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1 John 4 – Text and Notes
1 Beloved [three times in this chapter (vv.1,7,11)], do not believe [negative present imperative; “Credulity means gullibility and some believers fall easy victims to the latest fads in spiritualistic humbuggery” – Robertson] every spirit [i.e. prophet], but test [present imperative] the spirits [i.e. prophets] to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone [perfect; The perfect tense indicates that the influence of the gnostics going out and teaching on their false mission is still being felt in at that present time.] out into the world.
2 By this you know [ginosko (1097) – “to know through experience; to perceive through the senses; `subjective knowledge’ (Green); the knowing comes from `an active relation between the one who knows and the person or thing known’ (Vine; effectively coming to know, or the entering into knowing through firsthand or personal interaction; knowledge usually gained through personal acquaintance or some relationship of intimacy or connection” (The Discovery Bible, pp.535-536)] the Spirit [or, spirit] of God [Why or How? Because this following teaching was the original teaching. Notice throughout 1 John the emphasis on going back to the original teaching. This is a continual need for us to adhere to especially today.]: every spirit [i.e. prophet] that confesses that Jesus [humanity according to Gnostics] Christ [divinity according to Gnostics] has come [perfect] in the flesh [actual humanity, not a phantom body as the Docetic Gnostics taught] is from God; [This litmus test is of course limited to this particular contextual subject. In other words, this is not the only test of doctrine.]
3 and every spirit that does not confess [some manuscripts and authorities read separates Jesus instead of does not confess; apparently an allusion to the Cerinthian heresy (distinction between Jesus and Christ)] Jesus [humanity according to Gnosticism] is not from God [i.e. is not divine]; this is the spirit of the antichrist [as opposed to the Spirit of God (v.2); 2:18ff], of which you have heard [perfect tense] that it is coming [Gnosticism grew even more during the next two centuries.], and now it is already[first century] in the world.
4 You are from God, little children, and have overcome [perfect tense] them; because [Why? or How?] greater [megas – “great in rank, stature, level, or order] is He who is in you that he [Satan? Antichrist?] who is in the world.
5 They are from [from/ek – “proceeding from, as their source” – Vincent] the world; therefore they speak as from [lit., out of] the world, and the world listens to them [Reason for success of false teachers].
6 We are from God; he who knows [ginosko (cf. v.2); i.e. “the one who keeps on getting acquainted with God, growing in his knowledge of God”] God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this [i.e. those who are willing to contain themselves to the original message] we know [ginosko (cf. v.2)] the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. [Herein is the foundation to fellowship – He who is willing to contain himself to the original message]
7 Beloved, let us love [present; agapao (noun, agape) In biblical and ecclesiastical usage refers to an unselfish, outgoing affection or tenderness for another without necessarily expecting anything in return. It seeks a person’s highest good on the basic of a decision of will and an inclination of heart. This verb rarely occurs in secular Greek in the B.C. period, although the Greek O.T. uses it often for the Hebrew ‘aheb, which in some other contexts is translated phileo.] one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves [effect] is born [cause or effect?; perfect; or begotten] of God and knows [cause or effect? ginosko (cf. v.2)] God.
8 The one who does not love does not know [timeless aorist active indicative, i.e. “has no acquaintance with God, never did get acquainted with Him] God, for God is love. [Since John is talking about evidences of salvation throughout this epistle, this implies that the loving and knowing of v.7 are the effect and result of being born of God.]
9 By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent [perfect] His only begotten Son [Jn.3:16] into the world so that we might live [aorist] through Him.
10 In this is love, not that we loved [perfect] God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation [2:2] for our sins.
11 Beloved, if God so loved [love/agape] us, we also ought to love [present; agape (cf. v.7)] one another.
12 No one has seen [perfect] God at any time; if we love [perfect] one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected [perfect] in us.
13 By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because he has given [perfect] us of His Spirit [i.e. have the anointing, know the truth, listen to the original message, etc.].
14 We have seen [perfect] and testify that the Father has sent [perfect] the Son to be the Savior of the world.
15 Whoever [Lit., Who if there be any] confesses [aorist] that Jesus [humanity according to Gnostics] is the Son of God [not of Joseph], God abides in him, and he in God.
16 We have come to know [perfect; ginosko] and have believed [perfect] the love which God has for us. God is love [agape], and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.
17 By this, love is perfected [perfect] with us, so that we may have [present] confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world.
18 There is no fear [phobos] in love [love/agape]; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment [punishment plus discipline], and the one who fears is not perfected [perfect; “Men’s condition is varied; without fear and (without) love; with fear without love; with fear and love; without fear with love” – Bengel] in love.
19 We love [present], because He first loved us.
20 If someone says [aorist], “I love God,” and hates [present] his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen [perfect], cannot love [present] God whom he has not seen [perfect].
21 And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love [present] his brother also. [“To the persecutor Saul, Christ said, `Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me? I have ascended into heaven, yet still I lie upon earth. Here I sit at the right hand of the Father; there I still hunger, thirst, and am a stranger'” – Augustine]
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