We now approach the point where the parallelism culminates. Clear and distinct, like an Alpine peak, rises the CLIMAX in each case! The one stands clothed in the pure spiritual glory of heaven, the other arrays itself in the false splendours of earth. How close, apparently, are these two culminations, and yet how immeasurable the distance betwixt them!
Not all at once do we ascend these lofty summits. We must permit the apostle to lead us up by the several successive stages which conduct to them; in this way only can we obtain a full view of the parallelism. And be in a condition to see how real and grand it is.
The apostle begins at the lowest stage of the vast ascent. "And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only He who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way; and them shall that wicked be revealed." (2 Thess. 2: 6-8) The time for the revelation or apocalypse of Antichrist –for Antichrist was to have his apocalypse even as Christ had his –was not yet come. The "mystery of iniquity" was already working –working in the region of principles and influences, and working in the region of seducing spirits; but meanwhile, there existed a great "let," or obstruction to his open revelation. Paul hints very plainly that the Thessalonian Christians knew what that obstruction was, and therefore he did not name it. He had visited them sometime before, and talked freely with them about the coming apostasy, and had mentioned the "let" which must first be removed before the apostasy could be free to develop itself. That obstruction was the Roman Empire. When present, talking freely with them on the subject, Paul could say so in express terms; but it might be dangerous to name the Roman Empire in an epistle to be read openly, and go the round of the churches. That might draw down on the Christians the displeasure of the Roman authorities. The apostle knew the hindrance in Antichrist's path, having learned it, doubtless, by the study of Daniel, and the revelation of the spirit. It was known, moreover, to the early fathers, who all turned their eyes to Rome as the fated spot where the "lawless one" was first to show himself; but they spoke of him with bated breath, and in circumlocutionary phrase.
While the Roman Empire stood it was impossible that Antichrist should appear. Caesar was Pontifex Maximus; and while he held possession, there could not be two High Priests occupying the same capital, sharing the same throne, and sacrificing at the same altars. The first and lesser Pontifex Maximus must be removed before the second and greater could stand up. This was to happen in no long time. God would remove the "let," by bringing the Gothic into Italy, overturning the empire, and making vacant the throne of Caesar. Then Antichrist would climb up to the empty seat. "God chased the Caesars from Rome," says De Maistre, "that he might give it to the Popes."
Let us mark next that it had been decreed of both Christ and Antichrist, that they should occupy thrones –no meaner seat than a royal one must either of them have. Christ was to sit on the throne of David, and Antichrist was to sit on the throne of Caesar. In pursuance thereof a train of providences preceded the advent of each, the final end of which was to make vacant the throne they were respectively to occupy. Three revolutions in the royal line of Judah were to make way for Christ, and four consecutive revolutions in the line of the world-power were to open the way for the coming of Antichrist. Jacob, on his deathbed, had given his posterity a sign of the instant appearance of the Messiah. That sign was a final break-down in the royal line: –"The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come." (Gen. 49:10) When the time drew nigh Ezekiel sounded the alarm more definitively; giving warning that the throne of Judah should fall once, and a second and a third time, and then there would stand up a King whose "dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away." Thus saith the Lord God: "Remove the diadem and take off the crown: I will overturn, overturn, overturn it, till He come whose right it is, and I will give it unto Him." (Ezekiel 21:26, 27) The throne of Judah was overturned a first time by the separation of the Ten Tribes from the house of David. It was overturned a second time by the deportation of the nation to Babylon. It was overturned a third and last time in the subjugation of Judea by the Romans, who stript the descendants of David of the shadowy dominion they had wielded down to this time. Then Christ came, of whom the angel who announced His birth spoke thus: –"The Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David; and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his Kingdom there shall be no end." ( Luke 1:32, 33)
In Antichrist's counterfeit church and kingdom the parallelism on this point is striking indeed. The "man of sin" was, when fully developed, to occupy the throne of this world. This magnificent post had been offered by the Tempter to the true Christ: "All the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me." The offer was promptly declined. The Tempter next turned him to the false Christ, "I will convert thy chair into a throne," said he, to the bishop of Rome, "and thy pastoral staff into a royal sceptre, if thou wilt be my vassal." The offer met no second refusal. The bargain was struck, and faithfully fulfilled on both sides. The stipulated worship was rendered, and the wages were fully paid. In witness we cite Innocent III in the thirteenth century. Do we not hear him boasting that he had been set over the kingdoms to build and to pluck up at his pleasure? And how often do we find the same mighty claim in the mouth of his successors in the following centuries? Nay, even in our own day the echoes of the same proud boast are heard from the papal chair.
