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Retrobyter -> RE: Many Antichrists (7/22/2008 12:08:15 AM)
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Shalom, fallenstar and friends.
Since the majority of the action on this subject is in this thread, I felt it important to duplicate what I have said in another thread here.
I believe that the only way to understand who or what is an "antichrist" is to look at what we know about the subject in the Greek language, and then to analyze the Scriptures that actually use the word (which IS a Greek word, by the way) in context.
So, let's start with Strong's definition of the Greek word:
NT:500 antichristos (an-tee'-khris-tos); from NT:473 and NT:5547; an opponent of the Messiah:
KJV - antichrist.
which comes from a combination of ...
NT:473 anti (an-tee'); a primary particle; opposite, i.e. instead or because of (rarely in addition to):
KJV - for, in the room of. Often used in composition to denote contrast, requital, substitution, correspondence, etc.
and ...
NT:5547 Christos (khris-tos'); from NT:5548; anointed, i.e. the Messiah, an epithet of Jesus:
KJV - Christ.
which in turn comes from ...
NT:5548 chrio (khree'-o); probably akin to NT:5530 through the idea of contact; to smear or rub with oil, i.e. (by implication) to consecrate to an office or religious service:
KJV - anoint.
(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright (c) 1994, Biblesoft and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
Robertson's Word Pictures in the NT says,
1 John 2:18
Antichrist cometh antichristos (NT:500) erchetai (NT:2064). "Is coming." Present futuristic or prophetic middle indicative retained in indirect assertion. So Jesus taught (Mark 13:6,22; Matt 24:5,15,24) and so Paul taught (Acts 20:30; 2 Thess 2:3). These false Christs (Matt 24:24; Mark 13:22) are necessarily antichrists, for there can be only one. Anti (NT:473) can mean substitution or opposition, but both ideas are identical in the word antichristos (NT:500) (in the New Testament only here, 1 John 2:22; 4:3; 2 John 7). Westcott rightly observes that John's use of the word is determined by the Christian conception, not by the Jewish apocalypses.
(from Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1997 by Biblesoft & Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament. Copyright (c) 1985 by Broadman Press)
Vincent's Word Studies in the NT says,
1 John 2:18
Antichrist. Peculiar to John in the New Testament. The absence of the article shows its currency as a proper name. It may mean one who stands against Christ, or one who stands instead of Christ; just as antistrateegos may mean either one who stands in the place of a strateegos (NT:4755), "praetor, a propraetor" (see Introduction to Luke, vol. i., p. 246, and note on Acts 16:20), or "an opposing general." John never uses the word pseudochristos (NT:5580) "false Christ" (Matt 24:24; Mark 13:22). While the false Christ is merely a pretender to the Messianic office, the Antichrist "assails Christ by proposing to do or to preserve what he did, while denying Him." Antichrist, then, is one who opposes Christ in the guise of Christ. Westcott's remark is very important, that John's sense of Antichrist is determined by the full Christian conception of Christ, and not by conception of the promised Saviour.
(from Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1997 by Biblesoft)
An even simpler explanation as to why the definite article is missing is that the word "an" is implied! It's "AN antichrist" as opposed to "THE antichrist."
Vine's says,
ANTICHRIST
antichristos NT:500 can mean either "against Christ" or "instead of Christ," or perhaps, combining the two, "one who, assuming the guise of Christ, opposes Christ" (Westcott). The word is found only in John's epistles, (a) of the many "antichrists" who are forerunners of the "Antichrist" himself, 1 John 2:18,22; 2 John 7; (b) of the evil power which already operates anticipatively of the "Antichrist," 1 John 4:3.
What the apostle says of him so closely resembles what he says of the first beast in Rev 13, and what the apostle Paul says of the Man of Sin in 2 Thess 2, that the same person seems to be in view in all these passages, rather than the second beast in Rev 13, the false prophet; for the latter supports the former in all his Antichristian assumptions.
Note: The term pseudochristos, "a false Christ," is to be distinguished from the above; it is found in Matt 24:24 and Mark 13:22. The false Christ does not deny the existence of Christ, he trades upon the expectation of His appearance, affirming that he is the Christ. The Antichrist denies the existence of the true God (Trench, Syn. Sec. xxx)
(from Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright (c)1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers)
Now, let's look at the verses that actually use this Greek word:
1 John 2:18
18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
KJV
Notice: There are MANY "antichrists!" MANY such people are against the Messiah!
1 John 2:22
22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
KJV
This is a definition of what constitutes an "antichrist:" It's one who denies that Yeshua` (Jesus) is the Messiah (Christ)! In so doing, such a person also constitutes a person who denies the Father and the Son and is classified as a liar.
1 John 4:3
3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
KJV
Notice that HERE it's called a "SPIRIT of antichrist"; i.e., it's an ATTITUDE of being against the Messiah! We are also warned that EVERY spirit (attitude) that does not "confess" or "agree" that Yeshua` the Messiah has come in the flesh is not from God! In other words, first, one must accept that Yeshua` is the Messiah of prophecy and then second, one must accept that the Messiah has already come indeed in the flesh! If both parts are not accepted by the individual, then that individual has the attitude of an antichrist.
2 John 7
7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
KJV
Notice: MANY deceivers ... confess not that Yeshua the Messiah has come in the flesh! Each one of these is not only a deceiver, but is also an "antichrist," one who is against the Messiah.
That's it! There are no more verses!
Based strictly on these verses, there is NO one person called "THE Antichrist!" Now, that doesn't mean that the Beast or the Man of Lawlessness (the Man against the Torah, the Law of God through Moses) won't have the "SPIRIT of antichrist" or be AN antichrist, but it DOES mean that "the Antichrist" is NOT another name for the Beast or the Man of Lawlessness! Understand?
Retrobyter
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