A6ReformersViews

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Reformers' Interpretations
of Anti-Christ

As early as the 12th century, the Waldensian dissentients outside the church identified the "little horn" and "Man of Sin" as the Roman Papacy. But even within the church, among the most learned godly men, Papacy also became increasingly identified as "Anti-Christ" and the "Man of Sin."

Pre-Reformation Interpretations:

Date	Name	Reference	Interpretation
c. 1310	Dante Alighieri	Rev. 17 Harlot	Roman Church
c. 1331	Michael of Cesena	Rev. 17 Harlot Antichrist	Roman Church Pope
c. 1345	Johannes de Rupescissa	Antichrist Rev. 17 Babylon Rev. 17 Harlot	Pope Roman church Roman church
c. 1350	Francesco Petrarch	Rev. 17 Harlot	Papal Court
c. 1367	John Milicz	Antichrist Abomination of Desolation Man of Sin	Papacy Papacy Papacy
c. 1379	John Wycliffe	Antichrist Abomination of Desolation Little Horn Man of Sin Rev. 17 Harlot	Pope Papacy Popes Papacy Papacy
c. 1388	Matthias of Janow	Antichrist Abomination of Desolation Man of Sin Rev. 13 1st Beast Rev. 17 Harlot Rev. 17 Babylon	Hierarchy Fallen Church Present Church Papacy Hierarchy Popes
c. 1389	R. Wimbledon	Abomination of Desolation	Papacy
c. 1390	John Purvey	Antichrist Rev. 13 1st Beast Rev. 13 2nd Peast Rev. 13 666 Rev. 17 Harlot Rev. 17 Babylon	Pope Papacy Hierarchy Pope Papacy Papacy
c. 1393	Walter Brute	Antichrist Abomination of Desolation Little Horn Man of Sin	Papacy Bishop of Rome Rome Papacy
c. 1412	John Huss	Antichrist Abomination of Desolation Little Horn Man of Sin Rev. 13 1st Beast Rev. 17 Harlot Rev. 17 Babylon	Pope Papacy Rome Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy
c. 1497	Girolamo Savonarola	Antichrist Man of Sin Rev. 17 Harlot Rev. 17 Babylon	Pope Papacy Papacy Papacy

Reformation Era Interpretations:

