Servants — Second division of the second prudential rule: subordination social. This word is not the same as is used by St. Paul — e.g., Ephesians 6:5; Colossians 3:22 — but is used only besides in Luke 16:13; Acts 10:7; Romans 14:4. It brings forward the family or household relation of servant or slave to master, and not (as does the common word used in 1 Peter 2:16) the mere fact of ownership. We need not be surprised at directions for household servants, or slaves, in a letter addressed to Jewish Christians, for there were large numbers of Hebrews in this position both now and later; St. Clement, for example, was probably both.
Be subject. — Rather, being subject, or submitting yourselves. The participle joins this clause loosely to the “submit yourselves” of 1 Peter 2:13, where the word is the same. (Comp. 1 Peter 3:1.)
With all fear. — “All” implies everything which goes to make up true fear, every kind of fear; and the “fear” (as when we speak of the fear of God) is not intended to mean any unmanly cowardice, dread of punishment, or such terror as is involved in having secrets which one dreads to have divulged. One commentator well defines it as “the shrinking from transgressing the master’s will, based on the consciousness of one’s own inferiority.”
Masters. — This is the word which properly corresponds to the word by which the “servants” are described, not merely “owners,” as in Ephesians 6:5; Colossians 3:22.
The froward. — Literally, the crooked. Its meaning is made clear by the contrasted adjectives, “good,” i.e., kindly, considerate; and “gentle,” or, rather, reasonable, not disposed to take too stern a view of matters. A “froward” master, then, is one with a warped nature, who is unreasonably exacting, capricious, and cross-grained; in fact, one who will deal with his servants in the manner spoken of in the following verses.