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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers 1 John 2:20–27. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Here, I. The apostle encourages the disciples (to whom he writes) in these dangerous times, in this hour of seducers; he encourages them in the assurance of their stability in this day of apostasy: But you have an unction from the Holy One, and you know all things. We see, 1. The blessing wherewith they were enriched - an unguent from heaven: You have an unction. True Christians are anointed ones, their name intimates as much. They are anointed with the oil of grace, with gifts and spiritual endowments, by the Spirit of grace. They are anointed into a similitude of their Lord's offices, as subordinate prophets, priests, and kings, unto God. The Holy Spirit is compared to oil, as well as to fire and water; and the communication of his salvific grace is our anointing. 2. From whom this blessing comes - from the Holy One, either from the Holy Ghost or from the Lord Christ, as Rev 3:7, These things saith he that is holy - the Holy One. The Lord Christ is glorious in his holiness. The Lord Christ disposes of the graces of the divine Spirit, and he anoints the disciples to make them like himself, and to secure them in his interest. 3. The effect of this unction - it is a spiritual eye-salve; it enlightens and strengthens the eyes of the understanding: "And thereby you know all things (Jo1 2:20), all these things concerning Christ and his religion; it was promised and given you for that end," Joh 14:26. The Lord Christ does not deal alike by all his professed disciples; some are more anointed than others. There is great danger lest those that are not thus anointed should be so far from being true to Christ that they should, on the contrary, turn antichrists, and prove adversaries to Christ's person, and kingdom, and glory.
II.The apostle indicates to them the mind and meaning with which he wrote to them.
1.By way of negation; not as suspecting their knowledge, or supposing their ignorance in the grand truths of the gospel: "I have not written unto you because you know not the truth, Jo1 2:21. I could not then be so well assured of your stability therein, nor congratulate you on your unction from above." It is good to surmise well concerning our Christian brethren; we ought to do so till evidence overthrows our surmise: a just confidence in religious persons may both encourage and contribute to their fidelity.
2.By way of assertion and acknowledgment, as relying upon their judgment in these things: But because you know it (you know the truth in Jesus), and that no lie is of the truth. Those who know the truth in any respect are thereby prepared to discern what is contrary thereto and inconsistent therewith. Rectum est index sui et obliqui - The line which shows itself to be straight shows also what line is crooked. Truth and falsehood do not well mix and suit together. Those that are well acquainted with Christian truth are thereby well fortified against antichristian error and delusion. No lie belongs to religion, either natural or revealed. The apostles most of all condemned lies, and showed the inconsistency of lies with their doctrine: they would have been the most self-condemned persons had they propagated the truth by lies. It is a commendation of the Christian religion that it so well accords with natural religion, which is the foundation of it, that it so well accords with the Jewish religion, which contained the elements or rudiments of it. No lie is of the truth; frauds and impostures then are very unfit means to support and propagate the truth. I suppose it had been better with the state of religion if they had never been used. The result of them appears in the infidelity of our age; the detection of ancient pious frauds and wiles has almost run our age into atheism and irreligion; but the greatest actors and sufferers for the Christian revelation would assure us that no lie is of the truth.
III.The apostle further impleads and arraigns these seducers who had newly arisen.
1.They are liars, egregious opposers of sacred truth: Who is a liar, or the liar, the notorious liar of the time and age in which we live, but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? The great and pernicious lies that the father of lies, or of liars, spreads in the world, were of old, and usually are, falsehoods and errors relating to the person of Christ. There is no truth so sacred and fully attested but some or other will contradict or deny it. That Jesus of Nazareth was the Son of God had been attested by heaven, and earth, and hell. It should seem that some, in the tremendous judgment of God, are given up to strong delusions.
