The Man of Lawlessness

Introduction:

Connection:

*I’m not opposed to changing my theology mid air*

Need:

To attempt to work out our eschatology (view of end times), and specifically, our view of the Man of Lawlessness. Hopefully we can have some charitable dialogue and discussion over differing views this evening!

Theme:

The Man of Lawlessness

Purposes:

To unravel the tangled knots regarding the Man of Sin. I’ll be arguing for a particular view. And at the end of each point of the lesson, I’ll open up the floor for questions, comments, and rebuttals. Let’s enjoy this!

Recap:

Last week we finished off ch. 1 of 2 Thessalonians, in which we say how Paul instructed us in biblical, fervent, and godly prayer. Then we spent 2 hours dealing with an introduction to partial-preterism (and explaining all the main views on the timing of end-times events). We will recap this soon. Suffice it to say, that we had a super rich discussion last week that many of you missed! I hope we can revive that spirit again tonight.

Text: 2 Thess. 2:1-12 ESV

PRAY - PRAY - PRAY - PRAY - PRAY - PRAY - PRAY

(R) A Brief Review of Partial-Preterism - v. 1

2 Thessalonians 2:1 ESV

Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers,

(R) A Brief Review of Partial-Preterism - v. 1

Before we unpack the 4 views, and I try to persuade you of the preterist view—we need to heed the words of Matthew Henry, who assures us by declaring:

Whatever uncertainty we are in, or whatever mistakes may arise about the time of Christ’s coming, that coming itself is certain. This has been the faith and hope of all Christians, in all ages of the church; it was the faith and hope of the Old Testament saints. All believers shall be gathered together to Christ, to be with him, and to be happy in his presence for ever. We should firmly believe the second coming of Christ. [Amen]! - Matthew Henry

Recap of the 4 views from last week, and on the white-board: futurism, historicism, idealism, & preterism.

Preterism teaches that Jesus instructed us in Matt. 24; Mark 13; Luke 21—that the great tribulation was the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70, which was a day of the Lord, when Jesus had a spiritual-coming in judgment at that time, which are also the events largely described in ch. 1-19 of Revelation. The figures of the antichrist, man of lawlessness, and beast of revelation were wrapped up in that 1st Century judgment-coming of Christ and are not to be expected in our future. In the Olivet Discourse, Jesus said that all of these things would take place very soon, within 1 generation (which 40 years in the Jewish mind—which lines up exactly with AD 70 and collapse of OC Israel). According to preterism, these things have already been fulfilled in our ancient history, and all that’s left for the future is the advancement of the kingdom of Christ to all nations, before Jesus returns in his 2nd Coming for final judgment, to make all things new, when he shall consummate the everlasting NHNE, and sends the wicked into the eternal lake of fire.

Advocates of Partial-Preterism include, but are not limited to: Eusebius (proto), Matthew Poole (proto), Matthew Henry (proto), John Owen (proto), CH Spurgeon (proto), Jonathan Edwards (proto), BB Warfield (proper), J. Marcellus Kik (proper), Greg Bahnsen (proper), RT France (proper), RC Sproul (proper), Robert Letham (proper), Gavin Ortlund (proper), and Kenneth Gentry (proper).

We distinguish between moderate preterism and radical preterism. Moderate preterism, though it sees the coming of Christ predicted int he Olivet Discourse as having been already fulfilled, still believes in a future consummation of Christ and his kingdom, based on other NT texts. Radical preterism, on the other hand, sees virtually the entire NT eschatology as having been realized already [no 2nd coming]. - RC Sproul

1 Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him,

Preterism argues that this coming that is spoken of in verse 1 is distinct from the final-coming spoken of in chapter 1, and that it is the judgment-coming of Christ on Jerusalem in AD 70—not the final-second coming at the end of history. Preterism also teaches that this being gathered together to Christ, refers to the establishment of the Christian gathering/church in distinction from Jewish OC worship (which ceased at the destruction of the temple in AD 70).

