“Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.”
My Notes
What Does 1 John 2:22 Mean?
"Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son." John defines the antichrist not as a dramatic end-times figure but as anyone who denies the fundamental Christian confession: Jesus is the Christ. The antichrist isn't a single person — it's a category. Anyone who denies the Father-Son relationship is antichrist.
The word "liar" (pseustes) makes the denial a matter of truth versus falsehood, not just opinion versus opinion. The person who denies Jesus' messiahship isn't presenting an alternative view — they're lying. John doesn't leave room for respectful disagreement on this point. The denial is a lie.
The phrase "denieth the Father and the Son" shows that denying Jesus automatically means denying the Father too. You can't have one without the other. The Father-Son relationship is inseparable. Rejecting the Son is rejecting the Father who sent Him.
Reflection Questions
- 1.How does John's definition of antichrist differ from popular culture's expectation?
- 2.Why does John use the word 'liar' rather than 'different thinker' for those who deny Jesus?
- 3.What does the inseparability of Father and Son mean for people who claim to worship God but reject Jesus?
- 4.What does the simplicity of the confession — 'Jesus is the Christ' — teach about what's most essential?
Devotional
Who is a liar? The one who denies Jesus is the Christ. Who is antichrist? The one who denies the Father and the Son. John's definition of antichrist isn't a single dramatic figure — it's a theological position. Anyone who holds it is antichrist.
The word 'liar' eliminates the possibility of respectful disagreement on this point. John doesn't say 'those who differ' or 'those who have a different perspective.' He says: liar. The denial of Jesus' messiahship isn't a valid alternative viewpoint. It's a falsehood. The claim that Jesus is not the Christ is, in John's theology, a lie — not an opinion.
The inseparability of Father and Son is the key theological principle: you can't accept God and reject Jesus. You can't worship the Father while denying the Son. The package is inseparable. Whatever relationship you have with the Father runs through the Son. Deny the Son and you've denied the Father who sent Him.
The 'antichrist' category is broader than popular culture imagines. It's not one person in a future era with a special number. It's anyone, in any era, who denies the Father-Son relationship. The antichrist spirit has been active since John's time — in every generation, in every culture, in every person who says: Jesus is not the Christ.
The simplest confession determines the most fundamental divide: Jesus is the Christ. Affirm it and you're on truth's side. Deny it and you're what John calls a liar and an antichrist. The simplicity is the severity.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
Who is a liar, but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ?.... Or that very Christ, and true Messiah, who was spoken…
Who is a liar - That is, who is false; who maintains an erroneous doctrine; who is an impostor, if he is not? The object…
Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? - Here we see some of the false doctrines which were then…
Here, I. The apostle encourages the disciples (to whom he writes) in these dangerous times, in this hour of seducers; he…
Who is a liar More accurately, as R.V., Who is the liar: the A.V. here again follows the earlier English Versions. But…
Cross References
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