The Man of Lawlessness
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The second chapter of 2 Thessalonians has always been riddled with difficulty for Bible students. When reading the passage it seems clear that Paul is reminding the Thessalonians about things he had previously talked about, information not recorded for us. We see this point made by Paul in verse 5, “Don’t you remember that when I was still with you I told you about this” This is a problem for us because we do not know what Paul said to the Thessalonians while he was still with them. The knowledge that the Thessalonians had concerning what Paul was talking we simply do not have. Notice what Paul says in verse 6, “And you know what currently restrains him….” Another reason why this is important to notice is that it should be clear to us that the events Paul is referring to must have been coming in the lifetimes of the Thessalonians. If not, why would Paul bother talking about these things while he was with them?
But though we do not have the information from the previous discussion Paul had with the Thessalonians, I think we can understand what Paul is talking about by relying upon the descriptions found in this text and the parallels to other known biblical passages. As with any study concerning difficult passages, let us set aside any preconceived notions about what we may think the passage is teaching and simply attempt to understand Paul’s words about the apostasy and the man of lawlessness. It is also important to state that the writing of this letter is considered to have been at approximately 54 AD.
If you have not already done so, please read the previous article “The Apostasy” before continuing with this article.
The Man of Lawlessness - understanding the word
Paul goes on to tell the Thessalonians that the man of lawlessness must also be revealed. Some of the versions translated this person as “the man of sin.” This is one and the same since “sin is lawlessness” (1 John 3:4). Paul then spends some time describing who the man of lawlessness is.
Son of destruction (vs. 3). The very next description given to the man of lawlessness is found in verse 3, “the son of destruction.” This phrase was also used as a Hebrew idiom, which can be seen in Jesus calling Judas “the son of destruction” in John 17:12. This is the only other occurrence of this phrase in the scriptures. This could be used a general description for an evil person or may speak specifically to a destructive person.
Opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship (vs. 4). The man of lawlessness is clearly described as a powerful person that elevates himself above all other so-called gods. The man of lawlessness will even call himself god and sit in God’s temple. Verse 6 tells us that there is something restraining the man of lawlessness at that time, but in due time the man of lawlessness will be revealed. Paul further says that these things are already at work (vs. 7). Once the man of lawlessness is revealed, the Lord Jesus will destroy him with the breath of His mouth and bring him to nothing.
Signs and wonders (vs. 9-11). Signs and wonders also accompany the man of lawlessness. He will use unrighteous deception and people will believe the false things he says and does. Based upon these descriptions concerning the apostasy and the man of lawlessness, we will now attempt to interpret these images. We must ask ourselves an important question to interpret these images: what two significant events would take place in the lifetimes of the Thessalonians that would fit these images and also fit the prophecy of the scriptures? I think the scriptures will reveal the answer for us.
The Man of Lawlessness - explanation
Most commentators state that the man of lawlessness is the Antichrist who causes desolation before or during the Tribulation. But is this the picture that Paul is giving? Would the man of lawlessness, being interpreted as the Antichrist that would supposedly come over 2000 years later, be relevant to the first century Thessalonians? Of course not. Nor is such an interpretation logical from the description Paul gives in 2 Thessalonians 2. Let us take the descriptions given to us and see who fits the bill.
Son of destruction. We will notice that the Romans are repeatedly called the destroyer in the scriptures. From the prophecy we quoted about the rebellion, the one performs this work is called “the desolator” (Daniel 9:27). In Revelation 17:11 we read, “The beast that was and is not, is himself the eighth, yet is of the seven and goes to destruction.�? The Greek word for “destruction” in 2 Thessalonians 2:4 is the same word used in Revelation 17:10. Both the beast and the man of lawlessness are described as destroyers.
Opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship. 2 Thessalonians 2:4 definitely sounds like the actions and attitudes of the Roman emperors. Further, this description is very easy to see repeated throughout the scriptures concerning the Roman Empire. Daniel 11:36-38, which speaks about the Romans, says: 36 “Then the king will do whatever he wants. He will exalt and magnify himself above every god, and he will say outrageous things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed, because what has been decreed will be accomplished. 37 He will not show regard for the gods of his fathers, the god longed for by women, or for any other god, because he will magnify himself above all. 38 Instead, he will honor a god of fortresses—a god his fathers did not know—with gold, silver, precious stones, and riches.”
The same description is given to the beast in Revelation 13. “A mouth was given to him to speak boasts and blasphemies. He was also given authority to act for 42 months. He began to speak blasphemies against God: to blaspheme His name and His dwelling—those who dwell in heaven” (Revelation 13:5-7).
The Bible Background Commentary points out “when Titus destroyed the temple, his soldiers desecrated the temple by paying divine honors to the insignia of Emperor Vespasian on the site of the temple” (pg. 601). This shows that the Roman emperors accepted and demanded that they be honored as gods. Again, the description of the beast in Daniel 7 and Revelation 13 is very similar to the description of the man of lawlessness.
Performs signs and wonders. Notice the description of the Romans again: 13 “He also performs great signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth before people. 14 He deceives those who live on the earth because of the signs that he is permitted to perform on behalf of the beast, telling those who live on the earth to make an image of the beast who had the sword wound yet lived. 15 He was permitted to give a spirit to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast could both speak and cause whoever would not worship the image of the beast to be killed” (Revelation 13:13-15).
Daniel prophesied in Daniel 7:25, “He will speak words against the Most High and oppress the holy ones of the Most High. He will intend to change religious festivals and laws, and the holy ones will be handed over to him for a time, times, and half a time.”
I believe it is important to see how all of these prophecies fit together and point to the same entities. The apostasy or rebellion speaks to the revolt of the Jewish people against Rome. The Romans would come in and destroy Jerusalem, destroy the temple, and offer sacrifices to emperor Vespasian. Further, the Roman emperors fulfilled the words of Paul as the man of lawlessness. Is Paul speaking of one emperor specifically? He may be or he may be speaking about the whole lot of them that were to come. Just as Revelation 17:10 speaks of the one who goes to destruction seems to point to Domitian, it is possible that Paul is calling Domitian “the man of lawlessness.” However, I tend to agree with B.B. Warfield who believes the lawless one refers to whole line of wicked emperors that raised themselves against God. Paul wrote this letter under Emperor Claudius. But the next emperor that would arise after Claudius was Nero. Nero was the beginning of the outlandish activities of the emperors and the enforcement of worship as deities.
I would encourage the reader to study my material on Daniel and Revelation to see how those prophecies also point to the rise of the Roman Empire and its persecution of the saints for not worshipping the emperors.
