1 John 2:20,27 – No Need For Anyone To Teach

Did John teach that one who has God's Holy Spirit knows absolutely everything, and/or that the one who has been anointed has absolutely no need of a teacher?

1 John 2:20 -  But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.

1 John 2:27 -  But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. -- King James Version.

1 John 2:20 - You have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know the truth.

1 John 2:27 - As for you, the anointing which you received from him remains in you, and you don't need for anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is no lie, and even as it taught you, you will remain in him.   -- World English.

1 John 2:20 - But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all know.

1 John 2:27 - but the anointing which you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that any one should teach you; as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie, just as it has taught you, abide in him. -- Revised Standard Version.

These verses, often quoted from the King James Version and taken in isolation, are sometimes quoted as though it says, once you have the “Holy Ghost”, you have no need for anyone in the church to teach you, for the “Holy Ghost” will tell you all things. Many use this verse to support their belief in the trinity doctrine or the oneness doctrine. Mormons (the "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints") often claim something similar for their beliefs. The Mormons claim Jesus is Jehovah, that Jehovah is not the Father, despite the overwhelming testimony of scripture that reveals Jehovah as being the God and Father of Jesus. This verse is often even quoted to condemn those who do accept whichever of these doctrines, claiming that one does not have the Holy Spirit if one does not agree with whichever doctrine is being claimed. In reality, such usually sidetracks any direction to the Word of God that does not agree with whatever dogma or doctrine that they claim the spirit they have has "revealed" to them.* In other words, they would place a spirit, though it be called “Holy Ghost” or “Holy Spirit,” above the Bible itself, for, by means of whatever thoughts that such a spirit or ghost has given them beyond what is written, these spirits are very clever in making it appear that such thoughts are in harmony with the Word of God.

We have come across some, who, based on the KJV rendering of 1 John 2:20, who actually claim that they know all things, since they have the "Holy Ghost" or "Holy Spirit'. Despite their claims, no human can legitimately claim to know absolutely everything there is no about everything in the entire universe. In reality, such would, in effect, make themselves equal to God Almighty Himself; it would be a claim to omniscience! In reality, the Greek word transliterated as “pantwn” (Strong’s #3956, a form of “pas”) rarely ever means absolutely everything in the universe, but is always related to both the context as well as common evidence for all is included or excluded in the “all” that is being spoken of. What is John speaking of in the context as related to the rest of God’s Word?

The Greek of 1 John 2:20 literally is "you know all".  The Koine Greek syntax, however, could be all applying the word "all" to "you", rather than the word "know", and thus, in English, we could say, "all of you know." Several translations render it with this in mind. 

The word “things”, in both verses above, is not in the Greek, it has been supplied by translators. If the word "all" is applied to know, it would assume something as related to what is included or not included in the all referred to. In English, this could be presented as "all this," thus, "and you know all this." Nevertheless, the "all" is restricted to all pertaining to the truth of what John had been referring in context, as can be seen from the next verse (1 John 2:21). Thus, the World English supplies "the truth" in 1 John 2:20.

Nevertheless, many do insist that this says that once one has received the anointing of the Holy Spirit, they do not need anyone on earth to teach them. Thus, many of God’s best and humblest children have read with amazement the words from the KJV, “The anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you!” Many of God's children may possibly be led to think, 'Since I do not know all, and need someone to teach me, I must not have this anointing.' Indeed, those who DO believe that they need no human teacher, and who promote whatever message they claim is revealed to them, may even try to make others feel that they do not have this anointing, except that they agree with them. It is similar to the stance many had begun to take even while the apostles were alive, and which began to flourish greatly after the apostles died. Some began to claim to have "apostolic" authority and to understand things revealed to them beyond what was written by the apostles. While they sought make what they were teaching to be in harmony with the apostles, their new teachings, almost always ended up in conflict with the basis of atonement as written by the apostles. Among these teachings were those that are often called "docetism," "Marcionism," "trinitarianism," "modalism" (also referred to as "Sabellianism"),  "Montanism," "gnosticism," and probably others. Usually, once one has come under the influence of such a spirit, and without God's intervention, they become blinded in such a way that they cannot read the scriptures except through the tint of whatever teaching has supposedly been "revealed" to them, although what is supposedly revealed is not revealed anywhere in the Bible. Thus their added-on revealing, in effect, blinds them to what the scriptures actually do say. Through the centuries, many have claimed various revelations from "the Holy Spirit," or the "Holy Ghost," or from "Mary," or others. Should we just accept such "revelations" as being from God? Obviously, we cannot accept all of them, since they contradict each other. The only true test of such revealings is the Bible.

