1 John 4:2 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Hereby know ye the Spirit, &c.— Hereby you may discern, &c. Heylin. There are two ways of interpreting what St. John has here laid down as a rule by which to try the spirits: 1. Their acknowledging that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh; or, 2. Their acknowledging that Jesus, who came in the flesh, is the Christ. In favour of the latter opinion, which is my own, and which coincides with that of some of the most eminent commentators, I would observe, 1st, The unbelieving Jews and Heathens would readily acknowledge, that Jesus, who is called Christ, came in the flesh, or had a real body, like another man; but they would not acknowledge Him to be the Messiah, or the Prophet and Saviour of the world. If therefore any of them had pretended to the Spirit of prophesy, their acknowledging that Jesus came in the flesh, would have been no proof of their prophetic mission. 2nd, The word Ομολογειν signifies not only to confess, but to teach and defend: Acts 23:8. Now not only to confess but to teach and defend that fundamental article of the Christian doctrine, that Jesus is the Christ; or so to confess it, as to stand by it in times of persecution and danger, was a proper mark of trial: whereas the proposition interpreted in the former sense, does not appear to be any mark of trial at all. 3rdly, The parallel places confirm the last interpretation. See 1 John 4:15 ch. 1 John 2:22 1 John 5:1; 1 John 5:5; 1 John 5:12-13. Comp. with ch. 1 John 3:23. 2 John 1:7; 2 John 1:9-10. John 8:24. 4thly, Those who continued cordially and firmly to hold and support that fundamental article of Christianity, that Jesus is the Christ, would have the Spirit abide with them; whereas those who denied and opposed that article could not possibly possess the Spirit of Christ, which is a Spirit of truth. St. John, throughout this epistle, seems to have had his eye upon the Docetae: for that reason, in the beginning of the epistle, he speaks of seeing, hearing, and handling Christ; and here, to the fundamental article of Jesus's being the Messiah, he adds, that he came in the flesh. His having a body, and really suffering and dying, ought not to have offended them. From the latter clause of 1 John 4:3 some have argued, that the Pope cannot be antichrist, (see on ch. 1 John 2:22.) because he confesses Christ; and that it must necessarily be some entirely opposing person or sect, and which does not bear the Christian name. But it should be considered, that popery is an usurpation entirely inconsistent with a duehomage to Christ, and founded upon principles most opposite to those of his government and religion. It is said to have been already in the world, as the ambitious, imposing, persecuting spirit, which is the very essence of anti-christianism, did then very much prevail.