2 Thessalonians 2:3

Let no man beguile you in any wise (mh ti uma exapathsh kata mhdena tropon). First aorist active subjunctive of exapataw (old verb to deceive, strengthened form of simple verb apataw) with double negative (mh ti, mhdena) in accord with regular Greek idiom as in 1 Corinthians 16:11 rather than the aorist imperative which does occur sometimes in the third person as in Mark 13:15 (mh katabatw). Paul broadens the warning to go beyond conversation and letter. He includes "tricks" of any kind. It is amazing how gullible some of the saints are when a new deceiver pulls off some stunts in religion. For it will not be (oti). There is an ellipse here of ouk estai (or genhsetai) to be supplied after oti. Westcott and Hort make an anacoluthon at the end of verse Mark 4 . The meaning is clear. Hoti is causal, because, but the verb is understood. The second coming not only is not "imminent," but will not take place before certain important things take place, a definite rebuff to the false enthusiasts of verse Mark 2 . Except the falling away come first (ean mh elqh h apostasia prwton). Negative condition of the third class, undetermined with prospect of determination and the aorist subjunctive. Apostasia is the late form of apostasi and is our word apostasy. Plutarch uses it of political revolt and it occurs in I Macc. 2:15 about Antiochus Epiphanes who was enforcing the apostasy from Judaism to Hellenism. In Joshua 22:22 it occurs for rebellion against the Lord. It seems clear that the word here means a religious revolt and the use of the definite article (h) seems to mean that Paul had spoken to the Thessalonians about it. The only other New Testament use of the word is in Acts 21:21 where it means apostasy from Moses. It is not clear whether Paul means revolt of the Jews from God, of Gentiles from God, of Christians from God, or of the apostasy that includes all classes within and without the body of Christians. But it is to be first (prwton) before Christ comes again. Note this adverb when only two events are compared (cf. Acts 1:1 ). And the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition (kai apokalupqh o anqrwpo th anomia, o uio th apwleia). First aorist passive subjunctive after ean mh and same condition as with elqh. The use of this verb apokaluptw, like apokalupsin of the second coming in Acts 1:7 , seems to note the superhuman character (Milligan) of the event and the same verb is repeated in verses Acts 2:6 Acts 2:8 . The implication is that the man of sin is hidden somewhere who will be suddenly manifested just as false apostles pose as angels of light ( 2 Corinthians 11:13 ), whether the crowning event of the apostasy or another name for the same event. Lightfoot notes the parallel between the man of sin, of whom sin is the special characteristic (genitive case, a Hebraism for the lawless one in verse 2 Corinthians 8 ) and Christ. Both Christ and the adversary of Christ are revealed, there is mystery about each, both make divine claims (verse 2 Corinthians 4 ). He seems to be the Antichrist of 1 John 2:18 . The terrible phrase, the son of perdition, is applied to Judas in John 17:12 (like Judas doomed to perdition), but here to the lawless one (o anomo, verse John 8 ), who is not Satan, but some one definite person who is doing the work of Satan. Note the definite article each time.