The Man of Lawlessness: 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12

Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter—asserting that the day of the Lord has already come.

The problem stated. The coming of our Lord—the parousia. Our being gathered to him—the episunagoge, the great assembly.

Not to become easily unsettled. Saleuo—shaken, disturbed. Or alarmed. Throeo—terrified, troubled in mind.

By the teaching allegedly from us. False claims. Prophecy—perhaps a spiritual utterance. Word of mouth—perhaps a rumor. Letter—perhaps a forged document.

Asserting that the day of the Lord has already come. This was the claim disturbing them. The day—already here? Had they missed it? Were they in the tribulation already?

Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.

Don't let anyone deceive you. Exapatao—thoroughly deceive. In any way—by any method.

That day will not come until. Prerequisites. Conditions that must be met first.

The rebellion. Apostasia—the falling away, the great defection. Whether political or religious or both—a massive turning from God.

And the man of lawlessness is revealed. Ho anthropos tes anomias. The man of lawlessness—the embodiment of rebellion against God's law. Revealed—apokalupto. Just as Christ would be revealed, this figure would be revealed first.

The man doomed to destruction. Ho huios tes apoleias. Literally, "the son of destruction." His destiny was fixed. Ruin awaited.

He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God.

He will oppose. Antikeimai—set against, resist. Everything that is called God or is worshiped. Not just the true God but every claim to deity or worship.

Exalt himself. Huperairo—lift above. Self-exaltation to the highest degree.

So that he sets himself up in God's temple. The temple of God—whether literal (Jerusalem) or metaphorical (the church). The usurper takes the seat of God.

Proclaiming himself to be God. Apodeiknunta—declaring, exhibiting. The ultimate blasphemy. The creature claiming to be Creator.

Don't you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things?

The reminder. Paul had taught this in person. The Thessalonians knew this. They had forgotten under pressure.

I used to tell you. Imperfect tense—repeated teaching. These things. The eschatological scenario.

And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time.

You know what is holding him back. To katechon—the restrainer. The force or person preventing the lawless one's appearance.

So that he may be revealed at the proper time. The timing was controlled. Not random. Proper time. God's time.

For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way.

The secret power of lawlessness. Musterion tes anomias. Lawlessness was already working—but secretly, covertly. Not yet fully manifest.

The one who now holds it back. Ho katechon—now a person (masculine), not just a force (neuter). Restraining until removal.

Till he is taken out of the way. Ek mesou genetai—removed from the midst. The restrainer would be withdrawn. Then the lawless one would appear.

And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming.

Then. The sequence: restrainer removed, lawless one revealed, Lord Jesus appears.

Whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow. Anelo—slay, destroy. With the breath of his mouth. The word of Christ's mouth sufficient. And destroy. Katargeo—render powerless, abolish. By the splendor of his coming. The epiphaneia of his parousia. The appearance of his presence. Glory defeating lawlessness.

The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie.

The lawless one's arrival: Satanic. How Satan works—energeia tou Satana. Supernatural evil.

All sorts of displays of power. Dunamis—might. Signs. Wonders. The vocabulary of miracles—twisted for deception.

That serve the lie. Pseudos—falsehood. The signs weren't neutral. They promoted the lie.

And all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.

Wickedness deceives. Adikia—unrighteousness. Deception the method. Those who are perishing—the ones being destroyed.

They perish because. The reason. They refused to love the truth. Not just believe truth but love it. And so be saved. The love of truth led to salvation. Its refusal led to perishing.

For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.

God sends them a powerful delusion. Energeian planes—a working of error. Judicial hardening. Because they rejected truth, God confirmed their choice.

So that they will believe the lie. The lie—the man of lawlessness's claim. And so that all will be condemned. Krino—judged. Who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness. The two paths. Truth and righteousness, or lie and wickedness. No middle ground.

The man of lawlessness.

Not yet revealed.

Restrained for now.

But lawlessness already at work in secret.

When the restrainer is removed—revelation.

When Christ appears—destruction.

The breath of his mouth.

The splendor of his coming.

The lie overthrown.

Truth vindicated.

The day has not yet come.

But it will.

And when Christ appears, the outcome is certain.