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CATHOLICENCYCLOPEDIA:Antichrist

Antichrist
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(GreekAntichristos).
Incompositionantihasdifferentmeanings:antibasileusdenotesakingwhofillsan
interregnumantistrategos,apropraetoranthoupatos,aproconsulinHomerantitheos
denotesoneresemblingagodinpowerandbeauty,whileinotherworksitstandsfora
hostilegod.Followingmereanalogyonemightinterpretantichristosasdenotingone
resemblingChristinappearanceandpowerbutitissafertodefinethewordaccordingto
itsbiblicalandecclesiasticalusage.
ThewordAntichristoccursonlyintheJohannineEpistlesbuttherearesocalledreal
parallelismstotheseoccurrencesintheApocalypse,inthePaulineEpistles,andless
explicitonesintheGospelsandtheBookofDaniel.
IntheJohannineepistles

St.JohnsupposesinhisEpistlesthattheearlyChristiansareacquaintedwiththeteaching
concerningthecomingofAntichrist."YouhaveheardthatAntichristcometh"(1John
2:18)"ThisisAntichrist,ofwhomyouhaveheardthathecometh"(1John4:3).Though
theApostlespeaksofseveralAntichrists,hedistinguishesbetweenthemanyandtheone
principalagent:"Antichristcometh,evennowtherearebecomemanyAntichrists"(1John
2:18).Again,thewriteroutlinesthecharacterandworkofAntichrist:"Theywentout
fromus,buttheywerenotofus"(1John2:19)"Whoisaliar,buthewhodeniesthat
JesusistheChrist?ThisisAntichrist,whodeniestheFather,andtheSon"(1John2:22)
"AndeveryspiritthatdissolvethJesus,isnotofGodandthisisAntichrist"(1John4:3)
"Formanyseducersaregoneoutintotheworld,whoconfessnotthatJesusChristiscome
intheflesh:thisisaseducerandanAntichrist"(2John7).Alsothetime,theApostle
placesthecomingofAntichristat"thelasthour"(1John2:18)againhemaintainsthat
"heisnowalreadyintheworld"(1John4:3).
IntheApocalypse
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NearlyallcommentatorsfindAntichristmentionedintheApocalypse,buttheydonot
agreeastotheparticularchapteroftheBookinwhichthementionoccurs.Somepointto
the"beast"of11:7,otherstothe"reddragon"ofChapter12,othersagaintothebeast
"havingsevenheadsandtenhorns"of13,sqq.,whilemanyscholarsidentifyAntichrist
withthebeastwhichhad"twohorns,likealamb"andspoke"asadragon"(13:11,sqq.),
orwiththescarletcolouredbeast"havingsevenheadsandtenhorns"(17),or,finally,
withSatan"loosedoutofhisprison,"andseducingthenations(20:7,sqq.).Adetailed
discussionofthereasonsforandagainsteachoftheseopinionswouldbeoutofplace
here.
InthePaulineepistles

