A slightly alternate perspective

 

2 Ths 2:3        Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away ^(G646) first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

2 Ths 2:4        Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

 

Falling Away, G646, α?ποστασι´α, apostasia, ap-os-tas-ee'-ah, Feminine of the same as G647; defection from truth (properly the state), (“apostasy”): - falling away, forsake.

G647, α?ποστα´σιον, apostasion, ap-os-tas'-ee-on, Neuter of a (presumed) adjective from a derivative of G868; properly something separative, that is, (specifically) divorce: - (writing of) divorcement.

G868, α?φι´στημι, aphiste¯mi, af-is'-tay-mee, From G575 and G2476; to remove, that is, (actively) instigate to revolt; usually (reflexively) to desist, desert, etc.: - depart, draw (fall) away, refrain, withdraw self.

 

G575 together with G2476 means to withdraw one’s own self from being in covenant. It is NOT Christ putting away or divorcing anyone as an act of His own will or desire, it is people as an act of THEIR will and desire to put HIM away, divorcing themselves from Him.

There is a widely used colloquial expression that is used in the Bible.

There is an identifier word of son, daughter, child, children, mother, father, and then there is an associative word of negative terms of sin, belial, perdition, or of positive terms of God, Israel, Jerusalem, Zion, salvation.

The identifier shows a person or people that are entirely given over to the associative term.

Therefore, a “man of sin” is shown to be a man that is entirely given over to sin, and a “son of perdition” is a person that is willingly and knowingly the product of being perished, just as a “son of God” is entirely given over to God, and a “child/children of God” are the product or offspring of God.

 

G575, α?πο´, apo, apo', A primary particle; “off”, that is, away (from something near), in various senses (of place, time, or relation; literally or figuratively): - (X here-) after, ago, at, because of, before, by (the space of), for (-th), from, in, (out) of, off, (up-) on (-ce), since, with. In composition (as a prefix) it usually denotes separation, departure, cessation, completion, reversal, etc.

G2476, ι?´στημι, histe¯mi, his'-tay-mee, A prolonged form of a primary word στα´ω stao¯ (of the same meaning, and used for it in certain tenses); to stand (transitively or intransitively), used in various applications (literally or figuratively): - abide, appoint, bring, continue, covenant, establish, hold up, lay, present, set (up), stanch, stand (by, forth, still, up). Compare G5087.

G5087, τι´θημι, tithe¯mi, tith'-ay-mee, A prolonged form of a primary word θε´ω theo¯ (which is used only as an alternate in certain tenses); to place (in the widest application, literally and figuratively; properly in a passive or horizontal posture, and thus different from G2476, which properly denotes an upright and active position, while G2749 is properly reflexive and utterly prostrate): - + advise, appoint, bow, commit, conceive, give, X kneel down, lay (aside, down, up), make, ordain, purpose, put, set (forth), settle, sink down.

This all gives a perspective about 2 Ths 2:3-4 as follows:

The “falling away” is people that willingly and knowingly separate or divorce themselves from the Rev 19:7-9 marriage covenant with the Lord Jesus Christ, to entirely give themselves over to sin and perdition.

Therefore the “man of sin” is a term that could apply to any person that rejects Salvation (Yeshua), and perishes because of their own choosing.

Verse 4 shows how they make THAT choice, by putting or enthroning their own thoughts over and above God and the Word of God, and putting themselves as God upon the throne of God to arrogantly proclaim that they have every right to do so, even if it means their own perdition.

We see it happening all around us every day, and particularly in politics, but there are also applications in religious realms.

We need to follow another scripture.

Eph 5:14         Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. ^{(Ref. John 1:4)}

Eph 5:15         See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,

Eph 5:16         Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

Eph 5:17         Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

From all of this we can see that “the man of sin” has already been revealed, and it applies to everyone that rejects Christ.

2 Ths 2:7        For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.

2 Ths 2:8        And then shall that Wic