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Matthew Henry

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 4:3

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 4:3

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 4:3

Verse 3 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... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 John 4:1-3

Tests of true or false prophets. Connecting link: The apostle had just declared that, in a life of obedience to and of like spirit with God, we had a twofold seal—firstly, that we are of the truth; and secondly, that God abideth in us. But it was not to be supposed that all this would remain unimpugned from without, however clear it might be to the spirit within. At the same time, we are not to be easily moved from our ground. But should any attempt to seduce us from the faith, we are to... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 John 4:1-6

Confession of the Incarnation is the assurance that the Spirit of God, who is the Spirit of truth, is working in us, and not the spirit of error. The passage seems clearly to teach that there are two rival influences contending for power over the spirits of men. We must test men's spirits to see whether they are organs of the Spirit of truth or of the spirit of error. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 John 4:1-6

The power of trying the spirits. In the preceding homily we laid stress on the duty here indicated of "trying the spirits," and also on the test with which we are furnished for applying to them through all time. We moreover there referred almost exclusively to them as ψευδοπροφῆται rather than as πνεύματα . But a close study of all the clauses in these six verses will disclose to us teachings of great vividness and power concerning the false prophets themselves—the point from... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 John 4:1-6

The spirit of truth and the spirit of error. I. NEED FOR TESTING . "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but prove the spirits, whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world." Again, at the thought of danger, his heart warms toward his readers as his beloved. It is necessary to bear in mind the circumstances in which they were placed. They had the help of true prophets. The apostolic age had not come to an end. John was still living; and there... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 John 4:3

Every spirit (not so much the personal teacher as the principle or tendency of the doctrine) which confesseth not Jesus. This is the true reading, the words χριστὸν ἐν σαρκὶ ἐληλυθότα being a spurious addition from 1 John 4:1 . As so often, St. John states the ease both negatively and positively for emphasis. There is an ancient variant reading of much interest, probably of Latin origin, which can be traced back to the second century, being known to Tertullian and Iranaeus. For ... read more

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