But the anointing which ye have received of him - See the notes at 1 John 2:20.
Abideth in you - The meaning is, that the influence on your heart and life, which results from the fact that you are anointed of God, permanently abides with you, and will keep you from dangerous error. The apostle evidently meant to say that he felt assured that they would not be seduced from the truth, and that his confidence in regard to this was placed in the fact that they had been truly anointed unto God as kings and priests. Thus understood, what he here says is equivalent to the expression of a firm conviction that those who are true Christians will not fall away. Compare the notes at 1 John 2:19-20.
And ye need not that any man teach you - That is, what are the things essential to true religion. See the notes at 1 John 2:20.
But as the same anointing teacheth you of all things - This cannot mean that the mere act of anointing, if that had been performed in their case, would “teach” them; but it refers to what John includes in what he calls the anointing - that is, in the solemn consecrating to the duties of religion under the influences of the Holy Spirit.
And is truth, and is no lie - Leads to truth, and not to error. No man was ever led into error by those influences which result from the fact that he has been consecrated to the service of God.
Ye shall abide in him - Margin, “or it.” The Greek will bear either construction. The connection, however, seems to demand that it should be understood as referring to him - that is, to the Saviour.