Antichrist

In Christian eschatology, Antichrist, or in broader eschatology, Anti-Messiah, refers to a kind of entity prophesied by the Bible to oppose Jesus Christ and falsely substitute himself as a savior in Christ's place before the Second Coming. The term Antichrist (including one plural form) is found four times in the New Testament, solely in the First and Second Epistle of John. Antichrist is announced as one "who denies the Father and the Son." The similar term pseudokhristos or "false Christ" is also found in the Gospels. In Matthew (chapter 24) and Mark (chapter 13), Jesus alerts his disciples not to be deceived by the false prophets, who will claim themselves to be the Christ, performing "great signs and wonders". Three other images often associated with Antichrist are the "little horn" in Daniel's final vision, the "man of sin" in Paul the Apostle's Second Epistle to the Thessalonians, and the Beast of the Sea in the Book of Revelation. In the New Testament, particularly in the Johannine epistles, the term does not refer to a single individual but rather to a category of people opposing Christ, often called deceivers or false teachers. Early Church Fathers like Irenaeus, Tertullian, and Hippolytus expanded on the idea, sometimes linking the Antichrist to the Roman Empire, the tribe of Dan, or the eschatological “man of lawlessness” described in 2 Thessalonians. Over time, interpretations varied, including figurative, historical, and personal applications of the concept. During the Reformation, many Protestant leaders identified the Papacy as the Antichrist, viewing it as a present manifestation rather than a future individual. This historicist interpretation was shared by figures like Martin Luther, John Calvin, and John Knox, who associated the Pope with the "man of sin" and other biblical symbols of opposition to Christ. Catholic, Orthodox, and other Christian traditions generally...