Now if the spirit of Antichrist is what the Bible describes it, we cannot shut our eyes to the fact that it is now present among us. St Paul tells us that it was already beginning to work in his day, only that at that time there was a hindrance to its fuller development; but he adds that when that hindrance should be removed, the development of the spirit of Antichrist would be phenomenal.

Tradition

Various commentators on this text have explained the hindrance alluded to by St Paul to have been the existence of the Roman Empire, and no doubt this is true as far as it goes. In this passage (2 Thess. 2:1) St Paul reminds the Thessalonians of something he had told them on the subject --- that is, something he had communicated verbally, and not in writing --- regarding the falling away which would take place before the resurrection. He says, "Remember ye not, when I was yet with you, I told you of these things? And now yeknow what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time".

The very earliest traditions tell us that what St Paul had then verbally explained to the Thessalonians was that the Roman Empire as then existing must pass away before these further developments could take place; but he was careful not to put this in writing lest it should expose the Christians to additional persecution on the charge of being enemies to the state.