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The only one of the late 1st/early 2nd century Apostolic Fathers to use the term is Polycarp (c. 69 – c. 155) who warned the Philippians that everyone who preached false doctrine was an antichrist. His use of the term Antichrist follows that of the New Testament in not identifying a single personal Antichrist, but a class of people. | The only one of the late 1st/early 2nd century Apostolic Fathers to use the term is Polycarp (c. 69 – c. 155) who warned the Philippians that everyone who preached false doctrine was an antichrist. His use of the term Antichrist follows that of the New Testament in not identifying a single personal Antichrist, but a class of people. | ||
Irenaeus (2nd century AD – c. 202) wrote ''Against Heresies'' to refute the teachings of the [[Gnosticism|Gnostics]]. In Book V of ''Against Heresies'' he addresses the figure of the Antichrist referring to him as the "recapitulation of apostasy and rebellion." He uses "[[666]]", the Number of the Beast from Revelation 13:18, to numerologically decode several possible names. Some names that he loosely proposed were "Evanthos", "Lateinos" ("Latin" or pertaining to the Roman Empire). In his exegesis of Daniel 7:21, he stated that the ten horns of the beast will be the Roman Empire divided into ten kingdoms before the Antichrist's arrival. Additionally, he stated that the antichrist would be of the tribe of Dan, evoking Jeremiah 8:16. This would correlate to the Talmudic view of the Jewish Messiah coming from the tribe of Dan on his maternal line. However, his readings of the Antichrist were more in broader theological terms rather than within a historical context. | Irenaeus (2nd century AD – c. 202) wrote ''Against Heresies'' to refute the teachings of the [[Gnosticism|Gnostics]]. In Book V of ''Against Heresies'' he addresses the figure of the Antichrist referring to him as the "recapitulation of apostasy and rebellion." He uses "[[666]]", the Number of the Beast from Revelation 13:18, to [[numerology|numerologically]] decode several possible names. Some names that he loosely proposed were "Evanthos", "Lateinos" ("Latin" or pertaining to the Roman Empire). In his exegesis of Daniel 7:21, he stated that the ten horns of the beast will be the Roman Empire divided into ten kingdoms before the Antichrist's arrival. Additionally, he stated that the antichrist would be of the tribe of Dan, evoking Jeremiah 8:16. This would correlate to the Talmudic view of the Jewish Messiah coming from the tribe of Dan on his maternal line. However, his readings of the Antichrist were more in broader theological terms rather than within a historical context. | ||
The non-canonical ''Ascension of Isaiah'' presents a detailed exposition of the Antichrist as [[Belial]] and Emperor Nero. | The non-canonical ''Ascension of Isaiah'' presents a detailed exposition of the Antichrist as [[Belial]] and Emperor Nero. | ||
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The Protestant Reformers tended to hold the belief that the Antichrist power would be revealed so that everyone would comprehend and recognize that the Pope is the real, true Antichrist and not the vicar of Christ. In 1754, John Wesley published his ''Explanatory Notes Upon the New Testament'', which is currently a Doctrinal Standard of the United Methodist Church. In his notes on the [[Book of Revelation]] (chapter 13), he commented: "The whole succession of Popes from Gregory VII are undoubtedly Antichrists. Yet this hinders not, but that the last Pope in this succession will be more eminently the Antichrist, the Man of Sin, adding to that of his predecessors a peculiar degree of wickedness from the bottomless pit." | The Protestant Reformers tended to hold the belief that the Antichrist power would be revealed so that everyone would comprehend and recognize that the Pope is the real, true Antichrist and not the vicar of Christ. In 1754, John Wesley published his ''Explanatory Notes Upon the New Testament'', which is currently a Doctrinal Standard of the United Methodist Church. In his notes on the [[Book of Revelation]] (chapter 13), he commented: "The whole succession of Popes from Gregory VII are undoubtedly Antichrists. Yet this hinders not, but that the last Pope in this succession will be more eminently the Antichrist, the Man of Sin, adding to that of his predecessors a peculiar degree of wickedness from the bottomless pit." | ||
The identification of the Roman Catholic Church as the apostate power written of in the Bible as the Antichrist became evident to many as the Reformation began, including John Wycliffe, who was well known throughout Europe for his opposition to the doctrine and practices of the Catholic Church, which he believed had clearly deviated from the original teachings of the early Church and to be contrary to the Bible. | The identification of the Roman Catholic Church as the apostate power written of in the [[Bible]] as the Antichrist became evident to many as the Reformation began, including John Wycliffe, who was well known throughout Europe for his opposition to the doctrine and practices of the Catholic Church, which he believed had clearly deviated from the original teachings of the early Church and to be contrary to the Bible. | ||
[[Category:Christianity]] | [[Category:Christianity]] | ||