Date	Name	Reference	Interpretation
1522	Martin Luther	Antichrist Abomination of Desolation Little Horn Man of Sin Rev. 13 2nd Beast Rev. 17 Harlot Rev. 17 Babylon	Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy
1543	Philipp Melanchthon	Antichrist Man of Sin Rev. 17 Babylon	Papacy Papacy Papacy
1545	Andreas Osiander	Antichrist Abomination of Desolation Little Horn Man of Sin Rev. 13 1st Beast Rev. 17 Harlot Rev. 17 Babylon	Papacy Papal Traditions Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy
1554	Nicolaus von Amsdorf	Antichrist Abomination of Desolation Rev. 13 1st Beast Rev. 17 Harlot Rev. 17 Babylon	Papacy Papal Traditions Papacy Papacy Papacy
1558	Johann Funck	Antichrist Little Horn Man of Sin Rev. 13 1st Beast Rev. 13 2nd Beast Rev. 17 Harlot Rev. 17 Babylon	Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy
1560	Virgil Solis	Antichrist Little Horn Rev. 13 1st Beast Rev. 17 Harlot Rev. 17 Babylon	Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy
1570	Georg Nigrinus	Antichrist Man of Sin Rev. 13 1st Beast Rev. 13 2nd Peast	Pope, Turk Papacy Pagan Rome Papal Rome
1572	David Chytraeus	Antichrist Little Horn Man of Sin Rev. 13 1st Beast Rev. 13 2nd Peast	Papacy Papacy Papacy Roman Empire Papacy
1530	Johann Oecolampadius	Antichrist Little Horn	Papacy Papacy
1557	Heinrich Bullinger	Antichrist Little Horn Man of Sin Rev. 13 1st Beast Rev. 13 2nd Peast Rev. 17 Harlot Rev. 17 Babylon	Papacy Papacy Papacy Pagan Rome Papal Rome Roman Church Papacy
1550	William Tyndale	Antichrist Little Horn Man of Sin Rev. 13 1st Beast Rev. 17 Harlot Rev. 17 Babylon	Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy
1545	George Joys	Antichrist Little Horn	Papacy Papacy
1554	Nicholas Ridley	Antichrist Abomination of Desolation Rev. 13 1st Beast Rev. 17 Harlot Rev. 17 Babylon Rev. 17 Beast	Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy
1553	Hugh Latimer	Antichrist	Papacy
1582	Thomas Cranmer	Antichrist Little Horn Man of Sin Rev. 17 Harlot Rev. 17 Babylon	Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy
1550	John Bale	Antichrist Abomination of Desolation Little Horn Man of Sin Rev. 13 1st Beast Rev. 13 2nd Beast Rev. 17 Harlot Rev. 17 Babylon Rev. 17 Beast	Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy Prelates Papacy Papacy Papacy
1562	John Jewel	Antichrist Abomination of Desolation Little Horn Man of Sin Rev. 13 1st Beast Rev. 17 Harlot Rev. 17 Babylon Rev. 17 Beast	Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy Rome
1587	John Foxe	Antichrist Man of Sin	Bishop of Rome Bishop of Rome
1563	Anglican Formulas	Antichrist	Papacy
1547	John Knox	Antichrist Little Horn	Church of Rome Papacy
1593	John Napier	Antichrist Man of Sin Rev. 13 1st Beast Rev. 13 2nd Peast Rev. 17 Harlot Rev. 17 Babylon Rev. 17 Beast	Pope Papacy Latin Empire Papacy Papacy Papacy Latin Empire
1614	Thomas Brightman	Antichrist Little Horn Man of Sin Rev. 13 1st Beast Rev. 13 2nd Peast Rev. 17 Harlot Rev. 17 Babylon	Pope Papacy Papacy Early Papacy Later Papacy Papacy Papacy
1618	David Pareus	Antichrist Man of Sin Rev. 13 1st Beast Rev. 17 Harlot Rev. 17 Beast	Pope & Turk Papacy Papacy Papacy Empire

Post-Reformation Interpretations:

