2 Peter 2:21Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Therefore the apostle says that, with such a future awaiting those who willingly return to evil, it would have been better for them not to know righteousness than, having known it, to fall into greater evil.

He calls Christ and the Holy Gospel the way of righteousness. He speaks of what was handed over to them in the holy commandment, that is, in baptism: the symbol of faith in God. So it is said in the Pentateuch, 'And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart' (Deut 6:5).

This is so that we may clearly understand what is said about those who, under the name of Christians, live in the filth and baseness of the world.

Through this he shows that they do not free from error those who believe them, but drag them into still worse error.

But we, beloved brethren, have deserved to be freed from the devil's power, not by preceding merits, but through the grace of Christ. As far as we are able, with His help, let us always strive toward good works, fearing what the apostle Peter cries out with dread.

By these words he expresses two ideas. First, the one who is conquered inevitably becomes the slave of the conqueror. Second, those who have already known the truth but have fallen again into their former defilement have experienced something worse than before.

In the second chapter of the Second Epistle, the apostle Peter denounces false teachers who introduce destructive heresies, or divisions (v. 1). They bring reproach upon the way of truth, or upon the gospel teaching.

They knew the way of righteousness and the holy commandment, v. 21. They knew our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, v. 20. Yet, like irrational animals, they are governed by nature, v. 12. They promise freedom while being slaves of corruption, v. 19.

Wherein does their false teaching consist? Among other things, in this: "they despise authorities, are bold and self-willed, and do not fear to blaspheme the glorious ones" (v. 10).

It would have been better for them, and so forth. It would have been better because it would not have been so dangerous and terrible. Their guilt would not have been so great, nor their condemnation and punishment so heavy (cf. 1 Cor 10:12; Rom 2:12).

The way of righteousness. The Gospel of Christ is called the way of righteousness, or the righteous way, because it contains, or indicates, the path of justification before God and leads to eternal life (cf. 2 Pet 2:15).

To turn back means to turn from that way of righteousness on which they had already begun to walk after their conversion to Christ.

The apostle marks the special criminality and destructiveness of the heretical offenders when he says that 'it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness.' In that case, ignorance itself would have excused them somewhat. See Lk 12:48. More hope would also have remained for their return to the right path. But they knew it and turned back from the holy truth delivered to them. In this they are likened to 'a dog returning to its own vomit, and a washed sow going to wallow in the mire.'

Dwelling in thought on these seductions and wishing to warn Christians against them, especially those not firm in the faith, the apostle speaks sharply both of the former life of the newly converted and of their apostasies, and of all apostasies in general.

He calls the non-Christian life a corrupt abomination. Yet it entangled certain novices among the Christians as if in a net. Their condition therefore became doubly grievous, since they bore the whole burden of slavery to sin and also became apostates.

Deep sorrow over their unfortunate condition, and the desire that others not fall into it, moved him to say that it would have been better for them not to know the true way. Then they would have been less accountable.