2 Peter 2:21-22

2 Peter 2:21-22 For it were better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered unto them. It has happened unto them according to the true proverb. The dog turning to his own vomit again, and the sow that had washed to wallowing in the mire.

Expanded Translation

Concerning these who have again become entangled in the lusts of this world, it would have been better for them not to have fully, accurately, and personally known the way of righteousness, rather than, having fully, accurately, and personally known it, to turn back (return) from (literally, out of) the holy and sacred commandment (that is, the whole body of Christian precepts) given over and entrusted to them. It has come to pass in their case in accordance with the true proverb; a dog who has returned to his own vomit, and (another true saying is) the sow that had bathed her body returned to the wallowing-place of mud, filth and dung.

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For it were better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered unto them

The verbs rendered have known and having known are both forms of the verb epiginosko (see 2 Peter 2:20). The noun form is defined in 2 Peter 1:2. This full and accurate knowledge can only describe persons who were Christians, and is never used in this book with reference to one who only professes or claims to be a follower of Christ. Nor could it be construed to refer to those who only knew the way of Christ mentally, as one knows of a historical character. Peter never uses the term epignosis (knowledge) in this loose sense.

To the candid mind it must be admitted that Peter is saying that a man may at one time be a Christiana real oneand then turn back into the ways of the world. The very reason for giving this exhortation was so that the presently faithful ones might take heed and not fall away themselves!

The holy commandment (entole, order, charge, injunction) given to them is here used in a collective sense of the whole body of the moral or spiritual precepts of Christianity, as in 2 Peter 2:2.

it has happened unto them according to the true proverb, the dog turning to his own vomit again

See Proverbs 26:11. This is not a pretty picture, but God did not intend that it should be. Sin is repugnant to the Almightyand should be to us! Let us not more think of taking sin into our spiritual beings than we would of sharing this dog's meal with him!

But the particular kind of sin here indicated by returning to the vomit, is sin which one has at one time been coughed up or cast off, After ridding himself of it, this man goes back and again takes it into his life. The dog, once having cleansed his inward parts by getting the poisonous and upsetting materials out of his body, is far healthier if he keeps away from it! God help us to despise and hate all our former ways of rottenness and filth!

and the sow that had washed to wallowing in the mire

This proverb is not found in the Old Testament. However, it was common in the Rabbinical writings, and is found in the Greek classics. Peter does not maintain that it was a part of Scripture (much less of the Book of Proverbs), but only that it was expressive of truth. The old sow, once washed (literally, bathed), would be far better off to stay away from the mire and dung from which she was just cleansed. Here again, the terribleness of sinparticularly sin returned tois emphasized. We should no more think of returning to our former worldly ways than we would of joining this sow after we had just taken a bath.

The Calvinists make much of the fact that Peter here likens men to dogs and pigs. Now pigs and dogs, they tell us, could never have their natures changedthey will only act, in the end, according to their true nature. This passage is cited as proof that their real character never was changed, and when they apostatized from their outward profession, they only acted out their natureonly showed that in fact there had never been any real change.

To make such an assertion concerning this passage is certainly to miss the very point of the inspired writer. Peter has just spoken of those who in fact had escaped the defilements of the world (2 Peter 2:20) and this through the knowledge (epignosis) of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. This full and careful knowledge of Christ is referred to every time the word know or knowledge is used in 2 Peter 2:20-21. Who then, is the person that is willing to affirm that the apostle is only speaking of those who seemed to be Christians, but were only hypocrites? The basic and main reason for citing the case of the dog and the sow was to show their foolishness and harm in returning to something filthy. We are not told here to contemplate long and hard on the unchangeable nature of animals. Admittedly, many of us did have dog-like and pig-like characters before conversion. But if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature: the old things are passed away; behold, they are become new (2 Corinthians 5:17). Let all new creatures STAY NEW CREATURES!