Titus-The Man of Lawlessness in 70 AD
Titus-The Man of Lawlessness in 70 AD
In the annals of history, few figures have sparked as much controversy and intrigue as Titus Flavius Vespasianus, better known as Emperor Titus. Revered by some as a military genius and a statesman of remarkable skill, Titus also became infamous for his role in the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem in 70 CE. This brutal conquest, coupled with his subsequent reign, has led to a fascinating theory that Titus may have fulfilled the role of the Anti-Christ in the first century. While traditional religious teachings place the Anti-Christ at the end of time, this interpretation suggests that the very actions of Titus—his military campaigns, his claim to divinity, and his direct involvement in the persecution of Jews—embodied the traits of a tyrant prophesied to arise in the Christian scriptures. This blog explores the theory of Titus as the Anti-Christ, examining scripture to shed light on a lesser-known but captivating facet of one of Rome’s most infamous emperors.
2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 The Man of Lawlessness 2 Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, 2 not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. 3 Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. 5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I TOLD YOU THESE THINGS? 6 And you know what is restraining him NOW so that he may be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is ALREADY AT WORK. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, 10 and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, 12 in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness
Daniel 7:23-27 English Standard Version 23 “Thus he said: ‘As for the fourth beast, there shall be a fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be different from all the kingdoms, and it shall devour the whole earth, and trample it down, and break it to pieces. 24 As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings shall arise, and another shall arise after them; he shall be different from the former ones, and shall put down three kings. 25 He shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the SAINTS (ETHNIC ISRAEL) of the Most High, and shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time. 26 But the court shall sit in judgment, and his dominion shall be taken away, to be consumed and destroyed to the end. 27 And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the SAINTS (SPIRITUAL ISRAEL) of the Most High; his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.
Daniel 12:7 English
Standard Version 7 And I heard the man clothed in linen, who
was above the waters of the stream; he raised his right hand and his left hand
toward heaven and swore by him who lives forever that it would be for a time,
times, and half a time, and that when the shattering of
the power of the holy people(SAINTS- ETHNIC ISRAEL) comes to an end all these
things would be finished
NOTE: We already know from Scripture and established historical documents that Rome is the Fourth Kingdom. The Ten Horns are the Ten Roman Emperors: Julius Caesar, Augustus, Tiberius, Gaius or Caligula, Claudius, Nero, Galba, Otho, Vitellius, and Vespasian. This passage is also in harmony with Revelation 17:10-12. Titus was different from previous emperors. First, he was a co-emperor with his Father, Vespasian. Second, he was the one prophesied to destroy the 2nd Temple of the Jews; making the Jews ironically “lawless.” In verse 25, a lot of people will easily assume that the word SAINTS mean Christian. That is somewhat correct. However, it can refer to Ethnic Israel and Spiritual Israel/Church depending on the context. Reading the context is crucial here. If you compare Daniel 7:25 and Daniel 12:7, you will notice that both words can refer to an Ethnic Jew. In Daniel 7:25, the word is qaddiysh (Aramaic) and in Daniel 12:7 the word is qodesh ‘am (Hebrew). Both words are extremely similar.
Just like Antiochus Epiphanes IV, Titus brought military flags and idols into the 2nd Temple (See War 6.6.1, Tacitus, Histories 4.53). Jesus reused this prophetic imagery of the “Abomination of Desolation” in Daniel 11:31. Jesus mentioned this in Matthew 24:15-16, Mark 13:14, and Luke 21:20-21.
If Titus is the Man of Lawlessness, doesn’t Jesus kill him in the end? The issue with this is that 2 Thessalonians 2:8, the words “kill” and “bring to nothing” can be interpreted many ways. Those translations are not limited to those words alone. The Greek word for “kill” is Anaireo and the word for “bring to nothing” is Katargeo. Anaireo can also be translated into overthrow, put out of the way, get rid of, or to remove. We see a similar thematic passage in Isaiah 27:8. Therefore, it is not a foreign concept that the Lord can use his breath to remove the enemies of Israel without. Also, we see that the Lord talks about driving and casting away Israel’s enemies without completely killing them instantly (See Exodus 23:30, 34:11; Leviticus 18:24; Psalm 68:2; Jeremiah 27:10; Deuteronomy 7:22).
