{The liar} (ho pseust(8873)). The liar (with the article) _par
excellence_. Rhetorical question to sharpen the point made
already about lying in  1:6,10  2:4,21 . See  5:5  for a like
rhetorical question. {But} (ei m(885c)). Except, if not. {That
denieth that Jesus is the Christ} (ho arnoumenos hoti I(8873)ous ouk
estin ho Christos). Common Greek idiom for ouk to appear after
arneomai like redundant m(885c) in  Lu 20:27  Heb 12:19 . The old
Latin retains _non_ here as old English did (Shakespeare, _Comedy
of Errors_ IV. ii. 7, "He denied you had in him no right"). The
Cerinthian Gnostics denied the identity of the man Jesus and
Christ (an aeon, they held) like the modern Jesus or Christ
controversy. {This is the antichrist} (houtos estin ho
antichristos). The one just mentioned, Cerinthus himself in
particular. {Even he that denieth the Father and the Son} (ho
arnoumenos ton patera kai ton huion). This is the inevitable
logic of such a rejection of the Son of God. Jesus had himself
said this very same thing ( Joh 5:23f. ).