THEOSISJerome of Stridon
The contemptible will ascend in place of the one who is honorable, yet he will not be honored with regal respect. Instead, he will approach subtly and seize the kingdom through deception. The forces of those who wage war will find themselves defeated and subdued by him, even more than the leading figure of the alliance. Following a facade of friendship, he will act deceitfully and gain the upper hand over the less powerful. He will infiltrate the opulent and significant cities, achieving what neither his predecessors nor his ancestors accomplished: he will plunder their spoils, their treasures, and their wealth, targeting their steadfast ideologies. This account remains historical up to this point, with no conflict between Porphyry's interpretation and our own.
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The subsequent details, extending to the conclusion of the text, refer to Antiochus, known as Epiphanes, the brother of Seleucus, who ruled in Syria for eleven years after Seleucus and took control of Judea, during which time the persecution of God's law and the Maccabean struggles reportedly occurred. Our belief, however, posits that all of this serves as a prophecy concerning the Antichrist who will arise in the latter days. Since an objection might arise regarding the omission of several events from Seleucus to the end of time, it is answered that the historical narrative only records four kings after Cyrus the Persian and significantly condenses history by abruptly moving to Alexander, king of Macedon, emphasizing that Holy Scripture often highlights only the most pivotal occurrences. As we continue to study and elucidate, it is evident that much of what we read can apply to Antiochus himself, making him a representation of the Antichrist, with his experiences foreshadowing what will ultimately transpire concerning the Antichrist. This principle appears throughout Scripture, conveying future truths through symbolic representations, as noted in Psalm 71, which is attributed to Solomon in its superscription. However, not everything said of him is applicable to Solomon; he did not reign with the sun or before the moon, nor did he wield the powers attributed to the sun and moon, nor did he possess dominion from sea to sea or have all nations serving him, nor did his name endure as long as the sun, and all the tribes of the earth were not blessed in him, nor did the nations honor him. Solomon, in part, serves as a shadow and foretelling of the ultimate fulfillment in the Lord Savior. Therefore, just as the Savior employs Solomon and other saints as representations of His coming, it is fitting to assert that the Antichrist derives a similar representation from the most wicked king Antiochus, who persecuted the faithful and profaned the temple.
We will now proceed to explain this in an organized manner, noting the perspectives of our opponents alongside our own interpretations. It is stated that Antiochus Epiphanes will succeed Seleucus, who at first was denied royal honors by Ptolemy's supporters in Syria; however, he later secured the Syrian throne through false pretenses. The might of Ptolemy, who enforced war and destruction, was decisively defeated and crushed by Antiochus. He refers to "muscles" as a metaphor for strength, implying that a multitude of forces constitutes an army. Not only did he deceive Ptolemy, but he also outsmarted the leader of the alliance, namely Judas Maccabeus. Yet, these words can also convey that although he initially presented peace to Ptolemy, who was the head of the alliance, he later conspired against him.
It is important to clarify that it was not Ptolemy Epiphanes, who reigned fifth in Egypt, but rather Ptolemy Philometor, the son of Cleopatra, sister of Antiochus and his uncle. Following Cleopatra's death, when the eunuch Euleus, the guardian of Philometor, and Lenaeus were in control of Egypt and sought the return of Syria, which Antiochus had deceitfully claimed, conflict arose between the uncle and the young Ptolemy. A battle ensued between Pelusium and Casium, where Ptolemy's commanders were routed. In light of this, Antiochus, having feigned kindness towards the young ruler, entered Memphis and, in line with Egyptian tradition, took on kingship, claiming to oversee the affairs of the youth. Thus, with a mere handful of men, he subdued Egypt, entered its prosperous cities, and executed what neither his ancestors nor their forefathers had achieved. None of the Syrian kings ever laid waste to Egypt or siphoned off its wealth as he did, utilizing cunning tactics to dismantle the wise strategies of the youthful leaders.
Many of the insights we have summarized here have been articulated by Porphyry, building upon Sutorius. However, our perspective provides a richer and more accurate understanding, viewing it through the lens of the Antichrist, who will arise from a minor nation, i.e., the Jewish people. He will be so foul and ignoble that he will not receive royal accolades; instead, through cunning deceit, he will gain dominion and the strength of the warring Roman forces will be crushed by him. He will achieve this by masquerading as the leader of God's law and covenant. He will penetrate into the wealthiest of cities and will accomplish that which no other Jew has done, as only the Antichrist will reign over all the earth. He will set his sights on the steadfast convictions of the faithful and will accomplish all that is within the scope permitted by God's will.