Mystery of Lawlessness* — Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

Phrase used by the apostle Paul to describe a lawless power or force threatening the world. The expression is found only in 2 Thessalonians 2:7 and must be considered in the light of its context.

Show passage in OET: TH2 2:7

OET-RV TH2 2:7

7 because the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, except that it’s being restrained until he’s taken out of the middle,

OET-LV TH2 2:7

7 For/Because the mystery already is _working of_ the _lawlessness, only the one restraining it now there _is, until out _of the_midst it _may _become.

Jump to OET TH2 2:7 section.

Evidently, some members of the church at Thessalonica were convinced that Christ had already returned (2 Thes 2:1-2). In order to counter this belief Paul describes some of the events that must occur before the return of Christ. These events center around the coming of “the man of lawlessness,” an evil figure who takes his seat in the temple of Jerusalem and proclaims himself to be God (vv 3-4). Although the man of lawlessness is presently being restrained, the evil that he will perpetrate is already at work (v 6). Paul calls this evil “the mystery of lawlessness.”

Show passage in OET: TH2 2:1–2

OET-RV TH2 2:1

2 ⇔Now concerning the return of our master Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) Messiah and our being gathered together with him, we are asking you all, brothers and sisters,

OET-RV TH2 2:2

2 to not be alarmed or have your thinking jolted back-and-forth by any ‘spirit’ or message or letter that seems to come from us that tries to say that the master has already returned.

OET-LV TH2 2:1

2 And we _are _asking you _all, brothers, concerning the coming of _the master of _us, Yaʸsous chosen _one /messiah, and of _us gathering _together to him,

OET-LV TH2 2:2

2 in _order that not quickly to _be _shaken you _all in the mind, nor to _be _being _alarmed, neither by spirit, nor by message, nor by letter, as _though by us, as that has _presented the day of _the master.

Show passage in OET: TH2 2:3–4

OET-RV TH2 2:3

3 Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, because before that happens many people will turn away from the good message, and the lawless man will be revealed—the conveyor of destruction

OET-RV TH2 2:4

4 who opposes every god or object of worship and puts himself above them all—seating himself in God’s temple and (supposedly) demonstrating that he is God.

OET-LV TH2 2:3

3 Not someone you _all may _deceive in not _one manner, because if not may _come the apostasy first, and may _be _revealed the man of_ the _lawlessness, the son of_ the _destruction,

OET-LV TH2 2:4

4 the one opposing and elevating himself over every being _called a_god or object _of _worship, so _as him in the temple of_ the _god to _sit _down, demonstrating himself that he _is god.

Show passage in OET: TH2 2:6

OET-RV TH2 2:6

6 Now you know what’s restraining him so that he’ll be revealed at the proper time,

OET-LV TH2 2:6

6 And now the thing restraining you _all _have _known, in _order that to _be _revealed him in the of _him time.

Jump to OET TH2 2:1–2 section.

Jump to OET TH2 2:3–4 section.

Jump to OET TH2 2:6 section.

The identity of the man of lawlessness, the restrainer, and the content of the mystery of iniquity have been subject to much debate. Among the suggestions that have been made, the following three predominate:

1. The mystery of lawlessness is the tyranny of the Roman Empire, and the man of lawlessness is a future Roman emperor who is being kept from power by the present Roman ruler. In support of this position it can be said that the Jewish apocalypses of Paul’s day considered Rome to be the quintessence of evil. In addition, approximately 10 years before the writing of 2 Thessalonians, Caligula, the Roman emperor, ordered his statue to be erected and worshiped in the Jerusalem temple (Josephus’s Antiquities 18.8.2-6; War 2.10.1-5).

2. The mystery of lawlessness is the religion of Judaism, and the man of lawlessness is the high priest who is restrained by apostolic preaching. However, it is doubtful that Paul would have considered Judaism in this light (cf. Rom 9:1-5).

Show passage in OET: ROM 9:1–5

OET-RV ROM 9:1

9 I’m not lying—I’m speaking truthfully in Messiah, and both my conscience and the holy spirit agree

OET-RV ROM 9:2

2 that my sorrow is extensive, and the sorrow in my heart just won’t stop,

OET-RV ROM 9:3

3 because I was hoping that I myself would be a sacrifice from the messiah for my brothers and sisters, my fellow-citizens in this world.

OET-RV ROM 9:4

4 They’re the descendants of Yisrael (Israel) who’ve been adopted as God’s children, and who God revealed his power to, as well as the agreements, the Law, the temple worship, and the promises.

OET-RV ROM 9:5

5 The patriarchs are Jewish, and the messiah, who has authority over everything, physically came from them. May God be blessed throughout the ages. May it be so.

OET-LV ROM 9:1

9 The_truth I _am _speaking in chosen _one /messiah, not I _am _lying, bearing _witness _with with _me of _the conscience of _me in the_spirit holy

OET-LV ROM 9:2

2 that sorrow to _me is great, and unceasing sorrow in _the heart of _me.

OET-LV ROM 9:3

3 For/Because I _was _hoping a_curse to _be myself, I from the chosen _one /messiah for the brothers of _me, the fellow-citizen of _me, according _to flesh,

OET-LV ROM 9:4

4 who are ones_from _Israaʸl/(Yisrā^ʼēl), of _whose is the adoption _as _sons, and the glory, and the covenants, and the lawgiving, and the sacred _service, and the promises,

OET-LV ROM 9:5

5 of _whose are the fathers, and of whom is the chosen _one /messiah, which according _to flesh which being over all things god, blessed to the ages.
Truly.

Jump to OET ROM 9:1–5 section.

3. Dispensational theology identifies the mystery of lawlessness as the whole course of evil, consummated in the figure of the Antichrist (the lawless one) and presently restrained by the Holy Spirit. In such a context, it is difficult to establish a scriptural basis for the Holy Spirit being “taken out of the way” (2 Thes 2:7).