Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 John 4:3
And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that [spirit] of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
3. confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh ] On overwhelming evidence (AB, Coptic, Aethiopic, Vulgate, &c.) we must omit the words ‘that Christ is come in the flesh’, retaining only confesseth not Jesus: the additional words are an obvious interpolation by one who wished to make the two sides of the antithesis exactly equal. But, as we have repeatedly seen ( 1Jn 1:5-8 ; 1Jn 1:10, 1Jn 2:10 ; 1Jn 2:22-23, &c.), this is rarely the case in S. John’s oppositions.
There is yet another very ancient and very interesting difference of reading here: every spirit which severeth Jesus, or, unmaketh Jesus, or, destroyeth Jesus, or, as the margin of R. V., which annulleth Jesus ( , qui solvit), the verb which in 1Jn 3:8 is used for ‘to destroy’. This reading appears to have been known to Tertullian (a.d. 210), who quotes S. John as speaking of “the forerunners of Antichrist denying that Christ has come in the flesh and severing ( solventes) Jesus” ( Adv. Marcion V. xvi.), and to Irenaeus (a.d. 180), who quotes the whole passage, and in this place has “every spirit which severeth ( qui solvit) Jesus” [ Haer. III. xvi. 8). But it can scarcely be genuine, for it is not found in a single Greek MS., nor in any version except the Vulgate. And we have no certain knowledge that any Greek Father had this reading. ‘Qui solvit’ in Irenaeus may be interpretation rather than literal translation. Socrates the historian (a.d. 440) charges the Nestorians with tampering with the text and ignoring the reading ‘which severeth Jesus’; just as Tertullian accuses the Valentinians of falsifying the text of Joh 1:13, and S. Ambrose the Arians of mutilating Joh 1:6. In all these cases the supposed heretical reading is the right one.
The passage in S. Polycarp’s Epistle already alluded to (see on 1Jn 2:18) is against the reading advocated by Socrates: ‘For every one who confesseth not that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is an Antichrist; and whosoever confesseth not the witness of the Cross is of the devil’ ( Phil. VII.). The expressions ‘confess’, ‘come in the flesh’, ‘Antichrist’, ‘is of the devil’, place S. Polycarp’s knowledge of his master’s First Epistle beyond all reasonable doubt. This is very early testimony (a.d. 140 155) to the existence of the First Epistle.
The variations as regards reading are testimony to the same effect. Such things take time to arise and spread. If a corrupt reading is known to Tertullian in Africa, and (apparently) adopted by Irenaeus in Gaul, before the end of the second century, then the original document written in Asia Minor cannot be much later than the end of the first century, at which time S. John was still living.
is not of God ] S. John gives two tests, one for trying human conduct, and one for trying spiritual claims: ‘Every one that doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother’ (1Jn 3:10); and ‘Every spirit which confesseth not Jesus is not of God.’
and this is that spirit of Antichrist ] ‘That’ should rather be ‘the’, as in R. V. The word ‘spirit’ is not expressed in the Greek, but is rightly understood from the context. The similar Greek expressions in Mat 21:21; 1Co 10:24; Jas 4:14; 2Pe 2:22 are not quite parallel.
that it should come ] Better, with R. V., that it cometh. Wiclif and the Rhemish have ‘that he cometh ’. Most English Versions before 1611 have ‘he’ for ‘it’; as also has Luther. This is due to the Vulgate, which has ‘Antichrist’ for ‘the (spirit) of Antichrist’. ‘It’ is certainly right. Not Antichrist, but the antichristian nature is affirmed to be now in the world already. The spirit of antagonism to Christ has passed from “the invisible world of spiritual wickedness” to the visible world of human action. The addition of ‘already’ hints that something more may be expected to follow. Comp. ‘The mystery of lawlessness doth already work’ (2Th 2:7).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And every spirit that confesseth not … – That is, this doctrine is essential to the Christian system; and he who does not hold it cannot be regarded either as a Christian, or recognised as a Christian teacher. If he was not a man, then all that occurred in his life, in Gethsemane, and on the cross, was in appearance only, and was assumed only to delude the senses. There were no real sufferings; there was no shedding of blood; there was no death on the cross; and, of course, there was no atonement. A mere show, an appearance assumed, a vision, could not make atonement for sin; and a denial, therefore, of the doctrine that the Son of God had come in the flesh, was in fact a denial of the doctrine of expiation for sin. The Latin Vulgate here reads qui solvit Jesum, who dissolves or divides Jesus; and Socrates (H. E. vii. 32) says that in the old copies of the New Testament it is written ho liei ton Hiesoun, who dissolves or divides Jesus; that is, who separates his true nature or person, or who supposes that there were two Christs, one in appearance, and one in reality. This reading was early found in some manuscripts, and is referred to by many of the Fathers, (see Wetstein,) but it has no real authority, and was evidently introduced, perhaps at first from a marginal note, to oppose the prevailing errors of the times. The common reading, who confesseth not, is found in all the Greek manuscripts, in the Syriac versions, in the Arabic; and, as Lucke says, the other reading is manifestly of Latin origin. The common reading in the text is that which is sustained by authority, and is entirely in accordance with the manner of John.
