Albert Barnes Commentary 2 Thessalonians 2:7

"For the mystery of lawlessness doth already work: only [there is] one that restraineth now, until he be taken out of the way." — 2 Thessalonians 2:7 (ASV)

For the mystery of iniquity. On the meaning of the word mystery, see Barnes on Romans 11:25.

Compare 1 Corinthians 2:7, Ephesians 1:9, Ephesians 3:3, and Colossians 1:26. It properly means that which is hidden or concealed, not necessarily that which is unintelligible.

The "mystery of iniquity" seems here to refer to some hidden or concealed depravity—some form of sin that was working secretly and silently, and which had not yet developed itself. Any secret sources of iniquity in the church—anything that tended to corrupt its doctrines and to destroy the simplicity of the faith of the gospel—would correspond with the meaning of the word. Doddridge correctly supposes that this may refer to the pride and ambition of some ministers, the factious temper of some Christians, the imposing of unauthorized severities, the worship of angels, etc.

Does already work. There are elements of these corruptions already existing in the church. Bishop Newton maintains that the foundations of Popery were laid in the apostles' days and that the superstructure was raised by degrees; this is entirely in accordance with the statements of the apostle Paul.

In his own time, he says, there were things that, if not restrained, would expand and ripen into that apostasy. He has not told us particularly to what he refers, but there are several intimations in his writings, as well as in other parts of the New Testament, that even in the apostolic age there existed the elements of those corruptions which were afterwards developed and embodied in the Papacy. Even "then," says Bishop Newton, "idolatry was stealing into the church (1 Corinthians 10:14), and a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels" (Colossians 2:18). See Barnes on Colossians 2:18.

The author continues, noting that even then "there existed:

• strife and divisions (1 Corinthians 3:3);
• an adulterating and handling the word of God deceitfully (2 Corinthians 2:17; 2 Corinthians 4:2);
• a gain of godliness, teaching of things for filthy lucre's sake (1 Timothy 6:5; Titus 1:11);
• a vain observation of festivals (Galatians 4:10);
• a vain distinction of meats (1 Corinthians 8:8);
• a neglecting of the body (Colossians 2:23);
• traditions, and commandments, and doctrines of men (Colossians 2:8, 22)."

Compare 3 John 1:9: "Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence."

These things constituted the elements of the corruptions that were afterwards developed in the Papacy and which are embodied in that system. An eye that could see all would even then have perceived that, if there were no restraint, these incipient corruptions would grow up into that system and would be expanded into all the corruptions and arrogant claims that have ever characterized it. Compare 1 John 4:3.

Only he who now letteth. This refers to one who now hinders or restrains—Greek: ho katechōn. This is the same word that is used in 2 Thessalonians 2:6 and rendered "withholdeth," except that it is there in the neuter gender.

There can be no doubt that there is reference to the same restraining power, or the same power under the control of an individual, but what that was is not quite certain. It was some power that operated as a check on the growing corruptions then existing and which prevented their full development, but which was to be removed at no distant period. Its removal would give an opportunity for those corruptions to develop themselves and for the full revelation of the man of sin. The supposition that the civil power of Rome was such a restraint, operating to prevent the assumption of the ecclesiastical claims of supremacy that afterwards characterized the Papacy, will correspond with all that is necessarily implied in the language.

Will let, until he be taken out of the way. This will be an effectual check on these corruptions, preventing their full development, until it is removed; then the man of sin will appear. The supposition that will best suit this language is that there was then some civil restraint preventing the development of existing corruptions, but that there would be a removal or withdrawing of that restraint, and that then the tendency of the existing corruptions would be seen.

It is evident, as Olshausen remarks, that this resisting or restraining power must be something out of the church and distinguished from the antichristian tendency itself (German: von der Kirche und vom Antichristenthum). It is necessary, therefore, to understand this of the restraints of civil power. Was there, then, any fact in history that will accord with this interpretation?

The belief among the primitive Christians was that what hindered the rise of the man of sin was the Roman Empire. Therefore, "they prayed for its peace and welfare, as knowing that when the Roman empire should be dissolved and broken in pieces, the empire of the man of sin would be raised on its ruins" (Bishop Newton).

How this revolution was effected may be seen from the statement of Machiavelli: "The emperor of Rome, quitting Rome to dwell at Constantinople" (in the fourth century under Constantine), "the Roman Empire began to decline, but the Church of Rome augmented as fast. Nevertheless, until the coming in of the Lombards, all Italy being under the dominion of either emperors or kings, the bishops assumed no more power than what was due to their doctrine and manners; in civil affairs they were subject to the civil power. But Theodoric, king of the Goths, fixing his seat at Ravenna, was what advanced their interest and made them more considerable in Italy; for, there being no other prince left in Rome, the Romans were forced for protection to pay greater allegiance to the pope. The Lombards having invaded and reduced Italy into several cantons, the pope took the opportunity and began to hold up his head. For being, as it were, governor and principal of Rome, the emperor of Constantinople and the Lombards bore him a respect, so that the Romans (by mediation of their pope) began to treat and confederate with Longinus (the emperor's lieutenant) and the Lombards, not as subjects, but as equals and companions. This custom continuing, and the pope's entering into alliance sometimes with the Lombards and sometimes with the Greeks, brought great reputation to their dignity" (History of Florence, Book 1, page 6 of the English translation).

A more extended quotation on this subject may be seen in Newton on the Prophecies, pages 407-408. To anyone acquainted with the decline and fall of the Roman Empire, nothing can be more manifest than the correspondence of the facts in history respecting the rise of the Papacy and the statement of the apostle Paul here. The simple facts are these:

1. There were early corruptions in the church at Rome, as there were elsewhere, but peculiarly there, as Rome was the seat of philosophy and of power.
2. There were great efforts made by the bishop of Rome to increase his authority, and there was a steady approximation to what he subsequently claimed—that of being universal bishop.
3. There was a constant tendency to yield to him deference and respect in all matters.
4. This was kept in check as long as Rome was the seat of the imperial power. Had that power remained there, it would have been impossible for the Roman bishop ever to have obtained the civil and ecclesiastical eminence that he ultimately did. Rome could not have had two heads, both claiming and exercising supreme power, and there never could have been a "revelation of the man of sin."
5. Constantine removed the seat of empire to Constantinople. This removal or "taking away" of the only restraint on the ambitious projects of the Roman bishops gave all the opportunity that could be desired for the growth of the papal power. In all history, there cannot probably be found a series of events corresponding more accurately with a prophetic statement than this, and there is every evidence, therefore, that these are the events to which the Spirit of inspiration referred.