What does 1 John 2:20 mean?

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

Explanation

1 John 2:20 speaks to the spiritual anointing that believers have received from God. The term “unction” is translated from the Greek word “chrisma,” which means anointing. In the context of the Bible, anointing is often associated with being chosen and empowered by God for a specific purpose. It carries the idea of being consecrated, sanctified, or set apart by God’s own Spirit.

The phrase “from the Holy One” refers to God, who is holy and set apart from sin. The anointing received from God imparts understanding and knowledge — a spiritual discernment that enables believers to recognize truth and to distinguish it from false teachings or deception.

“And ye know all things” should not be taken to mean that Christians have omniscient knowledge, but rather that they are endowed with sufficient knowledge and discernment necessary for their spiritual life, including the ability to recognize the truth of the Gospel and the nature of God’s promises.

Historical Context

The epistle of 1 John was written to believers to address various issues, including the presence of false teachers who were seeking to mislead them. These false teachers, often linked to early Gnostic beliefs, claimed to have a special, esoteric knowledge. John writes to reassure the Christian community that through their anointing in the Holy Spirit, they possess the true knowledge required for their faith.

During the first century, it was common for different sects and religious groups to claim exclusive access to hidden truths. The apostle John is combating these ideas by affirming that all believers have access to the truth through their relationship with Jesus Christ and the anointing of the Holy Spirit. This would have been especially relevant in the context of the early Christian communities who were facing internal and external challenges to their faith.

Theological Insights

From a theological standpoint, the verse can draw several insights:

• It affirms the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of believers, teaching and guiding them into all truth.
• It challenges the notion of secret knowledge, suggesting that essential spiritual knowledge is accessible to all believers, not just a select few.
• It emphasizes the direct relationship between God and believers, minimizing the need for intermediaries.

Different theological traditions have interpreted this anointing in various ways. Some see it as a reference to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit at the point of salvation, while others see it as a subsequent experience of the Holy Spirit’s empowerment for ministry and understanding.

Practical Applications

In daily life, this verse encourages believers to:

• Trust in the guidance of the Holy Spirit, leaning on the wisdom that God provides rather than merely human understanding.
• Stay grounded in the truth of God’s Word, using it as the standard by which all teachings are measured.
• Rely on the community of faith, as the anointing of the Holy Spirit is not solely an individual experience but one shared among believers who can learn from and support one another.

Cross-References

• John 14:26: “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”
• John 16:13: “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.”
• 2 Corinthians 1:21-22: “Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.”

Language Study

Key words and their meanings in the original Greek are:

• “Unction”/”Anointing” (Greek: “chrisma”): Refers to the consecrating gift of the Holy Spirit, giving believers insight and discernment.
• “Holy One” (Greek: “Hagios”): Signifies God’s perfect purity and moral integrity, set apart from all that is sinful.
• “Know” (Greek: “eido”): Implies perceiving, being aware of, or recognizing truth, often with an element of certainty that comes from firsthand knowledge.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In many ancient cultures and religions, the concept of anointing was associated with the divine selection and empowerment of individuals, either for leadership roles or religious service. Similar to the Old Testament kings and priests being anointed for service, the New Testament believers are said to be anointed by the Holy Spirit.

However, unlike some cultural counterparts where knowledge was reserved for elite classes or priests, Christian anointing emphasizes the accessibility of divine truth to all believers without distinction.

Scientific Perspectives

From a scientific perspective, the concept of “knowing all things” in the verse is not suggesting an empirical or exhaustive knowledge of the universe but refers to spiritual discernment and understanding. While science uses empirical methods to obtain knowledge, this verse addresses a spiritual form of knowledge that transcends empirical data.

Commentaries

Various Bible scholars and commentaries offer differing insights into this verse:

• Matthew Henry’s Commentary stresses the enabling working of the Holy Spirit, who establishes the believer in the truth of the Gospel.
• The MacArthur Study Bible notes that the “anointing” is a permanent abiding of the Spirit rather than a temporary empowering.
• The Pulpit Commentary discusses how this anointing contrasts with the false claims of knowledge by heretics, emphasizing that genuine Christians have received the capacity for spiritual understanding through the Holy Spirit.