As an answer to false teaching Paul refers back to what he had taught when he was with the Thessalonians. Today we do not know all the details of this teaching, but it undoubtedly came from Paul’s knowledge of the Hebrew scripture and revelation he had received through his personal encounter with Christ. Similar messages can be found in the Old Testament prophets such as Daniel and Isaiah. The political environment of the Roman world likely influenced Paul’s words, perhaps making him cautious not to provoke the authorities unnecessarily. We are left then with a puzzle for which we do not have all the pieces.
Two key words, mystery and lawless, are at the center of understanding this passage. The word translated “mystery” appears in the book of Daniel and elsewhere as “secret” and is found in the Gospels referring to the truths conveyed to disciples but veiled from others by parables. Dr. Morris writes:
“Musterion in the Bible does not mean a ‘mystery’ in our sense of the term, but a secret which man can never fathom and which can be known only by revelation. Usually it is implied that it has been revealed, so that it is now an open secret, at least among the initiates.”
The term lawless should not be misunderstood to imply anarchy or lack of laws. In America we pride ourselves as a country that operates under “the rule of law,” but we may still be guilty of the Biblical meaning of lawlessness. The key to understanding this term is to view it as rebellion against God. Any attempt to oppose or dethrone God is lawlessness. The adversaries of God may use deception, and even construct laws to justify rebellion, but it is still lawlessness.
The good news is found in verse eight where the truth is revealed with the appearance of Christ. The reign of the man of lawlessness will be short and end with the return of Christ. Dr. Morris observes:
For the Lord even to show Himself will be sufficient to destroy the enemy. Destroy translates katargesei, a verb which basically means ‘to make idle’, and thus ‘to render inoperative’. It does not mean that the lawless one is annihilated, but that he is made completely powerless.”
The world will see this final victory at the return of Christ, but followers of Christ can enjoy this reality now. The mystery has already been revealed to all who believe in Jesus. The power of the gospel is already at work in those who surrender to the will of God.
next week: more from chapter 2:8-14
On a journey! 