Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. John identifies the ultimate lie and liar. "Who is a liar" (tis estin ho pseustēs) asks rhetorically—the supreme example of lying follows. "But he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ" (ei mē ho arnoumenos hoti Iēsous ouk estin ho Christos)—the present participle "denieth" (arnoumenos) indicates ongoing, habitual denial. The specific denial is "that Jesus is the Christ"—rejecting that the historical man Jesus is the Messiah, the Anointed One sent by God.
This denial took various forms in John's context. Gnostic teachers separated the human Jesus from the divine Christ, claiming the Christ-spirit descended on Jesus at baptism and departed before crucifixion. Others denied Jesus' true humanity, claiming He only seemed to have a body (Docetism). All such denials of Jesus' identity as the incarnate Christ constitute the fundamental lie. "He is antichrist" (houtos estin ho antichristos)—houtos (this one) is emphatic. The liar who denies Jesus is THE antichrist, embodying antichrist spirit regardless of whether he is the final Antichrist figure.
"That denieth the Father and the Son" (ho arnoumenos ton patera kai ton huion) reveals the theological consequence. Denying the Son necessarily means denying the Father, because the Father and Son are inseparably united. Jesus taught: "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father" (John 14:9). Denying Jesus' identity as the divine Son means denying the Father who sent Him. There is no knowledge of God apart from the incarnate Son (Matthew 11:27, John 1:18).
Historical Context
The confession "Jesus is the Christ" was foundational to apostolic Christianity. Peter's confession at Caesarea Philippi—"Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:16)—became the church's cornerstone confession. The Gospel of John was written "that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God" (John 20:31). Early Christian baptism included confession that "Jesus Christ is Lord" (Romans 10:9, Philippians 2:11).
Gnostic denial of Jesus as the Christ took sophisticated forms, often claiming to honor Christ while rejecting Jesus' full humanity or denying His identity as Messiah. John's test cuts through sophistication: whatever teaching denies Jesus is the incarnate Christ embodies antichrist spirit. This test proved crucial for the early church facing various Christological heresies: Arianism (denying Christ's full deity), Nestorianism (dividing Christ's natures), Apollinarianism (denying full humanity). All failed John's test.
Throughout church history, this confession has distinguished orthodoxy from heresy. The ecumenical creeds (Nicene, Chalcedonian) carefully defined Jesus' identity as both fully divine and fully human—the incarnate Christ. Liberal theology's later reduction of Jesus to mere moral teacher or religious genius fell under John's condemnation: denying Jesus is THE Christ (the divine Son incarnate) is the antichrist spirit.
Questions for Reflection
What specific contemporary teachings deny that Jesus is the Christ by separating His humanity from His deity or vice versa?
How does confessing 'Jesus is the Christ' serve as a test distinguishing genuine Christian faith from false teaching?
Why is denying the Son inseparable from denying the Father, and what does this reveal about the Trinity's unity?
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Analysis & Commentary
Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. John identifies the ultimate lie and liar. "Who is a liar" (tis estin ho pseustēs) asks rhetorically—the supreme example of lying follows. "But he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ" (ei mē ho arnoumenos hoti Iēsous ouk estin ho Christos)—the present participle "denieth" (arnoumenos) indicates ongoing, habitual denial. The specific denial is "that Jesus is the Christ"—rejecting that the historical man Jesus is the Messiah, the Anointed One sent by God.
This denial took various forms in John's context. Gnostic teachers separated the human Jesus from the divine Christ, claiming the Christ-spirit descended on Jesus at baptism and departed before crucifixion. Others denied Jesus' true humanity, claiming He only seemed to have a body (Docetism). All such denials of Jesus' identity as the incarnate Christ constitute the fundamental lie. "He is antichrist" (houtos estin ho antichristos)—houtos (this one) is emphatic. The liar who denies Jesus is THE antichrist, embodying antichrist spirit regardless of whether he is the final Antichrist figure.
"That denieth the Father and the Son" (ho arnoumenos ton patera kai ton huion) reveals the theological consequence. Denying the Son necessarily means denying the Father, because the Father and Son are inseparably united. Jesus taught: "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father" (John 14:9). Denying Jesus' identity as the divine Son means denying the Father who sent Him. There is no knowledge of God apart from the incarnate Son (Matthew 11:27, John 1:18).