Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
Confesseth not (mh omologei). Indefinite relative clause with the subjective negative mh rather than the usual objective negative ou (verse I John 4:6). It is seen also in II Peter 1:9; Titus 1:11, a survival of the literary construction (Moulton, Prolegomena, p. 171). The Vulgate (along with Irenaeus, Tertullian, Augustine) reads solvit (luei) instead of mh omologei, which means "separates Jesus," apparently an allusion to the Cerinthian heresy (distinction between Jesus and Christ) as the clause before refers to the Docetic heresy. Many MSS. have here also en sarki elhluqota repeated from preceding clause, but not A B Vg Cop. and not genuine.
The spirit of the antichrist (to tou antixristou). Pneuma (spirit) not expressed, but clearly implied by the neuter singular article to. It is a repetition of the point about antichrists made in I John 2:18-25.
Whereof (o). Accusative of person (grammatical neuter referring to pneuma) with akouw along with accusative of the thing (oti erxetai, as in I John 2:18, futuristic present middle indicative). Here the perfect active indicative (akhkoate), while in I John 2:18 the aorist (hkousate).
And now already (kai nun hdh). As in I John 2:18 also (many have come). "The prophecy had found fulfilment before the Church had looked for it" (Westcott). It is often so. For hdh see John 4:35; John 9:27.
Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing 1 John 4:3:
1 John 2:18
Revelation 16:13
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