John Calvin Commentary 1 Peter 2:15

"For so is the will of God, that by well-doing ye should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:" — 1 Peter 2:15 (ASV)

For so is the will of God. He returns to his former doctrine, so that no opportunity would be given to the unbelieving to speak evil, though he expresses less than what he had said before; for he says only that the mouths of the foolish should be stopped.

The phrase which he adopts, “to stop up ignorance,” though it may seem harsh because of its novelty, does not obscure the sense. For he not only calls the unbelieving foolish, but also points out the reason why they slandered: because they were ignorant of God.

But since he describes the unbelieving as being without understanding and reason, we therefore conclude that a right understanding cannot exist without the knowledge of God. However much, then, the unbelieving may boast of their own acuteness, and may seem to themselves to be wise and prudent, yet the Spirit of God charges them with folly, so that we may know that, apart from God, we cannot be really wise, as without him there is nothing perfect.

But he prescribes the way in which the evil-speaking of the unbelieving is to be restrained, namely, by well-doing, or, by doing good. In this expression he includes all the duties of humanity and kindness which we should perform towards our neighbors. And in these is included obedience to magistrates, without which harmony among people cannot be cultivated.

If anyone were to object, saying that the faithful can never be so careful to do good but that they will still be spoken evil of by the unbelieving, the obvious answer is this: the Apostle here does not in any way exempt them from calumnies and reproaches. But he means that no opportunity for slandering should be given to the unbelieving, however much they may desire it.

And to prevent anyone from further objecting and saying that the unbelieving are not at all worthy of so much consideration that God’s children should shape their lives to please them, Peter expressly reminds us that we are bound by God’s command to shut up their mouths.