Date	Name	Reference	Interpretation
1600	James I of England	Antichrist Little Horn Man of Sin Rev. 13 1st Beast Rev. 13 2nd Peast Rev. 17 Harlot Rev. 17 Babylon	Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy
1603	George Downham	Antichrist Little Horn Man of Sin Rev. 13 1st Beast	Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy
1604	George Pacard	Antichrist Little Horn Man of Sin Rev. 13 1st Beast Rev. 13 2nd Peast Rev. 17 Harlot Rev. 17 Babylon	Papacy Papacy Papacy Rome Papacy Papacy Papacy
1607	Hugh Broughton	Little Horn	Antiochus
1612	Andress Holwig	Man of Sin Rev. 13 1st Beast	Papacy is also Antichrist Papacy
1618	Matthias Hoe	Man of Sin Rev. 13 1st Beast Rev. 13 2nd Peast Rev. 17 Babylon	Papacy is Antichrist Imperial Rome Papal Rome Papacy
1618	Daniel Cramer	Man of Sin Rev. 13 1st Beast Rev. 13 2nd Peast Rev. 17 Babylon	Papacy Pagan Rome Papal Rome Papacy
1631	Joseph Mede	Antichrist Little Horn Man of Sin Rev. 13 1st Beast Rev. 13 2nd Peast Rev. 17 Harlot Rev. 17 Babylon	Papacy Papacy Papacy Civil Rome Papacy Papacy Papacy
1643	Johannes Gerhard	Man of Sin Rev. 13 1st Beast Rev. 13 2nd Peast Rev. 17 Harlot Rev. 17 Babylon	Papacy Civil Rome Papal Rome Papacy Papacy
1654	Thomas Goodwin	Man of Sin Rev. 13 1st Beast Rev. 13 2nd Peast	Papacy Papacy Protestant Image
1655	John Tillinghast	Antichrist Little Horn Rev. 13 1st Beast Rev. 17 Harlot	Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy
1664	Henry More	Antichrist Little Horn	Papacy Papacy
1670	William Sherwin	Antichrist Little Horn Man of Sin Rev. 13 1st Beast Rev. 17 Babylon	Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy
1681	Johann H. Alsted	Man of Sin Rev. 13 1st Beast Rev. 13 2nd Peast Rev. 17 Harlot	Papacy is Antichrist, Little Horn Imperial Rome Papal Rome Papacy
1684	Thomas Beverley	Antichrist Little Horn Man of Sin Rev. 13 1st Beast Rev. 17 Babylon	Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy
1685	Jacques Phillipot	Man of Sin Rev. 13 1st Beast Rev. 13 2nd Peast Rev. 17 Harlot Rev. 17 Babylon	Papacy also Antichrist Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy
1687	Pierre Jurieu	Antichrist Little Horn Man of Sin Rev. 13 1st Beast Rev. 13 2nd Peast Rev. 17 Babylon	Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy Eccl. Emp. Papacy
1689	Drue Cressener	Antichrist Little Horn Man of Sin Rev. 13 1st Beast Rev. 13 2nd Peast Rev. 17 Babylon	Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy Hierarchy Papacy
1699	"Mysteries ... Finished"	Antichrist	Papacy
1700	William Lowth	Antichrist Little Horn	Papacy Papacy
1701	Johannes Cocceius	Antichrist Little Horn Rev. 13 1st Beast Rev. 13 2nd Peast Rev. 17 Babylon	Papacy Papacy Papacy Hierarchy Papacy
1701	Robert Fleming, Jr.	Antichrist Little Horn Man of Sin Rev. 13 1st Beast Rev. 17 Babylon	Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy
1702	Georg her. Giblehr	Antichrist Little Horn	Papacy Papacy
1703	Daniel Whitby	Man of Sin Rev. 17 Babylon	Roman Church is Antichrist Papacy
1706	William Whiston	Antichrist Little Horn Man of Sin Rev. 17 Babylon	Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy
1712	Heinrich Horch	Antichrist Little Horn Rev. 13 1st Beast	Papacy Papacy Papacy
1720	Charles Daubux	Rev. 13 1st Beast Rev. 13 2nd Peast Rev. 17 Harlot Rev. 17 Babylon	Civil Rome Eccl Rome Papacy Papacy
1727	Sir Isaac Newton	Antichrist Little Horn Man of Sin Rev. 13 1st Beast Rev. 13 2nd Peast Rev. 17 Harlot Rev. 17 Babylon	Papacy Papacy Papacy W. Rome Greek Empire Papacy Latin Kingdom
1729	Th. Crinsox de Bionens	Antichrist Little Horn Rev. 13 1st Beast Rev. 13 2nd Peast Rev. 17 Babylon	Papacy Papacy Roman Empire Popes Papacy
1735	Thomas Pyle	Man of Sin Rev. 13 1st Beast Rev. 17 Babylon	Papacy also Little Horn Papacy Papacy
1740	Johann Aal. Bengel	Antichrist Man of Sin Rev. 13 1st Beast Rev. 13 2nd Peast Rev. 17 Harlot Rev. 17 Babylon	Papacy Papacy Papacy Jesuitism Papacy Papacy
1743	Berienberg Bible	Antichrist	Papacy
1745	John Willison	Antichrist Little Horn	Papacy Papacy
1754	Thomas Newton	Antichrist Little Horn Man of Sin Rev. 13 1st Beast Rev. 13 2nd Peast Rev. 17 Babylon	Papacy W. Rome Papacy Papacy Roman Clergy Papacy
1758	John Gill	Little Horn Man of Sin Rev. 13 1st Beast	Papacy Papacy also AntichristPapacy
1764	John Wesley	Man of Sin Rev. 13 1st Beast Rev. 13 2nd Peast Rev. 17 Harlot Rev. 17 Babylon	Papacy also Antichrist Papacy East Empire Papal Rome Papacy
1768	Johann Ph. Petri	Antichrist Little Horn Man of Sin Rev. 13 1st Beast Rev. 13 2nd Peast	Papacy Turks Papacy Papacy Papacy
1787	R. M.	Antichrist	Papacy
1787	Hans Wood	Antichrist Little Horn Man of Sin Rev. 13 1st Beast Rev. 13 2nd Peast Rev. 17 Harlot Rev. 17 Babylon	Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy East Empire Papacy Papacy
1793	James Becheno	Antichrist Little Horn Rev. 13 1st Beast Rev. 13 2nd Peast Rev. 17 Babylon	Papacy Papacy Papacy Louis XIV Papacy
1794	Joseph Priestly	Little Horn Man of Sin Rev. 13 1st Beast Rev. 17 Harlot Rev. 17 Babylon	Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy
1795	George Bell	Antichrist Little Horn	Papacy Papacy
1796	Christian G. Thube	Antichrist Little Horn Man of Sin Rev. 13 1st Beast Rev. 17 Harlot Rev. 17 Babylon	Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy
1797	David Simpson	Antichrist Little Horn	Papacy Papacy
1798	Edward King	Antichrist Little Horn Man of Sin Rev. 13 1st Beast Rev. 17 Harlot Rev. 17 Babylon	Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy
1798	Joseph Galloway	Rev. 13 1st Beast Rev. 13 2nd Peast Rev. 17 Babylon	Papacy France Papacy
1798	Richard Valpy	Antichrist Little Horn Man of Sin Rev. 13 1st Beast Rev. 17 Harlot Rev. 17 Babylon	Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy Papacy
1800	Jean G. de la Flechers	Antichrist Little Horn	Papacy Papacy

