Book of 1 John Chapter 2 Vs. 26

Warning Concerning Antichrists

 

1 John 2:26 "These [things] have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you."


A third characteristic of antichrists is that they try to deceive the faithful (1 Tim. 4:1).

John makes it clear that much of his treatise has been called forth by opponents of orthodox teaching.

that seduce you... Greek: planao. See pt. 4, Backsliders). Them that seduce you is speaking of those who are opposed to Christ who with flattering words is trying to draw them away from the Truth. John is writing to them and to us to be aware of these false teachers.

Seduce (πλανώντων)

Lit., we lead ourselves astray. See on Mark 7:24; see on Mat. 27:63, 27:64; see on Jude 1:13. Not only do we err, we are responsible for it. The phrase only here in the New Testament. For the verb as applied to deceivers of various kinds, see Mat. 24:4; Rev. 2:20; 13:14; 19:20; 12:9; 20:3. Compare πλάνοι deceivers (2Jhn. 1:7); πλάνη error (Jude 1:11; 1Jhn. 4:6). See on 1Jhn. 1:8. Rev., lead astray.

It may well be that the antichrists denied that the readers were actually saved, since John went right on to say, I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray (cf. 1Jhn. 3:7). Coming as they evidently did from the apostolic churches of Judea, these men apparently sought to undermine the readers’ conviction that Jesus is the Christ and that they had eternal life through Him. John’s insistence that his readers genuinely know God and know His truth (1Jhn. 2:12-14, 2:21) was part of his strategy for fortifying them against the antichrists.