Albert Barnes Commentary 1 John 2:27

"And as for you, the anointing which ye received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any one teach you; but as his anointing teacheth you; concerning all things, and is true, and is no lie, and even as it taught you, ye abide in him." — 1 John 2:27 (ASV)

But the anointing which ye have received of him. (See the notes on 1 John 2:20).

Abideth in you. The meaning is that the influence on your heart and life, which results from the fact that you are anointed of God, permanently abides with you and will keep you from dangerous error.

The apostle evidently meant to say that he felt assured that they would not be seduced from the truth. His confidence in this regard was placed in the fact that they had been truly anointed to God as kings and priests.

Thus understood, what he says here is equivalent to the expression of a firm conviction that those who are true Christians will not fall away. (Compare the notes on 1 John 2:19 and 1 John 2:20).

And ye need not that any man teach you. That is, you do not need anyone to teach you what is essential to true religion. (See the notes on 1 John 2:20).

But as the same anointing teacheth you of all things. This cannot mean that the mere act of anointing, if that had been performed in their case, would teach them; but it refers to what John includes in what he calls the anointing—that is, the solemn consecration to the duties of religion under the influences of the Holy Spirit.

And is truth, and is no lie. It leads to truth, and not to error. No one was ever led into error by those influences that result from the fact that he has been consecrated to the service of God.

Ye shall abide in him. A marginal note says, “or it.” The Greek text allows for either construction. The connection, however, seems to demand that it should be understood as referring to him—that is, to the Saviour.