St.JohnsupposesthatthedoctrineconcerningthecomingofAntichristisalreadyknown
tohisreadersmanycommentatorsbelievethatithadbecomeknownintheChurch
throughthewritingsofSt.Paul.St.Johnurgedagainstthehereticsofhistimethatthose
whodeniedthemysteryoftheIncarnationwerefaintimagesofthefuturegreatAntichrist.
Thelatterisdescribedmorefullyin2Thessalonians2:3,sqq.,710.IntheChurchof
Thessalonicadisturbanceshadoccurredonaccountofthebeliefthatthesecondcomingof
JesusChristwasimminent.Thisimpressionwasowingpartlytoamisunderstandingof1
Thessalonians4:15,sqq.,partlytothemachinationsofdeceivers.Itwaswithaviewof
remedyingthesedisordersthatSt.PaulwrotehisSecondEpistletotheThessalonians,
insertingespecially2:310.ThePaulinedoctrineisthis:"thedayoftheLord"willbe
precededby"arevolt",andtherevelationofthe"manofsin."Thelatterwillsitinthe
templeofGod,showinghimselfasifhewereGodhewillworksignsandlyingwonders
bythepowerofSatanhewillseducethosewhoreceivednottheloveofthetruth,that
theymightbesavedbuttheLordJesusshallkillhimwiththespiritofHismouth,and
destroyhimwiththebrightnessofHiscoming.Astothetime,"themysteryofiniquity
alreadyworkethonlythathewhonowholdeth,dohold,untilhebetakenoutoftheway."
Briefly,the"dayoftheLord"willbeprecededbythe"manofsin"knowninthe
JohannineEpistlesasAntichristthe"manofsin"isprecededby"arevolt,"oragreat
apostasythisapostasyistheoutcomeofthe"mysteryofiniquity"whichalready
"worketh",andwhich,accordingtoSt.John,showsitselfhereandtherebyfainttypesof
Antichrist.TheApostlegivesthreestagesintheevolutionofevil:theleavenofiniquity,
thegreatapostasy,andthemanofsin.Butheaddsaclausecalculatedtodeterminethe
timeofthemaineventmoreaccuratelyhedescribessomethingfirstasathing(to
datechon),thenasaperson(hokatechon),preventingtheoccurrenceofthemainevent:
"Onlyhewhonowholdeth,dohold,untilhebetakenoutoftheway."Wecanhereonly
enumeratetheprincipalopinionsastothemeaningofthisclausewithoutdiscussingtheir
value:
Theimpedimentofthemaineventis"themanofsin"themaineventisthesecond
comingoftheLord(Grimm,Simar).
TheimpedimentistheRomanEmpirethemaineventimpededisthe"manofsin"
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(mostLatinFathersandlaterinterpreters)
TheApostlereferredtopersonsandeventsofhisowntimethekatechonandthe
"manofsin"arevariouslyidentifiedwiththeEmperorsCaligula,Titus,Nero,
Claudius,etc.(Protestanttheologianslivingaftertheseventeenthcentury).
TheApostlerefersimmediatelytocontemporarymenandevents,whichare,
however,typesoftheeschatologicalkatechon,"manofsin",anddayoftheLordthe
destructionofJerusalem,e.g.,isthetypeoftheLord'ssecondcoming,etc.
(Dllinger).
BeforeleavingthePaulinedoctrineofAntichrist,wemayaskourselves,whencedidthe
Apostlederivehisteaching?Hereagainwemeetwithvariousanswers.
St.PaulexpressesmerelyhisownviewbasedontheJewishtraditionandthe
imageryoftheProphetsDanielandEzekiel.Thisviewhasbeenadvocatedbyseveral
Protestantwriters.
TheApostleexpressestheimpressionproducedontheearlyChurchbythe
eschatologicalteachingofJesusChrist.ThisopinionisexpressedbyDllinger.
St.PaulderivedhisdoctrineconcerningAntichristfromthewordsofChrist,the
prophecyofDaniel,andthecontemporaryevents.Thisopinion,too,isexpressedby
Dllinger.
TheApostleutteredaprophecyreceivedthroughtheinspirationoftheHolyGhost.
Catholicinterpretershavegenerallyadheredtothisopinion.
IntheevangelistsandDaniel

AfterstudyingthepictureofAntichristinSt.Paul'sEpistletotheThessalonians,one
easilyrecognizesthe"manofsin"inDaniel7:8,11,20,21,wheretheProphetdescribes
the"littlehorn."AtypeofAntichristisfoundinDaniel8:8sqq.,23,sqq.,11:2145,inthe
personofAntiochusEpiphanes.Manycommentatorshavefoundmoreorlessclear
allusionstoAntichristinthecomingoffalseChristsandfalseprophets(Matthew24:24
Mark13:6,22Luke21:8),inthe"abominationofdesolation",andintheonethat"shall
comeinhisownname"(John5:43).