2.They are direst enemies to God as well as to the Lord Christ: He is antichrist who denieth the Father and the Son, Jo1 2:22. He that opposes Christ denies the witness and testimony of the Father, and the seal that he hath given to his Son; for him hath God the Father sealed, Joh 6:27. And he that denies the witness and testimony of the Father, concerning Jesus Christ denies that God is the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, and consequently abandons the knowledge of God in Christ, and thereupon the whole revelation of God in Christ, and particularly of God in Christ reconciling the world unto himself; and therefore the apostle may well infer, Whosoever denies the Son the same has not the Father (Jo1 2:23); he has not the true knowledge of the Father, for the Son has most and best revealed him; he has no interest in the Father, in his favour, and grace, and salvation, for none cometh to the Father but by the Son. But, as some copies add, he that acknowledgeth the Son has the Father also, Jo1 2:23. As there is an intimate relation between the Father and the Son, so there is an inviolable union in the doctrine, knowledge, and interests of both; so that he who has the knowledge of, and right to, the Son, has the knowledge of, and right to, the Father also. Those that adhere to the Christian revelation hold the light and benefit of natural religion withal.
IV.Hereupon the apostle advises and persuades the disciples to continue in the old doctrine at first communicated to them:
Let that therefore abide in you which you have heard from the beginning, Jo1 2:24. Truth is older than error. The truth concerning Christ, that was at first delivered to the saints, is not to be exchanged for novelties. So sure were the apostles of the truth of what they had delivered concerning Christ, and from him, that after all their toils and sufferings they were not willing to relinquish it. The Christian truth may plead antiquity, and be recommended thereby. This exhortation is enforced by these considerations: -
1.From the sacred advantage they will receive by adhering to the primitive truth and faith.
(1.)They will continue thereby in holy union with God and Christ: If that which you have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, you also shall continue in the Son and in the Father, Jo1 2:24. It is the truth of Christ abiding in us that is the means of severing us from sin and uniting us to the Son of God, Joh 15:3, Joh 15:4. The Son is the medium or the Mediator by whom we are united to the Father. What value then should we put upon gospel truth!
(2.)They will thereby secure the promise of eternal life: And this is the promise that he (even God the Father, Jo1 5:11) hath promised us, even eternal life, Jo1 2:25. Great is the promise that God makes to his faithful adherents. It is suitable to his own greatness, power, and goodness. It is eternal life, which none but God can give. The blessed God puts great value upon his Son, and the truth relating to him, when he is pleased to promise to those who continue in that truth (under the light, and power, and influence of it) eternal life. Then the exhortation aforesaid is enforced,
2.From the design of the apostle's writing to them. This letter is to fortify them against the deceivers of the age: "These things have I written to you concerning those that seduce you (Jo1 2:26), and therefore, if you continue not in what you have heard from the beginning, my writing and service will be in vain." We should beware lest the apostolical letters, yea, lest the whole scripture of God, should be to us insignificant and fruitless. I have written to him the great things of my law (and my gospel too), but they were counted as a strange thing, Hos 8:12.
3.From the instructive blessing they had received from heaven: But the anointing which you have received from him abideth in you, Jo1 2:27. True Christians have an inward confirmation of the divine truth they have imbibed: the Holy Spirit has imprinted it on their minds and hearts. It is meet that the Lord Jesus should have a constant witness in the hearts of his disciples. The unction, the pouring out of the gifts of grace upon sincere disciples, is a seal to the truth and doctrine of Christ, since none giveth that seal but God. Now he who establisheth us with you (and you with us) in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God, Co2 1:21. This sacred chrism, or divine unction, is commended on these accounts: - (1.) It is durable and lasting; oil or unguent is not so soon dried up as water: it abideth in you, Jo1 2:27. Divine illumination, in order to confirmation, must be something continued or constant. Temptations, snares, and seductions, arise. The anointing must abide. (2.) It is better than human instruction: "And you need not that any man teach you, Jo1 2:27. Not that this anointing will teach you without the appointed ministry. It could, if God so pleased; but it will not, though it will teach you better than we can: And you need not that any man teach you, Jo1 2:27. You were instructed by us before you were anointed; but now our teaching is nothing in comparison to that. Who teacheth like him?" Job 36:22. The divine unction does not supersede ministerial teaching, but surmount it. (3.) It is a sure evidence of truth, and all that it teaches is infallible truth: But as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, Jo1 2:27. The Holy Spirit must needs be the Spirit of truth, as he is called, Joh 14:17. The instruction and illumination that he affords must needs be in and of the truth. The Spirit of truth will not lie; and he teacheth all things, that is, all things in the present dispensation, all things necessary to our knowledge of God in Christ, and their glory in the gospel. And, (4.) It is of a conservative influence; it will preserve those in whom it abides against seducers and their seduction: "And even as it hath taught you you shall abide in him, Jo1 2:27. It teaches you to abide in Christ; and, as it teaches you, it secures you; it lays a restraint upon your minds and hearts, that you may not revolt from him. And he that hath anointed us is God, who also hath sealed us for himself, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts." Co2 1:21, Co2 1:22.