And this is that spirit of antichrist – This is one of the things which characterize antichrist. John here refers not to an individual who should be known as antichrist, but to a class of persons. This does not, however, forbid the idea that there might be some one individual, or a succession of persons in the church, to whom the name might be applied by way of eminence. See the notes at 1Jo 2:18. Compare the notes at 2Th 2:3 ff.
Whereof ye have heard that it should come – See the notes at 1Jo 2:18.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 3. Every spirit] Every teacher, that confesseth not Jesus, is not of God – has not been inspired by God. The words , is come in the flesh, are wanting in AB, several others, both the Syriac, the Polyglot Arabic, AEthiopic, Coptic, Armenian, and Vulgate; in Origen, Cyril, Theodoret, Irenaeus, and others. Griesbach has left them out of the text.
Spirit of antichrist] All the opponents of Christ’s incarnation, and consequently of his passion, death, and resurrection, and the benefits to be derived from them.
Ye have heard that it should come] See 2Th 2:7.
Even now already is it in the world.] Is working powerfully both among the Jews and Gentiles.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
But on the contrary, concerning them who against so plain evidence denied him to be so come, the case was plain; as with the Jews, Joh 8:24, and with the present heretics, who denying the true manner, could not but deny the true end of his coming; and who also lived so impure lives as imported the most open opposition and hostility thereto, and so discovered must evidently that antichristian spirit, which it was foreknown would show itself in the world.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
3. confesseth not that Jesus Christis come in the fleshIRENUS[3.8], LUCIFER, ORIGEN,on Mt 25:14, and Vulgateread, “Every spirit which destroys (sets aside, ordoes away with) Jesus (Christ).” CYPRIANand POLYCARP supportEnglish Version text. The oldest extant manuscripts, whichare, however, centuries after POLYCARP,read, “Every spirit that confesseth not (that is, refuses toconfess) Jesus” (in His person, and all His offices anddivinity), omitting “is come in the flesh.”
ye have heardfrom yourChristian teachers.
already is it in the worldinthe person of the false prophets (1Jo4:1).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And every spirit that confesseth not,…. The proper deity and sonship of Christ, his true and real humanity, and his Messiahship; or any of his offices, doctrines, and ordinances; or his satisfaction and righteousness; or that peace, pardon, justification, life, and salvation, are by him; all which are meant by what follows,
that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh: this clause is left out in the Ethiopic version, and that without hurting the sense, since it is easily supplied from the preceding verse; and the Alexandrian copy, and the Vulgate Latin version, only read “Jesus”: and the latter reads the whole thus, “and every spirit that dissolves Jesus”; that separates the two natures, human and divine, in him, and makes two persons of them; or denies either of them, either that he is truly God, or really man, or denies him to be Jesus, the Saviour; who, as much as in him lies, destroys his person, office, and work, and makes void his obedience, sufferings, and death:
is not of God; neither he nor his doctrine are of God; his doctrine cannot come from God, being contrary to the word of God; and he himself is neither born of God, nor on his side.
And this is that [spirit] of antichrist: who is against Christ, or opposes himself to him; as he who denies his sonship, his deity, his humanity, his offices, and his grace, manifestly does; every doctrine that is calculated against these truths is the spirit and doctrine of antichrist:
whereof you have heard that it should come, and even now already is it the world; in the false teachers, the forerunners of antichrist;
[See comments on 1Jo 2:18].
