2nd Peter Chapter 1 verse 9 Holy Bible

Pulpit Commentary

Pulpit CommentaryVerse 9. - But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off; literally, for he to whom these things are not present is blind, short-sighted. We cannot attain to the knowledge of Christ without these graces, for he who has them not is blind, or, at the best, short-sighted, like one who blinks with his eyes when he tries to see distant objects, and cannot bear the full light of day. Such a man can only see the things which lie close around him - earth and earthly things; he cannot lift up his eyes by faith and behold "the land that is very far off;" he cannot "see the King in his beauty" (Isaiah 33:17). The word for "short-sighted" (μυωπάζων) occurs only here in the New Testament. And hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins; literally, having incurred forgetfulness of the cleansing from his old sins. St. Peter is apparently thinking of the one baptism for the remission of sin. Ananias had said to Saul, "Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins" (Acts 22:16); St. Peter himself had said, in his first great sermon, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins." Those who do not realize in the religious life that death unto sin of which holy baptism is the sign and the beginning, incur forgetfulness of the cleansing from sin which they then received; they do not use the grace once given for the attainment of those higher graces of which St. Peter has been speaking. The one talent once entrusted to them must be taken from them; they are idle and unfruitful, and cannot reach unto the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (comp. 1 Corinthians 6:11; Ephesians 5:26; 1 Peter 3:21).

Ellicott's Commentary

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(9) But he that lacketh.--Rather, for he that lacketh. Geneva and Rheims have "for." The "for" introduces the second reason for the exhortation to furnish forth all these graces--viz., the evil of not having them. The Greek implies absence of possession in any degree, not merely absence of permanent possession. (See first Note on 2Peter 1:8.)Is blind.--We might have expected "will be idle and unfruitful, &c.," but the writer is not content with merely emphasizing what has just been said, after the manner of St. John (e.g., 2Peter 1:3; 1John 1:5; 1John 2:4; 1John 2:27-28; 1John 4:2-3; 1John 4:6); he puts the case in a new way, with a new metaphor equally, applicable to the subject of knowledge. Note that he does not say "will be blind," but" is blind." The very fact of his possessing none of these graces shows that he has no eye for them. . . .