Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
By any means - Greek, 'in any manner.' Christ (Matthew 24:4) gives the same warning. Paul indicated three ways (2 Thessalonians 2:2) in which they might be deceived (cf. other ways, 2 Thessalonians 2:9, and Matthew 24:5; Matthew 24:24).
A falling away, х he (G3588) apostasia (G646)] - 'the falling away,' or 'apostasy,' of which "I told you" before (2 Thessalonians 2:5), "when I was yet with you," and of which the Lord gave intimation (Matthew 24:10-12; Luke 18:8; John 5:43).
That man of sin be revealed - Greek order, 'and there have been revealed the man of sin.' As Christ was first in mystery, and afterward revealed; also as He is now spiritually present, and afterward shall be revealed personally (2 Thessalonians 1:7; 1 Timothy 3:16); so Antichrist (the term 1 John 2:18; 1 John 4:3) is first in mystery, and afterward revealed (2 Thessalonians 2:7-9). As righteousness found its embodiment in Christ, "the Lord our righteousness," so "sin" shall have its embodiment in "the man of sin." The hindering power meanwhile restrains its full manifestation: when that shall be removed, this shall take place. The articles, 'the apostasy,' and 'the man of sin,' may refer to their being well known, as foretold by Daniel 8:9-11 (perhaps distinct from "the little horn," Daniel 7:8; Daniel 7:25, which may refer to the Papacy); Daniel 11:30, the willful king who "shall exalt and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvelous things against the God of gods; neither shall he regard any god."
The son of perdition - applied to none else besides Judas the traitor (John 17:12). The Pope, like Judas, holds a high position in the Church, professing an affectionate reverence for Christ, yet really betraying Him. As 'the lawless one,' he claims supremacy over all law, civil, divine, and that of conscience; with lying signs, and professing to transform a wafer into God. But Revelation 17:1-18 represents apostate Christendom as "a woman," the usual emblem of a church. Antichrist is a man, seemingly, a beast really, and continues only 'a short space:' Christ in person destroys him. But apostate Christendom is destroyed by ten human kings, instruments of God's vengeance (Revelation 17:16; Revelation 18:2; Revelation 18:8; Revelation 18:20), Antichrist (the second "beast" coming up out of the earth) shall at first be "like a lamb," while he 'speaks as a dragon' (Revelation 13:11): 'coming in peaceably and by flatteries,' 'working deceitfully,' but 'his heart shall be against the holy covenant' (Daniel 11:21; Daniel 11:23; Daniel 11:28; Daniel 11:30). Seeds of the "falling away" soon appeared (1 Timothy 4:1-3), but the full development and concentration of anti-Christian elements in one person are still to appear. Contrast the King of Zion's coming as JESUS --
(1) Righteous;
(2) having salvation;
(3) lowly:
whereas Antichrist is:
(1) "The man of (the embodiment of) sin;"
(2) the son of perdition;
(3) exalting himself above all that is worshipped.
He is the son of perdition, as essentially belonging to, and finally doomed to it (Revelation 17:8; Revelation 17:11). As "the kingdom of heaven" is first brought before us in the abstract, then in the concrete, the King, the Lord Jesus; so here, first we have (2 Thessalonians 2:7) "the mystery of iniquity" х anomias (G458), 'of lawlessness']; then 'the iniquity one' х ho (G3588) anomos (G459)], 'the lawless one' (2 Thessalonians 2:8). Doubtless 'the apostasy' of Romanism (the abstract) is the greatest instance of the working of the mystery of iniquity; its blasphemous claims for the Pope (the concrete) are forerunners of the final concentration of blasphemy in the man of sin, who shall not merely, as the Pope, usurp God's honour as His vicegerent, but oppose God openly.