THEOSISJerome of Stridon
The contemptible will take the place of the honorable, achieving his ends not through rightful honor but through cunning and deception as he seizes control of the kingdom. The forces of those engaged in battle will be vanquished and overpowered by him, including the leader of the alliance. Following an initial friendship, he will betray trust and gain influence over the less powerful. He will infiltrate prosperous cities, doing what neither his ancestors nor his forebears accomplished: he will plunder their treasures, their wealth, and undermine their strongest convictions—all for a time. Up to this point, the historical narrative stands uncontested by both Porphyry and our interpretation.
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The subsequent content, leading to the conclusion of the text, is commonly understood to pertain to Antiochus, known as Epiphanes, who was Seleucus' brother, son of Antiochus the Great. After Seleucus, he ruled for eleven years in Syria and took control of Judea, during which time the persecution of God’s law and the Maccabean wars occurred. However, it is held that this prophecy speaks ultimately of the Antichrist, a figure to emerge in the latter days.
In addressing a potential objection about the prophetic narrative's exclusion of numerous events from Seleucus to the end of time, it is noted that the prior accounts of the Persian kings recognized only four rulers post-Cyrus the Persian. Significant details have been left out to transition to Alexander, King of Macedon. The Scriptures typically do not recount all occurrences but focus on what is deemed most significant. While much of what we will examine can indeed apply to Antiochus, it is maintained that he serves as a foreshadowing of the Antichrist, with his experiences prefiguring those that await the final Antichrist. Scripture often communicates future truths through symbolism, as exemplified in Psalm 71, which is attributed to Solomon in its title, though many references cannot apply literally to him. He did not detain the sun or precede generations under the moon, nor did he possess expansive dominion from sea to sea. Not all nations served him, nor did he enjoy a lasting name before the sun, or have blessings among all tribes of the earth.
Solomon, in part, and as a representation, foreshadowed the fulfillment found in the Lord Savior. Therefore, just as the Savior holds Solomon and other saints as figures of His advent, it is reasonable to interpret that the Antichrist similarly finds his precursor in the wretched king Antiochus, who persecuted the faithful and defiled the temple. We will now progress with our exposition and summarize, in accordance with various interpretations, both the views of our opponents and our own. It is stated that Seleucus is replaced by Antiochus Epiphanes, who, at first, was denied royal acknowledgment by Ptolemy's supporters in Syria. By deception, he later gained dominion over the Syrian kingdom, defeating the mighty forces of Ptolemy that had devastated the land, a reference to the strength of an army often described metaphorically as "muscles." Antiochus managed to conquer deceitfully, prevailing even against Judas Maccabeus, the leader of the alliance. Although he initially sought peace with Ptolemy, he plotted against him thereafter.
It is important to clarify that it is not Ptolemy Epiphanes, the fifth ruler of Egypt, but rather Ptolemy Philometor, Cleopatra's son and Antiochus' nephew. After Cleopatra's death, the eunuch Euleus and Lenaeus, who were the guardians of Philometor, sought the return of Syria from Antiochus, sparking a conflict between the uncle and the youth. During the confrontation near Pelusium and Casium, Ptolemy’s commanders were defeated. Following this, Antiochus, feigning friendship and submission to the young ruler, entered Memphis and, according to Egyptian tradition, accepted kingship, asserting his role as custodian of the adolescent's affairs. Thus, with a limited force, he subdued Egypt and entered its wealthiest cities, accomplishing feats unmatched by his forebears, ravaging the land and amassing its riches. His cunning allowed him to thwart the schemes of the wise leaders of the youth.
In summarizing these discussions, our interpretation posits an alignment with prophetic writings referring to the end times, where the Antichrist—rising from a minor nation, specifically among the Jewish people—will be so unremarkable that he will not receive royal reverence. Through trickery, he will attain dominion, overcoming the mighty Roman forces and posing as the leader of God’s covenant. He will enter into the richest domains and achieve what no Jewish leader, save for the Antichrist, has ever accomplished: reseigner over the entire earth. He will scheme against the staunch beliefs of the saints and accomplish his agenda until God’s sovereign will permits otherwise.