Matthew Poole and continuators on 1 Peter 2:13

13 Submit your selves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake : whether it be to the king as supreme ;

Of all kinds, whether Supreme, or subordinate.

Gr. Human Creatures which may be understood, either as Mark 16.15. every Human Creature for every Man only restraining it to the present Subject whereof he treats, viz. Magistrates, and the sense is, to every Magistrate: Or rather, (though to the same effect) to every Human Ordinance; or, as we translate it, Ordinance of Man; the word, Creature, being taken for an Ordinance, or Constitution, and creating for ordaining, or appointing; so Oecumenius will have the word to signifie, Ephes. 2.15. to make of twain, one new Man. But this Creature, or Ordinance here is to be understood of the Magistrate (as appears by the following words) which is called Human, not as if Magistracy were not an Ordinance of God, (for Rom. 13.1. the Powers that are, are said to be ordained of God) but, either because it is only among Men, and proper to them; or because it is of Man secondarily, and instrumentally, tho of God primarily, and originally; God making use of the Ministry of Men in bringing them into the Magistracy; as tho Church-Officers are God's Ordinance, yet he makes use of Men to put them into Office.

For God's sake, who commands this Obedience, and gave them their Authority, and is represented by them, and honoured by that Obedience which is yielded to them in all things agreeable to his Will. The Phrase seems to be of the same import with that of being obedient in the Lord, Ephes. 6.1.

To Cesar the then Supreme Magistrate, under whose Jurisdiction the Jewish Christians were; and this being a general Command extending to all Christians, it follows, that Obedience is due from them to those Chief Magistrates, whose Subjects respectively they are.

Not only above the People, but above other Magistrates.

Marginal references: Rom. 13.1.