Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Thessalonian 2:4
Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
4. who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped ] Better, as in R. V. he that opposeth, &c.; for this is a third and distinct designation of the personality in question. Also against, in place of above. And the comma after “God” in A.V. should be cancelled; the phrase object-of-worship (a single word in the Greek, found also in Act 17:23) extends the idea of God to include everything religious: comp. 1Co 8:5, “There are that are called gods gods many and lords many.” The Man of Lawlessness embodies not merely an Anti-christian, but an Anti-theistic revolt. His aim will be to abolish religion in every existing form. This is made still clearer by the next clause.
“He that opposeth” renders the Greek word elsewhere translated the adversary, and is the equivalent of the Hebrew Satan (1Th 2:18, see note); so that the Lawless One bears the name of him “after” whose “working” he will come (2Th 2:9). He will be, therefore, in the most absolute sense, the enemy of God, concentrating in himself all that in human life and history is hostile and repugnant to the Divine nature.
For exalteth himself comp. 2Co 12:7, where the same compound verb is twice used, and is rendered “exalted-above-measure.” The above description recalls the language of Dan 8:25; Dan 11:36-37, concerning the great enemy and persecutor of the Church delineated in that prophecy: “He shall magnify himself in his heart; he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes He shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods Neither shall he regard the god of his fathers, nor any god; for he shall magnify himself above all.” (Comp. the similar language of Eze 28:2, respecting the worldly pride of Tyre.) St Paul takes up and carries forward this O.T. prediction; and as the figure sketched in the Book of Daniel found its proximate realisation in the heathen tyrant Antiochus Epiphanes, who defiled the Temple at Jerusalem and attempted to crush the Jewish religion, it is along the same line that we must look for the accomplishment of this prophecy. In the words that follow we are carried, however, beyond the horizon of the Book of Daniel.
so that he as God sitteth, &c.] Omit as God (R. V.) More lit., in the Greek order, so that he in the temple of God takes his seat, showing off himself, to the effect that he is God.
So that the Man of Lawlessness will not only seek to abolish Divine worship, but will substitute for it the worship of himself (see the passages quoted from Daniel, p. 144), declaring his rule the supreme power and exhibiting his person to receive in place of Almighty God the reverence of mankind. Such atheism is, after all, but egotism full-blown, the kind of egotism to which men are tempted who have great power over the minds of their fellows.
The deification of the Roman Emperors suggested this trait of the description. Never has the world witnessed so blasphemous a usurpation, and so abject a prostration of the human spirit as the Csar-worship of St Paul’s time the only real religion now left to Rome. This passage reflects the horror inspired by it in the mind of the Apostle. So far-reaching was the impression produced by the Emperor-worship, that Tacitus represents the German barbarians as speaking in ridicule of ille inter numina dicatus Augustus “Augustus, forsooth, enrolled amongst the gods!” ( Annals, I. 59). The destructive effect which this cultus had on what remained of natural religion in the rites of Paganism is indicated by the pregnant words of Tacitus ( Annals, I. 10): Nihil deorum honoribus relictum, cum se templis et effigie numinum per flamines et sacerdotes coli vellet “The gods were stripped of their honours, when he (Augustus) consented to be worshipped with temples and statues as a deity, with flamens and with priests.” Compare the words of Suetonius referring to Julius Csar, with whom the deification of the dead Csars began: “Omnia simul ei divina atque humana decreverat (senatus) Periit sexto et quinquagesimo aetatis anno atque in deorum numerum relatus est, non ore modo decernentium, sed et persuasione volgi” ( De vita Caesarum, I. 84, 88). The unconscious irony of the last sentence is finely pointed by the exclamation ascribed to the dying Emperor Vespasian (VIII. 23): Vae, puto deus fio! “Woe’s me! I think I am turning god!” The shout of the Greek populace at Csarea, hailing “the voice” of Herod Agrippa as that “of a god and not of a man,” indicates the lengths to which a corrupt and servile heathenism was prepared to go in this direction (Act 12:20-24). Deep and wide-spread was the execration caused by the attempt of the mad Emperor Caius (Caligula), in the year 40, to place his statue in the Jewish Temple, an attempt only frustrated by the perpetrator’s death. This was a typical event, showing of what the intoxication of supreme power might make a man capable. It was but the last of many similar outrages on “every so-called god.” Amongst other monstrous profanities of Caligula, Suetonius relates (IV. 22) that he transported the statue of Olympian Jupiter to Rome, and put his own head upon it in place of the god’s! Also, that he built his palace up to the Temple of the ancient Roman gods. Castor and Pollux, making of it a kind of vestibule, where he exhibited himself standing between their twin godships for the adoration of those who entered. Even this, as Olshausen remarks, was “modesty” compared to what the Apostle ascribes to Antichrist. The very name Sebastos, the Greek rendering of the Imperial title Augustus to which Divus was added at death signifying “the one to be worshipped” (comp. sebasma, “object-of-worship, in the previous clause), was an offence to the religious mind. In later times the offering of incense to the deity of the Emperor became the crucial test of fidelity to Christ. Csar or Christ was the martyr’s alternative.
When he speaks of “the temple of God,” without other qualification, St Paul appears to refer to the existing Temple of Jerusalem (comp. Dan 11:31; Dan 12:11, cited by our Lord in Mat 24:15; Mar 13:14). Attempts have been made to show that the Apostle’s words were literally fulfilled by certain outrages committed by Nero or Vespasian upon the sacred building. This does not seem to us clearly made out; and it will be evident from what has been said, that even the worst of the Roman Emperors was only a type, or adumbration of the Antichrist. The Jewish Temple being still, while it stood, God’s holy place, St Paul naturally associates with it this crowning act of profanation. But we have learnt from 1Th 2:16 that he believed national Judaism to be immediately coming to an end; and its Temple was the type and representative of all places consecrated to the worship of the true God. The great Usurper who claims for himself that he “is God,” appropriates consequently the sanctuaries of religion and prostitutes them to his own worship. “ Within the temple of God not in Jerusalem alone,” says Chrysostom, “but in every church.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Who opposeth – That is, he is distinguished as an opposer of the great system which God has revealed for human salvation, and of those who would serve God in purity in the gospel of his Son. No Protestant will doubt that this has been the character of the papacy. The opposition of the general system to the gospel; the persecution of Wycliffe, of John Huss, of Jerome of Prague, of the Waldenses and the Reformers; the Inquisition, the cruelties in the reign of Mary (Queen of Scots), and the massacre of Bartholomew in France, are obvious illustrations of this.
And exalteth himself above all that is called God – That is, whether among the pagans or the Jews; above a false God, or the true God. This could be true only of one who set aside the divine laws; who undertook to legislate where God only has a right to legislate, and whose legislation was contrary to that of God. Any claim of a dominion over conscience; or any arrangement to set aside the divine laws, and to render them nugatory, would correspond with what is implied in this description. It cannot be supposed that any one would openly claim to be superior to God, but the sense must be, that the enactments and ordinances of the man of sin would pertain to the province in which God only can legislate, and that the ordinances made by him would be such as to render nugatory the divine laws, by appointing others in their place. No one can reasonably doubt that all that is here affirmed may be found in the claims of the Pope of Rome. The assumptions of the papacy have related to the following things:
(1) To authority above all the inferior orders of the priesthood – above all pastors, bishops, and primates.
(2) Authority above all kings and emperors, deposing some, and advancing others, obliging them to prostrate themselves before him, to kiss his toe, to hold his stirrup, to wait barefooted at his gate, treading even upon the neck, and kicking off the imperial crown with his foot – Newton. Thus, Gregory VII made Henry IV wait barefooted at his gate. Thus, Alexander III trod upon the neck of Alexander I. Thus, Celestin kicked off the imperial crown of Henry VI. Thus, the right was claimed, and asserted, of laying nations under interdict, of deposing kings, and of absolving their subjects from their oaths of allegiance. And thus the Pope claimed the right over all unknown lands that might be discovered by Columbus, and apportioned the New World as he pleased – in all these things claiming prerogatives which can pertain only to God.
(3) To authority over the conscience, in matters which can pertain only to God himself, and where he only can legislate. Thus, it has been, and is, one of the claims set up for the Pope that he is infallible. Thus, he forbids what God has commanded, as the marriage of the clergy, communion in both kinds, the use of the Scriptures for the common people. Thus, he has set aside the second commandment by the appointment of image-worship; and thus he claims the power of the forgiveness of sins. Multitudes of things which Christ allows his people are forbidden by the papacy, and many things are enjoined, or allowed, directly contrary to the divine legislation.
Or that is worshipped – sebasma. This word means an object of worship; see Act 17:3, where it is rendered devotions. It may be applied to the worship of a pagan divinity, or of the true God. It may refer to a person, an idol, or a place. Probably Paul refers here to the heroes and other subordinate divinities of the heathen mythology – Oldshausen. No one can doubt that the Pope has claimed higher honors, as the vicegerent of Christ, than was ever rendered in the ancient hero worship.
So that he, as God – That is, claiming the honors due to God. This expression would not imply that he actually claimed to be the true God, but only that he sits in the temple, and manifests himself as if he were God. He claims such honors and such reverence as the true God would if he should appear in human form. It should be observed here, however, that there is much reason to doubt the genuineness of this phrase – as God – hos Theon. Mill supposes that it was inserted from the context. It is marked with an asterisk in the Vulgate, the Coptic, and the Syriac, and is omitted by many of the fathers; see Mill and Wetstein. It is rejected by Griesbach and Lachmann, and marked as doubtful by Hahn. It is defended, however, by Matthaei, Koppe, Knapp, and Schott. The sense is not materially affected whether it be regarded as genuine or not.
Sitteth in the temple of God – That is, in the Christian church. It is by no means necessary to understand this of the temple at Jerusalem, which was standing at the time this Epistle was written, because:
(1) The phrase the temple of God is several times used with reference to the Christian church, 1Co 3:16, 1Co 3:17; 2Co 6:16; Eph 2:21; Rev 3:12; and,
(2) The temple was the proper symbol of the church, and an apostle trained amidst the Hebrew institutions would naturally speak of the church as the temple of God. The temple at Jerusalem was regarded as the peculiar dwelling-place of God on earth. When the Christian church was founded, it was spoken of as the peculiar dwelling-place of God; see the passages referred to above. He dwelt among His people. He was with them, and walked with them, and manifested himself among them – as he had done in the ancient temple. The usage in the New Testament would not lead us to restrict this language to an edifice, or a church, as the word is now commonly used, but rather to suppose that it denotes the church as a society, and the idea is, that the Antichrist here referred to would present himself in the midst of that church as claiming the honors due to God alone. In the temple at Jerusalem, God himself presided. There he gave laws to his people; there he manifested himself as God; and there he was worshipped. The reign of the man of sin would be as if he should sit there. In the Christian church he would usurp the place which God had occupied in the temple. He would claim divine attributes and homage. He would give laws and responses as God did there. He would be regarded as the head of all ecclesiastical power; the source from which all authority emanated; the same in the Christian church which God himself was in the temple. This does not then refer primarily to the Pope as sitting in any particular church on any particular occasion, but to his claiming in the Church of Christ the authority and homage which God had in the temple at Jerusalem. In whatever place, whether in a cathedral or elsewhere, this authority should be exercised, all that the language here conveys would be fulfilled. No one can fail to see that the authority claimed by the Pope of Rome, meets the full force of the language used here by the apostle.
