Antichrist

opponent or antagonist of Christ; also, a false Christ. In the Bible, the word is used only in the Epistles of St. John, but the concept of an opponent of the Messiah appears in the Old Testament. Its earliest form is probably that of the warrior King Gog, in the Book of Ezekiel. The term Antichrist was variously applied by the early Christians to any opponent or enemy of Christ, whether a person or power, or to a false claimant of the characteristics and attributes of Christ. The "false Christs" were predicted by Jesus to precede the coming of the Son of man (see Matt. 24).. Opposition to Christ's teaching on the part of the anti-Messiah was also prophesied (see 1 John 2:18). The development of this conception of active hostility is apparent in the Epistles of St. Paul, who bore the brunt of Jewish opposition (see 1 Thess. 2:15). The "man of sin" as Paul saw him, was a Jew, because he would regard the temple at Jerusalem as the seat of God's worship (see 2 Thess. 2:3, 4).

In the Book of Revelation, Antichrist is identified with paganism. Different interpreters have at various times identified the Antichrist with the Roman emperors Nero, Diocletian, Julian, and Caligula; with the Samaritan sorcerer Simon Magus (fl. about 37-54) (see Acts 8:9-24); and with Muhammad, the founder of Islam. At the time of the Reformation, Protestants quite generally held the pope to be the Antichrist, and Roman Catholics regarded Martin Luther similarly. In the controversy between the Roman church and the Greek church, the name was applied, by those who opposed them, to popes and Byzantine emperors.

An article from Funk & Wagnalls ® New Encyclopedia. © 2006 World Almanac Education Group. A WRC Media Company. All rights reserved. Except as otherwise permitted by written agreement, uses of the work inconsistent with U.S. and applicable foreign copyright and related laws are prohibited.

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