Man of sin explained

The man of sin (Greek, Modern (1453-);: ὁ ἄνθρωπος τῆς ἁμαρτίας, ho anthrōpos tēs hamartias) or man of lawlessness, (anomias), man of rebellion, man of insurrection, or man of apostasy is a figure referred to in the Christian Bible in the Second Epistle to the Thessalonians. He is usually equated with the Antichrist in Christian eschatology.

Biblical narrative

See also: Katechon. In 2 2 Thessalonians, the "man of sin" is described as one who will be revealed before the Day of the Lord comes. The Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus have the reading "man of lawlessness" and Bruce M. Metzger argues that this is the original reading even though 94% of manuscripts have "man of sin".[1]

Identity

Nearly all commentators, both ancient and modern, identify the man of sin in 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 as the Antichrist, even though they vary greatly in who they view the Antichrist to be.[2] The man of sin is variously identified with Caligula, Nero,[3] [4] the papacy[5] and the end times Antichrist. Some scholars believe that the passage contains no genuine prediction, but represents a speculation of the apostle's own, based on Daniel 8:23ff; 11:36ff, and on contemporary ideas of Antichrist.[6] [7]

Views

Catholic church and Orthodox churches

The Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions consider the Man of Sin to come at the End of the World, when the katechon, the one who restrains, will be taken out. Katechon is also interpreted as the Grand Monarch or a new Orthodox Emperor, inaugurating a rebirth of the Holy Roman Empire.

Other views

See main article: Great Apostasy and Historicism (Christian eschatology). Various Protestant and anti-Catholic commentators have linked the term and identity to the Catholic Church and the Pope.

Notes and References

  1. Bruce M. Metzger, A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament (Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft: Stuttgart 1994).
  2. Schink, W.F., "The Scriptural Doctrine of the Antichrist." Our Great Heritage: Vol. 3 Ed. Lange, Lyle and Albrecht, Jerome G. Milwaukee: Northwestern Publishing house, 1991. p. 572.
  3. [St. John Chrysostom]
  4. http://www.preteristcentral.com/pgt-man-of-sin.htm Man of Sin
  5. [Albert Barnes (theologian)|Albert Barnes]
  6. Web site: Net Bible: Man of sin . 2010-05-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090707075356/http://net.bible.org/dictionary.php?word=MAN%20OF%20SIN . 2009-07-07 . dead .
  7. (compare Bousset, Der Antichrist, 93 ff, etc.)