John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 9. Even him whose coming is after the working of Satan , &c.] That is, as a deceiver, a liar, and a murderer; for such was the working of Satan with our first parents; he seduced Eve, not only by subtlety, but by lying; he abode not in the truth, is the father of lies, and a murderer from the beginning: and such is the working of antichrist his firstborn; he comes in a deceitful way, under a profession of Christ, and a pretension of faith in him, and love to him; but speaks lies in hypocrisy, for such are his doctrines and tenets; and is not only a murderer of the bodies of the saints, but of the souls of men; which are the wares the whore of Babylon deals in: with all power ; not omnipotence, for that is peculiar to God, and is not in Satan nor in antichrist, though the latter assumes to himself all power in heaven and in earth, and claims a jurisdiction both temporal and spiritual over men; but rather this means great power, or all kind of power of doing miracles, as follows: and signs, and lying wonders ; that is, such signs and miracles as are not real, but reigned, only in appearance, not in truth, like those that were done by the magicians of Egypt; and these were done to countenance lies, and to induce persons to believe them; and how many miracles and lying wonders the church of Rome pretends to, everybody knows.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 5-12 - Something hindered or withheld the man of sin. It is supposed to be the power of the Roman empire, which the apostle did not mention mor plainly at that time. Corruption of doctrine and worship came in by degrees, and the usurping of power was gradual; thus the mystery of iniquity prevailed. Superstition and idolatry were advanced by pretended devotion, and bigotry and persecution were promoted by pretended zeal for God and his glory. This mystery of iniquity was eve then begun; while the apostles were yet living, persons pretended zea for Christ, but really opposed him. The fall or ruin of the antichristian state is declared. The pure word of God, with the Spiri of God, will discover this mystery of iniquity, and in due time it shall be destroyed by the brightness of Christ's coming. Signs an wonders, visions and miracles, are pretended; but they are false sign to support false doctrines; and lying wonders, or only pretende miracles, to cheat the people; and the diabolical deceits with whic the antichristian state has been supported, are notorious. The person are described, who are his willing subjects. Their sin is this; The did not love the truth, and therefore did not believe it; and they wer pleased with false notions. God leaves them to themselves, then sin will follow of course, and spiritual judgments here, and eterna punishments hereafter. These prophecies have, in a great measure, com to pass, and confirm the truth of the Scriptures. This passage exactl agrees with the system of popery, as it prevails in the Romish church and under the Romish popes. But though the son of perdition has bee revealed, though he has opposed and exalted himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; and has spoken and acted as if he were a god upon earth, and has proclaimed his insolent pride, an supported his delusions, by lying miracles and all kinds of frauds still the Lord has not yet fully destroyed him with the brightness of his coming; that and other prophecies remain to be fulfilled before the end shall come.
Greek Textus Receptus
ου 3739 R-GSM εστιν 2076 5748 V-PXI-3S η 3588 T-NSF παρουσια 3952 N-NSF κατ 2596 PREP ενεργειαν 1753 N-ASF του 3588 T-GSM σατανα 4567 N-GSM εν 1722 PREP παση 3956 A-DSF δυναμει 1411 N-DSF και 2532 CONJ σημειοις 4592 N-DPN και 2532 CONJ τερασιν 5059 N-DPN ψευδους 5579 N-GSN
Vincent's NT Word Studies
9. After the working of Satan. The sense is that the coming of Antichrist proclaims itself to be according to the working of Satan by means of power, signs, etc.'Energeia P o . power in exercise, used only of superhuman power. See Col. i. 29; ii. 12.Signs and lying wonders (shmeioiv kai terasin yeudouv). Lit. signs and wonders of a lie. Of a lie characterizes the three words, power, signs, wonders. All bear the stamp of fraud. For signs and wonders see on Matt. xxiv. 24, and mighty works, Matt. xi. 20.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
2:9 {Whose coming is} (hou estin he parousia). Refers to hon in verse #8. The Antichrist has his parousia also. Deissmann (_Light from the Ancient East_, pp. 374, 378) notes an inscription at Epidaurus in which "Asclepius manifested his parousia." Antiochus Epiphanes is called _the manifest god_ (III Macc. 5:35). So the two Epiphanies coincide. {Lying wonders} (terasin yeudous). "In wonders of a lie." Note here the three words for the miracles of Christ (#Heb 2:4), power (dunamis), signs (semeia), wonders (terata), but all according to the working of Satan (kata energeian tou Satana, the energy of Satan) just as Jesus had foretold (#Mt 24:24), wonders that would almost lead astray the very elect.
