2 Thessalonians 2:4

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.

(Daniel 11:36-27.) The words there as to Antiochus Epiphanes shall receive their exhaustive fulfillment in the man of sin, the New Testament Anti-christ. as Antiochus was the Old Testament typical Antichrist. The previous world-kingdoms had each one extraordinary person as its representative head (thus Babylon had Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel 2:38, end; Medo-Persia, Cyrus; Greece, Alexander, and Antiochus Epiphanes); so the fourth and last world-kingdom, under which we live, shall have one final head, the concentrated embodiment of all the sin and lawless iniquity in Pagan and Papal Rome. Rome's final phase will probably be an unholy alliance between idolatry and infidelity.

Who opposeth and exalteth himself. The one Greek article to both [ ho (G3588) antikeimenos (G480) kai (G2532) huperairomenos (G5229)] implies, why he opposeth himself is, that he may exalt himself above and against [epi-Theon], etc. Alford, absolutely, 'He that withstands (CHRIST)' - i:e., Antichrist (1 John 2:18), 'the adversary,' instigated by Satan (meaning adversary, 2 Thessalonians 2:9), 'diametrically opposed to Christ' (Origen, 'Cels.,' 6: 64). As at the conclusion of the Old Testament, Israel apostate allied itself with the pagan world-power against Jesus (Luke 23:12), and at Thessalonica against His apostles (Acts 17:5), and was in righteous retribution punished through the world-power itself (Jerusalem being destroyed by Rome, Daniel 9:26), so the degenerate Church (become an "harlot"), allying itself with the godless world-power (the "beast" of Revelation) against vital religion (i:e., the harlot sitting on the beast), shall be judged by that world-power which shall be finally embodied in Antichrist (Zechariah 13:8; Zechariah 14:2; Revelation 17:1; Revelation 17:15).

In this early letter the apostate Jewish church as the harlot, and Pagan Rome as the beast, form the historical background on which Paul draws his prophetic sketch of the apostasy. Later, in the pastoral letters this prophecy is connected with Gnosticism, which at that time infected the Church. The apostate church is first to be judged by the world-power and its kings (Revelation 17:16); afterward the beasts and their allies (with the personal Anti-christ at their head, who rises after the judgment on the harlot, or apostate church) shall be judged by Jesus in person (Revelation 19:20). Antichristian tendencies produce different Antichrists: these separate Antichrists shall hereafter find their consummation in an individual exceeding them all in intensity of evil (Auberlen). Judgment soon over-takes him. He is a child of death, immediately after his ascent as the beast out of the bottomless pit going into perdition (Revelation 17:8; Revelation 17:11). Idolatry of self, spiritual pride, and rebellion against God characterize him; as Christ-worship, humility, and dependence on God characterize Christianity. He does not feign (as the "false Christs," Matthew 24:24), but 'opposes' Christ. [ Antikeimenos (G480); one situated on the opposite side: cf. 1 John 2:22; 2 John 1:7.] One who, on the destruction of every religion, shall seek to establish his own throne, and for God's truth, 'God is man,' to substitute his own lie, 'Man is God' (Trench).

Above all that is called God (1 Corinthians 8:5). Pope Clement VI. commanded the angels to admit into Paradise, without the alleged pains of purgatory, certain souls. Still this only foreshadows Antichrist who will not, as the Pope, act in God's name, but against God.

Or that is worshipped. Rome here foreruns Antichrist. [Sebasma is akin to Sebastus, Greek for Augustus, worshipped as the divine vicegerent.] The Papacy rose on the overthrow of Cesar's power. Antichrist shall exalt himself above every object of worship, whether on earth, as Cesar, or in heaven, as God. The various prefigurations of Antichrist, Mahomet, Rome, Napoleon, and infidel secularism, contain some, not all, his characteristics. The union of all in some one person shall form THE ANTICHRIST, as the union in one Person, Jesus, of all the types and prophecies constituted THE CHRIST (Olshausen).