Showing himself that he is God – This does not necessarily mean that he actually, in so many words, claimed to be God; but that he usurped the place of God, and claimed the prerogatives of God. If the names of God are given to him, or are claimed by him; if he receives the honors due to God; if he asserts a dominion like that of God, then all that the language fairly implies will be fulfilled. The following expressions, applied to the Pope of Rome by Catholic writers, without any rebuke from the papacy, will show how entirely applicable this is to the pretended Head of the Church. He has been styled Our Lord God the Pope; another God upon earth; king of kings and lord of lords. The same is the dominion of God and the Pope. To believe that our Lord God the Pope might not decree as he decreed is heresy. The power of the Pope is greater than all created power, and extends itself to things celestial, terrestrial, and infernal. The Pope doeth whatsoever he listeth, even things unlawful, and is more than God; see the authority for these extraordinary declarations in Dr. Newton book on the Prophecies, Dissertations xxii. How can it be doubted that the reference here is to the papacy? Language could not be plainer, and it is not possible to conceive that anything can ever occur which would furnish a more manifest fulfillment of this prophecy. Indeed, interpreted by the claims of the papacy, it stands among the very clearest of all the predictions in the Sacred Scriptures.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
2Th 2:4
Who opposeth and exalteth Himself above all that is called God?
Antichrist
I. As opposite to Christ. Christ is the true Head and Lord of the Church (Act 10:36). That which is most remarkable in Christ, and should be in all His followers, is humility (Mat 20:28); 2Co 8:9). This is the grace recommended to His disciples (Mat 11:29); not especially to His ministers (Mat 20:25-26; Luk 22:26). Dominion is allowed in the civil state, for there it is necessary; but preeminence is the bane of the Church (1 John 9). The apostles everywhere disclaim lordship (2Co 1:24; 1Pe 5:31); and if they would not assume lordship, who may? Now in the Pope pride is conspicuous. See his progress: from the chief presbyter, a bishop over many presbyters in the same city; then a metropolitan over many bishops in one province; then a patriarch over many provinces; then universal bishop; then the only shepherd and bishop, and others but his substitutes. But yet exalting himself farther, he challengeth all power in heaven and earth. And the like is practised by his followers. From private priests they grow up into some prelature, as archdeacons, deans; then a bishopric; then a better and richer; then archbishops, cardinals; then pope.
II. The instances of his pride.
1. His exalting himself above all human powers.
(1) That which is called God, i.e., magistrates, etc. (Psa 77:1; Psa 77:6; cf. Joh 10:34-35). God hath clothed such with His honour, so far as He has put His name upon them, as being His vice-gerents. Even this Antichrist exalts himself.
(2) Or is worshipped. The Greek is whatever is held in the highest degree of reverence, whatever is august or illustrious, as the Emperors of Rome were called Sebastoi (Act 25:21). Antichrist exalts himself not only over magistrates but kings and emperors; no less than twenty have been trampled upon by the Pope.
2. His usurpation of Divine honours.
(1) The usurpation itself, He sitteth as God, etc. (1Co 3:16-17). The temple of God is the Church (2Co 6:16). But is the Church of Rome the Church of Christ? It was before it was perverted and retains some relic of a Church, mangled as it is. In this temple of God the Pope sits, it is his sedes, cathedral, seat, whereas other princes are said to reign. And, again, he sits as God incarnate, for Christ is the true Lord of the Church; his name is not Antitheos, but Antichristos; not one who invades the properties of the Supreme, but those of the Mediator–
(a) By usurping the titles of Christ, as Husband of the Church; Head of the Church; Chief Pastor (Peter 5:4); pontifex maximus, greatest High Priest (Heb 3:1; Heb 4:14); so His vicar-general upon earth, whereas the ancient Church gave this to the Holy Ghost.
(b) By usurping the thing implied in the titles–authority over the Church, which is due alone to God incarnate. Supreme authority may be considered as to, First, the claim and right pretended. By virtue of his office in the temple of God he claims the same power as Christ has, which is fourfold.
(i.) An unlimited power over things in heaven and earth. This was given to Christ (Mat 28:18), and the Pope as his vicar challenges it; but to set up himself as a vice-god without warrant is rebellion against Christ.
(ii.) Universal headship and supremacy over all the Churches of Christ. This is Christs right, and whoever challenges it sits as God in His temple. To exercise this power is impossible, and to claim it is sacrilegious, for none is fit for it but such as is God as well as man.
(iii.) Absolute authority so as to be above control. Such a sovereignty belongs to none but God (Job 9:12), yet the Pope is said to be above all law.
(iv.) Infallibility and freedom from error, which is the sole property of God; what blasphemy to attribute it to man! Second, as to the exercise, there are two acts of supreme authority: Legislation, which is the peculiar and incommunicable property of Christ (Isa 33:22; Jam 4:12), they, therefore, who make laws to bind the conscience invade Christs sovereignty. Judgment. The Pope exercises an authority no less than Divine when he absolves man from his duty to God, or the penalty which sin has made due, which he does by dispensation and by indulgence. Bellarmine says that Christ has given Peter and his successors a power to make sin to be no sin, and that if the Pope should err in forbidding virtues and commanding vices, the Church were bound to believe vices to be good and virtues evil. And as to indulgences, to pardon sin before it is committed is to give licence to sin.
(2) The degree of this usurpation, showing himself that he is God: that is meant not of what he professes in word, but what he doth in deed. He shows himself that he is God.
(a) By accepting Antichrists disciples, who call him our Lord God the Pope, and who say that he has the same tribunal with Christ, that from him no appeals are to be made even to God, that his words ex cathedra are equal to Scripture, and much more. Now to accept these flatteries is to show himself that he is God.
(b) By weilding Divine prerogatives, arrogating the right to be lord of conscience, to determine what is to be believed, and pardoning sins.
III. Uses:
1. To give a clear discovery where to find Antichrist: every tittle of this is fulfilled in the bishop of Rome.
2. To show us how things should be carried in the true and reformed Christianity.
(1) With such meekness that our religion may be known to be that of the Crucified. Pride and ambition have been the cause of all the disorders of the Church.
(2) With obedience to magistrates, which is the opposite of Antichristianity (Rom 13:1; 1Pe 2:18; 2Pe 2:10).
(3) What a wickedness it is to usurp Divine honours (Act 3:12). (T. Manton, D. D.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 4. Who opposeth and exalteth] He stands against and exalts himself above all Divine authority, and above every object of adoration, and every institution relative to Divine worship, , himself being the source, whence must originate all the doctrines of religion, and all its rites and ceremonies; so that sitting in the temple of God-having the highest place and authority in the Christian Church, he acts as Godtaking upon himself God’s titles and attributes, and arrogating to himself the authority that belongs to the Most High.
The words , as God, are wanting in ABD, many others, Erpen’s Arabic, the Coptic, Sahidic, AEthiopic, Armenian, the Vulgate, some copies of the Itala, and the chief of the Greek fathers. Griesbach has left them out of the text, and Professor White says, Certissime delenda; “They should most certainly be erased.” There is indeed no evidence of their being authentic, and the text reads much better with out them: So that he sitteth in the temple of God, &c.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
A further description of this man of sin, by his opposition and exaltation.
Who opposeth; or, , the opposer; or rather, opposing, expressed in the participle of the present tense, denoting a continued act, or that which he bends himself strongly to. But against what? The same that he exalteth himself above, as some conceive; but the grammar will not well admit that sense, and we should not so restrain it; and therefore we will take the word indefinitely, as expressed in the text. But we may well conceive, it is Christ himself whom he opposeth; as his name given him by the apostle John doth evidence, when he is called antichrist, or the antichrist, one that is against Christ; not that he openly and professedly opposeth him, but as Judas kissed his Master, and betrayed him: see those that have written of antichrist, as Philip Nicholas, Whitaker, Danaeuns, Chamier, Moulin, Junius, &c. It is iniquity in a mystery. He serveth Christ, but it is to serve himself upon him. He acknowledgeth him in all his offices, and yet doth virtually deny and oppose him in them all: called antichrist, as opposite to the unction of Christ: Christ signifies anointed, and so he opposeth him in the offices to which he is anointed, while he owns his natures. He professeth himself a “servant of the servants of God,” and yet persecutes, curseth, proscribes, and killeth them, opposing Christ in his members. He maketh war with the saints, Rev 13:7. He hath two horus like a lamb, and speaks as a dragon, 2Th 2:11; speaks lies in hypocrisy, 1Ti 4:2. And then he is described by his exaltation; , exalted, which is well supplied, he exalteth himself: it is not from God. He
exalteth himself, or lifteth himself,
above all that is called God, though not really and essentially God. The apostle well knew that in the Old Testament magistrates were called gods, Psa 82:1,6; and 1Co 8:5; There be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth. Magistrates and rulers are of several degrees; some inferior, some superior; some supreme, as kings and emperors; but he exalteth himself above them all, and that not only in spirituals, by excommunications, but in civils, by deposing kings, disposing kingdoms, yea, making emperors to wait at his gate, hold his stirrup, prostrate themselves to kiss his toe, and then to tread upon their neck, as Alexander the Third did to Frederic Barbarossa; and this not condemned as the extravagancy of some particular persons, but allowed and justified by the doctrine and doctors of the Romish Church. And Bellarmine, de Rom. Pont. lib. 5. c. 8, gives it as the reason why the pope would not come to the council of Nice, lest if the emperor should come thither he should attempt to sit above him. So that by these two words in the text, the apostle describes him both in his enmity and pride, opposition and exaltation. Observe, first: He assumeth to himself a higher power than those that are only called gods; theirs is human, his is Divine; theirs on the bodies or estates of men, his over the conscience; theirs only to the living, his to mens souls after death. Next, he makes himself like God, and is
as God, as the king of old Babylon said, I will be like the Most High, Isa 14:14. As Gods residence of old was in the temple of Jerusalem, so he, as God, sitteth in the temple of God: not that temple that was built by Solomon, and afterwards rebuilt, and to be built again, as the popish doctors speak: for it is now destroyed, and if it be built again by this man of sin, as they say, at his coming, would the apostle call that
the temple of God? 2Co 6:16; Rev 3:12, &c. But it is a spiritual temple, as the church is called, 1Co 3:16,17. So Augustine, Jerome, Hilary, Chrysostom, understand it. And he is said here to sit, to have here his cathedra. The apostle speaks of him as a bishop, whose episcopal see is called a seat, or cathedra; and here he sitteth as God: the popish writers give the pope that and suchlike titles, Dominus Deus noster Papa, Idem est Dominium Dei et Papae, Tu es alter Deus in Terra, ” Thou art another God on earth.” Concil. Later. sess. 4. And as God he maketh laws to bind the conscience, and dispenseth with laws natural and moral; pardons sin as he pleaseth, past, present, and to come; can deliver souls out of purgatory, and translate them to heaven: so that this man of sin is not to be looked for among the Turks, pagans, or infidels. He
sitteth in the temple, the church, of God; not that it can be the true church where he thus sitteth and acteth, but rather the synagogue of Satan; but that which he calleth so, and which beareth that name, and which before the falling away was really so, Rom 1:8. As Jerusalem is called the holy city after it had lost its holiness, Mat 4:5; and the faithful city, when become an harlot, Isa 1:21; and Mount Tabor a holy mount, 2Pe 1:18; because once so: or called so according to mens opinion; as idols, that are nothing, are yet called gods, 2Ch 28:23; 1Co 8:5. Some read the words, , in templum Dei, as we say, in amicum, i.e. velut amicus, he sitteth for the temple of God, as if he himself was the temple and church of God. So Aug. de Civ. Dei, lib. 20. c. 19. And so some of our protestant writers, applying it to the pope, who, as the head of the church, hath the whole church virtually in himself, and doth exercise all church power.