Historical interpretation
Eight Centuries of Reception
8 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
"He who denies the Son," by ignoring Him, "has not the Father, nor does he know Him." But he who knows the Son and the Father, knows according to knowledge, and when the Lord shall be manifested at His second advent, shall have confidence and not be confounded. Which confusion is heavy punishment.
That God is so angry against idolatry, that He has even enjoined those to be slain who persuade others to sacrifice and serve idols. In Deuteronomy: "But if thy brother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or thy wife which is in thy bosom, or thy friend which is the fellow of thine own soul, should ask thee secretly, saying, Let us go anti serve other gods, the gods of the nations, thou shalt not consent unto him, and thou shalt not hearken unto him, neither shall thine eye spare him, neither shalt thou conceal him, declaring thou shalt declare concerning him. Thine hand shall be upon him first of all to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people; and they shall stone him, and he shall die, because he hath sought to turn thee away from the Lord thy God." And again the Lord speaks, and says, that neither must a city be spared, even though the whole city should consent to idolatry: "Or if thou shalt hear in one of the cities which the Lord thy God shall give thee, to dwell there, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which thou hast not known, slaying thou shalt kill all who are in the city with the slaughter of the sword, and bum the city with fire, and it shall be without habitation for ever. Moreover, it shall no more be rebuilt, that the Lord may be turned from the indignation of His anger. And He will show thee mercy, and He will pity thee, and will multiply thee, if thou wilt hear the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt observe His precepts." Remembering which precept and its force, Mattathias slew him who had approached the altar to sacrifice. But if before the coming of Christ these precepts concerning the worship of God and the despising of idols were observed, how much more should they be regarded since Christ's advent; since He, when He came, not only exhorted us with words, but with deeds also, but after all wrongs and contumelies, suffered also, and was crucified, that He might teach us to suffer and to die by His example, that there might be no excuse for a man not to suffer for Him, since He suffered for us; and that since He suffered for the sins of others, much rather ought each to suffer for his own sins. And therefore in the Gospel He threatens, and says: "Whosoever shall confess me before men, him will I also confess before my Father which is in heaven; but whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven." The Apostle Paul also says: "For if we die with Him, we shall also live with Him; if we suffer, we shall also reign with Him; if we deny Him, He also will deny us." John too: "Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father; he that acknowledgeth the Son, hath both the Son and the Father." Whence the Lord exhorts and strengthens us to contempt of death, saying: "Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear Him which is able to kill soul and body in Gehenna." And again: "He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he who hateth his life in this world, shall keep it unto life eternal."
That it is impossible to attain to God the Father, except by His Son Jesus Christ. In the Gospel: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one cometh to the Father but by me." Also in the same place: "I am the door: by me if any man shall enter in, he shall be saved." Also in the same place: "Many prophets and righteous men have desired to see the things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them." Also in the same place: "He that believeth on the Son hath eternal life: he that is not obedient in word to the Son hath not life; but the wrath of God shall abide upon him." Also Paul to the Ephesians: "And when He had come, He preached peace to you, to those which are afar off, and peace to those which are near, because through Him we both have access in one Spirit unto the Father." Also to the Romans: "For all have sinned, and fail of the glory of God; but they are justified by His gift and grace, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus." Also in the Epistle of Peter the apostle: "Christ hath died once for our sins, the just for the unjust, that He might present us to God." Also in the same place: "For in this also was it preached to them that are dead, that they might be raised again." Also in the Epistle of John: "Whosoever denieth the Son, the same also hath not the Father. He that confesseth the Son, hath both the Son and the Father."
