Sin" in the author's work entitled 'Introduction to tl,e Pauline Epistles.' For dissertations un the Man of Siu, the reader is referred to Alford's ' Greek Testament,' vol. iii., Prolegomena., pp. 55--68, 3rd edit.; Eadie's • Commentary on the Thessnlonians,' pp. 329-367; .!~lliott's • Hone ApocalyptiCII!,' vol. iii pp. 91, etc., 5th edit.; Hurd, • On Prophecy,' vol. u. pp. I, etc., 4th edit.; Jowett on the • 'fhessalonia.na,' vol. i. pp. 168-182, 1st edit., pp. 178-19-l, 2nd edit.; Liinemann's 'Briefe an die Tbeesalonicher,' pp. 2H-22!l, and the translation of the 118Jile, pp. 222, etc.; an article on "Antichrist" by Meyrick, iD the appendix to Smith's • Dictionary of the Bible;' Bishop Newton's • Dissertation on St. Paul's Proph!lcy of the Man of Sin;' Riggenbacb's dissertation in the Commentary on the Tl.Jessalonians 1n Lange's 'Commentary;' and Wordsworth's• Greek Testament,' in l.ooo. • Or "is present." (See Exposition.) • Revised Ver•ion, "For the mystery of lawlessness doth already work: only there ie on~ that rel!tre.ineth now, UD.til he be taken out of the way" (see footncte in the Revised Edition). ce.1L 1-17.] 'l'HE SEOOND EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS. 11
times some shall ilepart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, ancl cloctrinea of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having thtir conscience seared with a bot iron; forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God bath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth" (1 Tim. iv. 1-8). So also, in hie Second Epistle to 'l'imothy, he alludes to the impending nature of this period of apostasy-the mystery of lawlessness wu already working: "This know also, that in the last day■ perilous times ahall come," or rather, ,. are present" (2 Tim. iii. 1-6). And St. Peter affirms that there shall arise in the ChllJ'Ch false teachers, who shall privily "bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and shall bring upon themselves swift destruction" (2 Pet. ii. 1); and that "in the last days there shall be scoffers, walking after their lusts" (2 Pet. iii. 2). And a similar declaration is made by St. Jude: "Remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; how that they told you theu, should be mockers in tht1 last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts" (Jude 17, 18). And our Lord himself, in Lis eschatological discoune, warned his disciples that there shonld arise false Christs and false prophets (Matt. xxiv. 24}-a declaration which probably lies at the root of all similar apocalyptic assertions.1 In these passages, however, it is to be observed that a plurality of false teachers is asserted; whereas, in our passage, they are concentrated in an in<lividual- the Man of Sin. Especially in the Epistles of St. John-there is express mention of Antichrist of a person (or persons) who is the opponent of Christ. It is only in these Epistles that the word occurs, and it does so four times: "Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that [the] Antichrist shall come, even now there are many Antichrists." "Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is Antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son." "Every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of Antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world." "For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an Antichrist" (1 John ii. 18, 22; iv. 3; 2 John 7). Now, the Man of Sin of St. Paul has been identified with the Antichrist of Sr. John. 'l!hey agree in several points: in both he is described as an individual, whose coming will be foreshadowed by many forerunners; t in both his advent is future, b11t the evil principle, the apostasy or spirit of Antichrist, is already at work; and in both there ia open opposition to God and Christ. It is, however, to be observed that in St. John the Antichristian error is more positively stated as consisting in the denial that Jesus Christ came in the flesh,-accordinf(ly, as Gnosticism, which we know was already secretly corrnpting the Church; and hence the reason why some have connected the Man of Sin with the errors of the Gnostics, whereas it does not ap1,ear from St. Paul'~ words that the characteristics of the Gnostics correspond with the characteristics of the Man of Sin; ·but, on the other hand, the denial of the Father and the Son is common to both. It would far exceed the limits of this excursus to compare the Man of Sin with the declarations concerning the manifestations of evil in the Apocalypse of St. John. In th t mysterious book there appears to be two centres or impersonations of evil: the one described as the beast coming out of the sea, to whom the dragon gave his power and seat and great authority (Rev. xiii. 1, 2); and the other, as another beast coming out of the earth, who had two horns like a lamb, and spake like a dragon (Rev. xiii. 11), and who has been identified with the false prophet (Rev. xvi. 13; xix. 20; xx. 10).1 Whether there is a resemblance between the Man of Sin and either or both of these beasts, we do not inquire; in both a manifestation or revelation of evil, and the con- cen ration of it in e.n individual or individuals, is predicted. 1 On the connection between Paul'e prediction o.nd our Lord'a prophecy, see De Wette'1 'Thessalonioher,' p. 188. • "The mystery of iniquity working," ill St. Paul'e prophecy: the "many Antichrists" of St. John. 1 Archdeacon Farro.r entertains the strange idea that the first beaat coming out of the - ,B Nero : and the eeooud beaRt cowing out of the earth, or the false prophet, ill Vespaai&D (see articles in the E:r:po•ilor, 1\Io.y and September, 1881). 52 THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS. [oe. u. 1-17.