Thomas Aquinas

Above, the Apostle, foretelling, narrated the coming and the guilt of the Antichrist; here he shows the cause of the delay. And first he shows that they have the cause of this knowledge; second he sets forth that cause obscurely, at the words for the mystery. He says therefore: I say that the man of sin must be revealed. And what now restrains — that is, what is the cause that delays it — you know, because I have told you, so that thus at present it is restrained, that in its own time — that is, at the fitting time — it may be revealed. Ecclesiastes 8:6: for every matter there is a time and an opportunity. And in the same place, 3:11: God has made everything good in its time, et cetera.

Then, when he says for the mystery, etc., he sets forth its cause. And this text is expounded in many ways, because this word mystery can be in the nominative case, or the accusative. If in the first way, the sense is: I say that in its own time, because even now the mystery — that is, figuratively hidden — is at work in pretenders, who seem good, and yet are evil. And these perform the office of the Antichrist. 2 Timothy 3:5: having a form of godliness, but denying its power.

But in the second way, the sense is: for the Devil, in whose power the Antichrist will come, already begins to work his iniquity secretly, through tyrants and seducers, because the persecutions of the Church of this time are figures of that last persecution against all the good, and are, as it were, imperfect in comparison to it.

Only that he who now restrains, et cetera. This is expounded in many ways. In one way, according to the Gloss and Augustine, who say that certain persons supposed that Nero, who first persecuted the Christians, was the Antichrist, and that he had not been slain, but withdrawn, and would at some time be restored. Whence the Apostle, dispelling this, says only that he who now restrains — the Roman empire — should hold, until he be taken out of the way — that is, until he dies. But this way is not fitting, because it is many years since Nero died, namely in that year in which the Apostle. But it is better that it be referred to Nero, insofar as he is a public person of the Roman empire, until he be taken out of the way — that is, until the Roman empire be removed from this world. Isaiah 23:9: the Lord of hosts has purposed this, to bring down the pride of all glory, and unto ignominy, et cetera.

Or otherwise: only that he who now restrains — that is, who now holds back the coming of the Antichrist — should hold, lest he come; as though it were necessary that still some should come to the faith, and some fall away. As if he were to say: that the departure and approach, which now holds until he come, should hold until that foul one be taken away. Or thus: only let him who now holds the faith, hold it — that is, let him be firm in it. Apocalypse 2: hold fast what you have, that no one take your crown — until he be taken out of the way — that is, until the mingled congregation of the wicked be separated, and become distinct, which will be in the persecution of the Antichrist. Or only, etc. — that is, that the mystery of iniquity, that is, the mystical iniquity, which restrains, may restrain until it be taken out of the midst — that is, until the iniquity be brought into the open, and become, as it were, something existing openly out of the midst.

For many now sin in secret, but nevertheless at some time it will be done openly; for God bears with sinners as long as they are hidden, until they sin publicly, and then he will not bear with them, as is clear concerning the Sodomites in Genesis 19:24. But nevertheless Augustine confesses that he does not know what the Apostle is saying to them, who already knew. Whence he says, what now restrains, you know. And besides, this was not very necessary to know.

Then, when he says and then, etc., the coming of the wicked one is set forth, and his punishment. First the manifestation; second his punishment. As to the first, he says that wicked one — in the singular — shall be revealed, because his guilt will be manifest, whom the Lord Jesus will slay with the spirit of his mouth. Isaiah 11: the zeal of the Lord of hosts shall do this — that is, the zeal of justice, which is love. For the spirit of Christ is the love of Christ, and this zeal belongs to the Holy Spirit, which he has toward the Church. Or by the spirit of his mouth, that is, by his command; because Michael is to slay him on the Mount of Olives, from where Christ ascended; thus also Julian was extinguished by the divine hand. And this is the present punishment, although he will also be punished eternally in the future, because he will destroy by the brightness, etc. — that is, by his coming, illuminating all things. 1 Corinthians 4:5: he will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, et cetera. And he will destroy, I say, eternally, namely by damnation. Psalm 27:5: he shall destroy them, et cetera. And he says, by the brightness, because he himself was seen to darken the Church, and darkness is driven away by brightness, because whatever the Antichrist shall show, it shall be shown to have been a lie.

Then, when he says whose coming is, he foretells the power of the Antichrist. And concerning this he does two things: first he sets forth his power to seduce; second, the cause of this from the justice of the Lord, at the words because the love. Again the first is divided into three, because first he sets forth the author of this power; second, the manner of seducing; third he shows those who are to be seduced. The author of this power is the Devil, and therefore Christ will destroy him. 1 John 3:8: for this the Son of God appeared, that he might dissolve the works of the Devil. And therefore he says that the coming of the Antichrist will be according to the working of Satan — that is, from his instigation. Apocalypse 20:7: Satan will be released from his prison, and will go out, and will seduce the nations, et cetera.

For something works according to the working of Satan, as in the possessed, in whom he not only instigates the will, but also impedes the use of reason; which, however, is not imputed to his fault, because he does not have the use of free will. But the Antichrist is not so; rather he will have the use of free will, in which the Devil is suggesting, as is said of Judas, John chapter 3: Satan entered into him — namely, by instigating.

But he will deceive in this manner: first through secular power; second through the power of miracles. As to the first, he says in all power — namely, secular power. Daniel 11:43: he shall have dominion over the treasures of gold and silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt. Or power, namely feigned. But as to the second he says in signs, et cetera. Signs are certain wonders, even small ones. But prodigies are great, which show something prodigious, as it were far from the finger. Revelation 13:13: he did great signs, so that he even made fire come down from heaven, et cetera. Matthew 24:24: they shall give great signs and wonders, so that, if it were possible, even the elect would be led into error.

And he says lying. A miracle is called lying, either because it lacks the true nature of the deed, or the true nature of a miracle, or the due end of a miracle. The first happens in illusions, when through demons the sight is deceived, so that something appears other than it is: as Simon Magus made a ram be beheaded, and afterward it was shown alive; and a man was beheaded, and afterward the man, who was believed to have been beheaded, was shown alive, and was believed to have been raised. And this men do by changing phantasms and deceiving. In the second way, those things are called miracles improperly which are full of wonder, when the effect is seen and the cause is unknown. Therefore, those things which have a cause hidden to someone, and not absolutely, are indeed called wonders, and not miracles absolutely. But those which have a cause absolutely hidden are properly miracles, whose cause is God himself, the glorious one, because they transcend the whole order of created nature. But sometimes certain wonders happen, not beyond the order of nature, but having hidden causes; and these the demons do much more, who know the powers of nature, and who have determined efficacies for special effects, and these the Antichrist will do; but not those which have the true nature of a miracle, because they cannot do those things which are above nature.

In the third way, they are called miracles insofar as they are ordered to bearing witness to the truth of the faith, to bringing back the faithful to God. Mark, last chapter: the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs that followed. But if the glory of miracles is present to someone, and he does not use them for this end, the miracles are indeed true as to the nature of the deed done, and as to the nature of a miracle, but they are false as to the due end, and the intention of God. But nevertheless this will not be in the Antichrist, because no one against the faith does true miracles, because God is not a witness of falsehood. Whence someone preaching false doctrine cannot do miracles, although someone having an evil life could.

Then he shows those who are to be seduced, when he says to those who perish — that is, among those foreknown unto perdition. John 17:12: none of them perished, but the son of perdition. And this for this reason, because John 10:27: my sheep hear my voice.