1. A Misused Prooftext
Latter-day Saints and other restorationist movements often quote 2 Thessalonians 2:3:
“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.”
They see this as proof the true Church vanished after the apostles — requiring restoration. But context tells a different story.
Paul isn’t predicting a centuries-long blackou and disappearance of truth within the Church. He’s describing events that were already pressing on the horizon of his first-century readers specifically those concerning the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem by the “man of lawlessness.”
2. The Context: Reassurance, Not Prediction of Collapse
The Thessalonian believers were unsettled by rumors that “the day of the Lord” had already arrived (2:2). Paul writes not to prophesy despair, but to calm their fears. He reminds them that certain events — a rebellion and the revealing of the man of lawlessness — must occur first.
Paul’s tone throughout is pastoral and reassuring, not pessimistic. . In other words, Paul was strengthening the Church’s confidence in God’s plan, not warning that the Church will vanish.
3. What Apostasia Means
“Apostasia normally refers to a political or even military revolt in Greek literature, but in the [Septuagint/Greek New Testament] it can refer to a revolt against or apostasy from the one true God (cf. Josh. 22:22; 2 Chron. 22.19; 33:10; Jer. 2:1 ” Ben Witherington III, 1 and 2 Thessalonians: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2006), 215–216.
Restorationists assume that this term refers to a spiritual apostasy or collapse from within the Church. But there is no basis for that conclusion in this text.
Paul does not specifically describe this falling away or rebellion as coming from within the Church, as Witherington notes, “The issue is what is happening not so much in the community of faith as in the world in general, causing believers to have to swim against the tide of the culture.” Paul’s apostasia is a revolt that comes from outside the church, not a prophecy of the Church’s disappearance.
3a. What About “The Apostasy”?
Some argue that because Paul uses the definite article — hē apostasia — he must mean a singular “Great Apostasy.” But greek articles can refer to a known category or recognized type rather than suggest uniqueness. And here, Paul notes that he has previously informed them about this falling away: ” “Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things.” (2 Thess 2:5). Therefore, Paul is not necessarily referring to a singular great apostasy, just to the specific event that he has already told them about, not a particularly great or singular period of apostasy.
3b. What was Paul Likely Referring to?
We need to keep in mind that Paul was writing to his specific readers in the 50s CE, and that if he were writing exclusively about a future apostasy, that would not be relevant for his readers. It is therefore likely that Paul’s words are (at least in part) referring to imminent events that some of his readers would see and experience.
When Paul warns that “the rebellion” and “the man of lawlessness” must come before “the day of the Lord,” he is echoing the same prophetic pattern Jesus gave on the Mount of Olives.
Both Jesus and Paul appear to have foreseen an outbreak of rebellion, desecration, and judgment that would culminate in the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70—a historical event where unbelieving Israel would be judged.
Consider some of the striking parallels between Jesus and Paul
| “Many will come in my name… and will deceive many.” | “Let no one deceive you in any way.” |
| “Because lawlessness will increase, the love of many will grow cold.” | “The mystery of lawlessness is already at work.” |
| “You will see the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place.” | “He takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.” |
| “Then will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning.” | “That day will not come unless the apostasy comes first.” |
The apostasia (“rebellion”) Paul is speaking of therefore likely first and foremost alludes to the Jewish revolt against Rome that began in AD 66 and led to the temple’s destruction four years later. It was also an act of rebellion against God—Israel rejecting God’s Messiah and seeking salvation through violence and national zealotry. The rebellion against Rome also involved the people following several false messianic claimants rather than Jesus Christ.
This event culminated in the the Roman forces desecrating the temple and entering into the Holy of Holies. This event closely parallels Paul’s depiction of the man of lawlesness who “exalts himself against every so-called god” and “takes his seat in the temple of God” (2 Thess 2:4)
Paul is reminding his listeners that all of these events would still need to be fulfiled before the Second Coming of Christ. He is calling them to be calm and endure patiently despite wars and rumors of war. Paul emphasizes a sequence: the rebellion and desecration must occur first; Christ’s return and final judgment will follow in God’s appointed time.
This doesn’t mean that Paul only had reference to the destruction in 70 CE. Just as Isaiah predicted that a child would be born to a young woman in his day but also prophesied of the Virgin Birth of Christ, many prophecies can have dual fulfilments. Paul may be pointing forward to other fulfilments, either typological or actual. But Paul anchors his prophecy in events his readers would soon witness and that would provide them with comfort and direction — the Jewish revolt (AD 66–70) and Temple’s fall — as a near-term type of the final rebellion. Just as Jesus said ‘this generation’ would see the abomination (Matt 24:15, 34), Paul reassures: ‘You’ll know the Day hasn’t come because the Temple still stands.’
4. Paul’s Optimism About the Church in 2 Thessalonians
Throughout 2 Thessalonians, Paul wanrs the Church of what will be happening in the world. He wanrs of deception and lawleness and predicts that some will be deceived (2 Thess 2:3, 7, 10-11). And yet Paul also expresses confidence in God’s power to preserve his church and his truth.
He calls the believers “beloved by the Lord” (2 Thess 2:13) and reminds them they are “chosen” and “sanctified by the Spirit.”
He prays for their stability and comfort (2 Thess 2:16–17).
He closes with a benediction of peace: “Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times in every way” (3:16).
And most tellingly, Paul commands the Church to “Stand firm and hold to the traditions… whether by word of mouth or by letter from us.” 2 Thess 2:15.
Paul is assuming that the Church as a whole will remain in harmony with the Apostolic tradition. He does not envision a 1,800 year period of total apostasy in the Church. He fully expects the faithful to remain steadfast until Christ returns.
Indeed, many scholars see Paul as referring to the church as a “restrainer” that will help to hold back evil in the world until the very end (2 Thess 2:6-7).
5. Paul’s Later Letters: Hope, Not Despair (2 Timothy)
If Paul expected a total apostasy, we would also expect to see it in his final writings. Yet in 2 Timothy, penned near his death, Paul’s outlook remains profoundly hopeful.
He warns of “terrible times in the last days” (2 Timothy 3:1) and that there would be false teachers and itching ears (2 Tim 4:3–4), but these are recurring challenges, not evidence that the Church will disappear. Indeed, Paul predicts that these false teachers “will not get very far because … their folly will be clear to everyone.” (2 Timothy 3:9).
Instead, he gives instructions for continuity: He urges Timothy to “guard the good deposit… through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us” (1:14) — a clear affirmation of the Spirit’s ongoing presence. He instructs Timothy to entrust the Apostolic teachings “to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.” (2:2). And he declares that “God’s solid foundation stands firm.” (2:19). These are not the instructions of someone who believed that a great and total apostasy is imminent.
Paul ends with personal hope:
“The Lord will rescue me… and bring me safely into His kingdom.” (4:18)
“A crown of righteousness awaits all who love His appearing.” (4:8)
Paul is optimistic about the believers in the Church and confident in the grace of God. Paul knows the Gospel will be opposed but never extinguished.
6. Conclusion
The “apostasy” Paul describes in 2 Thessalonians 2 is not a prophecy of a vanished Church awaiting Joseph Smith’s restoration.
It is the rebellion of a world under judgment, foreshadowed in the events leading to AD 70 and pointing towards the judgment that will occur at Christ’s return. Paul does not imagine a lost Church, but a faithful church that will be a needed witness to a lost world in rebellion against God.
