Thomas Aquinas

He who is Apostle above showed things to come, as regards the punishments of the wicked and the rewards of the good; here he announces things to come as regards the dangers of the Church, which will be in the time of Antichrist. And first he announces the truth about the future dangers; second he warns them to remain in the truth, at the place therefore, brothers. Concerning the first he does two things: first he excludes falsity; second he instructs concerning the truth, at the place unless. Again the first is divided into three: first he recalls that from which they ought to be induced; second he shows to what they ought to be induced, at the place that you be not quickly; third he removes that which could move them, at the place nor by spirit. Now he induces from three things, namely from his own prayers, at we beg, not from precepts. Philem. 8: having much confidence in Christ Jesus to command you what pertains to the matter, for charity's sake I rather beseech. Second, from the coming of Christ, desirable to the good, though terrible to the wicked. Amos 5:18: woe to them that desire the day of the Lord, et cetera. 2 Tim. 4:8: and not only to me, but to them also that love his coming, et cetera. Apoc., last chapter: come, Lord Jesus, et cetera. Third, from the desire and love of the whole congregation of the saints, unto the same, namely where Christ is, because Matt. 24:28: where the body shall be, there shall the eagles also be gathered together. Or unto the same, that is, into the same, because all the saints will be in the same place and glory. Ps. 49:5: gather ye together his saints to him.

But to what does he induce them? That you be not quickly moved from your sense. Now to be moved is one thing, to be terrified another. He is moved from his sense who abandons what he held; as if he were to say: do not quickly let go of my teaching. Ecclus. 19:4: he that is hasty to give credit is light of heart. But terror is a certain trepidation, with dread of what is contrary. And therefore he says: be not terrified. Job 15:21: the sound of dread is always in his ears. Likewise, if there is peace, they always suspect ambushes. Wis. 17:10: for whereas wickedness is fearful, it beareth witness to its condemnation, et cetera.

Then when he says nor by spirit, he removes what could move them, first in particular, second in general, at the place lest anyone. Now a person is seduced through a false revelation; hence he says nor by spirit, that is: if anyone should say that something contrary to my teaching has been revealed to him through the Holy Spirit, or by the Holy Spirit, do not be terrified. 1 John 4:1: believe not every spirit. Ezek. 13:3: woe to the foolish prophets that follow their own spirit, and see nothing. Sometimes too Satan transforms himself into an angel of light, as is said 2 Cor. 11:14; and 3 Kings, last chapter: I will go out, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. Second, through reasoning, or a false exposition of Scripture; therefore he says nor by word. 2 Tim. 2:17: their speech spreadeth like a canker. Eph. 5:6: let no man deceive you with vain words. Third, through authority adduced in an evil sense. 2 Peter, last chapter: as also our most dear brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, hath written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are certain things hard to be understood, which the unlearned and unstable wrest, as also the other Scriptures, et cetera.

But concerning what were they being seduced? As though the day of the Lord were at hand. And he says nor by an epistle as if sent by us. Because in the first epistle, unless it be well understood, it seems to say that the Lord's coming is at hand, as that: then we who live, et cetera. Then when he says lest anyone, etc., he does the same in general. Luke 21:8: take heed you be not seduced, et cetera. 1 Cor. 15:33: be not seduced.

Now the reason why the Apostle removes these things, namely concerning the Lord's coming, is that a prelate ought in no way to wish that any goods be procured through a lie. 1 Cor. 15:15: we are found also false witnesses, et cetera. Likewise, because the thing believed was dangerous, namely that the day of the Lord was at hand. First, because occasion would be given for greater seduction, because after the times of the apostles there were to be some who would say that they were Christ. Luke 21:8: many will say: I am, et cetera. And therefore the Apostle was unwilling. Likewise the Demon frequently pretends to be Christ, as is clear concerning blessed Martin. And therefore, lest they be seduced, he was unwilling. But Augustine gives another reason, that a danger to faith would threaten. Hence someone might say: the Lord will come late, and then I will prepare myself for him. Another would say: he will come soon, and therefore I will prepare myself now. Another would say: I do not know. And this one speaks better, because he agrees with Christ. But he errs more who says: soon; because, the term having elapsed, men would despair, and would believe that the things written are false.

