Reformers' Interpretations of Anti-Christ

Home , Andreas Osiander, Francisco Ribera

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

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

Post-Reformation Interpretations:

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

Futurist school of Praeterist school of interpretation interpretation founded by Francisco founded by Alcazar, a Ribera and Robert Spanish Jesuit in 1614. Bellarmine

The fulfillment of The fulfillment of Revelation is in the past Revelation is in the future with the Fall of Jerusalem with an individual man as or the Fall of Pagan Rome, the Antichrist, Man of Sin, before the Popes ever ruled and a literal rebuilding of Rome. 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.