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Confesseth not ( ). Indefinite relative clause with the subjective negative rather than the usual objective negative (verse 6). It is seen also in 2Pet 1:9; Titus 1:11, a survival of the literary construction (Moulton, Prolegomena, p. 171). The Vulgate (along with Irenaeus, Tertullian, Augustine) reads solvit () instead of , which means “separates Jesus,” apparently an allusion to the Cerinthian heresy (distinction between Jesus and Christ) as the clause before refers to the Docetic heresy. Many MSS. have here also repeated from preceding clause, but not A B Vg Cop. and not genuine.
The spirit of the antichrist ( ). (spirit) not expressed, but clearly implied by the neuter singular article to. It is a repetition of the point about antichrists made in 2:18-25.
Whereof (). Accusative of person (grammatical neuter referring to ) with along with accusative of the thing ( , as in 2:18, futuristic present middle indicative). Here the perfect active indicative (), while in 2:18 the aorist ().
And now already ( ). As in 2:18 also (many have come). “The prophecy had found fulfilment before the Church had looked for it” (Westcott). It is often so. For see John 4:35; John 9:27.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Is come in the flesh. Omit. Render, confesseth not Jesus. So Rev. An ancient reading is luei ton Ihsoun annulleth or destroyeth Jesus. ” The simple Jesus emphasizes the humanity of our Lord considered in itself. See Rom 3:26; Rom 10:9; 2Co 11:4; Eph 4:21; Heb 2:9. This [] . Not this spirit, but this non – confession, summed up in all its manifestations.
Cometh. See on 2 18.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And every spirit that confesseth not.” Spirits control men to hinder them from confessing or acknowledging who Jesus is. Even the legion of demon unclean spirits in the demon possessed man of Gadara knew who Jesus was, but hindered him until rebuked by Jesus. Mar 5:1-13.
2) “That Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God.” The Pharisees, Sadducees, and scribes, and elders of Israel (as a whole) did not confess that the Savior (deliverer) anointed had come in the flesh. Such was enmity against God, and identified them as religious unregenerates, unsaved, Mat 5:20.
3) “And this is that spirit of antichrist.” This very attitude, adamant spirit, of denying the Holy Spirit begetting and virgin birth of Christ in the flesh is the spirit of the antichrist. Mat 1:18; Mat 1:22-23; Luk 1:34-35; Gal 4:4-5.
4) “Whereof ye heard that it should come.” Jesus warned of the anti-Christ’s coming and demon possession of those who rejected the Savior. Joh 5:43; Mat 7:15; Mat 24:45; Matthew 23-26.
5) “And even now already is it in the world.” The term “anti” – “Christ” means against, or posing instead of Christ. Even fake healers and pseudo-miracle workers are dominated and directed by the anti-christ spirit. Act 19:11-20 describes seducing and deceiving spirits in seven sons of Sceva, a fraudulent miracle worker whom Paul encountered. See also Act 13:6-12.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
3. And this is that spirit of Antichrist The Apostle added this, to render more detestable the impostures which lead us away from Christ. We have already said that the doctrine respecting the kingdom of Antichrist was well known; so that the faithful had been warned as to the future scattering of the Church, in order that they might exercise vigilance. Justly then did they dread the name as something base and ominous. The Apostle says now, that all those who depreciated Christ were members of that kingdom.
And he says that the spirit of antichrist would come, and that it was already in the world, but in a different sense. He means that it was already in the world, because it carried on in secret its iniquity. As, however, the truth of God had not as yet been subverted by false and spurious dogmas, as superstition had not as yet prevailed in corrupting the worship of God, as the world had not as yet perfidiously departed from Christ, as tyranny, opposed to the kingdom of Christ, had not as yet openly exalted itself, he therefore says, that it would come.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
3. Every spirit that confesseth not The Vulgate has this remarkable reading of this verse: “Every spirit which separates Jesus is not of God.” This alludes to the heresy of Cerinthus, the contemporary of John, who taught that Jesus was merely the son of human parents, but that the Christ was an aeon, or superhuman being? who descended upon Jesus at his baptism; thus separating the person of Jesus. It would seem that the ancient Greek Church historian, Socrates, recognised this reading in ancient manuscripts, as well as Tertullian, Irenaeus, and Origen. But all the Greek MSS., and all the Versions except the Vulgate, have the present reading.
That spirit of antichrist The special doctrine of emphatically the antichrist, based on the affirmation that all evil is identical with matter.
Should come Was prophesied as to come immediately before the second advent.