These things are now manifest, my brethren. Let no man say, I do not worship Christ, but I worship God His Father. "Every one that denieth the Son, hath neither the Son nor the Father; and he that confesseth the Son, hath both the Son and the Father." He speaks to you that are grain: and let those who were chaff, hear, and become grain. Let each one, looking well to his own conscience, if he be a lover of the world, be changed; let him become a lover of Christ, that he be not an antichrist. If one shall tell him that he is an antichrist, he is wroth, he thinks it a wrong done to him; perchance, if he is told by him that strives with him that he is an antichrist, he threatens an action at law. Christ saith to him, Be patient; if thou hast been falsely spoken of, rejoice with me, because I also am falsely spoken of by the antichrists: but if thou art truly spoken of, come to an understanding with thine own conscience; and if thou fear to be called this, fear more to be it.
You cannot know the Father if you deny the Son, because no one comes to the Father except through him.
There were other heretics who denied the Son but claimed to know the Father. In fact of course they did not know the Father either, because if they had known him they would have known that he is the Father of the only-begotten Son. These people were similar to the Jews, who say that they know the Father but do not accept the Son. They are also like the Simonians, who share the same ungodly confusion.
Everyone who denies the Son does not have the Father either, etc. Here he seeks the confession of the heart, the voice, and the work, as Paul sought when he said: And no one can say "Jesus is Lord" except by the Holy Spirit; which is openly to say: No one can, unless by the grace of the Holy Spirit granted, serve the Lord Christ with perfect profession and action.
Who is the liar, except for the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the Antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either. Therefore, let what you heard from the beginning remain in you. If what you heard from the beginning remains in you, then you will remain in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that he himself made to us, eternal life.
Here too, we must hear the conjunction καὶ, that is, "and", for the sake of clearer understanding, so that the sense is this: And who is the liar, except for the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? But the wicked Simon was raving, claiming that there was one Jesus and another Christ: the Jesus who was born of the holy Mary; but the Christ who descended from heaven into the Jordan. Therefore, he who applauds this lie, John says, is the Antichrist. This, however: This is the Antichrist, must be understood in two ways, both regarding the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ, and regarding the one who denies the Father and the Son. For he, John says, who denies the Father and the Son, is also a liar and an antichrist.
For some heretics, from whom the impure Valentinus arose, claimed that there is another unnamed Father besides him who is called the Father of Christ. They also deny the Son, because they say he is merely a unveiled man and not God by nature, as if he were from God. "Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father," just as the Jews, while denying the Son, pretend to know the Father and claim this for themselves. But let them know that they have not known the Father either; for if they had known, they would have known that He is also the Father of the Only Begotten Son. The same nonsense was also uttered by those who followed Simon. Therefore, John says this: but you, let what you have heard from the beginning, namely the divine teaching about Christ, remain in you. The name means, "Let it remain in you."
"For if what you heard from the beginning remains in you, you will also remain in the Son and in the Father." This is, you will be his partners.
"And this is the promise." For the conjunction και, that is, "and", must be taken causally for "indeed". But what is the promise? It is that which the Lord says to the Father: "That as I am in you and you are in me, so they may be one in us." (Jn. 17:21) And again: "That they may have eternal life. And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." (Jn. 17:3)
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Summary
1 John 2:23 succinctly declares a foundational truth of Christian theology: the inseparable relationship between God the Father and God the Son. It asserts that to deny the divine person and work of Jesus Christ is to simultaneously sever one's connection to God the Father, while conversely, a genuine acknowledgment of the Son is the pathway to possessing a true relationship with the Father. This verse serves as a critical theological gatekeeper, emphasizing the absolute necessity of Christ for salvation and fellowship with God.