Nevertheless, today we do come across some who misuse 1 John 2:20,27 so as to claim that they have learned nothing of men but have been taught all they know by direct inspiration of the holy Spirit (or Holy Ghost).  Evidently, those who claim to know everything, however, do not realize that they are claiming infallibility for their thoughts and words, in the most absolute sense. They fail, too, to see that their errors of thought, word and deed, claimed to be under plenary inspiration of the Holy Spirit, actually misrepresent God’s holy spirit as the author of their errors and follies. Additionally, they fail to comprehend that, in most cases, they have been taught by men, although they misunderstand, in that they misuse what John himself taught. If their idea truly represents what John wrote, they would first be accepting John as being their teacher; and/or, they are accepting the translators of the King James Version as being their teacher in that they are the ones who provide this rendering in English.

Additionally, taking these verses in isolation, especially as they appear in the KJV, and giving them an application as described in paragraphs above, they would seem to contradict the general testimony of Scripture. For instance, the apostle Paul tells us that God through His spirit HAS given gifts to the church as apostles, prophets [orators], pastors [shepherds], teachers, evangelists. (Ephesians 4:11) Obviously, there would be no need for any of these if the anointed saint need absolutely no one to teach them anything. Note also what Paul tells us is the reason for giving these special gifts to the church:  “For the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God.” (Ephesians 4:11-13) Compare 1 Corinthians 12:28-31.

Nevertheless, we should not suppose the apostle John was contradicting the apostle Paul and the other apostles — all of whom were teachers and who instructed the church to seek out the Spirit’s choice of pastors, teachers and overseers, and to honor those who thus had the “rule over” the church and who were to watch for the interests of souls as those who must give an account to the Lord. (Hebrews 13:17) It was undoubtedly in full accord with the apostle Paul’s advice that the church had need to select as its servants men “apt at teaching,” “able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers,” and when necessary to “rebuke sharply that they may be sound in faith.” All in the church were to recognize under-shepherds, who would not “lord it over God’s heritage,” but would “feed the flock” with what is appropriate — while seeking to avoid teachers who would teach doctrine contrary to what is written or who were teaching to please man. -- 1 Corinthians 4:6;1 Peter 5:2-4; 1 Timothy 3:2; 2 Timothy 2:25; Titus 1:9,13.

Furthermore, John himself was a teacher, and in this very epistle was teaching what he and we appreciate as sound doctrine – necessary to be taught. Surely no one reading John’s writings could draw the inference that he meant them merely as social letters, devoid of doctrine or teaching. Does he not open the epistle by saying, “That which we have seen and heard declare [teach] we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us?” (1 John 1:3) Again he says, “These things write I unto you [to teach you] that ye sin not.” (1 John 2:1) Again, “A new commandment [teaching] I write unto you.” (1 John 2:8) Again, “Little children, let no man deceive you [but heed my teaching]: he that doeth righteousness is righteous.” (1 John 3:7) Again, “We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us [obeys our instructions, our teachings].” (1 John 4:6) Again, “These things have I written unto you…that ye may know [be taught].” (1 John 5:13) He closes his epistle with a very important teaching, saying, “Little children, keep yourselves from idols [permit no person or thing to supplant God himself in your affections and reverence].” — 1 John 5:21.

Furthermore, John warns against spirits that would lead one away from the truth that had been given by Jesus and his apostles. "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world." (1 John 4:1-3) The point here is that Jesus came in the flesh to give that flesh for the life of world, and yet many -- by their new teaching -- would deny this. (John 6:51) Any teaching that would deny this would be a teaching, as the apostle Paul put, that preaches "another Jesus." -- anti "instead of" Christ who did come in the flesh in order to give that flesh as an offering to God for the sin of the world. -- Matthew 26:26-28; Luke 22:19; Romans 3:25; Colossians 1:14; Ephesians 5:2; Hebrews 2:9; 9:14; 10:10; 1 Peter 2:24; 3:18; 1 John 1:7; Revelation 1:5.