Paul’s reference ‘concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him’ (2 Thess. 2:1) is the crux interpretum of this passage. Paul is here speaking of the AD70 judgment on the Jews — the judgment given emphasis in the first portion of the Olivet Discourse, the Book of Revelation, and several other passages of Scripture … With the coming destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, Christians would from thenceforth be ‘gathered together’ in a separate and distinct ‘assembly’ (episunagoge; the Church is called a sunagoge in James 2:2). After the Temple’s destruction, God would no longer tolerate going up to the Temple to worship (it would be impossible!), as Christians frequently did prior to AD70. - Kenneth Gentry

Now, I grant, that if you can disprove partial-preterism, that the entire rest of my interpretation of the following passage falls apart. That’s why we can have some fun here, because this is not an easy subject! St. Augustine said: “I confess that I am entirely ignorant as to the meaning of this text”. LOL. That should humble us. But let me do my best to exegete this passage of Scripture, and we can have some good back and forth go forward.

(R) A Brief Review of Partial-Preterism - v. 1

Any question, comments, or rebuttals from v. 1?

(1) When was the Day of the Lord Arriving? - v. 2

2 Thessalonians 2:2 ESV

not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.

(1) When was the Day of the Lord Arriving? - v. 2

You remember, that the main issue facing the saints at Thessalonica, was that there was a band of heretics going around, disrupting the saints, who had actually quit working, and were causing much conflict—all because they were teaching that the day of the LORD had already come.

The main question we have to ask is: when was the day of the LORD supposed to come? And to establish this we need to distinguish between the historical days of the LORD, and the final day of the LORD. Scripture is full of this language of the day of the LORD. Normally, it refers to historical judgments upon nations (Isa. 13:13; 22:5; 24:21; 34:8; 61:2; Joel 2:11; 11; 31; Mal. 4:3-5; Matt. 3:10-12; 8:10-12; 10:23; 21:33-44; 22:7; 24:1-35; Lk. 4:18-19; 21:20-24; Acts 2:20; 1 Thess. 5:2; Rev. 2:16; 6:12-17). But all of these historical judgments point forward to a final day of the LORD, which is at the end of history, and ushers in the final judgment and everlasting states (Isa. 2:12-19; 66:15-16; 22-24; Zeph. 1:7-8; Matt. 13:40-43; 24:36-51; 25:1-46; Jn. 5:19-29; Acts 17:31; 1 Cor. 1:8; 5:5; 2 Tim. 4:8; 2 Pet. 2:9; 3:10; 3:18; Rev. 20-22). The former historical judgments anticipate the consummate final judgment. But they aren’t the same.

Given my previous arguments regarding the coming of Christ being spoken of here—I would understand Paul as speaking about a temporal day of the Lord that was approaching, which was coming within one generation, and was at hand for his contemporary hearers. And of this, he had already spoken about in 1 Thessalonians:

1 Thessalonians 2:14–16 ESV

For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews, who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and oppose all mankind by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved—so as always to fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them at last!

1 Thessalonians 5:1–2 ESV

Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.

Q - Can I get 5 people to volunteer to read some Scripture passages: Acts 2:17-20; Matt. 24:29-35; Rev. 6:12-17; Lk. 21:20-24; Rev. 11:1-2; 11:13.

Thus, in light of the day of the Lord and a judgment-coming of Christ against Jerusalem that was prophecied to take place in AD70, which was a day of wrath, I believe that this is what Paul is talking about in 2 Thess. 2:1-2. Becuase of this immanently approaching event within 10-20 years of his writing of 2 Thessalonians—that’s why the church at Thessalonica knew that something was going to happen soon, very soon, and some of the folks there even thought that it had already happened! This presents a major dilemma to those who want to argue that 2 Thess. 2 is about the 2nd Coming of Christ.

