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2Pe_2:21. κρεῖττον γὰρ ἦν αὐτοῖς ] The same use of the imperf. where we should employ the conjunct., Mar_14:21 : καλὸν ἦν αὐτῷ ; cf. on the constr. Winer, p. 265 [E. T. 352].
μὴ ἐπεγνωκέναι τὴν ὁδὸν τῆς δικαιοσύνης ] ἡ ὁδὸς τῆς δικαιοσ . is not: “the way to virtue,” or “the way of salvation which leads to the moral condition of righteousness” (Schott), but a designation of Christianity in so far as a godly righteous life belongs to it; cf. 2Pe_2:2.[82]
ἤ ἐπιγνοῦσιν ] The dat. instead of the accus., dependent on αὐτοις ; by an attraction not uncommon in Greek.
ἐπιστρέψαι ] is to be taken here in the sense of: “to turn back to the former things;” cf. 2Pe_2:22, as in Mar_13:16; Luk_17:31, where it is connected with εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω ; in Luk_8:55, nevertheless, it is used in the same sense without adjunct; see critical remarks.
ἐκ τῆς … ἐντολῆς ] With παραδοθείσης αὐτοῖς , cf. Jud_1:3.
ἡ ἁγία ἐντολή is the law of the Christian life, cf. 1Ti_6:14; here mentioned because the passage treats of the moral corruption of the false teachers.
[82] In Steinfass’ observation: “By the δικαιοσύνης of the ὁδὸν δικαιοσύνης righteousness is understood as being not the end, but the wayfarer,” the first is right, but the second wrong.