For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
The mystery of iniquity - the counterwork to "the mystery of godliness (1 Timothy 3:16). Anti-Christianity latently working, distinguished from its final open manifestation. "Mystery" in Scripture means, not what remains a secret, but that which is for a while hidden, but in due time manifested (cf. Ephesians 3:4-5). Satan will resort to an opposition conformed to Christ's then imminent 'appearing' and 'presence,' and anticipate Him with a last effort for the dominion of the world; just as, at His first advent, Satan openly took possession of men's bodies. "Iniquity" х anomia (G458)], lawlessness; defiant rejection of God's law. Note, 2 Thessalonians 2:3; Zechariah 5:9-10, 'Wickedness' (Septuagint, the same Greek, 'lawlessness'), embodied there as a woman, answers to "the mystery of iniquity," here embodied in the "man of sin." As the former was banished forever from the Holy Land to her congenial soil, Babylon, so Iniquity and the Man of sin shall fall before Michael and the Lord, the Deliverer of His people (Daniel 12:1-3; Zechariah 14:3-9). Compare Matthew 12:43: х anomian (G458)] Matthew 13:41: the Jews, dispossessed of the evil spirit, idolatry being cast out through the Babylonian captivity, receive a worse spirit-Christ-opposing self-righteousness. Also, the Christian Church taken possession of by Romish idolatry, then dispossessed of it by the Reformation; then its house 'garnished' by hypocrisy, secularity, and rationalism, but 'swept empty' of living faith; then finally apostatizing and repossessed by the "man of sin," and outwardly destroyed for a brief time (though even then Christ shall have witnesses among "man of sin," and outwardly destroyed for a brief time (though even then Christ shall have witnesses among both Jews (Zechariah 13:9) and Gentiles (Matthew 28:20), when Christ shall suddenly come (Daniel 11:32-45; Luke 18:7-8).
Already (3 John 1:9-10; Colossians 2:18-23; 1 Timothy 4:1). Compare "even now," 1 John 2:18; 1 John 4:3) as distinguished from 'in his own time' hereafter. Antiquity does not justify unscriptural usages or dogma, since these were "already," in Paul's time, beginning: the written Word is the only sure test. 'Judaism infecting Christianity is the fuel; the mystery of iniquity is the spark.' 'It is one and the same impurity diffusing itself over ages' (Bengel).
Only he who now letteth - "will let" is not in the Greek. Translate "only (i:e., the continuance of the MYSTERY of iniquity-working is only) until he who now withholdeth (2 Thessalonians 2:6) be taken out of the way.' Then it will work no longer in mystery, but in open manifestation.