If this chapter is referring to the Second Advent, the Rapture, and the bodily resurrection of the dead, the proof that these things had not yet happened would have been far more simple and obvious. The entire argument of 2 Thess. 2 could have been reduced to the single question, ‘are you still here?’ - Keith Mathison

But that’s not how Paul refuted the false ideas going around. Paul seems to speak about temporal & local judgment, that was currently being unfolded! He pointed to near signs that would signal the arrival of this day of the Lord. Thus, I think he is speaking about a temporal day of the Lord against Jerusalem in AD 70, as Jesus himself prophecied would take place within one-Jewish-generation which was 40 years.

(1) When was the Day of the Lord Arriving? - v. 2

Very soon—within ten years of writing—in 70AD. That’s why the Thessalonians knew that something was immanently approaching. And so it did.

Any question, comments, or rebuttals from v. 2?

(2) Who is the Man of Lawlessness? (vv. 3-5); When does the Man of Lawlessness Appear? (6-7); & How does the Man of Lawlessness Die? (8).

2 Thessalonians 2:3–8 ESV

Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming.

(2) Who is the Man of Lawlessness? (v. 3-5); When does the Man of Lawlessness Appear? (v. 6-7); & How does the Man of Lawlessness Die? (v. 8).

As we seek to answer these questions we need to remember the complexity of this passage. Futurism typically sees this verse as referencing a future political leader who will wage war against a rebuilt Israel and physical temple. Historicism typically sees this verse as referencing the line of roman catholic popes who blaspheme the Head of the Church, Jesus Christ. Idealism typically sees this as church leaders who exalt themselves above Christ, and will be consummated by a blasphemous religious figure in the church at the end of the age. And preterism sees this verse as referencing a 1st century figure who was alive at the time of Paul’s writing. This is not an easy nut to crack or a simple puzzle to solve. However, we must attempt to understand this text! All of Scripture is profitable for teaching—for our equipping (2 Tim. 3:15-16).

Something we need to take note of, is that if we pay attention to the grammar of these verses, what immediately pops out is the present tense. Notice Paul’s present-tense, with my emphasis, in vv. 6-7:

2 Thessalonians 2:6–7 ESV

And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way.

In light of this present illumination—let me read a quote from Keith Mathison who gives us 6 hints and clues from the text itself that reveal to us, I think, the timing of the Man of Lawlessness as a 1st Century figure:

There are several clues to identity the [Man of Lawlessness]. 1. He is the one who opposes and exalts himself above every so called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God [still standing in Jerusalem], displaying himself as being God. This is used in the OT to describe several political rulers. 2. He is alive, yet restrained at the time Paul wrote this letter in AD 51-52. 3. His restrainer is known to the Thessalonians. 4. During his reign there will be an abundance of false signs and satanic wonders. 5. He is characterized by extraordinary wickedness and lawlessness. 6. He is slain by God in connection with the events surrounding the coming of Christ for judgment [on Jerusalem] - Keith Mathison

These are 6 things we see, just from the passage itself, with no outside sources and confirmation. And so, theologians and historians, working together, do their best job to see if anyone during the time of Paul fit this description. And I admit, for a moment, that I’m arguing for the preterist viewpoint. Let me see if I can establish my case—and then I’ll let Elder John take his shots at it. And so, piecing all of this together—Mathison concludes:

There was only one person in the 1st century who fit these descriptions, and that was Nero. At the time Paul wrote 2 Thessalonians, Nero was not yet emperor. His step-father, Claudius, sat on the throne. However, shortly after the writing of Paul’s epistle, Claudius was ‘taken out of the way’—murdered by Nero’s mother, Agrippina. The mystery of lawlessness may therefore be Agrippina’s ongoing plotting and scheming to get her son on the throne. It is also a matter of historical record that Nero’s reign was characterized by lawlessness, wickedness, and cruelty that repulsed even pagan Romans. Significantly, he was the first of the emperors to persecute Christians relentlessly. - Keith Mathison

I think when you piece everything together, it becomes evident that Nero was indeed the Man of Lawlessness … that he was the great Beast of Revelation, whose name adds up to 666, and who historically reigned for 42 months (as Revelation says he did). He is that great persecutor of the church and the wicked blasphemer of God, who, as we shall see soon, purposes to commit the abomination of desolation—which is fulfilled by his successor, Titus. But Paul says that before he comes, the Man of Lawlessness, that there must be a rebellion or an apostasy. This precedes the revelation of wicked Nero.

