For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.
18 Children, it is the last hour! As you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. From this we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they did not belong to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But by going out they made it plain that none of them belongs to us.
- It is the last hour (v.18).
- John is stressing the theological urgency of the situation, more than the chronological nearness of the end of the world.
- At any rate, all disciples must always be ready for the end; Jesus promised he would come as a thief.
- The precise meaning of the “last hour” (v.18) is difficult to pin down.
- Maybe it refers to the end of the world. This view is not without obvious difficulties; it does, however, follow on smoothly from verse 17. If this is correct, are we still in the last hour? Did it come and go, or are we still “on stand-by” till the end?
- Some hold that it refers to the final years before the Destruction of Jerusalem (Matthew 24), in which case these were the final days of Judaism, or Christianity within Judaism—enjoying imperial protection. Things were to heat up considerably for the Christians after 70 AD!
- Perhaps it alludes to the last hour in the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard (Matthew 20:12), and thus refers to the influx of Gentiles into the church. Could the Holy Spirit be revealing that, for the Christians in Asia Minor, persecution might soon eradicate the faith in that part of the world? In other words, it’s the “last hour” locally, not globally, for these disciples.
- Or maybe this is a reference to Paul’s prophecy in 2 Timothy 4:3.
- Or yet again to Jesus’ oracle (Matthew 24:12-14, 24). Many passages speak of disciples being led away from the truth.
- The antichrist (v.18) is not necessarily one evil individual.
- Many antichrists have come.
- They were denying the teachings of Christ and sacrificial lifestyle demanded of his followers.
- They also denied the incarnation.
- For more on antichrist, listen to the podcast on The Antichrist. (Login required.)
- "They went out from us" and "did not really belong to us" (v.19).
- This doesn't necessarily mean they never belonged. Rather, their decisions and beliefs were (or became) contrary to correct Christian teaching.
- Possibly these Gnostics have Jewish roots and “went out” (v.19) from the church to return to the synagogue, to escape persecution. The false prophets (4:1-6) would likely have permitted their adherents to worship in their own way, even if that meant a return to established religion (Judaism). But, there's no way to be saved apart from the truth of Christ—and the Christ of truth (2:23).
20 But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and all of you have knowledge. 21 I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and you know that no lie comes from the truth. 22 Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father; everyone who confesses the Son has the Father also. 24 Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you will abide in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is what he has promised us, eternal life.
- What is the "anointing" (v.20)? The false teachers whom John is refuting claimed that extra, esoteric, mystical knowledge was necessary in order to fully apprehend the truth
- Denying Jesus is the Christ (v.22) isn't to affirm you are a non-Christian. The claim -- in context -- is the denial that the earthly, fully human Jesus is the Christ (Messiah, or anointed one).
26 I write these things to you concerning those who would deceive you. 27 As for you, the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and so you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, abide in him.
- Gnosticism was a highly speculative religion/philosophy. John counters by affirming that all Christians already have the truth.
- Of course no one has "all knowledge" (1 Cor 13:2).
- We have no need for anyone to teach us the gospel all over again, or and add to it. Our Christian foundation was not defective.
- The “anointing” (v.27) refers to the original, pristine, apostolic doctrine which is both immutable and inimitable.
- Jesus had promised that the Spirit would see to that (John 14:26 and 16:13). We need no teacher to explain the real faith to us, because we've already been taught, through the apostles.
- Therefore no one needs to teach us the truth; we learned it when we first came to know the Lord. Jeremiah 31:34, with Hebrews 8:10-11, continues this thought. The claim that God did not come in the flesh is gravely wrong (v.22ff).
- Verse 21 shows that “knowing the truth” is equivalent to “receiving the anointing” (2:20, 27).
- The liar rejects the sufficiency of this “anointing.” He denies that Jesus is the Messiah (the Anointed One).
- The liar’s teaching is counterfeit; it resembles the genuine article, but up close its cheapness and uselessness become evident.
- In Isaiah 61:1, anointing refers to the Messiah. It is not right, in my opinion, for a modern-day preacher to claim to have God's "anointing" on him in an exclusive way.
28 And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he is revealed we may have confidence and not be put to shame before him at his coming. 29 If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who does right has been born of him.
- We should feel “confident and unashamed” (v.28) when we understand the power of Christ’s cleansing blood (1:7-2:2).
- See 3:19-21 for the continuation of this thought.
- Ironically, the false teachers were also confident (arrogantly so) and unashamed (though they should have been).
- John also reminds us that true Christians not only “talk right,” they also “walk right” (v.29).
- Back to the Docetists:
- Their sinful lifestyle confirms that their prophets are false (Matthew 7:15-20).
- Whether they’d (initially) crossed from death to life is irrelevant; they were now living for themselves.
- When we live for self, the Bible says, we’re dead even while we live (1 Timothy 5:6).
- God's true children ("born of him") live righteously, in the light.
Thought questions:
- Am I easily influenced by novel and attractive doctrines? (See also Ephesians 4:14 and Hebrews 13:9.)
- “Confident and unashamed” (v.28) -- does this describe my walk with Jesus Christ? If I were to be ushered into his presence now, how would I feel?