1 Peter 2:17

17. Honour all men--according to whatever honor is due in each case. Equals have a respect due to them. Christ has dignified our humanity by assuming it; therefore we should not dishonor, but be considerate to and honor our common humanity, even in the very humblest. The first "honor" is in the Greek aorist imperative, implying, "In every case render promptly every man's due" [Alford]. The second is in the present tense, implying, Habitually and continually honor the king. Thus the first is the general precept; the three following are its three great divisions. Love--present: Habitually love with the special and congenial affection that you ought to feel to brethren, besides the general love to all men. Fear God ... the king--The king is to be honored; but God alone, in the highest sense, feared.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Verse 17. Honour all men. That is, show them the respect which is due to them according to their personal worth, and to the rank and office which they sustain. Rom 13:7.

Love the brotherhood. The whole fraternity of Christians, regarded as a band of brothers. The word here used occurs only in this place and in 1Pet 5:9, where it is rendered brethren. The idea expressed here occurs often in the New Testament. Jn 13:34, Jn 13:35.

Fear God, A duty everywhere enjoined in the Bible, as one of the first duties of religion. Comp. Lev 25:17, 24:7, 25:14; Prov 1:7, 3:13, 9:10, 23:17; Rom 3:18; 2Cor 7:1. The word fear, when used to express our duty to God, means that we are to reverence and honour him. Religion, in one aspect, is described as the fear of God; in another, as the love of God; in another, as submission to his will, etc. A holy veneration or fear is always an elementary principle of religion. It is the fear, not so much of punishment as of his disapprobation; not so much the dread of suffering at the dread of doing wrong.

Honour the king. Referring here primarily to the Roman sovereign, but implying that we are always to respect those who have the rule over us. Rom 13:1-7. The doctrine taught in these verses 1Pet 2:13-17 is, that we are faithfully to perform all the relative duties of life. There are duties which we owe to ourselves, which are of importance in their place, and which we are by no means at liberty to neglect. But we also owe duties to our fellow-men, to our Christian brethren, and to those who have the rule over us; and religion, while it is honoured by our faithful performance of our duty to ourselves, is more openly honoured by our performance of our duties to those to whom we sustain important relations in life. Many of the duties which we owe to ourselves are, from the nature of the case, hidden from public observation. All that pertains to the examination of the heart; to our private devotions; to the subjugation of our evil passions; to our individual communion with God, must be concealed from public view. Not so, however, with those duties which pertain to others. In respect to them, we are open to public view. The eye of the world is upon us. The judgment of the world in regard to us is made up from their observation of the manner in which we perform them. If religion fails there, they judge that it fails altogether; and however devout we may be in private, if it is not seen by the world that our religion leads to the faithful performance of the duties which we owe in the various relations of life, it will be regarded as of little value.

(1) "Honour all men" "Esteem" (a) "men" Rom 12:10 (b) "Love" Jn 13:35 (c) "Fear" Ps 111:10 (d) "king" Prov 24:21

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Verse 17 Honour all men - That is, Give honor to whom honor is due, Rom 13:7. Respect every man as a fellow creature, and as one who may be a fellow heir with you of eternal life; and therefore be ready to give him every kind of succor in your power. Love the brotherhood - All true Christians, who form one great family of which God is the head. Fear God - Who gives you these commandments, lest he punish you for disobedience. Honour the king - Pay that respect to the emperor which his high authority requires, knowing that civil power is of God; that the authority with which he, in the course of his providence, has invested him, must be respected in order to its being obeyed; and that if the man be even bad, and as a man be worthy of no reverence, yet he should be respected on account of his office. If respect be banished, subordination will flee with it, and anarchy and ruin will rise up in their place. Truly religious persons are never found in seditions. Hypocrites may join themselves with any class of the workers of iniquity, and say, Hail, brethren!

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain