Deeper Reflection
QUITE CERTAINLY, PAUL TAUGHT THE THESSALONIANS about the coming “man of lawlessness (anomia)” and his forerunner, “the mystery of lawlessness (anomia) already at work” (v.7), by expounding the Daniel 11 prophecy (Dan 11:21-45) in the context of Daniel 10 to 12. The Scriptures that Paul used was the Greek Old Testament (Septuagint), from which he got the term “lawlessness” (anomia) to describe the antichrist – particularly from Daniel 12:10.² At “the end time”, “many” of God’s faithful people “will be purged, purified and refined” through tribulation (Dan 12:9-10a, NASB), and “the lawless ones (anomoi) act lawlessly (anomeō)”. And the lawless ones (anomoi) will not understand” (Dan 12:10b, NETS³).Jesus has predicted eschatologically: “lawlessness (anomia) will be increased, the love of many will grow cold” (Matt 24:12). This is a manifestation of “the mystery of lawlessness already at work”. Jesus links “lawlessness” with “love”. In Scripture, “love is the fulfilment of the law”, which is “summed up” as “You shall love your neighbour as yourself ” and “love does no wrong to a neighbour” (Rom 13:9-10). And it all boils down to how human beings treat fellow human beings. Lawlessness is lovelessness. A major form of loveless lawlessness is social injustice.The “man of lawlessness” is the epitome of evil. So, evil will only continue to increase intensively and extensively. We are to patiently endure the increasing evil with two anchoring truths and not lose heart. Only Jesus can put evil to a total end: “whom the Lord Jesus will kill…and bring to nothing” (v.8). And evil will end only at “the appearance of His coming” (v.8).

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² G. K. Beale, 1-2 Thessalonians, The IVP New Testament Commentary Series (IVP Academic, 2003), 206 ³ NETS: A New English Translation of the Septuagint