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| Volume 26 Number 4 April 2024 |
Page 7 |
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| Volume 26 Number 4 April 2024 |
Page 7 |
Brian R. Kenyon
While studying the Book of Revelation, I noticed commentators use the terms “man of sin,” “the Antichrist” and “the beast” as if they were all interchangeable, referring to the same entity, which they usually assert is some sort of supernatural “bad guy.” It must be noted that while all “bad guys,” even in recent history, have some things in common (e.g., arrogance, deception, government backing, use of violence, etc.), similarity does not mean sameness. For example, all false teachers are not the same, but are similarly known by their fruit (Matthew 7:15-20)! In this article, we will examine what the Bible teaches about “the man of sin,” one of the major “bad guys” some put into the Book of Revelation.
Context of the “Man of Sin”
First and Second Thessalonians have more to say about the Second Coming of Christ, per capita of verses, than any other subject. Thus, it should not be surprising that the “man of sin” is mentioned in such a context (2 Thessalonians 2:3-12). Paul began that immediate context by warning the church “not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come” (2 Thessalonians 2:2 NKJV). Obviously, there were some who were putting words in Paul’s mouth or claiming by his pen that the Second Coming had already happened, which it had not and nor would anyone know when it would happen (1 Thessalonians 5:1-5). In fact, Paul declared that certain things had to happen before Christ could return. This did not mean that Christ would immediately come after those events but only that those events would have to happen before Christ could come (e.g., the destruction of Jerusalem would have to happen before the end of the world, though not immediately, Matthew 24:3-51).
Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. (2 Thessalonians 2:3-7)
Paul said there must first come a “falling away.” We do not know exactly to what that refers, but the Greek word behind it (apostasia) is from where our word “apostasy” comes. Many connect this “apostasy” to the Roman Catholic Church, but that also seems to be making similarities sameness. The Roman Catholic Church did not “crown” its first Pope until around AD 600, but Paul said the “mystery of lawlessness” was already working as he wrote (2 Thessalonians 2:6). Yes, the philosophies and seeds of Roman Catholicism (and every other false religious system) were already at work in the first century. However, Paul was not dealing with philosophies and seeds, but with a real, tangible occurrence the Thessalonians could know at the time Paul wrote.
Characteristics of the “Man of Sin”
Paul gave several descriptions for the “man of sin.” First, he was “lawless,” which means he disregarded God’s law (2 Thessalonians 2:3a, 8a). Second, he was called “the son of perdition” (2 Thessalonians 2:3b), which means he belonged to or was characterized by destruction. Like Judas, he was destined to be destroyed (John 17:12), but all by his own choosing (Acts 1:15-20). Third, he “opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God” (2 Thessalonians 2:4a), which basically means he thought and acted as if he were a sovereign deity (Daniel 11:36; 2 Corinthians 10:3-5). Fourth, he “sits as God in the temple of God” (2 Thessalonians 2:4b), which is not literal (the literal Jewish temple was in Jerusalem) but figuratively depicted the arrogant exercising of his authority, disregarding any accountability for his lawless actions, “showing himself that he is God [displaying himself as being God, NAS95]” (Ezekiel 28:2, 6, 9). Fifth, because his coming was “according to the working of Satan” (2 Thessalonians 2:9-10; Ephesians 6:12), he came “with all power, signs, and lying wonders…with all unrighteous deception.”
Only God and His servants could actually perform real miracles (Acts 2:1-12; 8:14-17; Hebrews 2:4), but there has never been a shortage of fakes who claimed to work miracles (Exodus 7:8-13; Matthew 7:23; 24:24; Revelation 13:14). The “signs” were accepted as authentic by pleasure-in-unrighteousness seekers “who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved” (2 Thessalonians 2:10). Because people love pleasure over truth, God would send them “strong delusion that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness” (2 Thessalonians 2:11-12). God “sends” them “strong delusion [working of error, ASV; deluding influence, NAS95]” in the sense that He allows some evil to run its course, and those who refuse to accept His Word are destined to destruction (Exodus 8:39; 9:12; 1 Peter 2:7-8). God will allow others to believe lies (like the “man of sin” is God) and be lost (Genesis 3:15; 1 Kings 13:1-34).
Cessation of the “Man of Sin”
Paul declared the “man of sin” would be blown away by God. After the restraining power would be taken out of the way (2 Thessalonians 2:7), “the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming” (2 Thessalonians 2:8). “Consume [slay, NAS95; kill, ESV]” (from anaireo) means to do away with, kill (Matthew 2:16; Luke 22:2); condemn to death (Acts 26:10). “Destroy [bring to an end, NAS95; bring to nothing, ESV]” (from katargeo) means to render ineffective, nullify, cancel; destroy, abolish, do away with (Romans 6:6; 1 Corinthians 13:8; 2 Timothy 1:10; Hebrews 2:14). The “man of sin” will be consumed and destroyed by the “breath of His mouth” and by the “brightness of His coming.” The word “breath [spirit, KJV]” is translated from pneuma, usually translated “spirit,” but can also mean “breath” or even “wind” (John 3:8). In the present “man of sin” context, it could mean something like even a puff of God’s breath will totally wipe out this arrogant “bad guy,” or, more likely, the will of God expressed by His Word is what will destroy the “man of sin” (Psalm 33:6; Isaiah 11:4). The “brightness of His coming” could not have referred to the Second Coming (because this age still stands, Matthew 28:20), but refers to a “coming” in judgment that will put away the “man of sin” (Isaiah 9:1; Micah 1:3; Matthew 24:29-35)!
Conclusion
The “man of sin” about whom Paul wrote is not in this world anymore (Hebrews 9:27). However, others like him will continue to rise and fall. As Paul warned the Thessalonians, let us not be led astray by the powerful deception of the devil, but let us love truth so that we can be saved and set free (John 8:31-32; Romans 1:16)!
