約翰壹書 4:1 CUNPTS

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 1 John 4:1

1 John 4:1. Because the Gnostics and other heretics, in the first age, to gain the greater credit to their erroneous doctrines, assumed to themselves the character and authority of inspired teachers, John put his disciples in mind, (1 John 2:27,) that they had an unction from the Holy Spirit, by which they were enabled to judge with certainty, both of teachers and of their doctrine. He therefore, in this chapter, commands them not to believe rashly every teacher who pretended to be inspired,... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - 1 John 4:1-6

Truth and error (4:1-6)Christians should examine carefully the teaching they receive, because not all teaching is correct, in spite of speakers’ claims that they are speaking by God’s Spirit. Wrong teaching about Christ may please those who do not want to believe that the Son of God is also a real man, but such teaching is from the devil (4:1-3).There is no need for Christians to fear the false teachers, because those in whom God dwells can overcome those in whom Satan dwells (4). There will... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - 1 John 4:1

Beloved . App-135 . believe . App-150 . spirit . App-101 . try = test, prove. By the Word of God. Greek. dokimazo. See Romans 1:28 with Romans 12:2 . whether = if. App-118 . of . App-104 . God . App-98 . false prophets . Greek. pseudoproptetes. First occurance: Matthew 7:15 . into . App-104 . world . App-129 . read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - 1 John 4:1

There is a great deal of reiteration in this chapter, but additional truth appears with regard to testing the spirits (1 John 4:1-6), and there is more extended teaching on love. God is love, love as a test, love of one another, love of God, God's love of us, etc. are all stressed (1 John 4:7-21). One of the features of this whole epistle is the presentation of a number of tests regarding the genuineness of Christian life. These have been organized by some and classified as the tests of: (1)... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - 1 John 4:1

1 John 4:1. Believe not every Spirit,— By the spirits, understand not the men pretending to inspiration, nor the doctrines which they delivered, but the spirits from whence the doctrines proceeded; namely, first, the Spirit of God; secondly, the spirit of the man himself; or, thirdly, a demon, or wicked spirit. Having taken notice, ch. 1Jn 3:24 that true Christians had the Spirit, the apostle here insinuates, that the false prophets had either never received the Spirit, or had entirely quenched... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - 1 John 4:1

1. Beloved—the affectionate address wherewith he calls their attention, as to an important subject. every spirit—which presents itself in the person of a prophet. The Spirit of truth, and the spirit of error, speak by men's spirits as their organs. There is but one Spirit of truth, and one spirit of Antichrist. try—by the tests (1 John 4:2; 1 John 4:3). All believers are to do so: not merely ecclesiastics. Even an angel's message should be tested by the word of God: much more men's teachings,... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - 1 John 4:1-3

John wrote, "Stop believing." Evidently some of his first readers where believing false teaching."Credulity means gullibility and some believers fall easy victims to the latest fads in spiritualistic humbuggery." [Note: Robertson, 6:229.] It is necessary to distinguish the Spirit of God from false spirits (i.e., spirits advocating falsehood) because many false prophets have gone out into the world. False spirits (utterances or persons inspired by a spirit opposed to Christ) produce false... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - 1 John 4:1-6

2. God’s Spirit Recognized 4:1-6The mention of the Holy Spirit in 1 John 3:24 caused John to pause briefly to sound a warning. God’s Spirit is not the only spirit manifest in the world. Some people naively think that any manifestation of a spiritual presence is indication of the Holy Spirit. The apostle explained how to distinguish the Holy Spirit from other spirits at work in the world. read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - 1 John 4:1-21

Fellowship with God in Love1. Try the spirits] RV ’Prove the spirits.’ The verb is used of testing metals. 2, 3. See on 2 John 1:7. 3. Confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh] RV ’confesseth not Jesus.’4. He that is in the world] the Devil: cp. 1 John 3:10; John 8:44; John 12:31. 5. They] the false prophets. 6. We] the Christian teachers.8. God is love] the third fundamental maxim (see Intro.). Love is not merely an attribute of God, it is His very Being. Hence to be without love... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - 1 John 4:1-6

IV.(6) NOT ALL SPIRITS ARE THE RESULT OF THE SONSHIP: NECESSITY OF EXAMINING THEM (1 John 4:1-6).(a)The difference among spirits (1 John 4:1).(b)The measure (1 John 4:2-3).(c)The encouragement (1 John 4:4).(d)The condemnation (1 John 4:5).(e)Inference and conclusion (1 John 4:6).The mention of faith in 1 John 3:23 had reminded St. John of the danger of intellectual, as well as of moral error. The mention of God’s Spirit at the conclusion of the last paragraph gave him a form in which to clothe... read more