This title occurs only in the first and second epistles

of John, namely in 1 John 2:18,22; 4:3 and 2 John 7.  The preposition anti

means primarily 'over against' and contains the notion of opposition as an

equivalent; instead of, for:

Matt. 5:38

'An eye for an eye'.

Matt.  20:28

'A ransom for many'.

John 1:16

'Grace over against grace' i.e.  The grace of the

gospel, over against the grace of type and shadow.

'Antichristos (antichrist), opponent of Christ; that which sets itself

in the place of Christ, which appears as Christ in opposition to

Christ, (as distinct from pseudochristos, which means rather, a false

hypocritical representative of Christ than an opponent of Him).  The

many Antichrists must be regarded not only as forerunners of the actual

Antichrist, but as attempts to realize it' (Dr. Bullinger's Lexicon).

'Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that the

antichrist (ho antichristos in the Received Text) shall come, even now

are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time'

(1 John 2:18).

This passage presupposes that there is to come some individual who

shall be The antichrist, but that he has had many forerunners.  The peculiar

association of the antichrist with 'the last time' will be better understood

when we survey such expressions.  (See Last Days, p. 416).

The Beast of Revelation is connected with politics and world rule

rather than with doctrine, although being opposed to the Advent and Reign of

the Son of God, he too necessarily denies the Deity of Christ, and His

anointing by the Father:

'Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ?  He is

antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son' (1 John 2:22).