1 John 4:3

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 1 John 4:3

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... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 1 John 4:3

1 John 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 apostle’s meaning, let that interpretation be substituted for the expression of which it is the interpretation, and the passages under... 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 4:3

spirit . App-101 . that Jesus . . . flesh . The texts read "Jesus". that = the. antichrists = the Antichrist. See 1 John 2:18 . should come = cometh. read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - 1 John 4:3

and every spirit that confesseth not Jesus is not of God: and this is the spirit of the antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it cometh; and it is in the world already.That confesseth not Jesus ... The person of the Son of God is the center of all true religion. No matter how attractive a system may be, no matter how skillfully it may be advocated by personable and attractive personnel, no matter how imposing are the names of "authorities" associated with it, no matter how popular it may... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - 1 John 4:2-3

1 John 4:2-3. Hereby know ye the Spirit, &c.— Hereby you may discern, &c. Heylin. There are two ways of interpreting what St. John has here laid down as a rule by which to try the spirits: 1. Their acknowledging that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh; or, 2. Their acknowledging that Jesus, who came in the flesh, is the Christ. In favour of the latter opinion, which is my own, and which coincides with that of some of the most eminent commentators, I would observe, 1st, The unbelieving... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - 1 John 4:3

3. confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh—IRENÆUS [3.8], LUCIFER, ORIGEN, on Matthew 25:14, and Vulgate read, "Every spirit which destroys (sets aside, or does away with) Jesus (Christ)." CYPRIAN and POLYCARP support English Version text. The oldest extant manuscripts, which are, however, centuries after POLYCARP, read, "Every spirit that confesseth not (that is, refuses to confess) Jesus" (in His person, and all His offices and divinity), omitting "is come in the flesh." ye have... 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

Group of Brands