Already is it See note on 1Jn 2:18.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
1Jn 4:3 . In the reading: , the article (which is not, with Lcke, to be deleted) must not be overlooked, for it indicates Jesus as the historical person who is Christ. The false teachers did not confess Jesus when they ascribed the work of healing, not to Jesus, but to the Aeon Christ. The particle indicates the contradiction of the true confession, whilst would only express the simple negation. At the words: , almost all commentators (even Brckner and Braune) supply with the word ; but Valla (with whom Zegerus agrees) interprets: et hic est antichristi spiritus, vel potius: et hoc est antichristi i.e. proprium antichristi; if this latter interpretation be correct, then refers to , and is “the antichristian nature.” As it is not easy to see why John should have left out , this interpretation is to be preferred to the usual one (so also Myrberg; Ewald similarly interprets: “the work of Antichrist;” the same form of expression in Mat 21:21 ; 1Co 10:24 ; 2Pe 2:22 ; Jas 4:14 ). [258]
] compare chap. 1Jn 2:18 . Stephanus, groundlessly, would read “ ” instead of ; the relative does not refer to , but to . .
] i.e. in the false prophets; comp. 1Jn 4:1 . John does not say here that Antichrist, but only that the antichristian nature (or the spirit of Antichrist) is already in the world; is doubtless added, not merely to intensify the , but to point to the future time of the appearing of Antichrist, which is already being prepared for. According to Ebrard, the last sentence depends on ; this, however, is not likely, as is the accusative; it is rather connected, as an independent sentence, with the preceding one.
[258] Braune thinks that in these passages it was of importance to form a substantive conception, but that here the simple genitive would have been sufficient; it is plain, however, that the substantive idea . is here also more significant than a mere genitive connected with .
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
Ver. 3. Is not of God ] And yet he is not called an Atheist, or an Antitheist, but Antichrist, that is, an opposite to Christ; as if his opposing should not be so much to Christ’s nature or person, as to his unction and function.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
3 a .] ex adverso: and every spirit which does not confess (as Huther rightly remarks, sets forth, not only the non -confession as matter of fact, but the opposition to, the denegation of the confession: q. d. “ refuseth to confess ”) Jesus ( , in the complex of all that He is and has become, involved as it is in His having come in the flesh), is not of God . Some notice must be taken of the remarkable reading . The words of Socrates (see Digest) hardly seem to amount to an absolute assertion that the reading was found in any mss. extant in his time, and it appears to have been regarded rather as an interpretation against the Nestorians than as a part of the ancient text. Bengel says well of it, “humanam potius artem quam apostolicam redolet sapientiam.” The appearance of it in the vulgate is remarkable, seeing that not one of our present mss. has it, and not one version besides.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
3 b .] This has been already virtually explained on ch. 1Jn 2:18 . And this is the ( spirit ) (so nearly all the Commentators supply the ellipsis, and rightly. Episcopius, Valla, Zeger, the R.-Cath. Mayer, and Huther, render it, this is “proprium antichristi.” But this would not surely be , but only. None of the passages cited by Huther touch the point, Mat 21:21 , , “this of the fig-tree;” 1Co 10:24 , , “that which belongs to his brother;” 2Pe 2:22 , , “that of the proverb;” Jas 4:14 , , “the event of to-morrow.” In every one of these the genitive belongs to the subject: but Huther would attach it to the predicate, “hoc est proprium antichristi,” in which case I cannot see how the article could be there. Besides, the would be awkwardly said as applied merely to an abstract fact, the , to which it must be referred if is subject, and the genitive imports proprium antichristi ) of antichrist (of) which ye have heard (the reference is not to ch. 1Jn 2:18 ( ), but to the course of their Christian instruction in which this had been taught them) that it cometh (the present used as so often of that which is a thing fixed and determined, without any reference to time: “ that it should come ” of the E. V. is in sense very good, but does not quite suit the perf. , which seems grammatically in English to require “that it shall come;” “ that it must come ” would perhaps be better), and now it is (not, now is : this is not dependent on the preceding , but introduces a fresh assertion) in the world already (viz., in the person of these , who are its organs).