Context
Literary Context
This verse is situated within the latter half of 1 John chapter 2, where John is addressing the emergence of false teachers, whom he identifies as "antichrists" (1 John 2:18-22). These individuals, having "gone out from us" (1 John 2:19), were denying the full humanity and deity of Jesus, specifically that He is the Christ. Verse 23 functions as a direct theological consequence and warning against such denials, reinforcing John's earlier assertion that "no lie is of the truth" (1 John 2:21). The immediate verses following 1 John 2:23 continue this theme, urging believers to "let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning" (1 John 2:24), emphasizing steadfastness in the original apostolic teaching concerning Christ.
Historical & Cultural Context
John's first epistle was likely written towards the end of the first century, a period when the early church was grappling with nascent forms of Gnosticism and Docetism. These heresies challenged the orthodox understanding of Jesus Christ. Gnosticism, broadly speaking, emphasized a special, secret knowledge (gnosis) for salvation and often viewed matter as inherently evil, leading to a denial of Jesus' true humanity. Docetism, a specific form of Gnosticism, taught that Jesus only seemed to have a human body and was not truly flesh and blood. Such doctrines directly undermined the incarnation and the atoning work of Christ. John's strong statements, including 1 John 2:23 and later passages like 1 John 4:2-3, were crucial in combating these errors and establishing the essential truth of Jesus' full deity and humanity for the nascent Christian community.
Key Themes
This verse contributes significantly to several overarching themes in 1 John. Firstly, it underscores the inseparable unity of the Father and the Son, a core Trinitarian truth that permeates John's writings, both in his Gospel (e.g., John 10:30 and John 14:9) and his epistles. Secondly, it highlights the essentiality of Jesus Christ as the sole mediator and revealer of God; there is no access to the Father apart from the Son. This echoes Jesus' own declaration in John 14:6, "No man cometh unto the Father, but by me." Finally, the verse serves as a stark warning against false doctrine and deception, particularly concerning the person of Christ, stressing that such theological error has eternal implications for one's relationship with God.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This verb (G720) signifies a strong and deliberate rejection, repudiation, or disowning. It implies a conscious decision to contradict or refuse to acknowledge a truth. In this context, it's not merely a lack of knowledge but an active, willful refusal to accept Jesus' identity as the Son of God and the Christ.
This primary verb (G2192) is broad in its applications, meaning "to hold," "to possess," or "to have." Here, it denotes a spiritual possession or relationship. To "have the Father" means to be in a genuine, saving relationship with God, characterized by fellowship, adoption, and eternal life. Conversely, "hath not" indicates a complete absence of such a relationship.
This verb (G3670) means "to assent," "to covenant," or "to acknowledge." It implies an open, public, and unwavering confession of faith. It's more than intellectual agreement; it's a declaration of allegiance and alignment with the truth concerning the Son, signifying a deep, personal commitment.
Verse Breakdown
"Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father:"
This clause presents a stark, categorical statement. John asserts that anyone who repudiates or disowns the Son—meaning Jesus Christ in His full divine and human identity, particularly as the promised Messiah—cannot simultaneously claim to have a relationship with God the Father. This is because the Son is the sole revelation of the Father (John 1:18), and to reject the Son is to reject the Father's self-revelation and His plan of redemption. The relationship with the Father is contingent upon acceptance of the Son.
"[(but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.]"
This parenthetical clause, while not present in some of the earliest manuscripts, accurately reflects John's consistent theology and provides a positive antithesis to the preceding negative statement. It affirms that those who openly confess and truly acknowledge Jesus as the Son of God, embracing His person and work, are indeed those who genuinely possess a saving relationship with God the Father. This acknowledges the reciprocal and unified nature of the Godhead, where knowing one leads to knowing the other.
