21 I have not written 1 to you, because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie 2 is of the truth. 22 Who is the liar,' but he who denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is the antichrist, who denieth the Father and the Son.2 23 Whosoever denieth the Son, doth not acknow.. ledge the Father. 1 24 Therefore, let what ye have heard from the beginning abide in you. If what ye have heard from the beginning abide in you, ye also shall abide in the Son, and in the Father. 21 I have not written to you, because ye know not the truth concerning the life of the word in the flesh; but because ye know it, and know likewise that none of the lies propagated by the false teachers concerning Christ, is any part of the gospel. 22 Who is the false prophet foretold to come before the destruction of Jerusalem, but he who denieth that Jesus is the Christ or Son of God? He, certainly, is the antichrist, who denieth the Father's testimony concerning his Son, chap. v. 6. and the Son's testimony concerning himself, John x. 36. 23 Whosoever denieth Jesus to be the Son of God, doth not acknowledge the Father, who, at his baptism and transfiguration, declared him his Son. 24 Therefore, let what ye have heard us preach from the beginning, concerning the word's being made flesh, abide in you. If what ye have heard from the beginning concerning that matter, abide in you, ye also shall abide in the fellowship of the Son and of the Father, chap. i. 3. Ver. 22.-1. Who is the liar, but he who denieth that Jesus is the Christ? What is meant by denying that Jesus is the Christ, see explained, chap. iv. 2. note, and ver. 3. note 1. 2. He is the antichrist, who denieth the Father and the Son. Estius saith, the opinion of Irenæus is probable, who understood John as speaking here of the false teachers of his own time, who denied Christ to be the Son of God, and God to be the Father of Christ. See Pref. to 1 John, Sect. 3. Ver. 23.-1. Whosoever denieth the Son, doth not acknowledge the Father. The expression in the original ads tov wariga exei, doth not bold the Father, is elliptical. We have it in its complete form, Rom. i. 28. As they did not approve τov OV EXEL E STIVæru of bolding God with acknowledgment, that is of acknowledging God. See note 2. on that verse, Wherefore, ad exu in this passage is rightly translated, doth not acknowledge as is plain likewise from this, that acknowledging, here, is the opposite to denying, in the preced 25 And this is the pro 25 Και αύτη εςιν ἡ επαγ mise that he hath promis- γελια, ην αυτος επηγγειλατο ήμιν, την ζωην την αιώνιον. ed us, even eternal life. 26 These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you. 27 But the anointing, which ye have received of him, abideth in you; and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. 26 Ταύτα εγραψα μιν πε ρι των πλανώντων ὑμας. 27 Και μεις το χρισμα ὁ ελαβετε απ' αυτου, εν ὑμιν μενει, και ου χρείαν έχετε iνα τις διδασκῃ μας, αλλ' ὡς το αυτο χρισμα διδασκει ἷμας περι παντων, και αληθες εςι, και ουκ εζι ψευδος. Και, καθως εδίδαξεν ύμας, μενείτε εν αυτῷ. ing clause. Accordingly in the Syriac it is, neque in patrem credit, doth not believe on the Father. In our English Bible the following words, But he that acknowledgeth the Son, bath the Father also, are printed in Italic letters, to shew that they are not in the common Greek copies. Beza however hath inserted them in his edition of the Greek Testament, on the authority of four ancient MSS. and of the Syriac and Vulgate versions. See Mill on this verse, who mentions a number of MSS. which have this clause. Estius reckoned it genuine : as did Doddridge: But I have omitted it, because it is wanting in the common edition of the Greek Testament from which my translation is made. Ver. 25.1. This is the promise which he bath promised to us, even the life which is eternal. Tny (any being in the accusative case, and standing in apposition with iv, it is governed as iv is, by επηγγείλατο.—This promise John hath recorded in his gospel, chap. xvii. 1. Glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee. 2. As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.—From these words, so solemnly pronounced by Christ in an address to his Father, we learn that the great end of his coming into the world was to glorify his Father, by procuring through his own death eternal life for all good men, and by bestowing it on them after the judgment. See chap. v. 10. note 1. Ver. 26.-1. These things I have written to you, namely the things beginning ver. 18. Ver. 27.-1. And ye have no need that any one should teach you. Here two things claim the reader's attention. 1. That when John said to his disciples, ye have no need that any one should teach you, his meaning was, that they had no need to be taught how to distinguish pretenders to inspiration, from those who were really inspired. This the connexion sheweth plainly.-2. That 25 (Kai, 207.) For this is the promise which he hath promised to us, EVEN the life which is eternal.1 26 These things1 I have written to you concerning them who deceive you, (Ess. iv. 1.) 27 (xai, 211.) although the unction which ye have received from him (ver. 20.) abideth in you, and ye have no need that any one should teach you,1 (aλXx, 80.) unless as the same unction teacheth you concerning all things, and is truth, and is no lie. (xa, 208.) Wherefore, as it hath taught you, (MEVEITE, 13.) abide in him. 25 And great will be your felicity in that fellowship. For this is the promise which the Father hath promised to us by his Son, even a life of happiness in heaven, which will be eternal. 26 These things I have written to you, concerning the antichrists who endeavour to deceive you, that ye may shun all familiar intercourse with them, 27 Although I know that the gift of discerning spirits, which ye have received from the Holy Ghost, remaineth in you, and that ye have no need that any one should teach you, how to judge of these deceivers and their doctrines, unless to exhort you to judge of them, as the same gift teacheth you concerning all things, and is a real, not a feigned gift. Wherefore as it hath taught you that these teachers are antichrists, reject their doctrine, and abide in the truth concerning him. the persons who had no need of this kind of teaching, were those only who had an unction from the Holy Spirit. Wherefore, as it appears from 1 Cor. xii. 10. that the discerning of spirits was a gift bestowed, not on believers in general, but on some individuals only, it is evident that when the apostle said, ye bave an unction from the Holy Spirit, his discourse was directed only to such as possessed the gift of discerning spirits: consequently he did not mean, that Christians in general had no need of being taught the doctrines of the gospel in the ordinary method; but that those who had received the unction from the Holy Ghost, needed nothing but to be directed or exhorted to judge of teachers pretending to inspiration, and of their doctrine, according as the unction which abode in them led them to judge: because that unction being a real gift, if they followed its suggestions, they would judge truly concerning all things; that is, concerning teachers and their doctrines. From these things it is plain, that the Quakers and other fanatics, who from what is said in this and in the preceding 20th verse, infer that all believers have still an unction or inspiration from the Holy Ghost, and hold that that inspiration is superior to the scriptures, are in a most dangerous error, as they dignify the productions of their own distempered brain, with the name of revelations of the Spirit.