Then when he says unless the departure come first, etc., he establishes the truth; and first he shows what things are to come regarding the coming of Antichrist. And there are two things, one of which precedes the coming of Antichrist; the other is his coming itself. The first is the departure, which is explained in many ways in the Gloss. And first, a departure from the faith, because it was to be that the faith would be received by the whole world. Matt. 24:14: and this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world. This therefore precedes, which according to Augustine has not yet been fulfilled, and afterward many will depart from the faith, et cetera. 1 Tim. 4:1: in the last times some shall depart from the faith, et cetera. Matt. 24:12: the charity of many shall grow cold. Or a departure from the Roman empire, to which the whole world was subject. Now Augustine says that this is figured in Dan. 2:31 in the statue, where four kingdoms are named; and after those, the coming of Christ, and that this was a fitting sign, because the Roman empire was established for this, that under its power the faith might be preached throughout the whole world. But how is this, since the nations withdrew from the Roman empire long ago, and yet Antichrist has not yet come? It must be said that it has not yet ceased, but has been changed from temporal into spiritual, as Pope Leo says in a sermon on the apostles. And therefore it must be said that the departure from the Roman empire ought to be understood not only as regards the temporal, but as regards the spiritual, namely from the Catholic faith of the Roman Church. Now this is a fitting sign, that just as Christ came when the Roman empire ruled over all, so conversely the sign of Antichrist is a departure from it.

Second, he foretells the second thing to come, namely Antichrist. And first as regards his guilt and punishment; second as regards his power, at the place whose coming. Again, first he touches on his guilt and punishment commonly and implicitly; second he explains both, at the place who opposes. He says therefore: the departure will come first, and then he will be revealed. Now he is called the man of sin and the son of perdition, according to the Gloss, because just as the fullness of virtue abounded in Christ, so in Antichrist a multitude of all sins abounds. And just as Christ is better than all the saints, so he is worse than all the wicked. And for this reason he is called the man of sin, because he will be totally given over to sins. But he is not called man of sin in such a way that he could not be worse, because evil never corrupts the whole good, although as regards act he will not be able to be worse. But no man could be better than Christ. Now he is called son of perdition, that is, appointed to utter perdition. Job 21:30: the wicked man is reserved to the day of destruction, and he shall be led to the day of wrath. Or of perdition, that is, of the Devil, not by nature, but by the completion of his malice, which will be completed in him. And he says he will be revealed, because just as all the goods and virtues of the saints who preceded Christ were a figure of Christ, so in all the persecutions of the Church the tyrants were, as it were, a figure of Antichrist, and Antichrist lay hidden there; and thus all that malice, which lies hidden in them, will be revealed at that time.

Then when he says who opposes, he explains what he had said. And first he shows how he is the man of sin; second how he is the son of perdition, at the place and then shall be revealed. Again, first he foretells his future guilt; second he assigns its cause, at the place and then. Again, first he describes the guilt, second he says that he is not announcing a new teaching, at the place you remember not. Again, first he shows the guilt, second its sign, at the place so that, et cetera. Now his guilt is twofold, namely opposition to God; hence he says who is opposed to all good spirits. Job 15:26: he ran against God with neck erect, and with fat neck he is armed, as also are his members. Isa. 3:8: their tongue and their devices are against the Lord, to provoke the eyes of his majesty. The second is that he prefers himself to Christ; therefore he says he is lifted up, et cetera. Now God is spoken of in three ways. First, naturally. Deut. 6:4: hear, O Israel, the Lord your God is one God. Second, by opinion. Ps. 95:5: all the gods of the Gentiles are devils. Third, by participation. Ps. 81:6: I have said: you are gods. But Antichrist will set himself above all these. Dan. 11:36: he shall be lifted up, and magnified against every god, and shall speak great things against the God of gods.

Now the sign of the guilt is when he says so that in the temple, et cetera. For the pride of Antichrist is greater than the pride of all who preceded him. Hence just as it is read of Caius Caesar, that while he was still living he wished to be worshipped, setting up his statue in every temple, and Ezek. 28:2 it is said of the king of Tyre: thou hast said, I am God, et cetera: so it is credible that Antichrist will do likewise to them, saying that he is God and man. And as a sign of this he will sit in the temple. But in which temple? Was it not destroyed by the Romans? And therefore some say that Antichrist is of the tribe of Dan, which tribe among the other twelve is not named in Apoc. 7:5. And therefore the Jews will first receive him, and will rebuild the temple in Jerusalem, and thus that will be fulfilled, Dan. 9:27: there shall be in the temple the abomination and the idol; Matt. 24:15: and when you shall see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place, he that readeth let him understand. But some say that neither Jerusalem nor the temple will ever be rebuilt, but the desolation will persist even to the consummation and the end. And this also some Jews believe. Therefore it is expounded in the temple of God, that is, in the Church, because many from the Church will receive him. Or according to Augustine, he sits in the temple of God, that is, he rules and dominates, as though he himself with his messengers were the temple of God, just as Christ is with his own.

Then when he says do you not remember, he shows that he writes nothing new; as if he were to say: formerly, when I was with you, I said this. 2 John 5: I write not a new commandment to you, but the old commandment, which you had from the beginning. 2 Cor. 10:11: such as we were in word through letters when absent, such also when present in deed, et cetera.