Literary Devices
The most prominent literary device in 1 John 2:23 is Antithesis. The verse is structured as a direct contrast between two opposing actions (denying vs. acknowledging the Son) and their respective consequences (not having vs. having the Father). This stark opposition highlights the absolute nature of the truth John is conveying. While the second part of the verse (the parenthetical clause) may have been a later scribal addition, it perfectly completes the antithetical structure, emphasizing the positive truth that balances the negative warning. Furthermore, there is an element of Exclusivity in the statement, implying that there is no alternative path to the Father outside of the Son. The use of "whosoever" (G3956, pâs') also lends itself to a sense of Universality, indicating that this truth applies to all people without exception.
Theological and Thematic Connections
1 John 2:23 is a cornerstone for understanding the Christian doctrine of the Trinity and the unique role of Jesus Christ in salvation. It powerfully asserts the co-equality and co-inherence of the Father and the Son, demonstrating that they are so intimately united that one cannot be known or possessed without the other. This verse refutes any notion that one can have a generic relationship with "God" while rejecting the specific revelation of God in Jesus Christ. It underscores that the Son is not merely a prophet or a good teacher, but the very essence of God made manifest, the only means by which humanity can truly apprehend and relate to the Father. To deny the Son is to deny the Father's very nature and His redemptive initiative, making genuine fellowship impossible.
Reflection and Application
This profound declaration in 1 John 2:23 calls believers to a deep and unwavering commitment to the full truth of who Jesus Christ is. In a world increasingly prone to spiritual eclecticism and a desire for "God" without the specifics of Christ, this verse stands as a crucial reminder that the Son is not optional but absolutely essential for a genuine relationship with the Father. It challenges us to examine the foundation of our faith: Is it truly built upon the biblical revelation of Jesus as the incarnate Son of God, the Christ, who died for our sins and rose again? Our acknowledgment of Him must extend beyond mere intellectual assent to a living, transformative confession that shapes our entire lives. It compels us to stand firm against any teaching, philosophy, or cultural trend that diminishes or denies the unique person and work of Jesus, for to compromise on the Son is to lose the Father.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why is it so critical to acknowledge the Son to have the Father?
It is critical because Jesus Christ is the sole and complete revelation of God the Father. As stated in John 1:18, "No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him." The Father has chosen to reveal Himself fully and exclusively through the Son. To deny the Son is to reject the Father's chosen means of self-disclosure and redemption. Therefore, one cannot claim to know or have fellowship with a God whose ultimate self-revelation in Jesus Christ they refuse to accept. Jesus Himself declared, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (John 14:6).
What does "denieth the Son" specifically refer to in this context?
In the context of 1 John, "denieth the Son" refers specifically to denying Jesus' true identity as the Christ (the Messiah) and the Son of God. This includes denying His full humanity (that He came in the flesh, as addressed in 1 John 4:2-3) and His full deity. The false teachers John was combating were likely promoting doctrines that separated the divine Christ from the human Jesus, or denied the necessity of His atoning work. To "deny" implies a conscious, deliberate rejection or repudiation of this fundamental truth about Jesus' person and saving work.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
1 John 2:23 finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment in the very nature of the Triune God and the salvific work of Jesus. This verse powerfully articulates the Trinitarian reality that the Father and the Son are inextricably linked; to know one is to know the other, and to reject one is to reject the other. Jesus Himself consistently taught this unity, proclaiming, "I and my Father are one" (John 10:30) and assuring His disciples, "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father" (John 14:9). The Son is the perfect image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15), the radiance of God's glory and the exact imprint of His nature (Hebrews 1:3). Therefore, acknowledging the Son is not merely a theological nicety but the very act of embracing God's self-revelation and His redemptive plan centered in Christ. It is through the Son's atoning sacrifice that humanity is reconciled to the Father (2 Corinthians 5:18-19), and it is by confessing Him as Lord that we are saved and brought into fellowship with God (Romans 10:9-10). Thus, 1 John 2:23 underscores that Christ is the exclusive and indispensable mediator, the very bridge by which humanity can access and "have" the Father.