Statements of early reformers about the Antichrist of the Bible

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As different as the goals and views of the early reformers may have been, they nevertheless had a common denominator. The Reformers clearly recognized the papacy as the Antichrist described in the Bible, the man of sin, the son of perdition.

The knowledge about Antichrist has “disappeared”

Most people in Germany only think of Martin Luther when they hear the word “Reformation”. Other well-known and influential reformers tend not to come to mind. This is especially the case when the “rebels against the Catholic Church” were not in the then “Holy Roman Empire”. But the list of reformers is long. This does not only begin with Martin Luther. In the early 15th century, for example, John Hus opposed the numerous “strange” practices of the Romans. Catholic Church. Hus came from Bohemia and was burned alive on July 6, 1415 in Constance on behalf of the church.

Besides Luther, other outstanding Protestants include Calvin, Wesley, Tyndall, Chytraus, Williams and many more. They all had in common, among other things, that the Antichrist described in the Holy Scriptures undoubtedly had to be the papacy in Rome. A knowledge that has been almost completely suppressed or lost in the Protestant churches today in the course of ecumenism. Almost nothing of this can be read in current writings. The joint announcement by the Catholic and Evangelical Church in the course of the 500th Reformation Day on October 31, 2017, “Vom Konflikt zur Gemeinschaft” (“From Conflict to Community”), alone gives clear indications that there is not much to be learned about the (true) past in the present could be. The following wording is already sufficient for this assumption:

(“Vom Konflikt zur Gemeinschaft”, chapter II, P. 20)

The meaning: The past does not change, but the memory of it is quite “flexible”.
Reason enough to look around for old writings, preferably the originals of the reformers. The following are some excerpts from the writings of early Protestants and their understanding of the Antichrist described in the Bible. What a difference from the teachings of the evangelical churches today. Protestantism is now stone dead.

Nikolaus von Amsdorf (12/03/1483 – 05/14/1565)

“Fünff fürnemliche und gewisse Zeichen aus heiliger göttlicher Schrift” (Old German)

“The Antichrist, so in Christianity under the name of Christ, as a governor, a governor and a master, is to be revealed before the last day, namely that everyone will recognize and know that the pope was a scoundrel and seducer of Christians and still is, namely the real Antichrist”

Martin Luther (11/10/1483 – 02/18/1546)

“Martin Luther’s views of the Antichrist”

“St. Paul calls Antichrist the man of sin and the son of perdition, because through his prescepts and laws he will turn all the world from God and prevent God and the world from coming together; he shall be a master of sin and all iniquity, and yet will retain the name and apperarance of Christ and call himself Sanctimus and Vicarius Dei and Caput Ecclesiae [“most holy one, vicar aof God; head of the Church”], and persecute all who will not obey him. It is easy to recognize that the pope more than fits this description.”

John Calvin (07/10/1509 – 05/27/1564)

“Institutions of religions”

“Some have the impression that we are committing too much blasphemy and even too much foolishness when we call the Pope of Rome the Antichrist. But those who think so do not notice that they are accusing Paul of excessiveness, whom we follow in such a way of speaking, yes, whose own words we repeat. So that no one objects that we are wrongly referring Paul’s words, which actually have a different meaning, to the bishop of Rome, I want to show briefly that these words cannot be understood otherwise than that they concern the papacy.”

Matthias Flacius (03/03/1520 – 03/11/1575)

“The teaching of Christ and the Antichrist in the thought of Matthias Flacius Illyricus”

“In this sense, the Antichrist shamelessly and criminally pulls miserable people away from Christ, the only mediator and Savior, and from the divine law not only towards the wickedness of common people, but also towards certain places, bones, clothes, I don’t know whose hoods and anointing, and magically consecrated waters and salts, and other empty and truly dead elements of the world, which are no better than the Egyptian and pagan deities, to their own destruction and to despising Christ (1550,9-10).”

David Chytraeus (02/26/1530 – 06/25/1600)

“Interpretation of the Revelation of John”

“For the Lord God himself divided the time of the world in the prophet Daniel into four monarchies, by the image of the pillars and the four beasts, and prophesied that out of the fourth monarchy another horn, or the kingdom that blasphemed the most high and his will disturb the saints, will come. Namely, the antichristian, mahometan and papal empires. Which when it will be most powerful shall it suddenly perish and be destroyed at the Last Judgment. And soon afterwards the judgment will be held, in which after the annihilation of all kingdoms of this world the holy people will be given an eternal kingdom.”

George Nigrinus (09/13/1530 – 10/10/1602)

“Antichrist’s Thorough Revelation”

“He will sit in the temple of God as if he were the temple of God, which is the church. For that has given us the experience of how the antichristian pope wants the title of the churches to be ascribed to alone and yet by force to all Christians. So Augustine fights against the Pope for us.”

Roger Williams (April 1603 – March 1683) – Paptist

Aus “Froom – Prophetic faith of our fathers, Vol.3”

“The pretended Vicar of Christ on Earth, who sits as God over the Temple of God, exalting himselfe not only above all that is called God, but over the soules and consciences of all his vassalls, yea over the Spirit of Christ, over the holy Scriptures, yea and God himselfe, Dan. 8 % 11 chap. and Rev. 15. together with 2 Thes. 2.”
“Yet doth he upon the point challenge the Monarchicall or absolute power also, being full of selfe exalting and blaspheming, Dan. 7.25 & 11.36. Rev. 13.6. speaking blasphemies against the God of Heaven, thinking to change times and Lawes: but he is the sonne of perdition arising out of the bottomlesse pit, and comes to destruction, Revel. 17. for so hath the Lord Jesus decreed to consume him by the breath of his mouth, 2 Thes. 2.”

John Wesley (06/28/1703 – 03/02/1792) – Methodist

“Coke – Antichrist and his ten kingdoms”

“the Man of Sin, as he increases all manner of sin above measure. And he is, too, properly styled the SON OF PERDITION, as he has caused the death of numberless multitudes, both of his opposers and followers; destroyed innumerable souls, and will himself perish everlastingly. He it is that opposeth himself to the Emperor, once his rightful sovereign; and that exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshippel — Commanding angels, and putting kings under his feet, both of wohm are called gods in Scripture…
…The Beast has a strict connexion with the city of Rome. This clearly appears from the 17th chapter.
The Beast is now existing. He is not past: for Rome is now existing; and it is not till after the destruction of Rome that the Beast is thrown into the lake.”

Voices of the Counter-Reformation

Of course, the dissenting voices of the Reformation and their insights into the Antichrist were not lacking. The Jesuit order, founded for the Counter-Reformation, was very diligent in obscuring the identification of the papacy as God’s great earthly adversary as described in the Bible. The partly struck tones are a little reminiscent of the still current style when it comes to defaming uncomfortable voices and making them ridiculous. The style of clumsy evil.

George Holzhai SJ (1571 – 1646)

“Miraculous Comedy, From the Roman Pope and Antichrist”

Carl Stengel (1581 – 1663)

“Tractat from Antichrist”

“When he is to come, how he will be like, how long he will reign, and from what he will perish.” Stengel was a Benedictine monk and evidently resorted to the variant that had been brought into the world only a few decades earlier by the Jesuits Franciscus Ribera and Robert Cardinal Bellarmine of “Futurism.” This story about an alleged future Antichrist is believed to this days.

John Kraus SJ (1694 – 1732)

“The fictional Roman Antichrist”

“The fictional Roman Antichrist – Brought into the world by some Lutherans brainless fantasies”.

A representation of biblical statements about the Antichrist and the applicable characteristics and actions of the Roman Catholic Church: here

Bible verses from King James Version