What was this apostasy? How could it have been fulfilled in the 1st Century? Kenneth Gentry adds this Jewish lens to the text:

The word ‘falling away’ is apostasia, which occurs only here and in Acts 21:21 in the NT. Historically, the word may apply either to a political or to a religious revolt … A good case may be made in support of the view that it speaks of the Jewish apostasy/rebellion against Rome. Josephus certainly speaks of the Jewish War as an apostasia against the Romans [which occured just before 70 AD and the destruction of Jerusalem]. Probably Paul merges the two concepts of religious and political apostasy here, though emphasizing the outbreak of the Jewish War, which was the result of their apostasy against God. This may be inferred from 1 Thess. 2:16, where Paul states of the Jews that they ‘always fill up the measure of their sins; but wrath has come upon them to the uttermost. The apostasia revolt Paul mentions will lead to the military devastation of Israel (Lk. 21:21-22; 23:28-31; Acts 2:16-20). … The apostasia of the Jews against God by rejecting their Messiah (Matt. 21:37-39; 22:2-6), led to God’s providentially turning them over to judgment via their apostasia against Rome (Matt. 21:40-42; 22:7). - Kenneth Gentry

This seems to make best sense of the impending judgment language, the strong rhetoric against the apostate Jews in Thessalonians, and lines up well with the apostasy predicted in the Olivet Discourse. It also aligns with the Book of Revelation and the persecution by Nero during the Jewish rebellion against Rome, which lasted 3.5 years (or 1260 days, or 42 months)—as Revelation specifies for us.

But the last nut to crack in this passage is the exaltation of the Man of Lawlessness in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. Could Nero have done this? Did he do something like this? According to Gentry, the Greek of the text indicates an intention and purpose of the Man of Sin, but not necessarily an accomplishment of that purpose. Thus Nero intended to do this—but it could have been fulfilled shortly thereafter. He set it in motion—someone else completed the abomination. And little do you know, it was only 2 years after Nero died, that his succeeder, Titus, seems to have fulfilled this prophecy quite literally. One writer makes these comments, using Josephus eye-witness:

“Josephus [a 1st Century Jewish Historian] recounts how these pagan allies slaughtered thousands within the temple precincts. He describes the aftermath in horrifying detail: "The outer court of the temple was overflowed with blood, and the day dawned with eight thousand five hundred dead bodies lying there." The sacred temple courts, once a place of worship and sacrifice, became a blood-soaked graveyard. The stench of death, the cries of the dying, and the desecration of the holy site all testify to the unparalleled nature of these atrocities. The presence of the Idumeans, idolaters, and foreigners compounded the abomination, leaving the temple defiled beyond recognition. … After breaching Jerusalem's defenses, Roman soldiers stormed the temple, setting it ablaze and looting its treasures. Josephus vividly recounts how the Romans set up their standards—idolatrous symbols of Caesar worship—within the temple precincts. He writes, "The Romans [under Titus] brought their ensigns to the temple and set them over against its eastern gate, and there they offered sacrifices to them." This act, the culmination of a series of desecrations, fulfilled Jesus' prophecy in chilling detail: the abomination of desolation was now "standing in the holy place.” - Kendall Lankford

And so, Nero’s intention of exalting himself in the temple as god, began with himself, but was fulfilled by his successor Titus—who concluded the destruction of Jerusalem, in which he supposedly set up signs that proclaimed himself as god in the temple, thereby desecrating it’s holiness—committing the abomination of desolation—the abomination that left Jerusalem desolate, as Jesus said in Matt. 23:38.