Showing himself that he is God; not saying it with his mouth, as CEcumenius saith, but making such a show before men; though Bellarmine interprets it of an open boasting and vaunting himself to be God, which, saith he, the pope doth not; but by pretended miracles, signs, and wonders, by pardons, indulgences, canonizing saints, dominion over princes and kingdoms, he shows himself as a God before men, and claimns a power to be judged of no man, and to be judge of all men. A seculari potestate non solvi posse nec ligari pontificem, quem constat a Constantino Deum appellatum, cum nee Deum ab hominibus judicari manifestum sit. Decret. distinct. 96. c. 7. Yea, lastly, he exalteth himself above God himself, when he maketh the Scriptures to derive their authority more from the popes canonizing, than God himself; and without it no man is bound to believe them. Decret. lib. 2 Tit 23 Again: If the pope should err by commanding vice and forbidding virtue, the church was bound to believe vice to be good and virtue to be evil. Bellarm. lib. 4. de Summo Pont. c. 5. And it is frequent among their divines and canonists to say, that the pope can dispense against the apostles and the Old Testament, and the Scriptures are inferior to his decrees, and without the authority of the church are a nose of wax, paper, and parchment, &c.; so that upon the whole, as Johns disciples asked concerning Christ: Art thou he that should come, or must we look for another? So, may we not say to the pope concerning antichrist: Art thou he, &c.? I will speak boldly, either there is no antichrist, or the bishop of Rome is he. Chamier. 1.16. c. 8.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
4. Dan 11:36;Dan 11:37 is here referred to.The words used there as to Antiochus Epiphanes, Paul implies, shalleven be more applicable to the man of sin, who is the New Testamentactual Antichrist, as Antiochus was the Old Testament typicalAntichrist. The previous world kingdoms had each one extraordinaryperson as its representative head and embodiment (thus Babylon hadNebuchadnezzar, Da 2:38, end;Medo-Persia had Cyrus; Greece had Alexander, and Antiochus Epiphanes,the forerunner of Antichrist); so the fourth and last world kingdom,under which we now live, shall have one final head, the concentratedembodiment of all the sin and lawless iniquity whichhave been in pagan and papal Rome. Rome’s final phase will probablybe an unholy alliance between idolatrous superstition and godlessinfidelity.
Who opposeth and exaltethhimselfThere is but one Greek article to bothparticiples, implying that the reason why he opposeth himselfis in order that he may exalt himself above, c. ALFORDtakes the former clause absolutely, “He that withstands(CHRIST),” that is,Antichrist (1Jo 2:18). As atthe conclusion of the Old Testament period, Israel apostate allieditself with the heathen world power against Jesus and His apostles(Lu 23:12 and at Thessalonica,Ac 17:5-9), and was inrighteous retribution punished by the instrumentality of the worldpower itself (Jerusalem being destroyed by Rome), Dan 9:26;Dan 9:27; so the degenerateChurch (become an “harlot”), allying itself with thegodless world power (the “beast” of Revelation) againstvital religion (that is, the harlot sitting on the beast), shall bejudged by that world power which shall be finally embodied inAntichrist (Zec 13:8; Zec 13:9;Zec 14:2; Rev 17:16;Rev 17:17). In this earlyEpistle, the apostate Jewish Church as the harlot, and pagan Rome asthe beast, form the historical background on which Paul draws hisprophetic sketch of the apostasy. In the Pastoral Epistles, whichwere later, this prophecy appears in connection with Gnosticism,which had at that time infected the Church. The harlot (the apostateChurch) is first to be judged by the beast (the world power) and itskings (Re 17:16); andafterwards the beasts and their allies (with the personal Antichristat their head, who seems to rise after the judgment on the harlot, orapostate Church) shall be judged by the coming of Jesus Himself (Re19:20). Anti-Christian tendencies produce different Antichrists:these separate Antichrists shall hereafter find their consummation inan individual exceeding them all in the intensity of his evilcharacter [AUBERLEN]. Butjudgment soon overtakes him. He is necessarily a child of death,immediately after his ascent as the beast out of thebottomless pit going into perdition (Rev 17:8;Rev 17:11). Idolatry of self,spiritual pride, and rebellion against God, are hischaracteristics; as Christ-worship, humility, and dependenceon God, characterize Christianity. He not merely assumesChrist’s character (as the “false Christs,” Mt24:24), but “opposes” Christ. The Greekimplies one situated on an opposite side (compare 1Jn 2:22;2Jn 1:7). One who, on thedestruction of every religion, shall seek to establish his ownthrone, and for God’s great truth, “God is man,” tosubstitute his own lie, “Man is God” [TRENCH].
above all that is called God(1Co 8:5). The Pope (forinstance, Clement VI) has even commanded the angels to admit intoParadise, without the alleged pains of purgatory, certain souls. Butstill this is only a foreshadowing of the Antichrist, who will not,as the Pope, act in God’s name, but against God.
or that is worshippedRomehere again gives a presage of Antichrist. The Greek isSebasma; and Sebastus is the Greek for Augustus,who was worshipped as the secular ruler and divine vicegerent. Thepapacy has risen on the overthrow of Csar’s power.Antichrist shall exalt himself above every object of worship,whether on earth as the Csar, or in heaven as God. The variousprefigurations of Antichrist, Mohammed, Rome, Napoleon, and moderninfidel secularism, contain only some, not all, hischaracteristics. It is the union of all in some one person that shallform the full Antichrist, as the union in one Person, Jesus, of allthe types and prophecies constituted the full Christ [OLSHAUSEN].
in the temple of God . . .that he is God“He will reign a time, times, and half atime” (Da 7:25), that is,three and a half years, and will sit in the temple at Jerusalem:then the Lord shall come from heaven and cast him into the take offire and shall bring to the saints the times of their reigning, theseventh day of hallowed rest, and give to Abraham the promisedinheritance” [IRENUS,Against Heresies, 30.4].
showing himselfwithblasphemous and arrogant DISPLAY(compare a type, Ac12:21-23). The earliest Fathers unanimously looked for a personalAntichrist. Two objections exist to Romanism being regarded theAntichrist, though probably Romanism will leave its culminationin him: (1) So far is Romanism from opposing all that is calledGod, that adoration of gods and lords many (the Virgin Mary andsaints) is a leading feature in it; (2) the papacy has existed formore than twelve centuries, and yet Christ is not come, whereas theprophecy regards the final Antichrist as short-lived, and soon goingto perdition through the coming of Christ (Rev 17:8;Rev 17:11). Gregory the Greatdeclared against the patriarch of Constantinople, that whosoevershould assume the title of “universal bishop” would be “theforerunner of Antichrist.” The papacy fulfilled this hisundesigned prophecy. The Pope has been called by his followers, “OurLord God the Pope”; and at his inauguration in St. Peter’s,seated in his chair upon the high altar, which is treated as hisfootstool, he has vividly foreshadowed him who “exalteth himselfabove all that is called God.” An objection fatal tointerpreting the temple of God here as the Church(1Co 3:16; 1Co 3:17;1Co 6:19) is, the apostle wouldnever designate the apostate anti-Christian Church “thetemple of God.” It is likely that, as Messiah wasrevealed among the Jews at Jerusalem, so Antimessiah shall appearamong them when restored to their own land, and after they haverebuilt their temple at Jerusalem. Thus Dan 11:41;Dan 11:45 (see on Da11:41; Da 11:45), corresponds,”He shall enter the glorious land (Judea), and he shall plantthe tabernacles of his palaces between the seas in the gloriousholy mountain“; and then (Da12:1) “Michael, the great prince, shall stand up” todeliver God’s people. Compare Note, see on Da9:26, 27. Also the king of Assyria, type of Antichrist (Isa14:12-14). “Lucifer” (a title of Messiah, assumed byAntichrist, Re 22:16); “Iwill exalt my throne above the stars of God.” “I will situpon the mount of the congregation (that is, God’s place ofmeeting His people of old, the temple), in the sides of the north(Ps 48:2); I will be like theMost High.” Rev 11:1;Rev 11:2, “The temple of God. . . the holy city” (namely, Jerusalem, Mt4:5), compare Psa 68:18;Psa 68:29, referring to a periodsince Christ’s ascension, therefore not yet fulfilled (Isa 2:1-3;Eze 40:1-44; Zec 14:16-20;Mal 3:1). “In the temple ofGod,” implies that it an internal, not an external, enemywhich shall assail the Church. Antichrist shall, the first three anda half years of the prophetical week, keep the covenant, then breakit and usurp divine honors in the midst of the week. Some thinkAntichrist will be a Jew. At all events he will, “byflatteries,” bring many, not only of the Gentiles, but also of”the tribes” of Israel (so the Greek for “kindreds,”Rev 11:8; Rev 11:9),to own him as their long-looked-for Messiah, in the same “citywhere our Lord was crucified.” “Sitteth” here implieshis occupying the place of power and majesty in opposition to Him who”sitteth on the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Heb1:3), and who shall come to “sit” there where theusurper had sat (Mt 26:64).See on Da 9:27; Rev 11:2;Rev 11:3; Rev 11:9;Rev 11:11. Compare Eze 38:2;Eze 38:3; Eze 38:6;Eze 38:9; Eze 38:10;Eze 38:13; Eze 38:14;Eze 38:16, as to Tyre, the typeof Antichrist, characterized by similar blasphemous arrogance.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Who opposeth,…. Or is an opposer, an adversary of Christ, the antichrist; who opposes him in his kingly office, styling himself the head and spouse of the church, assuming to himself all power in heaven and in earth, taking upon him to dispense with the laws of Christ, and to make new ones; who opposes him in his priestly office, by pretending to offer him up again in the sacrifice of the mass, and by making angels and saints departed, intercessors and advocates; and also in his prophetic office, by teaching for doctrines the commandments of men, and setting up unwritten traditions before the word of God, requiring the worshipping of images, angels, and saints, when Christ requires that the Lord God only should be worshipped and served; and by introducing the doctrine of works and of merit instead of grace, and with a multitude of other things, in which he most manifestly appears to be diametrically opposite and contrary to Christ:
and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped. The Syriac version renders the last clause,
, “and religion”; and the Greek word does signify religion, worship, or devotion, as it is translated, in Ac 17:23 but here the act of worship is put for the object, and is rightly rendered, “or that which is worshipped”; as it is in the Vulgate Latin version, and in the Arabic version, “or that which is to be worshipped”; and it was usual with the Jews to call God the object of worship, by the name of worship itself, and by which they used to swear: it is said c of R. Benjamin the just, that he was appointed over the alms chest; one time a woman came to him and said, Rabbi, relieve me; he replied to her, , “by the worship” (that is, by God who is worshipped) there is nothing in the alms chest: and elsewhere d it is said by one, concerning two that were fatherless, for whom the collectors of alms gathered, , “by the worship”, they go before my daughter: and a little after, , “by the worship”, these things are holy to thee; where the gloss says, it is an oath: and so here the word is to be understood of Deity itself; and the meaning is, that antichrist would exalt himself above all the gods of the Gentiles, who are only nominally, and not by nature, gods; to these were ascribed, some one thing, to some another; one had the government of heaven, another of hell, another of the seas, and an other of the winds, c. but this haughty creature antichrist assumes to himself all power, both in heaven, earth, and hell. Angels are sometimes called gods, Ps 8:4 because they are sent of God, and sometimes represent him the popes of Rome have exalted themselves above these; Pope Clement VI. proclaimed a jubilee, and promised forgiveness of sins to all that should come to Rome; and in his bull for it says, that
