Commentaries:
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
Servants--Greek, "household servants": not here the Greek for "slaves." Probably including freedmen still remaining in their master's house. Masters were not commonly Christians: he therefore mentions only the duties of the servants. These were then often persecuted by their unbelieving masters. Peter's special object seems to be to teach them submission, whatever the character of the masters might be. Paul not having this as his prominent design, includes masters in his monitions.
be subject--Greek, "being subject": the participle expresses a particular instance of the general exhortation to good conduct, 1 Peter 2:11-12, of which the first particular precept is given 1 Peter 2:13, "Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake." The general exhortation is taken up again in 1 Peter 2:16; and so the participle 1 Peter 2:18, "being subject," is joined to the hortatory imperatives going before, namely, "abstain," "submit yourselves." "honor all men."
with--Greek, "in."
all--all possible: under all circumstances, such as are presently detailed.
fear--the awe of one subject: God, however, is the ultimate object of the "fear": fear "for the Lord's sake" (1 Peter 2:13), not merely slavish fear of masters.
good--kind.
gentle--indulgent towards errors: considerate: yielding, not exacting all which justice might demand.
froward--perverse: harsh. Those bound to obey must not make the disposition and behavior of the superior the measure of the fulfilment of their obligations.
Other commentary entries containing this verse:
1 Corinthians 7:21
Titus 2:5
Titus 2:9
1 Peter 2:12
1 Peter 2:18
1 Peter 3:8
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