ACC ~ 1 John 4 v5

WHAT THEY SAY. AUGUSTINE: Those who speak for the world, you must observe, speak against love. TEN HOMILIES ON 1 JOHN 7.3.

THEY SPEAK EVIL. ANDREAS: Who are these but the heretics and Manichaeans? For they blaspheme, speaking evil words out of their evil minds. CATENA.

THE ANTICHRISTS ARE OF THE WORLD. BEDE: The antichrists are of the world, that is, they belong to those who are familiar with worldly things, who look for the lowest of the low and who turn their backs on heavenly realities. Therefore they talk like men of the world, using human reason to oppose the Christian faith, saying for example that the Son of God cannot be coeternal with the Father; that a virgin cannot give birth; that flesh cannot rise again from the dust, immortal; that a man born of the earth cannot inherit a heavenly home; that a newborn baby cannot be tainted with the guilt of original sin. … The world listens to them because they are unable to win spiritually minded hearts away from the simplicity of their faith and call them back to carnal desires. ON1 JOHN.

THE WORLD LISTENS. THEOPHYLACT: Those who teach what the world wants to hear will always find followers in it, for the perverted love each other. We on the other hand will never be accepted by them. COMMENTARY ON 1 JOHN.

1 Jn