“if any that was confessed should die by the way, he should be free from all his sins; “and we do command the angels”, that they take such a soul out of purgatory entirely absolved, and introduce it into the glory of paradise:”
and in a manuscript in the library at Helmsted are these words,
“we command the angels that they carry such a soul into Abraham’s bosom, as soon as it has left the body:”
kings and civil magistrates are called gods, Ps 82:6 and this monster of iniquity and firstborn of Satan, the popes of Rome, have exalted themselves above these; they have not only took upon them to excommunicate emperors and kings, but to depose them, and take away their crowns from them, and give their kingdoms to others, and absolve their subjects from allegiance and fidelity to them; an emperor has held a pope’s stirrup while he alighted from his horse, and was severely reprimanded for holding the left instead of the right stirrup; and the same emperor held another pope’s stirrup while he got on his horse, and who set his foot upon his neck when he absolved him, being before excommunicated by him, using these words in Ps 91:13 “thou shall tread upon the lion”, c. An emperor and an empress waited at a pope’s gates three days barefoot another emperor and empress were crowned by the Pope with his feet; he took the crown with his feet, and, they bowing down, put it upon their heads, and then kicked it off; and one of our own kings resigned his crown and the ensigns of his royalty to the Pope’s legate, who kept them five days; and when he offered a sum of money to the legate as an earnest of his subjection, to show his master’s grandeur, he spurned at it; a king was thrown under a pope’s table to lick the bones like a dog, while he was eating: so truly has this passage had its accomplishment in that impious and insolent set of men. Rome is by the Jewish e writers called “Magdiel”, which signifies “magnifying itself”; the reason is, , “because it magnifies itself” above all these f; that is, above all kingdoms and states: but what is worse, and most dreadfully blasphemous, follows,
so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God; not in the temple of Jerusalem, which was to be destroyed and never to be rebuilt more, and was destroyed before this man of sin was revealed; but in the church of God, so called, 1Co 3:16 the Ethiopic version renders it, “in the house of God”; for antichrist rose up out of, and in the midst of the church; and it was a true church in which he first appeared, and over which he usurped power and authority; though it has been so corrupted by him, as now to be only nominally so; here he sits, and has homage done him by his creatures, as if he was a god, and is not only styled Christ’s vicar, but a god on earth, and our Lord God the Pope; so in the triumphal arch at the entry of Pope Sixtus IV, these lines were put, “oraculo vocis, mundi moderaris habenas, et merito in terris crederis esse Dens”; the sense is, that he governed the world by his word, and was deservedly believed to be God on earth; and their canon law g says,
“it is clearly enough shown, that the Pope cannot be loosed or bound by any secular power; since it is evident that he is called God by that pious prince, Constantine, and it is manifest that God cannot be judged by men:”
and Pope John XXII is expressly called h “our Lord God the Pope”: the Ethiopic version reads, “he shall say to all, I am the Lord God”; see Eze 28:2, the Alexandrian copy, and some others, and the Vulgate Latin version, leave out the phrase, “as God”, but the Syriac retains it: however, the same blasphemy is expressed in the next clause,
shewing himself that he is God; by usurping a power over the consciences and souls of men; by dispensing with the laws of God and man; by assuming to himself all power in heaven and in earth; by taking upon him to open and shut the gates of heaven at pleasure; and by pardoning sin, which none but God can do; this is the mouth speaking blasphemies, Re 13:5.
c T. Bab. Bava Bathra, fol. 11. 1. d T. Bab. Taanith, fol. 24. 1. e Jarchi in Gen. xxxvi. 43. f Abarbinel in Dan. fol. 42. 3. g Gratian. Decret. dist. 96. can. “satis”. h Extrarag. “cum inter”.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
| Apostasy Foretold. | A. D. 52. |
3 –For that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. 5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? 6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
In these words the apostle confutes the error against which he had cautioned them, and gives the reasons why they should not expect the coming of Christ as just at hand. There were several events previous to the second coming of Christ; in particular, he tells them there would be,
I. A general apostasy, there would come a falling away first, v. 3. By this apostasy we are not to understand a defection in the state, or from civil government, but in spiritual or religious matters, from sound doctrine, instituted worship and church government, and a holy life. The apostle speaks of some very great apostasy, not only of some converted Jews or Gentiles, but such as should be very general, though gradual, and should give occasion to the revelation of rise of antichrist, that man of sin. This, he says (v. 5), he had told them of when he was with them, with design, no doubt, that they should not take offence nor be stumbled at it. And let us observe that no sooner was Christianity planted and rooted in the world than there began to be a defection in the Christian church. It was so in the Old-Testament church; presently after any considerable advance made in religion there followed a defection: soon after the promise there was revolting; for example, soon after men began to call upon the name of the Lord all flesh corrupted their way,–soon after the covenant with Noah the Babel-builders bade defiance to heaven,–soon after the covenant with Abraham his seed degenerated in Egypt,–soon after the Israelites were planted in Canaan, when the first generation was worn off, they forsook God and served Baal,–soon after God’s covenant with David his seed revolted, and served other gods,–soon after the return out of captivity there was a general decay of piety, as appears by the story of Ezra and Nehemiah; and therefore it was no strange thing that after the planting of Christianity there should come a falling away.
II. A revelation of that man of sin, that is (v. 3), antichrist would take his rise from this general apostasy. The apostle afterwards speaks of the revelation of that wicked one (v. 8), intimating the discovery which should be made of his wickedness, in order to his ruin: here he seems to speak of his rise, which should be occasioned by the general apostasy he had mentioned, and to intimate that all sorts of false doctrines and corruptions should centre in him. Great disputes have been as to who or what is intended by this man of sin and son of perdition: and, if it be not certain that the papal power and tyranny are principally or only intended, yet this is plain, What is here said does very exactly agree thereto. For observe,
1. The names of this person, or rather the state and power here spoken of. He is called the man of sin, to denote his egregious wickedness; not only is he addicted to, and practises, wickedness himself, but he also promotes, countenances, and commands sin and wickedness in others; and he is the son of perdition, because he himself is devoted to certain destruction, and is the instrument of destroying many others both in soul and body. These names may properly be applied, for these reasons, to the papal state; and thereto agree also,
2. The characters here given, v. 4. (1.) That he opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, or is worshipped; and thus have the bishops of Rome not only opposed God’s authority, and that of the civil magistrates, who are called gods, but have exalted themselves above God and earthly governors, in demanding greater regard to their commands than to the commands of God or the magistrate. (2.) As God, he sits in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. As God was in the temple of old, and worshipped there, and is in and with his church now, so the antichrist here mentioned is some usurper of God’s authority in the Christian church, who claims divine honours; and to whom can this better apply than to the bishops of Rome, to whom the most blasphemous titles have been given, as Dominus Deus noster papa–Our Lord God the pope; Deus alter in terr–Another God on earth; Idem est dominium Dei et pap–The dominion of God and the pope is the same?
3. His rise is mentioned, 2Th 2:6; 2Th 2:7. Concerning this we are to observe two things:– (1.) There was something that hindered or withheld, or let, until it was taken away. This is supposed to be the power of the Roman empire, which the apostle did not think fit to mention more plainly at that time; and it is notorious that, while this power continued, it prevented the advances of the bishops of Rome to that height of tyranny to which soon afterwards they arrived. (2.) This mystery of iniquity was gradually to arrive at its height; and so it was in effect that the universal corruption of doctrine and worship in the Romish church came in by degrees, and the usurpation of the bishops of Rome was gradual, not all at once; and thus the mystery of iniquity did the more easily, and almost insensibly, prevail. The apostle justly calls it a mystery of iniquity, because wicked designs and actions were concealed under false shows and pretences, at least they were concealed from the common view and observation. By pretended devotion, superstition and idolatry were advanced; and, by a pretended zeal for God and his glory, bigotry and persecution were promoted. And he tells us that this mystery of iniquity did even then begin, or did already work. While the apostles were yet living, the enemy came, and sowed tares; there were then the deeds of the Nicolaitans, persons who pretended zeal for Christ, but really opposed him. Pride, ambition, and worldly interest of church-pastors and church-rulers, as in Diotrephes and others, were the early working of the mystery of iniquity, which, by degrees, came to that prodigious height which has been visible in the church of Rome.
4. The fall or ruin of the antichristian state is declared, v. 8. The head of this antichristian kingdom is called that wicked one, or that lawless person who sets up a human power in competition with, and contradiction to, the divine dominion and power of the Lord Jesus Christ; but, as he would thus manifest himself to be the man of sin, so the revelation or discovery of this to the world would be the sure presage and the means of his ruin. The apostle assures the Thessalonians that the Lord would consume and destroy him; the consuming of him precedes his final destruction, and that is by the Spirit of his mouth, by his word of command; the pure word of God, accompanied with the Spirit of God, will discover this mystery of iniquity, and make the power of antichrist to consume and waste away; and in due time it will be totally and finally destroyed, and this will be by the brightness of Christ’s coming. Note, The coming of Christ to destroy the wicked will be with peculiar glory and eminent lustre and brightness.
