Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary 1 John 2:20

"And ye have an anointing from the Holy One, and ye know all the things." — 1 John 2:20 (ASV)

The author now returns to the heretical claims of his opponents. They probably claimed superior knowledge because they had received an exclusive ritual anointing that gave them knowledge. Their attitude may have been similar to that of the later “Gnostic” sect known as Naassenes, who claimed a special sacrament of anointing. John combats his opponents’ claim by reminding his readers: “But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know [because all of you received it] the truth.” This is probably an allusion to the coming of the Holy Spirit as prophesied by Jesus in John’s gospel: “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth” (cf. also 14:17; 15:26). The early Christians connected this with their baptism. Although “anointing” is used only infrequently in the NT, both Luke and Paul do use it with reference to the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:38; 2 Corinthians 1:21–22).

The messengers of God proclaimed the Gospel, but God himself by his Spirit taught the heart, from which true knowledge was then manifested. When this divine teaching was truly recognized, Christians were genuinely protected against false teaching or unbelief (cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:9; Romans 15:14).