2Th 2:8-12 | TNotes | STEP | 2:8 Paul announces the doom of the man of lawlessness (cp. 2:3 ). Although this figure claims to be divine, places his cult above all other worship (2:4 ), and receives power from Satan (2:9 ), the Lord Jesus will violently and utterly destroy him (Isa 11:4 ). • splendor: A reference to Christ’s epiphany (1 Tim 6:14 ; 2 Tim 1:10 ; 4:1 , 8 ; Titus 2:13 ), an alternative description of Christ’s coming (2 Thes 2:1 ; 1 Thes 2:19 ; 3:13 ; 4:15 ; 5:23 ) or unveiling (2 Thes 1:7 ). In ancient literature, an epiphany was the appearance of a deity or a demonstration of divine power that evoked worship.

2:8 ^a Paul announces the doom of the man of lawlessness (cp. 2:3 ^b). Although this figure claims to be divine, places his cult above all other worship (2:4 ^c), and receives power from Satan (2:9 ^d), the Lord Jesus will violently and utterly destroy him (Isa 11:4 ^e).

• splendor: A reference to Christ’s epiphany (1 Tim 6:14 ^f; 2 Tim 1:10 ^g; 4:1 ^h, 8 ⁱ; Titus 2:13 ^j), an alternative description of Christ’s coming (2 Thes 2:1 ^k; 1 Thes 2:19 ^l; 3:13 ^m; 4:15 ⁿ; 5:23 ^o) or unveiling (2 Thes 1:7 ^p). In ancient literature, an epiphany was the appearance of a deity or a demonstration of divine power that evoked worship.
2:9 ^q As Christ will appear in royal and divine power (his parousia; 2:1 ^r, 8 ^s; 1 Thes 2:19 ^t; 3:13 ^u; 4:15 ^v; 5:23 ^w), this figure similarly will come (parousia) with a royal entrance.
2:11 ^x As seen elsewhere in Scripture (Exod 9:12 ^y; 2 Chr 18:22 ^z), God sometimes hands people over to the power of the sin or deception they have desired in place of the truth (Rom 1:24 ^aa, 26 ^ab, 28 ^ac; 11:8 ^ad).
2:12 ^ae They will be condemned (see 1:6-9 ^af) by God’s judicial verdict for not believing the truth (2:10 ^ag), instead believing the lie of the man of lawlessness (2:9-10 ^ah).