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
1Jn 4:3 . The Test negatively expressed. Omit . , “the aforementioned Jesus,” “jesus as thus described”. makes the statement hypothetical: “every spirit, if such there be, which doth not confess”. The variant , solvit Jesum (Vulg., Aug.), “dissolveth” or “severeth Jesus,” i.e. , separates the divinity and the humanity, aptly defines the Cerinthian heresy. It was much appealed to in later days against Nestorius. The ecclesiastical historian Socrates (see crit. note) says it was the primitive reading, and was altered by “those who wished to separate the deity from the man of the Incarnation”. St. Augustine, defining heresy as schism due to lack of brotherly love, comments: “Ille venit colligere, tu venis solvere. Distringere vis membra Christi. Quomodo non negas Christum in carne venisse, qui disrumpis Ecclesiam Dei, quam ille congregavit? “On the Antichrist see note on 1Jn 2:18 . , “which ye have heard that it is coming” the regular Greek idiom. Cf. Luk 4:34 : .
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
spirit. App-101.
that Jesus . . . flesh. The texts read “Jesus”.
that = the.
antichrists = the Antichrist. See 1Jn 2:18.
should come = cometh.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
3 a.] ex adverso: and every spirit which does not confess (as Huther rightly remarks, sets forth, not only the non-confession as matter of fact, but the opposition to, the denegation of the confession: q. d. refuseth to confess) Jesus ( , in the complex of all that He is and has become, involved as it is in His having come in the flesh), is not of God. Some notice must be taken of the remarkable reading . The words of Socrates (see Digest) hardly seem to amount to an absolute assertion that the reading was found in any mss. extant in his time, and it appears to have been regarded rather as an interpretation against the Nestorians than as a part of the ancient text. Bengel says well of it, humanam potius artem quam apostolicam redolet sapientiam. The appearance of it in the vulgate is remarkable, seeing that not one of our present mss. has it, and not one version besides.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
1Jn 4:3. ) that is, , the spirit.- , and now) ch. 1Jn 2:18, note.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
world kosmos = world-system. 1Jn 5:4; 1Jn 5:5; 1Jn 5:19; Joh 7:7. (See Scofield “Rev 13:8”).
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
and this: 1Jo 2:18, 1Jo 2:22, 2Th 2:7, 2Th 2:8, 2Jo 1:7
Reciprocal: Joh 1:14 – the Word Rom 1:3 – according Rom 10:9 – That if 1Co 12:3 – no man Heb 5:7 – the Heb 9:11 – Christ Heb 10:5 – but 1Jo 3:10 – is 1Jo 4:2 – come
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Jn 4:3. This verse merely sets forth the opposite of the preceding one, and completes the rule by which the brethren may try the spirits, thus avoiding the misfortune of being misled by the antichrists and other false teachers.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
1Jn 4:3. Every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh That doth not acknowledge him to be the true Messiah, as above observed, and that he came in that particular manner, though he might have come otherwise; is not of Gods To determine whether the Socinian interpretation of the clause, hath come in the flesh, expresses the apostles meaning, let that interpretation be substituted for the expression of which it is the interpretation, and the passages under consideration will run thus: 1Jn 4:2, Every spirit, every teacher, calling himself inspired, who confesseth Jesus Christ hath come a mere man, is from God; 1Jn 4:3, And every spirit who doth not confess Jesus Christ hath come a mere man, is not from God. Wherefore, as St. John is here giving marks by which true and false teachers were to be distinguished, if the Socinian sense of the phrase, hath come in the flesh, be just, he hath made it the mark of a true teacher, that he confesseth Jesus Christ as a mere man; and the mark of a false teacher, that he doth not confess Jesus Christ as a mere man, but affirmeth that he is more than a mere man; consequently, by so doing, St. John has condemned himself as a false teacher; because, having declared (1Jn 4:15; 1Jn 5:5) that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, he hath confessed that he is more than a mere man. And also in his gospel, having told us, (Joh 1:14,) that the Word (who he had said, 1Jn 4:1, was with God and was God) was made flesh and dwelt among us, and they beheld his glory, the glory as of the only-begotten of the Father, he hath certainly confessed that Jesus Christ is more than a mere man: for whose glory did the apostles behold, if it was not the glory of the Word made flesh, the only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth? Wherefore, John having confessed that Jesus is the only-begotten Son of God, he cannot be supposed to have branded those teachers as deceivers, who did not confess Jesus Christ to be a mere man, but affirmed him to be more than a man; because, by so doing, he would have condemned himself as a false teacher. And this is that spirit of antichrist which ye have heard, &c. From this, as well as from Joh 2:18, it appears that antichrist is not any particular person, nor any particular succession of persons in the church, but a general name for all false teachers in every age, who disseminate doctrines contrary to those taught by the apostles; especially if these doctrines have a tendency to derogate from Christs character and actions as the Saviour of the world. Macknight.