1 John 2:23Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

A liar and antichrist is also the one who denies the Father and the Son. For certain heretics, from whom the accursed Valentinus sprang, said that one is the nameless Father, and another is the one called the Father of Christ.

These same men also deny the Son when they say that He is a mere man, and not God by nature, God from God. Therefore the Apostle adds: "Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either."

The Jews, for example, deny the Son and claim for themselves the knowledge of the Father. But let them know that they have not yet known the Father either. For if they had known Him, they would also have known the Son, because He is the Father of the Only-begotten Son.

Those of Simon's mind also babbled the same empty things. Such are the opinions of the heretics.

One will deny the Son only by calling Him a creature and removing Him from consubstantiality with the Father. Conversely, one confesses Him by preserving for Him His genuine and true dignity of Sonship, and by not depriving Him of His natural likeness to the Father.

Therefore everything said of the Father is also said in every way of the Son, except only that He is the Father. And everything defined concerning the Son will also hold true concerning the Father, except only that He is the Son.

As the Father is God by nature, Almighty, Creator, Lord, King, incorruptible, immortal, Life, without beginning of being, and not brought from nonbeing into being, so also is the Son all these same things without any difference.

Everyone who denies the Son has neither the Father nor the Son, because one does not go to the Father except through the Son. Nor does one go to the Son except through the Father.

Some others, again, deny the Son while pretending to know the Father. Let them understand that they do not know the Father. For if they knew the Father, they would know that He is the Father of the Only-begotten Son. The Apostle applies this also to the Jews, who say that they know the Father but do not confess the Son. He applies it also to the followers of Simon, for they too share in the same impiety.

John seeks the confession of the heart, the confession both in word and in deed, of which the Apostle Paul also spoke: "No one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit" (1 Cor 12:3). In other words, no one can serve the Lord Jesus Christ in word and deed unless the grace of the Holy Spirit has been given to him.

"Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either." Whoever has a false understanding of the Son has a false understanding of the Father also. Whoever does not believe in the Son does not believe in the Father either.

This is because the Father is known through the Son, and in the Son we see the Father. There is one Only-begotten Son of one unbegotten God the Father.

The Only-begotten Son of God Himself answered the Jews when they asked, "Where is Your Father?" He said: "You know neither Me nor My Father. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also" (Jn 8:19).

Likewise, when Philip asked, "Lord, show us the Father," Jesus said to him: "Have I been with you so long, and yet you do not know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father.

Besides the general and many-sided marks by which those who deny the grace of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ brand themselves, and so expose themselves to the shame of the whole world, the Apostle chiefly fixes the faithful's attention on one mark.

It is certainly the most striking mark, by which the sons of disobedience are stamped: "Who is the liar, if not he who denies that Jesus is the Christ?" Truly, where is the most terrible abyss of blasphemies and unrighteousness?

Where is the nest of every falsehood and deception, if not in the heart and mouth of the one who dares to deny the Lord Jesus? In mad blindness he does not see or acknowledge in Him the Deliverer promised to the world.

"Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who confesses the Son has the Father also." These words are only a repetition of the Savior's own words, spoken to the disciples before sending them to preach (Mt 10:40; Lk 10:16).

He also spoke them in His last farewell discourse with them (Jn 13:20). Speaking clearly and definitely of the consubstantiality of the Son of God with the Father, these words naturally imply something further.

Whoever believes in the Son of God, receives Him into himself, bears Him in his heart, and is united with Him, is united through the Son with God the Father. Jesus Christ says: "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him" (Jn 14:23).

How should one understand the words, "you know all things," if shortly before this it was said that only the fathers, and not the children or young men, had known the One without beginning? If all in the Church know all things equally, what is the advantage of the fathers?

If their advantage is that they have known the One without beginning, does it not follow that others do not yet possess this advantage? We must acknowledge that when the Apostle says, "you have an anointing" and "you have no need that anyone teach you," he means by "you" the whole local Church.

He does not mean each individual member separately, for among its members there were also children. The Church truly knows all things, because within her there are those who know and are able to teach others.

"They also deny the Son when they say that He is a mere man, and not God by nature, God from God. Therefore the Apostle adds: whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either. The Jews, for example, deny the Son and claim for themselves the knowledge of the Father.

But let them know that they have not yet known the Father either. For if they had known Him, they would also have known the Son, because He is the Father of the Only-begotten Son" (Theophylact).

Yet faith in the Son of God and knowledge of Him, as of the Father, are not enough. Confession of Him is also needed, for only "he who confesses the Son has the Father also."

Why? On the one hand, only through the Son of God do we learn truly to know, honor, and love God the Father (Mt 9:27). On the other, the incarnate Son of God has acquired for us the right to call God our Father. Because of His unity with us in His human nature, He is not ashamed to call us His brethren (Heb 2:11). Thus God cannot be Father to one who is not brother to His Son.

Directing Christians' attention especially to heretical false teaching, the Apostle points to the most important error preached by the Ebionite Cerinthus and his followers, who denied the Godhead of Jesus Christ.

Without entering into a detailed refutation of this error, and without offering biblical or other proofs of its falsehood, the Apostle views it from his lofty theological standpoint. From there its absurdity is clearly revealed.

Having in mind the clear teaching of Jesus Christ concerning His consubstantiality with the Father (see Jn 1:1; 1 Jn 1:1-4), he says that heretics of this kind deny the Father also.