Thomas Aquinas Commentary 2 Thessalonians 2:6-10

"And now ye know that which restraineth, to the end that he may be revealed in his own season. For the mystery of lawlessness doth already work: only [there is] one that restraineth now, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall be revealed the lawless one, whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the breath of his mouth, and bring to nought by the manifestation of his coming; [even he], whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceit of unrighteousness for them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved." — 2 Thessalonians 2:6-10 (ASV)

1. Above, the Apostle foretold the coming and the wrongdoing of the Antichrist; here he explains the reason for its delay.

   1. He shows that they know this cause.
   2. He sets out this cause obscurely, with the phrase for the mystery.

2. He says, therefore: I say that the man of sin must be revealed. And now you know what is restraining him—that is, what is the cause of his delay. You know, because I spoke to you about it. He is restrained in this way at the present time so that in his time—that is, at the proper time—he may be revealed. There is a time and an occasion for every business (Ecclesiastes 8:6); God has made all things good in their time (Ecclesiastes 3:11).

3. Then, with the phrase for the mystery, he sets out the reason for the delay. This text has been explained in many ways, because the word mystery can be taken as either the subject (nominative case) or the direct object (accusative case).

   If it is the subject, the meaning is this: I say that he will be revealed in his own time, because already the mystery—that is, a hidden reality represented figuratively—is at work in false men who seem good and yet are evil. These men play the role of the Antichrist. Having the appearance of religion, but denying its power (2 Timothy 3:5).

   But if it is the direct object, then the meaning is this: the Devil, in whose power the Antichrist will come, has already secretly begun to work his wickedness through tyrants and deceivers. The persecutions of the church in this age are figures of that final persecution of all good people, and are, as it were, imperfect by comparison with it.

4. Only that he who now holds, may hold until he is taken out of the way. This has been explained in many ways. One way is in accord with the Gloss and with Augustine, who say that some thought that Nero, who first persecuted the Christians, was the Antichrist, and that he was not killed but taken away, to be brought back at some time. The Apostle, refuting this, says only that he who now holds the Roman Empire may hold until he is taken out of the way—that is, until he dies. But this interpretation is not suitable, because many years have passed since Nero died; he died in the same year as the Apostle. It is better to refer it to Nero as a public figure representing the Roman Empire: until he is taken out of the way, meaning, until the Roman Empire is removed from this world. The LORD of hosts has planned this, that he may take away the pride of every glory, and bring to disgrace (Isaiah 23:9).

   Alternatively, only that he who now holds—that is, who now restrains the Antichrist’s coming—may hold, lest he come. This is as if to say that it is still necessary for some to come to the faith and others to fall away. He says, in effect, let him who now holds back continue to do so until that foul man is taken away.

   Or it can be taken this way: only that he who now holds the faith may hold it—that is, be strong in it. Hold what you have, so that no one may take your crown (Revelation 3:11). Until he is taken out of the way—that is, until the mixed assembly of the wicked is separated and becomes distinct, which will happen during the Antichrist’s persecution.

   Or, only that he who now holds, may hold—that is, that the mystery of iniquity, the secret iniquity, which now holds back, let it hold back until he is taken out of the way. This means until the iniquity is brought into the open and becomes, as it were, public and common. For many now sin secretly, but at some point sin will be committed openly. God tolerates sinners as long as they are hidden, but when they sin publicly, he no longer tolerates them, as is clear from the case of the Sodomites (Genesis 19:24).

   But Augustine admits that he does not know what the Apostle said to them, which they already knew. This is why he says, now you know what is restraining him. Beyond this, there was not much that was necessary to know.

5. Then, with the word and then, the coming of the wicked one and his punishment are set out: first, his appearance, and second, his punishment.

   Regarding the first, he says that singularly wicked one shall be revealed, because his wrongdoing will be manifest. Whom the Lord Jesus shall kill with the Spirit of his mouth. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this (Isaiah 9:7)—that is, the zeal for justice, which is love. For the Spirit of Christ is the love of Christ, and this is the zeal of the Holy Spirit, which he has for the Church. Or, with the spirit of his mouth means by his command, for Michael will kill him on the Mount of Olives, from where Christ ascended. In the same way, Julian was also killed by the hand of God.