Seeing then that the apostle cannot be understood as meaning that the church has no need of human teachers — seeing on the contrary that he recognized human teachers as the agency employed by the Holy Spirit specially “set in the church” for this very service, what can he mean by these words, “Ye need not that any man teach you,” and “the same anointing teacheth you all things”? The proper answer to this query will be readily seen by examining the context in the light of facts already discussed.

This epistle of John is supposed by most scholars to have been written in or about the year A.D. 90. By that date Christianity had attained considerable reputation in the world. It had gathered the “remnant” of fleshly Israel and drawn upon itself the hatred and persecution of the vast blinded majority of that people and been scattered everywhere throughout the then civilized world. Many things in Christianity commended it to the Greek philosophers of that time who sought to combine with it and to become philosophic Christians and Christian philosophers --  in effect, still holding their heathen philosophies which the apostle Paul points out were “falsely so-called.” (1 Timothy 6:20) Many of these philosophers were quite willing to acknowledge Jesus as a good man and a wise teacher but not as the Son of God who left the glory of the celestial realm (John 17:5; 1 Corinthians 15:39-41) and was “made flesh,” -- a little lower than the angels (John 1:14; Hebrews 2:9), to thereby become man’s Redeemer, and the forerunner of eternal life to all who obey him. Many of these philosophers were, however, teaching a future, eternal life and were glad to find Christians teaching the same: the difference being that the philosophers (Plato and others) taught that eternal life is a human quality, an inherent power in mankind — deathlessness, immortality, whereas the apostles taught that eternal life was not inherent in man but a gift of God through Christ, intended only for those who accept him. — Romans 2:7; 5:15,21; 6:23; 2 Corinthians 9:15

These philosophers, in effect, said to the Christians, "We are glad to meet so respectable and sensible and free a people. Your great teacher, Jesus, surely did make you free from many of the customs and superstitions of the Jews and we congratulate you accordingly. But you are still in a measure of bondage: when you have investigated our philosophies you will have still more liberty and will find that much you still hold in common with the Jews — their hopes of a Messianic kingdom, their peculiar ideas of one God and your peculiar ideas that your Teacher, Jesus, was his only Son, etc., these things you will soon outgrow, with the aid of our philosophy." — 2 Peter 2:19; Jude 1:4.

John’s epistle was written to fortify Christians against these subversive doctrines. He exhorts them in this chapter (John 2:24) to hold fast the teachings heard by them from the beginning and to consider these philosophizing teachings as lies and all such false teachers representatives of the Antichrist which they had so often heard would be manifested in the Church. (2 Thessalonians 2:3-7; 1 John 2:18) He says, “These things have I written unto you concerning them that [seek to] seduce you [from the truth in Christ].” — John 2:26

Then comes the peculiar language of verse 27, now under discussion, which we paraphrase thus in order to acknowledge its context:

But, dearly beloved, the true children of God cannot be seduced by any such philosophies: with us no philosophy can take the place of Christ in our hearts–no theory could cause us to question the fulness and the correctness of the great message which we received as the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ — the Father’s Beloved, the Father’s Anointed. Besides the reasonableness of “the faith once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 1:3), consider the marvelous effect of that message upon you: it was accompanied by miraculous “gifts” of “tongues,” “miracles,” etc., which these philosophers declare are duplicated by the fakirs of the East; but aside from this you have another testimony in your own new hearts– in the anointing which has transformed and renewed your minds, producing in your daily life fruits of the Spirit of holiness which the fakirs cannot fully duplicate and which the philosophers who would seduce you cannot deny.

On these fundamentals of our holy religion — that Christ Jesus was not an impostor but the very Son of God and our Redeemer; and that eternal life can be obtained only through vital union with him — you have no need of instruction, neither from these false teachers nor from me. And so long as you have this holy Spirit of love abiding in you, it will serve as a guard against all such blasphemous, antichristian theories. So long as you remember that “the peace of God which passeth all understanding” (Philippians 4:7) came to your hearts through an acceptance of Jesus as the Son of God and the only power of God unto salvation, so long will this spirit hold you firm, steadfast, on this point. And you will find this same test (of loyalty to the holy Spirit of love received through the Father and the Son) helpful in proving all matters: for whatever contradicts or ignores this Spirit of love is an unholy spirit -- a false teaching. And remember that its teaching is that if we would receive any reward we must “abide in him” -- to abandon Christ is to abandon all.

By Ronald R. Day, Sr., Restoration Light Bible Study Services.

Some of the above was adapted from The Atonement Between God and Man,  pages 283-287.

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