Sitteth in, [ kathisai (G2523) eis (G1519) ton (G3588) naon (G3485): goeth into, and sitteth in]

The temple of God ... that he is God. 'He will reign a time, times, and half a time' (Daniel 7:25) - i:e., three and a half years-and sit in the temple at Jerusalem (Ezekiel 37:26; Ezekiel 41:1; Ezekiel 42:1; Ezekiel 43:1; Ezekiel 44:1); 'then the Lord shall come from heaven and cast him into the lake of fire, and bring to the saints the times of their reigning, the seventh day of hallowed rest, and give to Abraham the promised inheritance' (Irenaeus, 'Adver. Haer.,' 5: 30. 4).

Showing himself - with blasphemous and arrogant DISPLAY (cf. a type, Acts 12:21). The earliest fathers unanimously looked for a personal Antichrist. Two objections exist to Romanism being the Antichrist, though Romanism may culminate in him:

(1) So far is Romanism from opposing all that is called God, that adoration of gods and lords many (the Virgin Mary and saints) is its leading feature.

(2) The Papacy has existed for more than twelve centuries, and yet Christ has not come; whereas the prophecy regards the Antichrist as short-lived, and soon going to perdition through Christ's coming (Revelation 17:8; Revelation 17:11).

Gregory the Great declared against the patriarch of Constantinople, that whosoever should call himself 'Universal Bishop' would be 'the forerunner of Antichrist.' The Papacy fulfilled this. The Pope has been called, 'Our Lord God the Pope;' and at his inauguration in Peter's, seated in his chair upon the high altar, which is his footstool, he has vividly foreshadowed him who "exalteth himself above all that is called God." An objection to interpreting the temple of God here as the Church (1 Corinthians 3:16; 1 Corinthians 6:19) is, Paul would hardly designate the apostate church "the temple of God." The local terms point to the literal temple. As Messiah was revealed among the Jews at Jerusalem, so anti-Messiah probably shall appear among them when restored to their own land, and after they have rebuilt their temple at Jerusalem. Thus Daniel 11:41; Daniel 11:45 (notes) corresponds, 'He shall enter the glorious land (Judea), and plant the tabernacles of His palaces between the seas in the glorious holy mountain;' and then (Daniel 12:1), 'Michael, the great prince, shall stand up' to deliver God's people (note, Daniel 9:26).

The king of Assyria is type of Antichrist, Isaiah 14:12, "Lucifer," the light-bearing "morning star" (a title of Messiah assumed by Antichrist, Revelation 22:16): 'I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit upon the mount of the congregation (i:e., God's place of meeting His people; the temple) in the sides of the north (the site of Jerusalem Psalms 48:2); I will be like the Most High.' "The temple ... the holy city" (Matthew 4:5; Revelation 11:1). Compare Psalms 68:18; Psalms 68:29, referring to a period since Christ's ascension not yet fulfilled (Isaiah 2:1; Ezekiel 40:1; Ezekiel 41:1; Ezekiel 42:1; Ezekiel 43:1; Ezekiel 44:1; Zechariah 14:16; Malachi 3:1). Antichrist possibly shall, the first three and a half years of the prophetic week, keep the covenant, then break it, and usurp divine honours in the midst of the week. He will, 'by flatteries,' bring many, not only Gentiles, but also of 'the tribes' of Israel (so Greek, "kindreds," Revelation 11:8), to own him as their looked for Messiah, in the 'city where our Lord was crucified.' "Sitteth" implies his occupying the place of power and majesty; in opposition to Him who sitteth "on the right hand of the Majesty on high" (Hebrews 1:3), who shall come to 'sit' where the usurper sat (Matthew 26:64: note, Daniel 9:27; Revelation 11:2; Revelation 11:9; Revelation 11:11). Compare Ezekiel 28:2 as to Tyre, the type characterized by similar blasphemous arrogance.