-They likewise err greatly from the truth, who on pretence that the inspiration of the Spirit is conti 28 And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. 29 If ye know that he is 28 Και νυν, τεκνία, μενετε εν αυτῷ· ἵνα όταν φανερωθῇ, εχωμεν παρρησίαν, και μη αισχυνθωμεν απ' αυτού, εν τη παρουσία αυτου. 29 Εαν ειδήτε ότι δικαιrighteous, ye know that ος εςι, γινωσκετε ότι πας ó nued to believers in every age, contend that the outward ministry of the word, by pastors and teachers set apart to the office, and even the scriptures themselves, are unnecessary in the church. Holding such principles, is it any wonder that these enthusiasts and fanatics, have fallen into the grossest extravagances, and licentiousness? Ver. 28.-1. Now therefore little children. The adverb vov, is used here as an interjection of beseeching.-The word Texvia, little children, comprehends the whole body of the disciples to whom this epistle was written, and whom John had before divided into three classes. See ver. 12. note, and ver. 13. note 1. 2. That when he shall appear. Davegar, being the term by which Christ's appearing in the flesh was expressed, chap. i. 2. note 2. when applied to Christ's second coming, it signifies that he shall then be the object of men's senses by means of his body, as he was at his first coming. See 1 Pet. i. 7. note 2. Ver. 29.-1. Every one who worketh righteousness, bath been begotten. This is the literal signification of tai, from gervaw genero, gigno, I beget. Accordingly, our translators have so rendered the word, chap. v. 18.-Besides, born of God, is an idea no where else found in scripture. To understand the true import of the high titles, which in the New Testament are given to the disciples of Christ; namely the begotten of God, as here; the sons of God, and children of God, as in the next chapter; the heirs of God, Rom. viii. 17. The elect of God; the adopted of God; saints, a royal priesthood; an boly nation; a peculiar people, 1 Pet. ii. 9. the following observations may be of use.-1. That these high titles were anciently given to the Israelites as a nation, because they were separated from the rest of mankind to be God's visible church, for the purpose of preserving the knowledge and worship of him in the world, as the only true God. This appears from God's own words, Exod. xix. 3. Tell the children of Israel; 4. Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagle's wings, and brought you unto myself. 5. Now therefore if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people.-6. And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation.Deut. xiv. 1. Te are the children of the Lord your God.-2. For thou art an holy people to the Lord thy God.-2. In particular, the title of God's Son, even his first born, was given to the whole Israelitish nation by God himself, Exod. 2 28 (Kai voi, 208.) Now, therefore, little children,1 abide in him, that when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and may not be put to shame by him at his coming. (See 2 John, ver. 8.) 29 (Eav) If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one1 28 Now therefore, my dear children, abide in the doctrine and precepts of Christ, that when he shall appear to judge the world, we your teachers may have confidence concerning your acceptance, and may not be put to shame, by him at his coming, on account of your errors and vices. 29 If ye know that God is righteous, in the commandments which he hath given to mankind, ye will iv. 22. chiefly because they were the descendants of Isaac, who was supernaturally begotten by Abraham through the power which accompanied the promise, Gen. xviii. 10. Lo Sarab shall have a son. So St. Paul informs us, Rom. ix. 7. Neither because they are the seed of Abraham are they all children, namely of God, But in Isaac shall a seed be to thee. 8. That is, the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God. But the children of the promise are counted for seed. The apostle's meaning is, That Ishmael and his posterity, whom Abraham procreated by his own natural strength, being children of the flesh were not the children of God; that is, they were not made the visible church and people of God. But Isaac and his descendants, whom Abraham procreated through the strength which accompanied the promise, Lo Sarab shall have a son, being more properly procreated by God than by Abraham, were the children of God; that is, were made the visible church and people of God, because by their supernatural generation and their title to inherit Canaan, they were a fit image of the Catholic invisible church of God, consisting of believers of all ages and nations, who being regenerated by the Spirit of God are the true children of God, and heirs of the heavenly country of which Canaan was the type.-3. As the promise, Lo Sarah shall have a son, which was given to Abraham when he was an hundred years old and Sarah was ninety, implied that that son was to be supernaturally procreated, so the promise given to Abraham, Gen. xvii. 5. A Father of many nations I have constituted thee, implied that the many nations of believers, who by this promise were given to Abraham for seed, were to be generated by the operation of the Spirit of God producing in them faith and obedience, similar to the faith and obedience for which Abraham was constituted the father of all believers.-This higher generation, by which believers have the moral nature of God communicated to them, is excellently described, John i. 12. As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them who believe on his name. 13. "Os eyevenDnoav which were begotten not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God: that is, men become the true Bons of God, not by their being naturally descended from this or that father, |