The falling away

Jan51

Well-Known Member
I just had a thought today on this verse, and the apostasy, also found in other translations as the falling away, the departure, the rebellion, a great rebellion.

2 Thessalonians 2:3 (NASB) Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,

I believe that the primary meaning is the departure of the church--the rapture. Many believe it speaks of a falling away from the truth within the church, which I think is also possible although not primary. But actually the church has been plagued with false teaching from the very beginning. The Bible often speaks on more than one level at the same time, with none contradicting the others.

Why must it speak of the church though, or be limited to the church? I don't really see that in the context. :mousedanceMight it not be speaking of the world also? Just looking around us, is not the world falling away, departing, from truth, from right, from logic, from reality, from civilized values? The dominoes are falling so fast, one thing leading to another, that the world does seem to me to be falling away before our eyes.

Maybe it is all three. Churches are departing from truth, the world is departing from any semblance of truth, and the bride is about to depart with the bridegroom.
 

Spartan Sprinter 1

Formerly known as Shaun
I just had a thought today on this verse, and the apostasy, also found in other translations as the falling away, the departure, the rebellion, a great rebellion.

2 Thessalonians 2:3 (NASB) Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,

I believe that the primary meaning is the departure of the church--the rapture. Many believe it speaks of a falling away from the truth within the church, which I think is also possible although not primary. But actually the church has been plagued with false teaching from the very beginning. The Bible often speaks on more than one level at the same time, with none contradicting the others.

Why must it speak of the church though, or be limited to the church? I don't really see that in the context. :mousedanceMight it not be speaking of the world also? Just looking around us, is not the world falling away, departing, from truth, from right, from logic, from reality, from civilized values? The dominoes are falling so fast, one thing leading to another, that the world does seem to me to be falling away before our eyes.

Maybe it is all three. Churches are departing from truth, the world is departing from any semblance of truth, and the bride is about to depart with the bridegroom.

I know Andy Woods is a big believer in that theory, lawlessness is increasing at an exponential rate, so the Man of Lawlessness must be getting closer to revealing himself
 

greg64

Well-Known Member
Just reading some of the news lately, the word delusion keeps coming to mind. I can't explain the obvious logical inconsistencies any other way. Left wing protests and riots are fine and not a health concern, but anti-quarantine demonstrations are not and are breeding grounds for COVID-19. We need to throw the 99%+ of good police out and replace them with what? Really? And people just go along with that? I know this isn't the strong delusion sent by God yet, but it sure seems like we're warming up for it.

Personally, I tend to think the apostasy can be all of the above -- all are happening or will happen. I have heard a lot more preaching on it being departure lately.
 
Interesting, I can why there would be interpretations for both the Falling away from the Church and also the Rapture.

STRONGS NT 646: ἀποστασία
ἀποστασία, -ας, ἡ, (ἀφίσταμαι), a falling away, defection, apostasy; in the Bible namely, from the true religion: Acts 21:21; 2 Thessalonians 2:3; ([Joshua 22:22; 2 Chronicles 29:19; 2 Chronicles 33:19]; Jeremiah 2:19; Jeremiah 36:32 (Jeremiah 29:32) Complutensian; 1 Macc. 2:15). The earlier Greeks say ἀπόστασις; see Lob. ad Phryn., p. 528; [Winer's Grammar, 24].

Thats the feminine form, the neuter form is:
STRONGS NT 647: ἀποστάσιον
ἀποστάσιον, -ου, τό, very seldom in native Greek writings, defection, of a freedman from his patron, Demosthenes 35, 48 [940, 16]; in the Bible:
1. divorce, repudiation: Matthew 19:7; Mark 10:4 (βιβλίον ἀποστασίου, equivalent to סֵפֶר כְּרִיתֻת book or bill of divorce, Deuteronomy 24:1, 3; [Isaiah 50:1; Jeremiah 3:8]).
2. a bill of divorce: Matthew 5:31. Grotius at the passage and Lightfoot, Horae Hebrew at the passage, give a copy of one

Derived from:
ἀφίστημι aphístēmi, af-is'-tay-mee; from G575 and G2476; to remove, i.e. (actively) instigate to revolt; usually (reflexively) to desist, desert, etc.:—depart, draw (fall) away, refrain, withdraw self.
 

DanLMP

Well-Known Member
Andy Woods did a YT a few years ago defending his interpretation of the "falling away" as being the Rapture.

As mentioned above, many believers who teach also believe this to be true.

I found Andy's video easily with a YT search of his name and the term "falling away". Does that pass muster Chris?
 

athenasius

Well-Known Member
I've always thought Paul took advantage of the multiiple shades of meaning in Greek words and that it meant both a falling away from righteousness or apostasy as we think of it now, as well as the dual meaning of the rapture, being caught up with the world falling away from us as we are snatched up by Christ.
 

Accepted

Well-Known Member
I've always thought Paul took advantage of the multiiple shades of meaning in Greek words and that it meant both a falling away from righteousness or apostasy as we think of it now, as well as the dual meaning of the rapture, being caught up with the world falling away from us as we are snatched up by Christ.

That’s my thinking, too, that the word was chosen by the Holy Spirit to mean both “a departure from (the earth)” and a “falling away (from the truth).” To me, the context directs this. Also, using the definite article “the” just doesn’t fit a sole meaning of apostasy, since it isn’t an event.
 

cheeky200386

Well-Known Member
I'm probably in the minority but I read that verse as specific for Apostasy, not the rapture. I forget where but there is one other verse in the Bible that uses the same Greek word that is speaking on leaving the teachings of the Laws of Moses to false doctrine.

What I am curious about is what it would mean for the Apostasy to be complete. How far would it have to go?
 

DanLMP

Well-Known Member
What I am curious about is what it would mean for the Apostasy to be complete. How far would it have to go?

The problem I have with saying it is apostasy is that apostasy has always existed, from at least the time of the RCC onward.

Which apostasy is supposed to be the apostasy. I think that might be one point that Woods makes.

Whatever it means, I'm going to keep looking and waiting.
 

Accepted

Well-Known Member
I'm probably in the minority but I read that verse as specific for Apostasy, not the rapture. I forget where but there is one other verse in the Bible that uses the same Greek word that is speaking on leaving the teachings of the Laws of Moses to false doctrine.

What I am curious about is what it would mean for the Apostasy to be complete. How far would it have to go?

Yes, many are with you on that view. But what keeps me from that view is that, in every language, there are words that are the same, but have different meanings according to context. Context is vital. In any case, it’s enjoyable to discuss!
 

cheeky200386

Well-Known Member
Yes, many are with you on that view. But what keeps me from that view is that, in every language, there are words that are the same, but have different meanings according to context. Context is vital. In any case, it’s enjoyable to discuss!

It's interesting that in my Spanish Bible it says Apostasy and says from the faith. I was curious and had to check. I wonder what other languages say.
 
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