5. The apostle further describes the reign and rule of this man of sin. Here we are to observe, (1.) The manner of his coming, or ruling, and working: in general, that it is after the example of Satan, the grand enemy of souls, the great adversary of God and man. He is the great patron of error and lies, the sworn enemy of the truth as it is in Jesus and all the faithful followers of Jesus. More particularly, it is with Satanical power and deceit. A divine power is pretended for the support of this kingdom, but it is only after the working of Satan. Signs and wonders, visions and miracles, are pretended; by these the papal kingdom was first set up, and has all along been kept up, but they have false signs to support false doctrines; and lying wonders, or only pretended miracles that have served their cause, things false in fact, or fraudulently managed, to impose upon the people: and the diabolical deceits with which the antichristian state has been supported are notorious. The apostle calls it all deceivableness of unrighteousness, v. 10. Others may call them pious frauds, but the apostle called them unrighteous and wicked frauds; and, indeed, all fraud (which is contrary to truth) is an impious thing. Many are the subtle artifices the man of sin has used, and various are the plausible pretences by which he had beguiled unwary and unstable souls to embrace false doctrines, and submit to his usurped dominion. (2.) The persons are described who are his willing subjects, or most likely to become such, v. 10. They are such as love not the truth that they may be saved. They heard the truth (it may be), but they did not love it; they could not bear sound doctrine, and therefore easily imbibed false doctrines; they had some notional knowledge of what was true, but they indulged some powerful prejudices, and so became a prey to seducers. Had they loved the truth, they would have persevered in it, and been preserved by it; but no wonder if they easily parted with what they never had any love to. And of these persons it is said that they perish or are lost; they are in a lost condition, and in danger to be lost for ever. For,
6. We have the sin and ruin of the subjects of antichrist’s kingdom declared, 2Th 2:11; 2Th 2:12. (1.) Their sin is this: They believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness: they did not love the truth, and therefore they did not believe it; and, because they did not believe the truth, therefore they had pleasure in unrighteousness, or in wicked actions, and were pleased with false notions. Note, An erroneous mind and vicious life often go together and help forward one another. (2.) Their ruin is thus expressed: God shall send them strong delusions, to believe a lie. Thus he will punish men for their unbelief, and for their dislike of the truth and love to sin and wickedness; not that God is the author of sin, but in righteousness he sometimes withdraws his grace from such sinners as are here mentioned; he gives them over to Satan, or leaves them to be deluded by his instruments; he gives them up to their own hearts’ lusts, and leaves them to themselves, and then sin will follow of course, yea, the worst of wickedness, that shall end at last in eternal damnation. God is just when he inflicts spiritual judgments here, and eternal punishments hereafter, upon those who have no love to the truths of the gospel, who will not believe them, nor live suitably to them, but indulge false doctrines in their minds, and wicked practices in their lives and conversations.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
He that opposeth and exalteth himself ( ). Like John’s Antichrist this one opposes (–) Christ and exalts himself (direct middle of , old verb to lift oneself up
above others, only here and 2Co 12:7 in N.T.), but not Satan, but an agent of Satan. This participial clause is in apposition with the two preceding phrases, the man of sin, the son of perdition. Note 1Co 8:5 about one called God and Ac 17:23 for (from ), object of worship, late word, in N.T. only in these two passages.
So that he sitteth in the temple of God ( ). Another example of the infinitive with for result. Caius Caligula had made a desperate attempt to have his statue set up for worship in the Temple in Jerusalem. This incident may lie behind Paul’s language here.
Setting himself forth as God ( ). Present active participle ( form) of , agreeing in case with ,
showing himself that he is God . Caligula claimed to be God. Moffatt doubts if Paul is identifying this deception with the imperial cultus at this stage. Lightfoot thinks that the deification of the Roman emperor supplied Paul’s language here. Wetstein notes a coin of Julius with on one side and on the other. In 1Jo 2:18 we are told of “many antichrists” some of whom had already come. Hence it is not clear that Paul has in mind only one individual or even individuals at all rather than evil principles, for in verse 6 he speaks of (that which restraineth) while in verse 7 it is (the one that restraineth). Frame argues for a combination of Belial and Antichrist as the explanation of Paul’s language. But the whole subject is left by Paul in such a vague form that we can hardly hope to clear it up. It is possible that his own preaching while with them gave his readers a clue that we do not possess.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
That is called God [ ] . Above the true God and the false gods. The opposer claims divine honors for himself.
That is worshipped [] . An object of adoration, including things as well as persons. Only here and Act 17:23 on which see note under devotions.
Temple of God. According to some, a figure of the Christian Church. Others, the temple of Jerusalem.
Shewing [] . Publicly asserting divine dignity. Rev. setting himself forth as God.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “Who opposeth and exalteth himself” (ho antikeimenos kai huperairomenos) “who (is) setting (himself) and exalting himself”; not only against Christianity but also against every form of existing religion, eventually claiming himself to be God.
2) “Above all that is called God” (epi panta legomenon) “over or above everything called God”; He will not only turn against, and try to abolish all Divine worship, but will also substitute for it the worship of himself, Dan 7:25; Dan 8:25; Dan 11:28.
3) “Or that is worshipped” (e sebasma) or every objector worship”; Dan 11:36-38; Dan 11:45.
4) “So that he as God sitteth in the temple of God” (hoste auton eis ton naon tou theou kathisai) “So that he as (if he were) God, he sits in the temple or shrine of God”; It appears that this Antichrist will appear, as an angel of light, a peaceable person, negotiate a seven year peace pact between Jews and Gentiles, permit the ancient temple to be rebuilt and program of worship instituted, and continued for about 42 months, Dan 9:27.
5) “Shewing himself that he is God” (apodeiknunta Heauton hoti estin theos) “Shewing or displaying himself that he is a god”; After about 31/2 years of the covenant week, the anti-Christ will declare that he is God, require worship, about which time, the tribulation the great shall begin in fury, at about which time the return of Christ for His Church is to occur, Joh 5:43.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
4 An adversary, and that exalteth himself. The two epithets — man of sin, and son of perdition — intimate, in the first place, how dreadful the confusion would be, that the unseemliness of it might not discourage weak minds; and farther, they tend to stir up the pious to a feeling of detestation, lest they should degenerate along with others. Paul, however, now draws, as if in a picture, a striking likeness of Antichrist; for it may be easily gathered from these words what is the nature of his kingdom, and in what things it consists. For, when he calls him an adversary, when he says that he will claim for himself those things which belong to God, so that he is worshipped in the temple as God, he places his kingdom in direct opposition to the kingdom of Christ. Hence, as the kingdom of Christ is spiritual, so this tyranny must be upon souls, that it may rival the kingdom of Christ. We shall also find him afterwards assigning to him the power of deceiving, by means of wicked doctrines and pretended miracles. If, accordingly, you would know Antichrist, you must view him as diametrically opposed to Christ. (642)
Where I have rendered — everything that is called God, the reading more generally received among the Greeks is, every one that is called. It may, however, be conjectured, both from the old translation (643) and from some Greek commentaries, that Paul’s words have been corrupted. The mistake, too, of a single letter was readily fallen into, especially when the shape of the letter was much similar; for, where there was written πᾶν τὸ, ( everything,) some transcriber, or too daring reader, turned it into πάντα, ( every one.) This difference, however, is not of so much importance as to the sense, for Paul undoubtedly means that Antichrist would take to himself those things that belonged to God alone, so that he would exalt himself above every divine claim, that all religion and all worship of God might lie under his feet. This expression then, everything that is reckoned to be God, is equivalent to everything that is reckoned as Divinity, and σέβασμα, that is, in which the veneration due to God consists.
Here, however, the subject treated of is not the name of God himself, but his majesty and worship, and, in general, everything that he claims for himself. “True religion is that by which the true God alone is worshipped; that, the son of perdition will transfer to himself.” Now, every one that has learned from Scripture what are the things that more especially belong to God, and will, on the other hand, observe what the Pope claims for himself — though he were but a boy of ten years of age — will have no great difficulty in recognizing Antichrist. Scripture declares that God is the alone Lawgiver (Jas 4:12) who is able to save and to destroy; the alone King, whose office it is to govern souls by his word. It represents him as the author of all sacred rites; (644) it teaches that righteousness and salvation are to be sought from Christ alone; and it assigns, at the same time, the manner and means. There is not one of these things that the Pope does not affirm to be under his authority. He boasts that it is his to bind consciences with such laws as seem good to him, and subject them to everlasting punishment. As to sacraments, he either institutes new ones, according to his own inclination, (645) or he corrupts and deforms those which had been instituted by Christ — nay, sets them aside altogether, that he may substitute in their place the sacrileges (646) which he has invented. He contrives means of attaining salvation that are altogether at variance with the doctrine of the Gospel; and, in fine, he does not hesitate to change the whole of religion at his own pleasure. What is it, I pray you, for one to lift up himself above everything that is reckoned God, if the Pope does not do so? When he thus robs God of his honor, he leaves him nothing remaining but an empty title of Deity, (647) while he transfers to himself the whole of his power. And this is what Paul adds shortly afterwards, that the son of perdition would shew himself as God. For, as has been said, he does not insist upon the simple term God, but intimates, that the pride (648) of Antichrist would be such, that, raising himself above the number and rank of servants, and mounting the judgment-seat of God, (649) would reign, not with a human, but with a divine authority. For we know that whatever is raised up into the place of God is an idol, though it should not bear the name of God.
In the temple of God. By this one term there is a sufficient refutation of the error, nay more, the stupidity of those who reckon the Pope to be Vicar of Christ, on the ground that he has his seat in the Church, in whatever manner he may conduct himself; for Paul places Antichrist nowhere else than in the very sanctuary of God. For this is not a foreign, but a domestic enemy, who opposes Christ under the very name of Christ. But it is asked, how the Church is represented as the den of so many superstitions, while it was destined to be the pillar of the truth? (1Ti 3:15.) I answer, that it is thus represented, not on the ground of its retaining all the qualities of the Church, but because it has something of it remaining. I accordingly acknowledge, that that is the temple of God in which the Pope bears rule, but at the same time profaned by innumerable sacrileges.
(642) “The name of the Man of Sin is not Antitheos, but ἀντίχριστος — not one that directly invadeth the properties of the supreme God, but of God incarnate, or Christ as Mediator. […] he usurpeth the authority due to Christ.” — Dr. Manton’s Sermons on 2 Thessalonians. — Ed
(643) The rendering of the Vulgate is as follows,— “ Supra omne quod dicitur Deus aut quod colitur;” — “Above everything that is called God, or that is worshipped.” Wyclif (1380) renders thus: “Ouer alle thing that is seid God, or that is worschipid.” — Ed.
