[top.htm]

[left.htm]

 

 
Watchman.jpg (26400 bytes)

Reformers' Interpretations
of Anti-Christ

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

c. 1331

Michael of Cesena Rev. 17 Harlot
Antichrist
Roman Church
Pope

c. 1345

Johannes de Rupescissa Antichrist
Rev. 17 Babylon
Rev. 17 Harlot
Pope
Roman church

Roman church

c. 1350

Francesco Petrarch Rev. 17 Harlot Papal Court

c. 1367

John Milicz Antichrist
Abomination of Desolation
Man of Sin
Papacy
Papacy
Papacy

c. 1379

John Wycliffe Antichrist
Abomination of Desolation
Little Horn
Man of Sin
Rev. 17 Harlot
Pope
Papacy
Popes
Papacy
Papacy

c. 1388

Matthias of Janow Antichrist
Abomination of Desolation
Man of Sin
Rev. 13 1st Beast
Rev. 17 Harlot
Rev. 17 Babylon
Hierarchy
Fallen Church
Present Church

Papacy
Hierarchy
Popes

c. 1389

R. Wimbledon Abomination of Desolation Papacy

c. 1390

John Purvey Antichrist
Rev. 13 1st Beast
Rev. 13 2nd Peast
Rev. 13 666
Rev. 17 Harlot
Rev. 17 Babylon
Pope
Papacy
Hierarchy
Pope
Papacy

Papacy

c. 1393

Walter Brute Antichrist
Abomination of Desolation
Little Horn
Man of Sin
Papacy
Bishop of Rome
Rome
Papacy

c. 1412

John Huss Antichrist
Abomination of Desolation
Little Horn
Man of Sin
Rev. 13 1st Beast
Rev. 17 Harlot
Rev. 17 Babylon
Pope
Papacy
Rome
Papacy
Papacy
Papacy
Papacy

c. 1497

Girolamo Savonarola Antichrist
Man of Sin
Rev. 17 Harlot
Rev. 17 Babylon
Pope
Papacy
Papacy
Papacy

Reformation Era Interpretations:

Date Name Reference Interpretation

1522

Martin Luther Antichrist
Abomination of Desolation
Little Horn
Man of Sin
Rev. 13 2nd Beast
Rev. 17 Harlot
Rev. 17 Babylon
Papacy
Papacy
Papacy
Papacy
Papacy
Papacy
Papacy

1543

Philipp Melanchthon Antichrist
Man of Sin
Rev. 17 Babylon
Papacy
Papacy
Papacy

1545

Andreas Osiander Antichrist
Abomination of Desolation
Little Horn
Man of Sin
Rev. 13 1st Beast
Rev. 17 Harlot
Rev. 17 Babylon
Papacy
Papal Traditions
Papacy
Papacy
Papacy
Papacy
Papacy

1554

Nicolaus von Amsdorf Antichrist
Abomination of Desolation
Rev. 13 1st Beast
Rev. 17 Harlot
Rev. 17 Babylon
Papacy
Papal Traditions
Papacy
Papacy
Papacy

1558

Johann Funck Antichrist
Little Horn
Man of Sin
Rev. 13 1st Beast
Rev. 13 2nd Beast
Rev. 17 Harlot
Rev. 17 Babylon
Papacy
Papacy
Papacy
Papacy
Papacy
Papacy
Papacy

1560

Virgil Solis Antichrist
Little Horn
Rev. 13 1st Beast
Rev. 17 Harlot
Rev. 17 Babylon
Papacy
Papacy
Papacy
Papacy
Papacy

1570

Georg Nigrinus Antichrist
Man of Sin
Rev. 13 1st Beast
Rev. 13 2nd Peast
Pope, Turk
Papacy
Pagan Rome
Papal Rome

1572

David Chytraeus Antichrist
Little Horn
Man of Sin
Rev. 13 1st Beast
Rev. 13 2nd Peast
Papacy
Papacy
Papacy
Roman Empire
Papacy

1530

Johann Oecolampadius Antichrist
Little Horn
Papacy
Papacy

1557

Heinrich Bullinger Antichrist
Little Horn
Man of Sin
Rev. 13 1st Beast
Rev. 13 2nd Peast
Rev. 17 Harlot
Rev. 17 Babylon
Papacy
Papacy
Papacy
Pagan Rome
Papal Rome
Roman Church
Papacy

1550

William Tyndale Antichrist
Little Horn
Man of Sin
Rev. 13 1st Beast
Rev. 17 Harlot
Rev. 17 Babylon
Papacy
Papacy
Papacy
Papacy
Papacy
Papacy

1545

George Joys Antichrist
Little Horn
Papacy
Papacy

1554

Nicholas Ridley Antichrist
Abomination of Desolation
Rev. 13 1st Beast
Rev. 17 Harlot
Rev. 17 Babylon
Rev. 17 Beast
Papacy
Papacy
Papacy
Papacy
Papacy
Papacy

1553

Hugh Latimer Antichrist Papacy

1582

Thomas Cranmer Antichrist
Little Horn
Man of Sin
Rev. 17 Harlot
Rev. 17 Babylon
Papacy
Papacy
Papacy
Papacy
Papacy

1550

John Bale Antichrist
Abomination of Desolation
Little Horn
Man of Sin
Rev. 13 1st Beast
Rev. 13 2nd Beast
Rev. 17 Harlot
Rev. 17 Babylon
Rev. 17 Beast
Papacy
Papacy
Papacy
Papacy
Papacy
Prelates
Papacy
Papacy
Papacy

1562

John Jewel Antichrist
Abomination of Desolation
Little Horn
Man of Sin
Rev. 13 1st Beast
Rev. 17 Harlot
Rev. 17 Babylon
Rev. 17 Beast
Papacy
Papacy
Papacy
Papacy
Papacy
Papacy
Papacy
Rome

1587

John Foxe Antichrist
Man of Sin
Bishop of Rome
Bishop of Rome

1563

Anglican Formulas Antichrist Papacy

1547

John Knox Antichrist
Little Horn
Church of Rome
Papacy

1593

John Napier Antichrist
Man of Sin
Rev. 13 1st Beast
Rev. 13 2nd Peast
Rev. 17 Harlot
Rev. 17 Babylon
Rev. 17 Beast
Pope
Papacy
Latin Empire
Papacy
Papacy
Papacy
Latin Empire

1614

Thomas Brightman Antichrist
Little Horn
Man of Sin
Rev. 13 1st Beast
Rev. 13 2nd Peast
Rev. 17 Harlot
Rev. 17 Babylon
Pope
Papacy
Papacy
Early Papacy
Later Papacy
Papacy
Papacy

1618

David Pareus Antichrist
Man of Sin
Rev. 13 1st Beast
Rev. 17 Harlot
Rev. 17 Beast
Pope & Turk
Papacy
Papacy
Papacy
Empire

Post-Reformation Interpretations:

Date

Name

Reference

Interpretation

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

Praeterist school of interpretation
founded by Alcazar, a Spanish Jesuit in 1614.
Futurist school of interpretation
founded by Francisco Ribera and Robert Bellarmine 
The fulfillment of Revelation is in the past with the Fall of Jerusalem or the Fall of Pagan Rome, before the Popes ever ruled Rome. The fulfillment of Revelation is in the future with an individual man as the Antichrist, Man of Sin, and a literal rebuilding of 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.