The Catholic Counter-Reformation

Why did the "protest" change? In view of the foregoing Reformation interpretations identifying Papacy as the Antichrist and Man of Sin, why do so many Evangelical Protestants today believe the Man of Sin and Antichrist are future individuals?

The Reformation break from Papacy. The Man of Sin had been "revealed," recognized and proclaimed as the Papacy by the Reformers. Not only the Reformers, but thousands of their followers and their kings agreed with the prophetic interpretations. Their united stand against Papacy gave the Reformers and nations the power to break away from allegiance to the Papal system.

The Papal reaction � the "Counter Reformation." In an attempt to divert the undermining influence of the Protestant Reformation, a two-pronged counter attack was made.

Praeterist school of interpretation founded by Alcazar, a Spanish Jesuit in 1614.	Futurist school of interpretation founded by Francisco Ribera and Robert Bellarmine
The fulfillment of Revelation is in the past with the Fall of Jerusalem or the Fall of Pagan Rome, before the Popes ever ruled Rome.	The fulfillment of Revelation is in the future with an individual man as the Antichrist, Man of Sin, and a literal rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem.

Around 1590, Francisco Ribera published a 500-page book on Revelation. The first chapters of Revelation he applied to the time of the early church. From Revelation chapter 4 onward he applied literally, to a literal 3-1/2 year reign of an individual man, Antichrist. He taught that Antichrist would rebuild the temple in Jerusalem, deny Christ, pretend to be God, and conquer the world.

Robert Bellarmine, one of the most renowned Jesuit cardinals, taught that the Antichrist would be an individual Jew, who would reign a literal 3-1/2 years in Jerusalem, in whom would dwell all the power of the devil.

Paving the way for Papal-Protestant Union. The Evangelical Fundamentalist interpretation of Antichrist and Man of Sin as follows Ribera's and Bellarmine's Futuristic viewpoints. Not only has the Futuristic interpretation negated the powerful Reformation interpretation against Papacy, but it also allows room for ecumenism between Protestantism and Roman Catholicism. If the Papacy is not the Antichrist, then there is no point to the Reformation separation from Papacy.

Click to go to the following:

   For information from STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES on Daniel 9.

    For booklet on "Can We Identify Antichrist?"

     For booklet on "Church Union and the Antichrist."

   For Information on Who Will Be "Left Behind"?

   To Question #3 on The Seven Years' Tribulation.

For Information on Historicism, Futurism, Ribera and the Counter Reformation

Back to Question #6 on Who Is AntiChrist?

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