“Antichrist” vs. “False Messiah”
Hello everyone,
There is something that I have been pondering lately, comparing and contrasting the Greek NT with the Aramaic Peshitta NT. In many places, the two manuscripts agree word for word… but there are some places with “disagreements” that make a huge doctrinial difference… there is one I want to bring up today.
In the Greek New Testament of I John 2:18, the “man of sin” is referred to as “antichrist”.
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.
In the Greek understanding of things, “antichrist” is made up of two words. We all know what (or Who) the Christ is, so let’s look for a moment at the first word, “anti”. It is a prefix meaning “against” or “opposed to”. Anti-bacterial handsoap, for instance, is literally “opposed to” bacteria on your hands. (Whether it works or not is a separate discussion.)
By this line of reasoning, the “Antichrist” is one who is literally “against Christ”, or seeks out to turn many away from “Christianity”.
However…
The Aramaic rendition of I John 2:18 reads something quite different, even if it seems subtle at first.
My sons, it is the last time, and according to what you have heard, that a false Messiah will come, even now there are many false Messiahs, and from this we know that it is the last time.
With this understanding, I believe that the “man of sin” is not one who will attempt to do away with the Messiah, but rather, will be one who attempts to replace Him in every way.
For instance… the real Messiah- Yeshua- said this concerning Torah (the law),
Matthew 5:17-18
Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.
Matthew 7:23
And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
Matthew 13:41-42
The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
This leaves me with a remaining question…
Is it any coincidence that Paul refers to the “false Messiah” as the “lawless one” in II Thessalonians 2? Or better to be understood as the Torah-less-one?
This is all just food for thought, still in theory.
Tags: Antichrist, False Messiah, I John 2, II Thessalonians 2, lawless one, lawlessness, Matthew 13, Matthew 5, Matthew 7, Torah-less-ness
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