1 John 2:20

But ye have an unction from the holy One Better, as R.V., And ye have an anointing (as in 1 John 2:27) from the Holy One. S. John, in his manner, puts two contrasted parties side by side, the Antichrist with his antichrists, and the Christ with His christs; but the fact of there being a contrast does not warrant us in turning S. John's simple -and" (καί) into -but". Tyndale holds fast to -and", in spite of Wiclif's -but" and the Vulgate's sed.Just as the Antichrist has his representatives, so the Anointed One, the Christ, has His. All Christians in a secondary sense are what Christ is in a unique and primary sense, the Lord's anointed. -These anointed", says the Apostle to his readers, - yeare". The -ye" is not only expressed in the Greek, but stands first after the conjunction for emphasis: -ye" in contrast to these apostates. The word for -anointing" or -unction" (χρίσμα) strictly means the -completed act of anointing:" but in LXX. it is used of the unguent or anointing oil (Exodus 30:25); and Tyndale, Cranmer and the Genevan have -oyntment" here. In N.T, it occurs only here and 1 John 2:27. Kings, priests, and sometimes prophets were anointed, in token of their receiving Divine grace. Hence oil both in O. and N.T. is a figure of the Holy Spirit (Psalms 45:6-7; Psalms 105:15; Isaiah 61:1; Acts 10:38; Hebrews 1:9; 2 Corinthians 1:21). It is confusing cause and effect to suppose that this passage was influenced by the custom of anointing candidates at baptism: the custom though ancient (for it is mentioned by S. Cyril of Jerusalem, c. a.d. 350, Catech. Lect, XXI. 3, 4), is later than this Epistle. More probably the custom was suggested by this passage. The opening of S. Cyril's 21st Lecture throws much light on this passage. "Having been baptized into Christ and … being made partakers of Christ, ye are properly called christs, and of you God said, Touch not My christs, or anointed. Now ye were made christs by receiving the emblem of the Holy Spirit; and all things were in a figure wrought in you, because ye are figures of Christ. He also bathed Himself in the river Jordan, and … came up from them; and the Holy Spirit in substance lighted on Him, like resting upon like. In the same manner to you also, after you had come up from the pool of the sacred streams, was given the unction, the emblem of that wherewith Christ was anointed; and this is the Holy Spirit". Similarly S. Augustine; "In the unction we have a sacramental sign (sacramentum); the virtue itself is invisible. The invisible unction is the Holy Spirit (Hom. III. 12).

It may be doubted whether S. John in this verse makes any allusion to the anointing which was a feature in some Gnostic systems.

from the holy One This almost certainly means Christ, in accordance with other passages both in S. John and elsewhere (John 6:69; Revelation 3:7; Mark 1:24; Acts 3:14; Ps. 20:10), and in harmony with Christ being called -righteous" in vv,. 1, 29, and -pure" in 1 John 3:3. Moreover in John 14:26; John 15:26; John 16:7; John 16:14 Christ promises to give the Holy Spirit. It may possibly mean God the Father (Habakkuk 3:3; Hosea 11:9; 1 Corinthians 6:19). It cannot well mean the Holy Spirit, unless some other meaning be found for -anointing".

and ye know all things There is very high authority for reading and ye all know (this), or, omitting the conjunction and placing a colon after -Holy One", ye all know(this). If the reading followed in A.V. and R.V. be right, the meaning is, -It is you (and not these antichristian Gnostics who claim it) that are, in virtue of the anointing of the Spirit of truth, in the possession of the true knowledge". Christians are in possession of the truthin a far higher sense than any unchristian philosopher. All the unbeliever's knowledge is out of balance and proportion. The assertion here is strictly in harmony with the promise of Christ; -When He, the Spirit of truth is come, He shall guide you into all the truth" (John 16:13). In the same spirit S. Ignatius writes, "None of these things is hidden from you, if ye be perfect in your faith and love towards Jesus Christ" (Eph.xiv. 1); and similarly S. Polycarp, "Nothing is hidden from you" (Phil.xii. 1). Comp. -They that seek the Lord understand all things" (Proverbs 28:5).