Antichristinecclesiasticallanguage
BoussetbelievesthattherewasamongtheJewsafullydevelopedlegendofAntichrist,
whichwasacceptedandamplifiedbyChristiansandthatthislegenddivergesfromand
contradictsinimportantpointstheconceptionsfoundintheApocalypse.Wedonot
believethatBoussethasfullyprovedhisopinionhisviewastotheChristian
developmentoftheconceptofAntichristdoesnotexceedthemeritsofaningenious
theory.WeneednothereenteruponaninvestigationofGunkel'swork,inwhichhetraces
backtheideaofAntichristtotheprimevaldragonofthedeepthisviewdeservesno
moreattentionthantherestoftheauthor'smythologicalfancies.
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WhatthenisthetrueecclesiasticalconceptofAntichrist?FranciscoSurezmaintainsthat
itisoffaiththatAntichristisanindividualperson,asignalenemyofChrist.Thisexcludes
thecontentionofthosewhoexplainAntichristeitherasthewholecollectionofthosewho
opposeJesusChrist,orasthePapacy.TheWaldensianandAlbigensianheretics,aswell
asWyclifandHus,calledthePopebythenameofAntichristbuttheexpressionwasonly
ametaphorintheircase.ItwasonlyafterthetimeoftheReformationthatthenamewas
appliedtothePopeinitspropersense.Itthenpassedpracticallyintothecreedofthe
Lutherans,andhasbeenseriouslydefendedbythemaslateas1861inthe"Zeitschriftfr
lutherischeTheologie".ThechangefromthetrueChurchintothereignofAntichristis
saidtohavetakenplacebetween19Februaryand10November,A.D.607,whenPope
BonifaceIIIobtainedfromtheGreekemperorNewton,thetitle"HeadofAllthe
Churches"fortheRomanChurch.AnappealwasmadetoApocalypse13:8,in
confirmationofthisdate,anditwascalculatedfromApocalypse11:3,thattheendofthe
worldmightbeexpectedinA.D.1866.CardinalBellarminerefutedthiserrorbothfrom
anexegeticalandhistoricalpointofviewin"DeRom.Pont.",III.
TheindividualpersonofAntichristwillnotbeademon,assomeoftheancientwriters
believednorwillhebethepersonofthedevilincarnatedinthehumannatureof
Antichrist.Hewillbeahumanperson,perhapsofJewishextraction,iftheexplanationof
Genesis49:17,togetherwiththatofDan'somissioninthecatalogueofthetribes,asfound
intheApocalypse,becorrect.ItmustbekeptinmindthatextraScripturaltradition
furnishesusnorevealedsupplementtotheBiblicaldataconcerningAntichrist.While
theselatteraresufficienttomakethebelieverrecognizethe"manofsin"atthetimeofhis
coming,thelackofanyadditionalreliablerevelationshouldputusonourguardagainst
thedaydreamsoftheIrvingites,theMormons,andotherrecentproclaimersofnew
revelations.
Itmaynotbeoutofplacetodrawthereader'sattentiontotwodissertationsbythelate
CardinalNewmanonthesubjectofAntichrist.Theoneisentitled"ThePatristicIdeaof
Antichrist"itconsiderssuccessivelyhistime,religion,city,andpersecution.Itformed
theeightythirdnumberofthe"TractsfortheTimes."Theotherdissertationbearsthetitle
"TheProtestantIdeaofAntichrist."
InordertounderstandthesignificanceoftheCardinal'sessaysonthequestionofthe
Antichrist,itmustbekeptinmindthatavarietyofopinionssprangupincourseoftime
concerningthenatureofthisopponentofChristianity.
Koppe,Nitzsch,Storr,andPeltcontendedthattheAntichristisanevilprinciple,not
embodiedeitherinapersonorapolitythisopinionisinoppositiontobothSt.Paul
andSt.John.BothApostlesdescribetheadversaryasbeingdistinctlyconcretein
form.
AsecondviewadmitsthattheAntichristisaperson,butitmaintainsthatheisa
personofthepastNero,Diocletian,Julian,Caligula,Titus,SimonMagus,Simonthe
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sonofGiora,theHighPriestAnanias,Vitellius,theJews,thePharisees,andthe
JewishzealotshavebeenvariouslyidentifiedwiththeAntichrist.Butthereislittle
traditionalauthorityforthisopinionbesides,itdoesnotappeartosatisfyfullythe
propheticpredictions,and,inthecaseofsomeofitsadherents,itisbasedonthe
suppositionthattheinspiredwriterscouldnottranscendthelimitsoftheir
experiences.
AthirdopinionadmittedthattheAntichristmustindeedappearinaconcreteform,
butitidentifiedthisconcreteformwiththesystemofthePapacy.Luther,Calvin,
Zwingli,Melanchthon,Bucer,Beza,Calixtus,Bengel,Michaelis,andalmostallthe
ProtestantwritersoftheContinentarecitedasupholdingthisviewthesamemaybe
saidoftheEnglishtheologiansCranmer,Latimer,Ridley,Hooper,Hutchinson,
Tyndale,Sandys,Philpot,Jewell,Rogers,Fulke,Bradford,KingJames,and
Andrewes.Bramhallintroducedqualificationsintothetheory,andafterthisits
ascendancybegantowaneamongEnglishwriters.Normustitbesupposedthatthe
PapalAntichristtheorywasupheldbyallProtestantsinthesameformtheFalse
ProphetorsecondApocalypticBeastisidentifiedwithAntichristandthePapacyby
Aretius,Foxe,NapierMede,Jurieu,Cunninghame,Faber,Woodhouse,and
HabershonthefirstApocalypticBeastholdsthispositionintheopinionofMarlorat,
KingJames,Daubuz,andGallowaybothBeastsarethusidentifiedbyBrightman,
Pareus,Vitringa,Gill,Bachmair,Fraser,Croly,Fysh,andElliott.
AfterthisgeneralsurveyoftheProtestantviewsconcerningtheAntichrist,weshallbe
abletoappreciatesomeofCardinalNewman'scriticalremarksonthequestion.
IfanypartoftheChurchbeprovedtobeantichristian,alloftheChurchisso,the
Protestantbranchinclusive.
ThePapalAntichristtheorywasgraduallydevelopedbythreehistoricalbodies:the
Albigenses,theWaldenses,andtheFraticelli,betweentheeleventhandthesixteenth
centuries:arethesetheexpositorsfromwhomtheChurchofChrististoreceivethe
trueinterpretationoftheprophecies?
ThedefendersofthePapalAntichristtheoryhavemadeseveralsignalblundersin
theirargumentstheyciteSt.BernardasidentifyingtheBeastoftheApocalypsewith
thePope,thoughSt.BernardspeaksinthepassageoftheAntipopetheyappealto
theAbbotJoachimasbelievingthatAntichristwillbeelevatedtotheApostolicSee,
whiletheAbbotreallybelievesthatAntichristwilloverthrowthePopeandusurphis
Seefinally,theyappealtoPopeGregorytheGreatasassertingthatwhoeverclaims
tobeUniversalBishopisAntichrist,whereasthegreatDoctorreallyspeaksofthe
ForerunnerofAntichristwhowas,inthelanguageofhisday,nothingbutatokenof
animpendinggreatevil.
ProtestantsweredriventothePapalAntichristtheorybythenecessityofopposinga
popularanswertothepopularandcogentargumentsadvancedbytheChurchof
RomeforherDivineauthority.
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Warburton,Newton,andHurd,theadvocatesofthePapalAntichristtheory,cannot
bematchedagainstthesaintsoftheChurchofRome.
IfthePopebeAntichrist,thosewhoreceiveandfollowhimcannotbemenlikeSt.
CharlesBorromeo,orFnelon,orSt.Bernard,orSt.FrancisdeSales.
IftheChurchmustsufferlikeChrist,andifChristwascalledBeelzebub,thetrue
Churchmustexpectasimilarreproachthus,thePapalAntichristtheorybecomesan
argumentinfavoroftheRomanChurch.
Thegibe,"IfthePopeisnotAntichrist,hehasbadlucktobesolikehim",isreally
anotherargumentinfavouroftheclaimsofthePopesinceAntichristsimulates
Christ,andthePopeisanimageofChrist,Antichristmusthavesomesimilarityto
thePope,ifthelatterbethetrueVicarofChrist.

