1 John 4:1-3

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 John 4:1-3

The apostle, having said that God's dwelling in and with us may be known by the Spirit that he hath given us, intimates that that Spirit may be discerned and distinguished from other spirits that appear in the world; and so here, I. He calls the disciples, to whom he writes, to caution and scrutiny about the spirits and spiritual professors that had now risen. 1. To caution: ?Beloved, believe not every spirit; regard not, trust not, follow not, every pretender to the Spirit of God, or every... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 1 John 4:2-3

4:2-3 This is how you recognize the spirit whose source is God. Every spirit which openly acknowledges that Jesus has come in the flesh and is Christ has its origin in God. And every spirit which is such that it does not make this confession about Jesus has not its source in God; and this is the spirit of Antichrist, about which you heard that it was to come and which is now here present in the world. For John Christian belief could be summed up in one great sentence: "The Word became... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 John 4:1

Beloved, believe not every spirit ,.... The apostle having mentioned the word "spirit" in the latter part of the preceding chapter, takes an occasion from thence to return to what he had been suggesting in the "second" chapter, concerning the many antichrists that then were, and whom he points out, and here cautions against. By "every spirit" he means, either every doctrine that is pretended to come from the Spirit of God, or every teacher, who professes to be qualified and sent by him, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 John 4:2

Hereby know ye the Spirit of God ,.... This is a rule by which believers may know whether a man professing to have the Spirit of God, and to be called and sent by him, and whether the, doctrine he preaches, is of him or not: every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh , is of God ; or of the Spirit of God; that is, every doctrine which carries this truth in it; or every man that owns, and professes, and publishes this doctrine concerning Christ, is on the side... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 John 4:3

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... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 John 4:1

Beloved, believe not every spirit - Do not be forward to believe every teacher to be a man sent of God. As in those early times every teacher professed to be inspired by the Spirit of God, because all the prophets had come thus accredited, the term spirit was used to express the man who pretended to be and teach under the Spirit's influence. See 1 Corinthians 12:1-12 ; 1 Timothy 4:1 . Try the Spirits - Δοκιμαζετε τα πνευματα· Put these teachers to the proof. Try them by that... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 John 4:2

Hereby know ye the Spirit of God - We know that the man who teaches that Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah, and that he is come in the flesh, is of God - is inspired by the Divine Spirit; for no man can call Jesus Lord but by the Holy Ghost. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 John 4:3

Every spirit - Every teacher, that confesseth not Jesus, is not of God - has not been inspired by God. The words εν σαρκι εληλυθοτα , is come in the flesh, are wanting in AB, several others, both the Syriac, the Polyglot Arabic, Ethiopic, 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... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - 1 John 4:1

Verse 1 He returns to his former doctrine, which he had touched upon in the second chapter; for many (as it is usual in new things) abused the name of Christ for the purpose of serving their own errors. Some made a half profession of Christ; and when they obtained a place among his friends, they had more opportunity to injure his cause. Satan took occasion to disturb the Church, especially through Christ himself; for he is the stone of offense, against whom all necessarily stumble who keep not... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - 1 John 4:2

Verse 2 2Hereby, or by this, know ye He lays down a special mark by which they might more easily distinguish between true and false prophets. Yet he only repeats here what we have met with before, that as Christ is the object at which faith aims, so he is the stone at which all heretics stumble. As long then as we abide in Christ, there is safety; but when we depart from him, faith is lost, and all truth is rendered void. (82) But let us consider what this confession includes; for when the... read more

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