Page 52 - Pauline Epistles Student Textbook

Paul’s intent in this passage is to correct a false teaching that was being propagated, namely, that
the Day of the Lord (the end times’ judgment) had already come and the Christians of Thessalonica
had been left behind to endure it. Paul wants to set the record straight about Christ’s return and our
gathering together to Him—the rapture. Paul states that the two events that go before the Day of
the Lord are the apostasy (or “the rebellion”) and the revelation of the man of lawlessness (the
Antichrist). The “mystery of iniquity” that will one day culminate in the appearance of the Antichrist
is already at work in the world, but it is being restrained for now so that the world is not as evil as it
could be (but will be, once the Restrainer is removed from the world).

What is the apostasy? The Greek word apostasia in 2 Thessalonians 2:3 means “departure, falling
away, defection, revolt.” This end times’ apostasy is the mass “falling away” of people from God as
the world prepares to receive the lawless one who claims to be God (verse 4). It is an
unprecedented, worldwide revolt against all things godly, and even many who claim to be Christians
will be caught up in it. Another possibility, espoused by a small minority of scholars, is that the
“apostasy” is the “departure” of the church from the world, that is, the rapture that Paul alludes to
in verse 1 and which he had previously discussed in 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18. It is important to note
that a pre-trib interpretation does not require equating apostasia with the rapture.

Who is this man of lawlessness? He is a literal person, often referred to as the Antichrist. He will be
Satan’s henchman, a pseudo-Christ who will perform miracles, signs, and wonders by the power of
Satan and ultimately deceive the world. John wrote that many antichrists will precede the coming of
the ultimate Antichrist (1 John 2:18), referred to as “the beast” in Revelation 13:1–10, “the little
horn” in Daniel 7:8, and “the king who does as he pleases” in Daniel 11:36.

The mystery of iniquity is already at work in the world. The forces that would bring the Antichrist to
power are eager to establish his unholy kingdom, but they are currently being restrained (2
Thessalonians 2:6–7). What or who is the Restrainer? Possibilities include the Holy Spirit, the church,
human governments, and angels. The Thessalonians knew the identity of the Restrainer, so Paul did
not elaborate (verse 6). We believe the best answer is that the Holy Spirit is the Restrainer. The Spirit
convicts the world and indwells the church, enabling God’s people to be a limiting influence on the
world’s evil. The presence of the Holy Spirit in the world is right now thwarting the revelation of the
man of lawlessness. Wickedness gets no traction in seizing global power—but this will change. Upon
the departure of the church from this earth (at which time the Holy Spirit’s indwelling presence will
depart), the mystery of iniquity will have free rein, and the tribulation on earth will begin (Matthew
24).

What exactly is the mystery of iniquity (KJV) or the secret power of lawlessness (NIV) that is being
restrained by the Holy Spirit? The word mystery denotes something hidden for a time before God
chooses to reveal it. Some “mysteries” revealed in the New Testament include the doctrine of the
Gentile church (Romans 16:25–27; Ephesians 3:4–12; Colossians 1:25–27) and the rapture (1
Corinthians 15:51–52). This particular “mystery” in 2 Thessalonians 2:7 concerns the working of
lawlessness in the world, leading to a worldwide rebellion against God. It works in secret right now,
but it is working. The revelation of this lawlessness will coincide with the revelation of the Antichrist,
mentioned in 2 Thessalonians 2:8. The man of sin’s rise to power will represent a climax of
lawlessness, a satanic movement against the administration of God. This secret, behind-the-scenes
movement is as yet restrained but waiting to be revealed.

The mystery of iniquity has been at work for a long time—since Paul’s day—and, when it finally
erupts in all its hideousness, the world will be shaken to its core. The Antichrist, who leads the
descent into lawlessness, will set a new standard of depravity. The enormity of the acts of moral
monsters such as Stalin, Hitler, Pol Pot, Idi Amin, Robespierre, and Caligula will pale in comparison to

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