It took a thousand years to prepare the way of both, and seat each in his respective throne. The throne of David was emptied again and again, that it might be filled by the King of the eternal empire. The throne of the world-power was in like manner emptied again and again, that it might be filled by the king of whom it had been written, "he goeth into perdition." The throne of the world-power was overturned a first time in the fall of Babylon; it was overturned a second time in the overthrow of the Medo-Persian power. It was overturned a third time in the extinction of the Greek kingdom; and it was overturned a fourth and last time, when the Roman Empire fell before the Goths. There was no longer a Caesar at Rome. "He that letteth will let," the apostle had said, "until he be taken our of the way." He had now been taken out of the way, and the hour was come for "that Wicked" to be revealed.
Let us here mark, that both mysteries have the same culmination –an enthronization even. The "mystery of godliness," beginning in the cradle, ends on the throne –the throne of heaven. The "mystery of iniquity," beginning in the silent and hidden workings of early times, ends on the throne –the throne of earth.
It appears plain to us, though expositors have passed it over, that the two passages (1 Tim. 3:16 and 2 Thess. 2:3-12) –the one descriptive of the "mystery of godliness," and the other descriptive of the "mystery of iniquity" –were intended by the apostle, to be, and are parallels clause by clause. Each clause in the one throws its light upon the corresponding clause in the other, and thus the depth and height of each mystery are evolved. A single glance at these two passages will suffice to show that it is by the same ascending gradations that we mount up to the climax of both mysteries. Let us look at each.
"And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory." (1 Tim. 3:16) It is thus the apostle, in a single verse, with masterly comprehensiveness, states the successive steps –the whole of that magnificent graduation, by which the mystery of godliness reached its mighty climax.
"God was manifest in the flesh." "Mary brought forth her first-born Son, and wrapt him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger." There was the beginning of the mystery. This is the first step in the mighty ascent.
"Justified in the spirit." As when the Spirit descended upon him in a visible form at his baptism; and again when he began his public ministry, with all its attendant miracles and wonders, "The spirit of the Lord God is upon me," were the words with which, in the synagogue of Nazareth, he opened his first sermon, "for he hath anointed me to preach good tidings to the meek."
"Seen of angels." As when they sang his natal hymn at Bethlehem, and when they ministered to him in the wilderness, after his temptation, and again in his agony in the garden, when "there appeared an angel from heaven strengthening him," and on the morning of his resurrection, when two of them waited in his sepulchre to tell the women that he was risen.
"Preached unto the Gentiles." "Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature," was his last charge to his apostles when about to ascend from the Mount of Olives. No sooner was the spirit given at Pentecost than his apostles and evangelists traveled all through the land of Israel, and passing beyond the bounds of Jewry, they preached the Gospel in the cities of Greece and Rome, and going on still farther toward the west, carried the tidings of the cross to the shores of Britain.
"Believed on in the world." So rises the gradation, and so does the mystery of godliness advance to its culmination. The gods of paganism fall before the preaching of the "Crucified." Mighty nations, both east and west, became obedient to the faith; the gospel made good its claim to be of heaven by the blessed fruits it everywhere brought forth; and Jesus was believed on as the true messiah and Saviour of the world.
"Received up into glory." This is the final step; here the mystery culminates. We can now look along the entire line of its development, from the cradle in the stable to the eternal gates which are seen to lift themselves up that the King of Glory may enter, and sit down on the throne of universal and everlasting dominion, while seraph and seraphim and "every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them," are heard saying, "Blessing and honour and glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever." (Rev. 5:13)
The "mystery of iniquity" passed through a precisely similar gradation, to issue in a climax which is an obvious and striking counterpart of that which we have just described. "The mystery of iniquity doth already work." We here see it in its cradle. It was "justified" of Satan by the lying signs and wonders which he enabled its propagators to work. It was published unto the Gentiles by preaching friars and itinerant monks, who sought in all the deceivableness of unrighteousness to persuade men that the Pope was God's vicar, and that the traditions of his Church were the true Gospel. It was believed on in the world by those whose names are not written in the Book of Life. And finally, it was received up into the heavens of ecclesiastical dominion and imperial glory. Its chief was now seen sitting in the temple of God; showing himself that he is God, while the kings and nations of the earth are beheld bowing before him, and ascribing to him dominion and power and glory. They worshipped the beast saying, "Who is like unto the beast?" "Power was given unto him over all kindreds and tongues and nations; and all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." (Rev. 13:4-8)
The Pope on the throne of thrones on earth is the counterfeit of Christ on the throne of thrones in heaven.