   This is his punishment in the present time, although in the future he will also be punished eternally, because Christ shall destroy him with the brightness of his coming—that is, by bringing all things to light at his coming. He will bring to light the hidden things of darkness (1 Corinthians 4:5). And he shall destroy him, I say, namely by eternal damnation. He will destroy them (Psalms 27:5). And he says with the brightness because the Antichrist himself will seem to overshadow the church, but the darkness will be driven out by brightness, for whatever the Antichrist claims will be exposed as a lie.

6. Then, with the phrase him, whose coming, he foretells the Antichrist’s power.

   Concerning this he does two things:

   1. He sets out his power to deceive.
   2. He shows how this power has its cause in God’s justice, with the phrase because they do not receive.

   The first of these is in three parts:

   1. He sets out the one who stands behind this power.
   2. He shows how he will deceive.
   3. He describes those who will be deceived.

7. The one behind this power is the Devil, and so Christ will destroy him. For this purpose the Son of God appeared, to destroy the works of the Devil (1 John 3:8). This is why he says that the Antichrist’s coming will be according to the working of Satan—that is, by his instigation. Satan will be released from his prison, and he will go out and will deceive the nations (Revelation 20:7).

   Something can be done according to the working of Satan in one way, as in the case of the possessed, in whom Satan not only inspires the will but also impedes the use of reason. The possessed person is not considered culpable for his actions because he does not have the use of free will. But the Antichrist will not be like this; he will have the use of free will, and the Devil will be in him prompting him, as is written about Judas: Satan entered into him (John 13:27), namely by inspiring him to act.

8. He will deceive in two ways:

   1. By his worldly power.
   2. By his power to work miracles.

   Regarding the first, he says, in all power, namely worldly power. And he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt (Daniel 11:43). Or, power can mean pretended power.

   Regarding the second, he says, and signs and lying wonders. Signs are a kind of marvel, including small things, but prodigies are great works that point to something far beyond the ordinary. He works great signs, so that he even causes fire to fall from heaven (Revelation 13:13). They will work great signs and prodigies so that they would even lead into error the elect, were it possible (Matthew 24:24).

9. He says lying. Miracles are called lying for one of three reasons:

   1. Because they fall short of the true nature of the supposed deed. This happens in illusions, when the senses are deceived by demons so that things seem other than they are. For example, when Simon Magus caused a ram to be decapitated and later displayed it alive. A man was also supposedly decapitated, and later, the man whom all believed had been beheaded was shown to be alive and was thought to have been resuscitated. Demons do this by rearranging mental images and deceiving the senses.

   2. Because they fall short of the true nature of a miracle. Miracles are improperly called so when they are amazing only because, although the effect is seen, the cause is unknown. Therefore, things that have a cause hidden to some people but not hidden in an absolute sense are called marvels, not true miracles. But things whose cause is absolutely hidden are properly called miracles, and their cause is the glorious God himself, because they transcend the entire order of created nature. Sometimes, however, marvels occur that are not beyond the order of nature yet have hidden causes; this is the kind of thing demons are much more able to do. The demons know the powers of nature and have specific abilities to produce particular effects. So the Antichrist will perform these sorts of things, but they will not be true miracles because demons have no power to do what goes beyond nature.

   3. Because they fall short of the proper end of a miracle. Things are called miracles when they are ordered toward bearing witness to the truth of the faith and leading believers to God. The Lord worked with them and confirmed their words by the accompanying signs (Mark 16:20). But if someone has the glory of miracles and does not use them for this purpose, they are indeed miracles regarding the nature of the act itself, but they are false with respect to their proper end and God’s intention. The Antichrist’s works, however, will not be of this sort, because no one performs true miracles against the faith, since God is not a false witness. Therefore, someone preaching a false doctrine cannot work miracles, even though someone leading a bad life can.

10. Finally, he identifies those who will be deceived when he says it is for those who perish—that is, among those whom God foreknows will perish. None of them was lost except the son of perdition (John 17:12). This is because, as Jesus said, my sheep hear my voice (John 10:27).