(644) “ Que c’est a luy seul d’establir seruice diuin, et ceremonies qui en dependent;” — “That it belongs to him alone to establish divine worship, and the rites that are connected with it.”
(645) “ Selon son plaisir et fantasie;” — “According to his own pleasure and fancy.”
(646) “ Sacrileges abominables;” — “Abominable sacrileges.”
(647) “ Le titre de Dieu par imagination;” — “The title of God by imagination.”
(648) “ L’orgueil et arrogance;” — “The pride and arrogance.”
(649) “ Auec vne fierete intolerable;” — “With an intolerable presumption.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
Text (2Th. 2:4)
4 he that opposeth and exalteth himself against all that is called God or that is worshipped; so that he sitteth in the temple of God, setting himself forth as God.
Translation and Paraphrase
4.
(The man of lawlessness will be a man) who (both) opposes and exalts himself above all that is called divine or that is religiously honored, so that he (shall) sit in the temple of God, exhibiting himself (as if it were true) that he is God.
Notes (2Th. 2:4)
(For the general discussion of the falling away and the man of sin, see notes on 2Th. 2:3.)
1.
Here is a summary of the descriptions of the man of sin:
(1)
He opposes all that is called God.
(2)
He exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped.
(3)
He is to sit in the temple of God.
(4)
He exhibits himself as if he were God.
(5)
His appearance was hindered by some force that already existed in Pauls time. 2Th. 2:6-7.
(6)
The mystery of iniquity, which led to his appearance, was already working in Pauls time, 2Th. 2:7.
(7)
He will continue in existence till the Lord Jesus comes. 2Th. 2:8.
(8)
The Lord shall destroy him with the brightness of his coming. 2Th. 2:8.
(9)
He shows power, signs, and lying wonders (false miracles). 2Th. 2:9.
(10)
He comes with all deceivableness of unrighteousness. 2Th. 2:10.
2.
Both of the verbsopposeth and exaltethhave as their object all that is called God, or that is worshipped. The man of sin opposes the true God and His Christ, and exalts himself above them.
3.
All that is called God refers to anything, or anyone, who is divine and is of Godto heaven, to God Himself, to the Lord Jesus, to the word of God, the Holy Spirit, etc.
4.
The expression, that is worshipped, comes from the Greek sebasma. From this word came Sebastus, or Augustus (the Worshipful), which was the title of the Roman emperors. A man of that age could hardly see this word in such a connection without thinking that Paul meant to convey the idea that the antichrist would arrogate to himself all the reverence then claimed by the great civil lords of the earth such as emperors, kings, etc. (McGarvey). Today men bow down before the pope in the same manner that men used to bow down before kings.
5.
What is the temple of God in which the man of sin is to sit? Some say that this refers to the temple of God which was in Jerusalem. However, no such great pretender as the man of sin ever sat in the temple in Jerusalem before it was destroyed by the Romans in 70 A.D.
It seems to us that the temple of God to which Paul refers must be the church. The term temple is a favorite name of Pauls for the church. Notice 1Co. 3:17; 2Co. 6:16; Eph. 2:12.
If the temple of God is the church, then the Roman popes very fully fulfill the description of the man of sin. For they sit in the church and are religious lords.
It is hard to see how the man of sin could be an atheistic communist, and Still sit in the temple of God and represent himself as God.
6.
Numerous men in the history of the world have taken to themselves the honor of being as great as God.
The heart of the prince of Tyre was lifted up, and he said, I am a God; I sit in the seat of God. Eze. 28:2.
King Herod (Agrippa) set himself forth and accepted acclamation of being God. Act. 12:22.
The popes have called themselves by titles as great (or greater) than those of God, Note this title which has been used: Our Lord God the Pope, another God on earthdoeth whatsoever he listeth, even things unlawful, and is more than God.
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(4) Who opposeth and exalteth himself.The original continues a quasi-substantival form:the opposer and exalter of himselfwell-known descriptions (doubtless) of the Antichrist; several of the details are drawn directly from the description of Antiochus in Daniel 11. Being merely descriptive epithets, we are not at liberty to press the present tense, and say that the Man of Sin was already thus acting at the time St. Paul wrote. The word for the opposer, or adversary, is a pretty close rendering of the name Satan, and passed, in ecclesiastical Greek into a synonym for it. The acts here attributed to the Man of Sin are peculiarly Satanic. (Comp. Isa. 14:12-14; 2Ti. 3:6.) Of course, however, we must not confound Satan himself with his human minister.
Above all that is called God.The translation here is not quite exact. The word above in the original is compounded with exalteth; it should be, and super-exalteth, or exhalteth himself above measure (2Co. 12:7, where the same compound is used) against every God so called. Probably the clause against every God is to be taken only with super-exalteth ; the description who opposeth stands absolutely: it is one characteristic of the Man of Sin to be always in opposition, and to have concord with no one. Every God so called includes the false gods with the true God (comp. 1Co. 8:5): true or false, it matters not to jealous Antichrist, who would have nothing worshipped but himself. This explains the addition of the little clause, or that is worshipped. Many things received religious homage from men without being called gods; and the original word (sebasma) may perhaps be designed to hint at one such worship, viz., the worship of the Augustus (Sebastos). It would be far-fetched, however, to see in this a direct prophecy of conflict between Antichrist and the Civil Power; although it must be admitted that even the word gods is sometimes used of secular rulers (e.g., Psa. 82:1-6; Joh. 10:34), in which sense some take it here.
So that he as God.The words as God are not part of the original text, and should be struck out. In several other points, however, our version does not bring out the profanity of the act as clearly as the Greek. Literally it would be, so as to seat himself in the shrine of God, showing himself off that he is God. The himself brings out the spontaneous arrogancy of the deed; the Man of Sin does not merely yield to servile flatterers. The sitting is not in the tense of habitual custom, but indicates one expressive act of taking possession. The in (literally, into) brings out the idea of actual intrusion; while the word for temple is not the general name for the whole group of buildings with their courts, but the sacred house itself: it is the word which would describe the Holy and Holy of Holies (see Mat. 23:35; Mat. 27:5; Mat. 27:51; Act. 17:4) of the Jewish temple; and probably it is the Mercy Seat that supplies the image to St. Pauls mind (Psa. 99:1).
The temple of God.Though the image is drawn from the Jewish temple, we may say with some confidence that St. Paul did not expect the Antichrist as a prose fact to take his seat in that edifice. Neither is the metaphor to be pressed into a mere synonym of the Church (1Co. 3:17). The words, so far need not necessarily mean that the Man of Sin will make special claims upon the Christian community as such. Rather, the whole phrase, taking his seat in the temple of God, is a poetical or prophetical description of usurping divine prerogatives generally: not the prerogatives of the true God alone, but whatever prerogatives have been offered to anything called God. Though the prophecy might be fulfilled without any symbolical act (e.g., of assuming any material throne), yet the spontaneousness (himself ) and the openness (showing himself) seem so essentially parts of the prophecy as of necessity to imply that the Man of Sin will make formal claim to occupy that central seat in mens minds and aspirations which is acknowledged to be due to God alone. The formal making of this claim seems to be identical with the apocalypse of the Man of Sin, the act by which he is manifested or revealed.
Shewing himself.Or, thus showing himself off. It does not mean that he makes any attempt to prove that he is God; the word only carries on the pictorial representation of the Man of Sin enthroning himself upon the Mercy Seat, and by that act of session parading his pretended divinity. As has been said, the performance of a typical act is not of vital consequence to the accomplishment of the prophecy (as, e.g., Zec. 9:9 might have been truly accomplished without the literal riding of Mat. 21:7), though there are few great movements which do not express themselves in outward typical acts; but these words show that (unless St. Paul was mistaken) an explicit claim will be made for submission, like that of creature to Creator. Even if the Man of Sin only signifies a tendency, not a person, yet this exhibition of himself as God would hardly be satisfied by a social concession, however widespread, to a general spirit of (say) fleshly luxury or atheistic intellectualism, without the claims of these ideals being eo nomine put forward and consciously admitted. But it is hard to believe that anything avowedly atheistic would be spoken of as explicitly claiming or receiving divine honours. It seems, therefore, most probable that the great Apostasy will not become avowedly atheistic, but will be an apostasy (so to speak) within the Church, and that the Man of Sin, who heads that Apostasy, will make especial claim upon the Christian Church to accord consciously the very honours which she pays to the living God.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
4. Who opposeth ’ , the antagonist, one lying anti, or opposite. Antagonist to whom? To Christ. “For,” says Lunemann, “he is the forerunner of Christ’s advent, and has, as Christ’s counterfeit, an advent (parousia) and a revelation of himself; his works are the direct anti thesis to Christ’s works, and it is by Christ’s appearing that he is abolished. This ant agonist is, then, no other than anti christ. 1Jn 2:18.” And it is curious to note that anti signifies, in the Greek, instead of, as commonly as it means opposed to; so that antichrist might as well mean substitute for Christ, or, in papal phrase, “vicar of Christ,” as antagonist of Christ.
Exalteth himself above God Alford argues from this clause that the pope cannot be meant, because the pope, so far from placing himself above God, is an abject adorer of gods. Alford’s words are a feeble repetition of a Romanist argument. Says the Rhemish commentator: “How can the Protestants, then, for shame, and without evident contradiction, avouch the pope to be antichrist, who, as we say, honoureth Christ the true God with all his power, or, as they say, honoureth idols, and challengeth no divine honour to himself, much less to himself only, as antichrist shall do.
He humbly prayeth to God, and lowly kneeleth down in every church at divers altars erected to God in memory of his saints, and prayeth to him.
He saith or heareth mass daily, with all devotion; he confesseth his sins to a priest, as other poor men do,” etc. To Alford and the Rhemist it may be replied, 1. Alford mistranslates Paul’s Greek preposition , which signifies not so properly , above, as against. 2. If the prophecy is to wait for a being who literally exalts himself above the Omnipresent and Omnipotent, it waits an impossibility. No finite being can exalt himself above the infinitely high. The very thought is inconceivable. 3. The only possible meaning of exalting himself above God is to arrogate and usurp the attributes and authority of God over men; making his own laws the substitute of, or validating power for and over, the divine rule. Now the papacy has assumed the attribute of infallibility; it has manifestly and manifoldly, by virtue of that attribute, truly reversed and overridden the divine law. It holds itself as the giver of Scripture, and proceeds to overrule Scripture by its traditions. It claims, against and over and above the law of God, to absolve from sin. Nor does Alford at all invalidate the strange fact that the pope “creates the God he adores;” manufacturing a wafer when he pleases, and then by consecration transforming that wafer into God. To claim the power of creating God when he pleases is one of the most flagrant self-exaltations over God conceivable. Nor does the fact that he worships the God he has created invalidate the argument. The pagan idolater first makes his fetish and then worships it.
