The Didache, also known as "The Lord's Teaching Through the Twelve Apostles to the Nations" (Διδαχὴ Κυρίου διὰ τῶν δώδεκα ἀποστόλων τοῖς ἔθνεσιν), is a brief anonymous early Christian treatise (ancient church order) written in Koine Greek, dated by modern scholars to the first or (less commonly) second century AD. (Wikipedia)
Eusebius talks about it in his “Ecclesiastical History” in Book 3 chapter 25 and calls it the Institutions of the Apostles. The exact date it was written is unknown; however, it is attributed to the first or second century. The work disappeared, but two fragments were discovered in 1782. Then an entire Didache manuscript dating to 150 AD was rediscovered in a town in Turkey, in 1873.
The following is the final chapter of 16 chapters that were taught to all Christians in the nations in the first and second centuries by those who had learned from the apostles:
Chapter 16: Watchfulness; The Coming of the Lord.
" 1. Watch for your life’s sake. Let not your lamps be quenched, nor your loins unloosed; but be ye ready, for ye know not the hour in which our Lord cometh.
2. But often shall ye come together, seeking the things which are befitting to your souls: for the whole time of your faith will not profit you, if ye be not made perfect in the last time.
3. For in the last days false prophets and corrupters shall be multiplied, and the sheep shall be turned into wolves, and love shall be turned into hate;
4. for when lawlessness increaseth, they shall hate and persecute and betray one another, .."
(see Matthew 24:9-13)
" ..and then shall appear the world-deceiver as the Son of God, and shall do signs and wonders, and the earth shall be delivered into his hands, and he shall do iniquitous things which have never yet come to pass since the beginning .. "
(2 Thessalonians 2:1-10, or Revelation 13:11?).
" 5. Then shall the creation of men come into the fire of trial, and many shall be made to stumble and shall perish; but they that endure in their faith shall be saved from under the curse itself .."
(See Matthew 24:9, 21-22).
" .. 6. And then shall appear the signs of the truth; first, the sign of an out-spreading in heaven; then the sign of the sound of the trumpet; and the third, the resurrection of the dead;
7. yet not of all, but as it is said: The Lord shall come and all His saints with Him .."
(see Matthew 24:29-30; as well as the last sentence of Zechariah 14:5; as well as Revelation 19:14 and Revelation 17:14).
" 8. .. Then shall the world see the Lord coming upon the clouds of heaven."
(See Matthew 24:30-31).
What is the most striking to me about the above is what the earliest Christians were taught about this:
" ..and then shall appear the world-deceiver as the Son of God, and shall do signs and wonders, and the earth shall be delivered into his hands, and he shall do iniquitous things which have never yet come to pass since the beginning .. "
(2 Thessalonians 2:1-10, or Revelation 13:11? Or are both men one and the same man? Or is it talking about the one mentioned in Revelation 13:1-7?).
He does signs and wonders, and the beast if Revelation 13:1-7 is not said to do signs and wonders himself/itself. Nor does 2 Thessalonians 2 say that the man of sin is himself performing the signs and wonders.
The only one who is specifically mentioned in the New Testament to himself be doing the signs and wonders, is the beast of Revelation 13:11 (who Revelation 19 identifies as the false prophet). He has two horns like a lamb but speaks like a dragon.Eusebius talks about it in his “Ecclesiastical History” in Book 3 chapter 25 and calls it the Institutions of the Apostles. The exact date it was written is unknown; however, it is attributed to the first or second century. The work disappeared, but two fragments were discovered in 1782. Then an entire Didache manuscript dating to 150 AD was rediscovered in a town in Turkey, in 1873.
The following is the final chapter of 16 chapters that were taught to all Christians in the nations in the first and second centuries by those who had learned from the apostles:
Chapter 16: Watchfulness; The Coming of the Lord.
" 1. Watch for your life’s sake. Let not your lamps be quenched, nor your loins unloosed; but be ye ready, for ye know not the hour in which our Lord cometh.
2. But often shall ye come together, seeking the things which are befitting to your souls: for the whole time of your faith will not profit you, if ye be not made perfect in the last time.
3. For in the last days false prophets and corrupters shall be multiplied, and the sheep shall be turned into wolves, and love shall be turned into hate;
4. for when lawlessness increaseth, they shall hate and persecute and betray one another, .."
(see Matthew 24:9-13)
" ..and then shall appear the world-deceiver as the Son of God, and shall do signs and wonders, and the earth shall be delivered into his hands, and he shall do iniquitous things which have never yet come to pass since the beginning .. "
(2 Thessalonians 2:1-10, or Revelation 13:11?).
" 5. Then shall the creation of men come into the fire of trial, and many shall be made to stumble and shall perish; but they that endure in their faith shall be saved from under the curse itself .."
(See Matthew 24:9, 21-22).
" .. 6. And then shall appear the signs of the truth; first, the sign of an out-spreading in heaven; then the sign of the sound of the trumpet; and the third, the resurrection of the dead;
7. yet not of all, but as it is said: The Lord shall come and all His saints with Him .."
(see Matthew 24:29-30; as well as the last sentence of Zechariah 14:5; as well as Revelation 19:14 and Revelation 17:14).
" 8. .. Then shall the world see the Lord coming upon the clouds of heaven."
(See Matthew 24:30-31).
What is the most striking to me about the above is what the earliest Christians were taught about this:
" ..and then shall appear the world-deceiver as the Son of God, and shall do signs and wonders, and the earth shall be delivered into his hands, and he shall do iniquitous things which have never yet come to pass since the beginning .. "
(2 Thessalonians 2:1-10, or Revelation 13:11? Or are both men one and the same man? Or is it talking about the one mentioned in Revelation 13:1-7?).
He does signs and wonders, and the beast if Revelation 13:1-7 is not said to do signs and wonders himself/itself. Nor does 2 Thessalonians 2 say that the man of sin is himself performing the signs and wonders.
So my question is, who is the above world-deceiver who will appear "as the Son of God", i.e which New Testament scripture is he most likely to be identified with?
PS: I don't have an answer to my own question.
Source: Quotes from the Early Church Fathers: The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles, The Didache - Apostles Creed , as well as Wikipedia.