority are you being called to submit to — for conscience toward God?
• 2.What does submission to FROWARD masters testing the motivation teach about the difference between convenience and conscience?
• 3.How does the submission being TO GOD (through the master) change the nature of the subordination?
• 4.What unjust suffering are you enduring that's 'thankworthy' because it's done for God's sake?

Devotional

Submit to your masters — not just the GOOD ones but the HARSH ones too. The submission isn't conditional on the master deserving it. It's commanded regardless of the master's character. The good master gets your submission. The cruel master gets it too. The submission is to God THROUGH the master, not to the master as final authority.

The 'not only to the good and gentle' acknowledges the EASY case: submitting to a GOOD master isn't difficult. When the authority is fair, kind, and reasonable, subordination comes naturally. Peter doesn't linger here. The easy case isn't the point. The HARD case is.

The 'but also to the froward' is the HARD case that defines the command: the froward (skoliois — crooked, bent, perverse, unreasonable) masters are the ones who make submission COSTLY. They're unfair. They're harsh. They're unreasonable. And Peter says: SUBMIT. The submission to the difficult master is the submission that PROVES the motivation. If you submit only to good masters, your submission might be CONVENIENCE. If you submit also to froward masters, your submission is CONSCIENCE (verse 19).

The PURPOSE (verse 19-20) makes the submission THEOLOGICAL, not merely social: the endurance of unjust suffering is 'thankworthy' (acceptable, grace-producing) — when it's done 'for conscience toward God.' The submission to the harsh master isn't because the harsh master DESERVES it. It's because GOD is the ultimate audience. The suffering-submission is offered to GOD through the harsh master. The human injustice becomes the context for divine service.

What 'froward master' — what unreasonable authority — are you being called to submit to for conscience toward God?

Commentary

Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.

Cross References

Related passages throughout Scripture