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1Jn_4:5. In chap. 1Jn_2:19, John had said of the false teachers: οὐκ εἰσὶν ἐξ ἡμῶν ; now he states from what source they spring; this is the κόσμος ; the antichristian nature in them belonged to the world, quatenus Satanas est ejus princeps (Calvin). The manifestation of life corresponds with the source of it; because they are of the world, διὰ τοῦτο ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου λαλοῦσι ; ἐκ τ . κόσμου λαλεῖν means: to speak that which the κόσμος supplies, to take the burden of their speech from the κόσμος , ex mundi vita ac sensu sermones suos promere (Bengel). This is not identical with ἐκ τῆς γῆς λαλεῖν (Joh_3:31), for ἡ γῆ is not an ethical idea like ὁ κόσμος .
καὶ ὁ κόσμος αὐτῶν ἀκούει ] The false prophets had gone out from the Church into the world, to which they inwardly belonged, and proclaimed to it a wisdom which originated in it; therefore the world heard them, i.e. gave to their words applause and assent: τῷ γὰρ ὁμοίῳ τὸ ὅμοιον προστρέχει (Oecumenius); in contrast to which believers were hated and persecuted by the world.