And if we remember the context of Thessalonica and Acts 17—the Thessalonians were persecuted by the Jews for proclaiming that Christ was Lord, but it was here that Titus proclaimed that Caesar was Lord—and so desecrated the temple of God which concluded the end of the old-covenant economy of the Temple. And behold, not one stone was left standing—the shekinah glory had left OC Zion.

With all of this historical data, seeming to line up so well with the prophecy of the Man of Lawlessness, BB Warfield thus concludes:

“As a matter of mere fact the growing apostasy of the Jews was completed—the abomination of desolation had been set up in the sanctuary—Jerusalem and the temple, and the Jewish state were in ruins—Christianity stood naked before her enemies—and the persecuting sword of Divus Caesar was unsheathed and Paul had himself felt its keenness: all the prophecy had been fulfilled before two decades had passed away”. - BB Warfield

And if this is true, as I reminded you last week, that all such calamities have already been fulfilled in church history—then there remains much optimism about the advancement of the Kingdom of Christ in the discipling of all nations, before Jesus returns. Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will be Done, on Earth as it is in Heaven—and so we pray for the earth to be filled with the knowledge of the glory of God as the waters cover the sea (Ps. 72; Rev. 11:15). But again—if I’m wrong—I’m not opposed to changing my theology mid air :) So, summarizing this point:

(2) Who is the Man of Lawlessness? (v. 3-5); When does the Man of Lawlessness Appear? (v. 6-7); & How does the Man of Lawlessness Die? (v. 8).

In my humble opinion—the Man of Lawlessness was Nero—who appeared in his bloody-glory during the Jewish War, which also brought heavy persecution against Christians, who exalted himself as god—and who died just before Jerusalem fell in AD 70 (in the midst of the judgment-coming of Christ against apostate Israel). Voilas. Les finis.

Any question, comments, or rebuttals from vv. 3-8?

(3) Who does the Man of Lawlessness Serve? - v. 9-12

2 Thessalonians 2:9–12 ESV

The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

(3) Who does the Man of Lawlessness Serve? - v. 9-12

And so, in conclusion tonight, after all our discussion regarding the Man of Lawlessness, regardless of who it is that the man line of men are—we know one thing for certain. Christ is victorious over this man of sin. All of Satan’s power, false signs and wonders, and wicked deception can’t stop the reigning Lord Jesus Christ. All those who oppose the Lord and his Anointed shall be put under the feet of wrath and trampled underfoot. God will send hardening and delusion upon those who refuse the truth—who delight in sin—and who reject Jesus Christ. And in the end, Christ shall defeat all of his enemies and consummate his kingdom, when he returns in final judgment, to make all things new, bring us into the NHNE and banish the wicked into the lake of fire. Matthew Henry summarizes this fate of the wicked for us:

“We have the sin and ruin of the subjects of antichrist’s kingdom declared, v. 11, 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.” - Matthew Henry

And so, we must ensure that we are serving the Victorious Christ—and not the Deceptive Satan. Let us stand firm in the Armour of God, in the strength of His might, as we serve our reigning King who rides forth conquering and to conquer! He shall have dominion, over land and sea—earth’s remotest regions, shall his empire be!

(3) Who does the Man of Lawlessness Serve? - v. 9-12

Satan. But who dom God’s people serve? The Lord of Glory, the Man Christ Jesus. So hear now our conclusion for this evening:

(C) The Coming of Christ Slays the Man of Lawlessness—So Praise God for our Victorious King and Prince!

Joshua 24:14–15 ESV

“Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

1 Corinthians 15:24–26 ESV

Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

Q - Any last questions, comments, or thoughts for TN?

Let’s pray & then sing Psalm 110 together!