As God Usurping divine attributes, such as infallibility, absolution, God-making. The best critics, however, omit these words.
Sitteth Literally, Takes his seat, and by implication keeps it.
Temple of God Not the Jewish temple, which is never called so in the New Testament, but unquestionably the Christian Church. See 2Co 6:16; Eph 2:21. This seating himself in supremacy in the Church is a vivid picture of the inauguration of each new pope. Forthwith upon his election he enters St. Peter’s Church, the claimed temple of God; is lifted by his cardinals and placed upon the high altar. There he takes his seat, and is by them adored, kneeling on their knees and kissing his feet. Their technical term for this act is adoration; and the words on the papal coin are, Quem creant, adorant: Whom they create, they adore.
Is God He is styled, “Dominus Deus noster papa; alter Deus in terra: The Lord God our pope: a second God on earth.” This antichrist, whoever he may be, then, occupies a high, a supreme, seat in the Christian Church. He cannot, therefore, be Nero, nor Mohammed, nor any mere secular prince or warrior.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
2Th 2:4 . ] is not to be united by zeugma with , so that out of . . . the dative is to be taken (Benson, Koppe, Krause, Rosenmller, Flat, Pelt, Bloomfield, Hofmann, Riggenbach), but is absolute, in the sense of a substantive the opposer . It has been erroneously maintained by Pelt, that the article being only put once necessitates the assumption of a zeugma . But all that follows from the single insertion of the article is only that the two statements, and , must contain something related to each other , which is summed up in a common general idea . This general idea is extremely evident from what follows. Accordingly, the person of whom Paul speaks was designated according to his internal nature by , then characterized according to his ultimate fate by , and now whilst Paul in his delineation takes a step backward (comp. 2Th 2:8 and 2Th 2:9 ) the mode and manner of his public external appearance and conduct is described.
But if denotes simply and absolutely the opposer , the question is asked, whom does he oppose? Baumgarten and Michaelis erroneously answer: the human race ; for this interpretation has no point of contact in the context, and would explain away the form so definitely brought before us by Paul by a vague generality. De Wette and others more definitely answer: God and Christ . And certainly the description that immediately follows shows that the opposer opposes himself in the highest degree to God . But this fact does not justify such a wide meaning, if another is opposed to it in the context. Now the context specially points to the opposer of Christ (thus Heydenreich, Schott, and Kern). For the man of sin stands in the closest and strictest parallelism with Christ. He is the forerunner of Christ’s advent, and has, as the caricature of Christ , like Him an advent and a manifestation: he raises the power of evil, which exalts itself in a hostile manner against Christ and His kingdom, to the highest point; his working is diametrically the opposite of the working of Christ , and it is Christ’s appearance which destroys him. Accordingly, the opponent can be none other than the Antichrist ( , 1Jn 2:18 ). This Antichrist is not the devil himself (Pelagius and others), for he is distinguished from him (2Th 2:9 ); but according to 2Th 2:9 he is an instrument of the devil.
In . . . he is further described as he who, in frivolous arrogance, exalts himself above all that is called God. With this description the delineation of Antiochus Epiphanes, in Dan 11:36-37 , was before the mind of the apostle, where it is said: , , Comp. Dan 7:25 : .
] includes the true God as well as the false gods worshipped by the heathen; but is a natural addition from Christian caution, as would have been a senseless and indeed blasphemous expression for a Christian.
] serves for a generalization of the idea . Accordingly the meaning is: or whatever else is an object of adoration, sc. of divine adoration (= numen).
. . .] The arrogant wickedness of Antichrist proceeds so far that he claims divine adoration for himself .
] intransitive, seats himself ; accordingly not (Grotius, Koppe, Pelt), but is to be written. is placed for the sake of emphasis: he , who has lost all reverence for the divine, in whose form he wishes to appear.
] is not, as Theodoret, Oecumenius, Theophylact, Calvin, Musculus, Hunnius, Estius, Lucius and Andrew Osiander, Aretius, Vorstius, Calixt, Calovius, Wolf, Benson, Moldenhauer, Bolten, and others, also Heydenreich, Pelt, Olshausen, Bloomfield, Alford, Bisping, and Hilgenfeld ( l.c. p. 253) assume, a figurative representation of the Christian church , but, on account of the definite expression , cannot be otherwise understood than in its proper sense. But on account of the repetition of the article can only one definite temple of one definite true God that is, the temple of Jerusalem be meant (Grotius, Clericus, Schttgen, Whitby, Kern, de Wette, Wieseler, v. Dllinger, l.c. p. 282). [45]
] exhibiting himself that he is a god, i.e. whilst he not only actually takes possession of the temple of the only true God as his own , as a dwelling-place belonging to him , but also publicly predicates of himself divine dignity, and accordingly requires to be adored. The interpretation of Chrysostom, Oecumenius, Theophylact, and others, also Heydenreich, Schott, Olshausen, de Wette, Bisping, and Riggenbach: “who shows himself or seeks to show himself as a god by deceitful miracles” (2Th 2:9 ), agrees not with the preceding .
[45] Schrader certainly finds in a heathen temple; and by the addition its interior is denoted, the place where the god had its seat!
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
Ver. 4. Who opposeth himself ] , who standeth in full opposition to Christ, as a counter-christ. The enemy and adversary is this wicked Haman,Ezr 7:6Ezr 7:6 , so this “man of sin” that Antichrist of Rome. When the pope sets forth any bulls, commonly he thus concludes, Non obstantibus constitutionibus Apostolicis, caeterisque contrariis quibuscunque, The constitutions and ordinances of the apostles, and all things else to the contrary notwithstanding. The pope’s interpretation of Scripture, though it never so much cross the text, yet it is to be esteemed the very word of God, saith Hosius: Tamen est ipsissimum Dei verbum.
And exalteth himself ] Perfrica frontem, said Calvus to Vatinius, et digniorem te dic qui Praetor fieres quam Catonem. Pope Boniface III set a good face upon it, and arrogated the title of Universal Bishop. The ancient Romans painted Pride with three crowns on her head. On the first was inscribed Transcendo, I transgress, on the second, Non obedio, I do not obey, on the third, Perturbo. I through into confusion, The modern Romans see all this daily acted by their bishop.
Above all that is called god ] In the year 1540 Pope Paul III suffered himself to be thus blasphemously flattered, Paulo tertio optimo maximo in terris Deo, to Paul III, the greatest and best God in the world. In the year 1610, books were printed at Bonony and at Naples, with this inscription, Paulo V vice-deo, Christianae reipublicae monarchae invictissimo, Pontificiae omnipotentiae conservatori acerrimo: To Paul V, vice-god, most invincible monarch of Christendom, most stout defender of the papal omnipotency. The pope can do all that Christ can do, and is more than God, saith Hostiensis the canonist, and after him Zabarel: Of wrong he can make right, of vice virtue, of nothing something, saith Bellarmine. (Lib. i. de Pontif. Rom.) He is lifted above the angels, so that he can excommunicate them; he can dispense against not only the law of nature, but against all the evangelists, prophets, and apostles, saith Pope John XXIII in extrav.; one of his parasites clawed him thus,
” Oraclis vocis mundi moderaris habenas:
Et merito in terris diceris esse Deus.
Or that is worshipped ] . Or, that is august, above princes and potentates. He is cried up for “Lord of lords and King of kings,” one that hath both the swords throughout the world, and an illimited empire over all reasonable creatures, Dulia adorandus, &c. How he trod upon the emperor of Germany, and how he lashed Henry II of England, and Henry IV of France till the blood followed, is better known than that I need here to relate. Sed exorto Evangelii iubare sagaciores (ut spero) principes ad nutum Romani Orbilii non solvent subligacula, saith one. Our Richard I, going for the Holy Land, had conference with one Joachim, a Cistercian abbot, being then in Calabria, near Sicily; whom, at his coming, he heard preaching and expounding the Apocalypse touching the afflictions of the Church, and concerning Antichrist, which (said he) was then born and in the city of Rome, and shall be advanced to the see apostolic; of whom the apostle said, “He shall extol himself above all that is called God;” and that the seven crowns were the kings and princes of the earth, that obeyed him: (Hoveden.) Much about the same time, Pope Celestine crowned the emperor Henry and his empress Constantia at Rome with his feet, and kicked off the same crown again. (Speed.)
Sitteth in the temple of God ] Sitting is a style proper to the pope; who is said not to reign, but to sit so many years or months; and his place of dominion is called his “see,” or “seat.” Robert Grossetete, bishop of Lincoln, called him in a letter, “heretic, Antichrist sitting in the chair of pestilence, and next to Lucifer himself.” Benedictus the Sorbonist affirmeth that the ass in the history of Balaam signifieth the Church. An quia Pontifex Balaam est qui ei insidet? saith Dr Raynolds, i.e. Doth he not mean by it, that the pope is Balaam that sitteth upon that ass? (De Idolol. Rom.) England was once called the “pope’s ass,” for bearing his burdens, and obeying his mandates. But beside the present Reformation (which is such as ages past despaired of, the present admire, and the future shall stand amazed at), in the year 1245 (lo, so long since) the pope was denied entrance into England; it being said that he was but like a “mouse in a satchel,” or a snake in one’s bosom, who did but ill repay their hosts for their lodging. (Scultet. Annal.)
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
opposeth. Greek. antikeimai. Genitive translation be an adversary to.
exalteth himself. Greek. huperairomai. See 2Co 12:7.
God. App-98.
worshipped = an object of worship. Greek. sebasma. See Act 17:23.
as God. The texts omit.
