1 Peter 2:15

For so is the will of God, that by well-doing ye should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:

So is the will of God ... refers to the institution and continuity of human governments.

That by well-doing ye should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men ... There is a charge in this that the slanders of the Christians were grounded in the ignorance and foolishness of their accusers; but there is a definite culpability both in such ignorance and in such foolishness. "In the Bible, `foolish' is often used in the sense of evil-disposed or wicked."[40] Also, the kind of ignorance that repeats a vicious slander without checking the truth of it is likewise reprehensible.

Put to silence ... "The original word here properly signifies to muzzle a beast, to hinder it from eating, or from biting."[41] Peter's method of doing this, of course, was that of doing so by righteous conduct. As Barnes said, "One of the best ways of meeting the accusations of our enemies is to lead a life of strict integrity. It is not easy for the wicked to reply to this argument."[42]

Is our situation with reference to government today any different from that when Peter penned his epistle? There is, of course, the principle that in a democratic society, the people themselves are those who govern; and there is a vast difference in that. The difference, however, still does not license illegal and rebellious behavior against the duly constituted authorities. The great practical difference is that a Christian should actively participate in the affairs of his government. Agreement is felt with Barclay who said that "It is tragic that so few Christians really fulfill their obligation to the state and the society in which they live."[43]

[40] Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament, 1Peter (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1953), p. 146.

[41] James Macknight, op. cit., p. 460.

[42] Albert Barnes, op. cit., p. 147.

[43] William Barclay, op. cit., p. 206.