1Jo 4:1-3 | Clarke | STEP | We must not believe every teacher who professes to have a Divine commission to preach, but try such, whether they be of God; and the more so because many false prophets are gone out into the world, . Those who deny that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh have the spirit of antichrist, , . The followers of God have been enabled to discern and overcome them, . The necessity of love to God and one another shown, from God's love to us, . Though no man hath seen God, yet every genuine Christian knows him by the spirit which God has given him, , . The apostles testified that God sent his Son to be the Savior of the world; and God dwelt in those who confessed this truth, , . God is love, . The nature and properties of perfect love, , . We love him because he first loved us, . The wickedness of pretending to love God while we hate one another, , . Verse 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 ; . Try the Spirits - Δοκιμαζετε τα πνευματα· Put these teachers to the proof. Try them by that testimony which is known to have come from the Spirit of God, the word of revelation already given. Many false prophets - Teachers not inspired by the Spirit of God, are gone out into the world - among the Jewish people particularly, and among them who are carnal and have not the Spirit.

1 John 4:1-3

Introduction

We must not believe every teacher who professes to have a Divine commission to preach, but try such, whether they be of God; and the more so because many false prophets are gone out into the world, 1Jn 4:1. Those who deny that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh have the spirit of antichrist, 1Jn 4:2, 1Jn 4:3. The followers of God have been enabled to discern and overcome them, 1Jn 4:4-6. The necessity of love to God and one another shown, from God's love to us, 1Jn 4:7-11. Though no man hath seen God, yet every genuine Christian knows him by the spirit which God has given him, 1Jn 4:12, 1Jn 4:13. The apostles testified that God sent his Son to be the Savior of the world; and God dwelt in those who confessed this truth, 1Jn 4:14, 1Jn 4:15. God is love, 1Jn 4:16. The nature and properties of perfect love, 1Jn 4:17, 1Jn 4:18. We love him because he first loved us, 1Jn 4:19. The wickedness of pretending to love God while we hate one another, 1Jn 4:20, 1Jn 4:21.

Verse 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 1Cor 12:1-12; 1Tim 4:1.

Try the Spirits - Δοκιμαζετε τα πνευματα· Put these teachers to the proof. Try them by that testimony which is known to have come from the Spirit of God, the word of revelation already given.

Many false prophets - Teachers not inspired by the Spirit of God, are gone out into the world - among the Jewish people particularly, and among them who are carnal and have not the Spirit. Verse 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. Verse 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 the benefits to be derived from them.

Ye have heard that it should come - See 2Thes 2:7.

Even now already is it in the world - Is working powerfully both among the Jews and Gentiles.