Isaiah 27:8 English Standard Version 8 Measure by measure, by exile you contended with them; he removed them with his fierce breath in the day of the east wind
For the word Katargeo, it can be translated to bring to an end, to disarm, render powerless, to send away, to make disappear, and/or do away with. Look below for support.
ANAIREO-To
be Inactive or overthrow
Acts 7:21 New King James Version 21 But when he was set out, Pharaoh’s daughter took him away and brought him up as her own son.
Hebrews 10:9 New King James Version 9 then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.” He takes away the first that He may establish the second.
NOTE: As you can see, the word anaireo is not strictly reserved for killing. It can be taken away, removed, and/or released.
Kartageo-Do
away with/ release-remove/ make him disappear
Galatians 5:4 English Standard Version 4 You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace.
1 Corinthians 13:10 English
Standard Version 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial
will pass away.
Romans 7:2 English Standard Version 2 For a married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives, but if her husband dies she is released from the law of marriage.
2 Corinthians 3:7 English Standard Version 7 Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses' face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end
2 Corinthians 3:11 English Standard Version 11 For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory.
2 Corinthians 3:13 English Standard Version 13 not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end.
Romans 7:6 English Standard Version 6 But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.
Romans 6:6 English Standard Version 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.
1 Corinthians 6:13 English Standard Version 13 “Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food”—and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.
2 Corinthians 3:14 English Standard Version 14 But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away.
NOTE: As you can see, the word Katargeo is not strictly reserved for bringing to nothing. It can refer to being inactive, to make idle, to do away with, etc.
Did Titus literally sat in the Temple of God?
This is not literal. He is not literally God or a god sitting on a literal seat or throne. Figuratively, Titus acts like God and judges the Jews with a false authority. Tradition says he was in the Temple having sex with two prostitutes. I see no conflict with him sitting in authority.
2 Thessalonians 2:4 New International Version 4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God. Acts 6:14 English Standard Version 14 for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will 👉CHANGE THE CUSTOMS THAT MOSES👈 delivered to us.”
Daniel 7:25 English Standard Version 25 He shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and shall think to 👉CHANGE THE TIMES AND THE LAW👈; and they shall be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time.
See the close connection between the destruction of the Temple and the changing of the law/customs. It's not a coincidence. The Jews were threatened by the Temple's destruction (John 2).
How did Christ make Titus inactive or inoperable?
After the Siege of Jerusalem in 70 AD, Titus left Jerusalem for Rome. In conclusion, this shows that Titus was “removed” and “sent away” by Christ because the Temple was destroyed and there was nothing more to do to the Jews. Titus returned to Rome in order to celebrate his triumphant victory. Below is an ideal translation if the correct words were translated into 2 Thessalonians 2. They are highlighted in green. Lastly, when we compare Daniel 7:26 with 2 Thessalonians 2. We can see similar words to consume and destroy are used. The only difference is that Christ takes away his dominion, He is not killing Titus. You can take away someone's dominion and not kill them. Use the Old Testament in order to interpret the New Testament.
Daniel 7:26 English Standard Version 26 But the court shall sit in judgment, and his (Man of Lawlessness) dominion shall be taken away, to be consumed and destroyed to the end.
RENDERED TRANSLATION
2 Thessalonians 2:5-12 The Man of Lawlessness 5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I TOLD YOU THESE THINGS? 6 And you know what is restraining him (TITUS) NOW so that he(TITUS) may be revealed in his (TITUS) time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is ALREADY AT WORK. Only he(King Agrippa II) who now restrains it will do so until he (King Agrippa II) is out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will remove with the breath of his mouth and send away by the appearance of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, 10 and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, 12 in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
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