Sources
IRENAEUS,AdveresusHaer.,IV,26ADSO(PSEUDORABANUSMAURUS),De
ortu,vitetmoribusAntichristi,P.L.,CI,128998)BELLARMINE,DeRom.Pont.,III
NEWMAN,ThePatristicIdeaofAntichrist,No.83ofTractsfortheTimes,republishedin
DiscussionsandArgumentsonVariousSubjects(London,NewYork,andBombay1897).

Aboutthispage
APAcitation.Maas,A.(1907).Antichrist.InTheCatholicEncyclopedia.NewYork:
RobertAppletonCompany.RetrievedJune6,2015fromNewAdvent:
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01559a.htm
MLAcitation.Maas,Anthony."Antichrist."TheCatholicEncyclopedia.Vol.1.New
York:RobertAppletonCompany,1907.6Jun.2015
<http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01559a.htm>.
Ecclesiasticalapprobation.NihilObstat.March1,1907.RemyLafort,S.T.D.,Censor.
Imprimatur.+JohnCardinalFarley,ArchbishopofNewYork.
Contactinformation.TheeditorofNewAdventisKevinKnight.Myemailaddressis
webmasteratnewadvent.org.Regrettably,Ican'treplytoeveryletter,butIgreatly
appreciateyourfeedbackespeciallynotificationsabouttypographicalerrorsand
inappropriateads.
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