In 1 John 2:18–27, St. John contrasts the darkness of antichrist with the light of the anointing.
John wrote, “Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come.” (1 Jn 2:18)
The fullness of time began with the Incarnation and the Redemption. From that point onwards until the end of the world is the last times or the last earthly stage of salvation history.
St. Augustine said, “But, lest there be someone who is lazy in making progress, let him listen: Children, it is the last hour. Make progress, run, grow: it is the last hour. This last hour is long, yet it is the last.”
St. John used the word “antichrist” both in the plural and in the singular. He was primarily referring to heretics who once belonged to the Church but who went off to proclaim their own teachings. The sixth century Oecumenius wrote, “Some people will ask where the antichrists have come from, and the sad answer is that they have come from our midst. That way they can pretend to have all the credibility of true disciples and stand a better chance of seducing the unwary. They became disciples themselves at first but then departed from the truth and invented their own blasphemies to replace it.”
Regarding those antichrists or heretics, St. John wrote, “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.” (1 Jn 2:19)
The Navarre Bible states: “St John unmasks the antichrists; they could not have led the faithful astray had they not come from the community; but they were only pretending to be Christians – wolves in sheep’s clothing (cf. Mt 7:15), ‘false brethren’ (Gal 2:4) – and that is how they are able to sow confusion. Our Lord himself warned that both wheat and cockle would grow side by side in the Kingdom of God (cf. Mt 13:24–30); the sad fact that this is happening should not cause Christians to doubt the holiness of the Church.”
St. Augustine said, “With us they share the altar itself, and they are not of us. It is trial which proves that they are not of us. When trial touches them, they fly outside as though blown by the wind, because they weren’t grain. But – what must frequently be stated – when the winnowing on the Lord’s threshing floor begins on the day of judgment, then they will all be blown away.”
By contrast, the faithful “have been anointed by the Holy One” and “have knowledge.” (1 Jn 2:20)
St. Bede said, “The spiritual anointing is the Holy Spirit himself, who is given in the sacrament of anointing.” Oecumenius said, “They had all received the sacred anointing by their baptism and by the same Holy Spirit who led them into all truth.”
The Second Vatican Council, quoting 1 John 2:20 and 27, states: “The whole body of the faithful, who have an anointing that comes from the Holy One (cf. 1 Jn 2:20 and 27), cannot err in matters of belief. This characteristic is shown in the supernatural appreciation of the faith of the whole people, when, ‘from the bishops to the last of the faithful’ they manifest a universal consent in matters of faith and morals.”
St. John wrote, “His anointing teaches you about everything.” (1 Jn 2:27) The Holy Spirit acts in the souls of Christians, helping them to accept the teachings of the Church. St. Augustine said, “We can offer a suggestion by the sound of our voice, but if he who teaches isn’t within, our voice is of no avail. Well, brothers, do you want to know more? Haven’t all of you heard this sermon? How many will leave from here untaught? As far as my role is concerned, I have spoken to everyone. But those to whom that unction doesn’t speak within, whom the Holy Spirit doesn’t teach within, depart untaught. Teachings and admonitions that come from without are of some help. He who teaches hearts has his chair in heaven.”
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天主的傅油教導我們真理
在若望一書2：18-27中，聖若望將假基督的黑暗與傅油的光明進行了對比。若望寫道：「小孩子們，現在是最末的時期了！就如你們聽說過假基督要來，如今已經出了許多假基督。」(若望一2:18) 時間的完滿始於道成肉身和救贖。從那時起，直到世界末日，是救贖歷史的最後時刻或最後一個塵世階段。聖奧斯定說：「但是，為了避免有人懶於上進)，讓他聽：孩子們，這是最後時辰。努力上進吧 - 起跑、成長：這是最後一小時。這最後的一個小時很長，但它是最後一個小時。」
聖若望在複數和單數中使用了「假基督」這個名詞。他主要指的是異教徒，他們曾經屬於教會，但他們卻去宣揚自己的異端教義。公元六世紀的俄庫美紐斯寫道：「有些人會問假基督是從哪裡來的，可悲的是，他們來自我們中間來。這樣，他們就可以假裝擁有真正門徒的所有信譽，並有更好的機會引誘粗心的人。他們起初自己成為門徒，但後來背離了真理，發明了自己的褻瀆言行來代替它。」
關於那些假基督者或異教徒，聖若望寫道：「 他們是出於我們中的，但不是屬於我們的，因為，如果是屬於我們的，必存留在我們中；但這是為顯示他們都不是屬於我們 。」(若一2:19) 納瓦拉聖經說：「聖若望揭開了假基督者的面具;如果他們不是來自團體，他們就不可能把信徒引入歧途;但他們只是假裝是基督徒 — 披著羊皮的狼。（參見瑪竇福音7：15），「假弟兄」（加拉達書2：4） — 這就是他們能夠播下混亂的方式。我主親自警告說，在天主的國度裡，麥子和莠子會並排生長（參見瑪竇福音13：24-30）;這種情況正在發生的可悲事實不應該使基督信徒懷疑教會的神聖。」
聖奧斯定說：「他們與我們共享祭台，他們不屬於我們。審判會證明他們不屬於我們。當試煉碰到它們時，它們會像被風吹倒一樣飛到外面，因為它們不是穀物。但是，必須經常指出的是，在審判日，當主的禾場上開始揚糧時，他們都會被吹走。」
相反，信徒們「至於你們，你們由聖者領受了傅油，並且你們都曉得。」(若一2:20)聖伯達說：「屬靈的傅油是聖神自己，祂在傅油聖事中被賜予。」俄庫美紐斯說：「他們都通過聖洗領受了這神聖的傅油，而同一的聖神帶領他們進入一切真理中。」
梵蒂岡第二次大公會議引用若望一書2：20和27的話說：「信徒的整個身體，他們都領受了傅油，這傅油是來自這一位聖者。 (參考若一2:20-27)，在信仰的層面中是不能錯的。這一特徵在全體人民超自然信仰的認同中表現出來，當「從主教到最末的信徒」時，他們在信仰和道德問題上表現出了普遍的認同。」
聖若望寫道：「他的傅油教訓你們一切。」(若一2:27) 聖神在基督信徒的靈魂中工作，幫助他們接受教會的教導。聖奧斯定說：「我們可以通過我們的聲音來提出建議，但如果教導者不在裡面，我們的聲音就無濟於事。好吧，兄弟們，你們想知道更多嗎？你們不是都聽過這篇講道嗎？有多少人會從這裡離開，而沒有不獲教導？就我的角色而言，我已經和大家談過了但那些傅油沒有在他內心說話的人，那些天主聖神沒有在他內教導他們的人，不獲教導而離去。來自外界的教導和勸誡是有幫助的。教導人內心的人在天上有他的座椅。」
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