1 Peter 2:13-17. As Jesus had given them an example so were they to live in all dutiful obedience to human authority from the emperor to his representatives, since they constituted the bulwarks of the State. Their service was not mainly to the commonwealth of men, but to the City of God. Of this they were free men, but for that reason they must act so as to commend it their Emperor had as His servants men whose freedom spelled obedience. It is interesting to compare and contrast the view here taken of civil authority with that of Paul in Romans 13 (pp. 774 f.). The State is a human institution to this writer, while to Paul it is a Divine one, and the magistrate himself a minister of God. St. Peter, throughout the epistle, maintains that God is King, but rules through Law. His frame of mind is constitutional; St. Paul, the Roman citizen, is imperialist both in politics and in theology (Bigg).
1 Peter 2:15. put to Silence is really muzzle,