Second of four Word Studies of 1 Peter 2:17
“Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king” (1 Peter 2:17).
The “love” enjoined in this command is agapao, meaning to value, to esteem, to behave unselfishly, to treat with respect, and/or to have the best interest of others in one’s heart.
“Brotherhood” refers to “a community based on identity of origin,” to “persons united by a common interest,” or to “a brotherly relation.” So, our brotherhood is the church—a group of people bound together by a common faith in God and in Jesus Christ, by a common determination to follow God’s word, and by an intense interest in the spiritual welfare of our fellow Christians.
That being said, we can never lose sight of our mutual responsibilities: we cannot say that as individuals or as congregations we will do as we please, regardless of what others think. As a brotherhood of loving people, we must maintain an attitude that shows a deep concern about our influence on others.