Temple. Greek. naos. See Mat 23:16.
shewing. Greek. apodeiknumi. See Act 2:22.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
2Th 2:4. , …, who opposeth, etc.) The two preceding names correspond by direct antithesis to the name of Jesus. What follows correspond by antithesis to the majesty of Christ. So Dan 11:36, et seqq.: , , And the king shall be exalted and be magnified above every god, and against the God of gods, and shall speak high-swelling words. This then is what Paul means to say: The day of Christ does not come, unless the prediction of Daniel given in these words concerning Antiochus be so fulfilled (in the Man of Sin), that it shall even be more applicable to the Man of Sin, who corresponds to Antiochus, and is worse than he; comp. on Rev 13:1, Thes. 7. Non momentanea, etc., It was not by an instantaneous transformation that the Pope passed, etc., at the end. These two words, () [who opposeth and exalteth himself], stand under the one article: for it is for this reason he opposes himself, in order that he may exalt himself. He exalts himself in heart, tongue, style, and deeds, by himself and by his adherents.- , above all that is called god or is worshipped) Angels are wont to be (sometimes) called gods, as are also men who possess great authority, 1Co 8:5. Above every such god, the Iniquitous one [Wicked] will exalt himself: is, that which is worshipped; and the Roman Emperor is distinguished by the peculiar title, , Augustus, Act 25:21. Therefore the majesty and power of Csar, which are most conspicuous at Rome, constitute the principal , object of worship, on the earth. Now the Iniquitous one [Wicked] exalts himself so, as that he not only arrogates to himself greater power and worship than any one who is called god or is worshipped possesses, but also so as that every one who is called god or is worshipped is forced to be subject to him, i.e. on the earth, or is feigned to be so, so for as the inhabitants of heaven are concerned. Clement VI., in his Bull concerning the jubilee, commanded the angels of paradise to introduce the souls of those that died on their journey, being entirely set free from purgatory, into the glory of paradise.-, …, so that, etc.) Comprehending the spiritual and civil power, and in both cases the highest degree of power.- , in the temple of God) in that temple of God which is mentioned, Rev 11:1. For in 2Th 2:7 of that passage this adversary is the subject of discussion.-, sitteth) by virtue of his authority.[15]- , declaring himself [showing himself]) , to mark out, to designate, to declare. Herodian uses more than once the phrase, , to name, or declare the Csar.- , that he is God) The strong asseveration of the Iniquitous one [Wicked] concerning himself is here expressed. He will not say, that he is very God, the Creator of heaven and earth, but still, that he is a god superior to any other that is called god.
[15] For the marg. of both Ed., as well as the Germ. Vers., intimate that the words before should not be considered as a various reading, but should be retained.-E. B.
ABD() corrected, f Vulg., Orig. 1, 424d, 669a, Iren. Memph. and Theb. Versions, omit ; Rec. Text reads , with Syr. and later Syr. Versions, and, according to Tisch., with G. But Lachm. quotes Gg for .-ED.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
2Th 2:4
he that opposeth and exalteth himself against all that is called God or that is worshipped;-This principle under differing circumstances works out different developments and organizations. The highest, the most sacred right, and prerogative that God has reserved to himself is the right to make laws for his kingdom and to rule it. This he jealously guards because it lies at the foundation of his claims to be God, and out of this grows all other claims. It requires as great authority to repeal or change a law as it does to enact it; hence, the power that enacts laws for God’s people repeats or changes the laws of God, exalts itself into a rival and an opponent of God.
so that he sitteth in the temple of God, setting himself forth as God.-Whoever or whatever claims the right to legislate for the children of God exalts himself or itself against all that is God and sits in the seat of God. This principle, that claims the right to change the order of God and to legislate for the church of God, is the man of sin. The principle develops different bodies or forms, according to surrounding circumstances. Roman Catholicism, I have no doubt, is one development or outgrowth of this man of sin. But the same principle manifests itself in many different forms in the history of the church.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
and exalteth: Isa 14:13, Eze 28:2, Eze 28:6, Eze 28:9, Dan 7:8, Dan 7:25, Dan 8:9-11, Dan 11:36, Rev 13:6
called: 1Co 8:5
sitteth: Dan 8:12-14, Dan 11:45, Rev 13:6, Rev 13:7
Reciprocal: Gen 3:5 – as gods 2Ki 18:29 – Let not 2Ki 19:22 – exalted thy voice Job 34:30 – General Psa 11:4 – The Lord Psa 12:4 – who Pro 30:13 – General Isa 14:14 – I will be Isa 31:3 – the Egyptians Isa 36:14 – General Isa 37:23 – against whom Isa 47:8 – I am Jer 48:26 – for he Jer 48:42 – magnified Jer 50:24 – because Jer 50:29 – for she hath Lam 1:9 – for Eze 28:14 – upon Dan 8:11 – he magnified Dan 11:37 – regard Hab 2:4 – his Mal 3:13 – Your Mat 23:5 – all Mar 7:9 – Full Act 8:9 – giving Act 10:26 – Stand Act 12:23 – because Act 17:23 – devotions Rom 1:30 – boasters Rom 8:39 – height Rom 11:20 – Be 2Co 10:5 – and every 1Ti 6:4 – He 2Ti 3:2 – boasters 2Pe 2:18 – they speak Rev 13:1 – blasphemy Rev 13:4 – and they Rev 13:11 – and he spake Rev 13:12 – causeth Rev 13:14 – they Rev 17:3 – full Rev 18:7 – much she
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Th 2:4. Opposeth and exalteth himself above is the same as saying, “he exalts himself in opposition to all” of what is to be named next. That is called God. Any person or thing that might be related to God or be claimed to be so related, would come under this phrase. Or that is worshipped. This is an extension of the thought expressed in the preceding phrase in italics. The thought is that this man of sin (the pope) will not, recognize any being or object of worship as his equal, regardless of whether it pertains to the One in heaven or the many earthly rulers who receive homage from men. Sitteth in the temple means in the church, for it is said to be the temple of God (1Co 3:16-17; 2Co 6:16). It is true that. the institution called the church in history at this period of development, was so corrupt that we could not acknowledge it to be the true church. But the pope and the system of centralized power over which he was head, was professed to be the church, and Paul is speaking of the subject historically, and from the standpoint of the pretensions of the Romish institution. At this point it will be well to state that all through these centuries that the apostasy was forming, there were some exceptions where congregations would not join in the departure, so that during the entire time of the Dark Ages there were faithful congregations here and there, which kept the pure church in existence, although as a woman persecuted for righteosness’ sake, she had to flee to the wilderness of comparative hiding or obscurity, caused by the apostasy, to preserve her existence. (See Revelation 12:1-3 and verse 14 of that chapter.) Showing himself that he is God. No man can actually show or display proof that he is God, but he can claim such a high rank, and display himself under such a guise, hence the pope is presented to his people as “Lord God, the Pope.”
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
2Th 2:4. Who opposethwho is the adversary of God and all that is good. The phrase will best be understood by referring to Daniel 11.
And exalteth himself against all that is called God or that is worshipped. The prediction of Daniel (Dan 11:36, etc.) is couched in terms almost identical, and found partial fulfilment in the impious arrogance of Antiochus Epiphanes. If in our own day we look for a type of Antichrist which may help us to understand what the final form may be, we see at least this characteristic fulfilled in the Positivist worship of humanity. All that men have hitherto called God and worshipped is put aside with contempt, and man takes the place of God,
Sitteth in the temple of God. The use of this image may have been suggested by the recent attempt of Caligula to place his statue in the Temple, as well as by the common practice of deifying the Roman Emperors (Jowett). More probably, however, it was suggested by the prediction in Daniel, which colours the whole of this passage, and in which it was announced as a sign of the end that they shall pollute the sanctuary and shall place the abomination that maketh desolate. Comp. Mat 24:15. In the ultimate fulfilment of the prophecy it may not be the temple of Jerusalem which is thus desecrated; the terms of the prediction will be satisfied if the homage due to God is drawn aside to something human.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Our apostle proceeds in the further description of this man of sin, by a two-fold note of distinction, namely, by his enmity and opposition, and by his dignity and exhaltation.
Observe, 1. His enmity and opposition; He opposeth himself, that is, against Christ, as his name Antichrist signifies, opposing him in his doctrine, in his offices, in his members; corrupting his doctrine, debasing his offices, persecuting his members.
Observe, 2. His dignity and exaltation, which consists of two parts,
1.He exhalteth himself above all that is called God, or is worshipped; that is, he exalteth himself above all magistrates, emperors, kings and princes, who are called gods, because representing his person, as his vicegerents, usurping a power over all civil authority, enthroning and dethroning princes at his pleasure.
Observe, 3. His arrogance is set forth, in relation to God himself, that as God he sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. By the temple of God, understand the church of God, the external, visible church, which professeth the faith of Christ and bears his name; in this temple of God he sitteth as an officer or bishop: and sits as God, that is, as God upon earth, whom all must adore: kings kissing his feet, emperors holding his stirrup; and claiming the same power that Christ hath in and over the church, namely, an universal supremacy, an absolute authority, and an unerring infallibility.
And the usurped titles given to him declare that he sheweth himself that he is God; he is called supremum numen in terris; “the chief god upon earth;” and that from him it is affirmed, that no appeals are to be made, no, not to God himself; that he can change the sacraments delivered by Christ, and decree contrary to scripture. Now to accept of these flattering titles, and to pretend to such an unlimited power, is to shew himself that he is God.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
Characteristics of the Man of Sin
McGarvey says, “The Greek word for ‘worship’ is sebasma ; from it came Selastus or Augustus (i.e., the Worshipful), which was the title of the Roman emperors.” He went on to say, “A man of that age could hardly see this word in such a connection without thinking that Paul meant to convey the idea that the anti-Christ would arrogate to himself all the reverence then claimed by the great civil lords of the earth, such as emperors, kings, etc.” Thus, we see a man, group of men or type of man, who would set himself up at the head of the church as one worthy of worship, thereby leading all who would follow him into apostasy.
Warnings of a falling away are found repeatedly in the New Testament ( Act 20:29-31 ; 1Ti 4:1-5 ; 2Ti 3:1-8 ; 2Ti 4:3-5 ; 2Pe 2:1-3 ; 2Pe 3:1-7 ). Paul warned the Thessalonians in person, as well as in this letter, concerning the dangers of such a falling away. He said God was restraining the man of sin until a time that fit His timetable. He may have done that through the repeated warnings of the apostles and strong elders who constantly went to theWord for their authority. Certainly, when men cease to look within God’s word for solutions to spiritual problems they are ripe for the reception of an outside authority ( 2Th 2:4-6 ).
Fuente: Gary Hampton Commentary on Selected Books
he that opposeth and exalteth himself against all that is called God or that is worshipped; so that he sitteth in the temple of God, setting himself forth as God. [The antichrist will be antagonistic to God, and will exalt himself as a rival to everything that is worshiped, whether it be king or emperor, mythical god or true God, even entering, not only into the outer courts of the temple, but penetrating to the inner sanctuary, and taking his seat where God alone has a right to rest, and there making an arrogant display of himself as an object of worship (comp. Act 12:21-23). The Greek word for “worship” is sebasma: from it came Sebastus or Augustus (i. e., the Worshipful), which was the title of the Roman emperors. A man of that age could hardly see this word in such a connection without thinking that Paul meant to convey the idea that the antichrist would arrogate to himself all the reverence then claimed by the great civil lords of the earth, such as emperors, kings, etc. The temple is Paul’s favorite metaphor for the church– 1Co 3:16-17; 2Co 6:16; Eph 2:21]
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
2:4 Who opposeth and {f} exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; {4} so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
(f) All men know who he is that says he can shut up heaven and open it at his pleasure, and takes upon himself to be lord and master above all kings and princes, before whom kings and princes fall down and worship, honouring that antichrist as a god.
(4) He foretells that the antichrist (that is, whoever he is that will occupy that seat that falls away from God) will not reign outside of the Church, but in the very bosom of the Church.