2 Thessalonians 2:8

And then shall that Wicked One be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the breath of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
Read Chapter 2

Ambrose of Milan

AD 397
We have heard that the Lord Jesus not only judges but also punishes in the Spirit. For neither would he punish Antichrist, whom, as we read, “the Lord Jesus shall slay with the Spirit of his mouth,” unless he had already judged him as fit for punishment … but the unity of the divine action remains undivided, since Christ cannot be separated from the Spirit, nor the Spirit act apart from Christ. For the unity of the divine nature cannot be divided. .
< 1 min1/13

Augustine of Hippo

AD 430
Then even this is not the last judgment of the wicked; but the last judgment is that which they shall suffer when the bodily resurrection has taken place.
< 1 min2/13

Cyril of Jerusalem

AD 386
The Antichrist just mentioned by Paul will come when the destined period of the Roman Empire has run its course and the subsequent end of the world is drawing near. Ten claimants to the empire will arise simultaneously, I suppose in different parts, but all wearing the purple at the same time. Antichrist will form an eleventh after them, having seized the imperial power by the use of magic arts. He will humble three of those who came to power before him and cause the remaining seven to be Caesars under him. At first he will feign mildness and will appear to be a learned and understanding man, with pretended prudence and kindness. Then he will take in the Jews, by making them suppose him to be their expected Messiah, by false signs and wonders produced by magical trickery. And afterwards his character will be written large in evil deeds of inhumanity and lawlessness of every kind, so as to outdo all wicked and godless men that were before him. He will display a murderous, most absolute,...

George Leo Haydock

AD 1849
Spirit of his mouth St. Paul makes use of this expression, to show the ease with which God can put down the most powerful from his seat. He does it likewise to give the Thessalonians a right notion of the man of sin. For as he before told them, he would cause himself to be adored, they might have imagined him more upon an equality with the Almighty. These words, however, quite take away that meaning. He shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked. (Isaias xi. 4.) (Calmet)

Interlinear Gloss

AD 1480
And then: He will arise at the appointed time. that iniquitous one: That is the Antichrist. shall be revealed that is, he will be made known
< 1 min5/13

Irenaeus of Lyons

AD 202
With the presence of his coming; . And therefore God will send them the working of error, that they may believe a lie; that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but gave consent to iniquity"
< 1 min6/13

John Chrysostom

AD 407
“To the one a savor from death to death, to the other a savor from life to life.” For this sweet savor some so receive that they are saved, others so that they perish. If any one is lost, it is his own fault…. Light (as I have already observed) blinds the weak. Such is the nature of good things. They not only correct things similar to them but also destroy their opposite. In this way their power is most clearly displayed. Fire displays its unique power when it gives light and when it purifies gold. The same is true when it consumes thorns. In all these cases it demonstrates itself to be fire. Christ, too, in the same way will display his own majesty when he “shall consume” Antichrist “with the breath of his mouth and overcome him with the manifestation of his coming.”

John Chrysostom

AD 407
For as fire merely coming on even before its arrival makes torpid and consumes the little animals that are afar off; so also Christ, by His commandment only, and Coming. It is enough for Him to be present, and all these things are destroyed. He will put a stop to the deceit, by only appearing. Then who is this, whose coming is after the working of Satan, With all display all power, but nothing true, but for deceit. And lying wonder, he says, that is, false, or leading to falsehood.
< 1 min8/13

Oecumenius

AD 990
The Devil and the Antichrist, together with the kings who march with them, will make war against the Lord and His divine angels, but will be defeated more quickly than a word. Isaiah says, "Let the impious one be done away with, that he may not see the glory of the Lord." (Is. 26:10) What could be quicker than breathing and blowing a breath against His enemies?
< 1 min9/13

Tertullian of Carthage

AD 220
Whose coming is after the working of Satan, with all power, and signs, and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish."
< 1 min10/13

Theophylact of Ochrid

AD 1107
For the coming of Christ needs no one to point it out, but it will be utterly clear to all, like lightning. For just as the lightning is sudden and seen by all, so too will the Lord’s coming be visible to everyone on earth.
< 1 min11/13

Thietland of Einsiedeln

AD 1000
at the brightness of his return because His coming will be in a flash of lightning, as that passage says, "just as a flash of lightning goes forth from the east." Mt.24:27
< 1 min12/13

Victorinus of Pettau

AD 303
And Paul, speaking of Antichrist to the Thessalonians, says: "Whom the Lord Jesus will slay by the breath of His mouth."
< 1 min13/13

Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation - 2 Peter 1:20

App Store LogoPlay Store Logo