THEOSISJerome of Stridon
The monarch will act according to his own desires, being exalted and glorified above all deities, speaking with arrogance about the Almighty and sovereign God. He shall be prosperous until divine wrath is completely expressed, for the predestined decision shall come to pass. It is the belief among the Jews that this passage refers to the Antichrist, indicating that after a brief assistance from Julian, a ruler will emerge who governs according to his own whims, elevating himself above all that is considered divine and arrogantly claiming to be God himself, sitting in the temple of the Lord. His endeavors will flourish until the anger of God is satisfied, with the fulfillment of His will overtaking him.
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Our interpretations also relate this to the Antichrist. Porphyry and his descendants propose that it pertains to Antiochus Epiphanes, who rebelled against divine service, becoming so arrogant that he commanded his image to be erected in the temple of Jerusalem. However, the subsequent words—“and shall succeed, until wrath be done, for execution shall follow upon him”—are understood to mean his power will persist until God grows indignant, thus commanding his demise.
Polybius and Diodorus, authors of historical accounts, recount how he not only opposed the God of Israel but, driven by ambition, also attempted to rob the wealth of the temple of Diana in Elimaida. They state that he was repelled by the temple guards and local nations, ultimately succumbing to madness and illness due to terrifying visions; this, they argue, was a punishment for his desire to desecrate the sacred place of Diana. Nevertheless, we assert that if such misfortune befell him, it was due to the numerous atrocities he committed against God's faithful and the profanation of His temple. It is imperative to recognize that he was punished not for what he merely aimed to do and later refrained from, but for his actual deeds.