THEOSISJerome of Stridon
He will not consider the God of his ancestors, nor will he heed the desires of his wives, showing disregard for all deities. Instead, he will honor the god of fortresses, giving respect to a deity unknown to his forefathers, bestowing upon it gold, silver, precious gems, and other valuables. He will bolster the god of fortresses with a foreign god that he acknowledges, enhancing its glory and granting it authority over many, allowing for the free distribution of land.
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The original text we translated as “he will have the wishes of his wives” was interpreted in the Septuagint as “he will not obey the desires of his wives.” The term “god of fortresses,” as rendered in Hebrew, is described in other translations as the “god of strength.” The phrase in Hebrew may be ambiguous, as reflected in the Septuagint, where it states: he will neither consider the God of his ancestors, nor the desires of wives, nor any god at all. This indicates a dual meaning regarding his interest in the desires of wives. If the phrase is understood as "he will not think of the desires of wives," it aligns well with the figure of the Antichrist, who will feign chastity to lure many into deception. Conversely, if it is interpreted as acknowledging the desires of wives, it could relate to Antiochus, who is noted for his indulgent lifestyle, which scandalously undermined his royal dignity, engaging even in public acts of lewdness with performers and immoral women.
Porphyry provides a curious explanation of the god of fortresses, stating that in the village of Modinus—home to Mattathias and his sons—Antiochus’s officials erected a statue of Jupiter and coerced the Jews into making sacrifices, essentially to the local deity. However, the statement about honoring a god unknown to his ancestors is more pertinent to the Antichrist than Antiochus. While Antiochus honored Greek idols and forced the Jews and Samaritans to worship them, the passage about strengthening the god of fortresses with a foreign deity is expressed by Theodotion as securing defenses with a strange god, thus proclaiming honors and establishing dominion over many while freely distributing land. Rather than “strengthening,” Simmachus translated it as creating sanctuaries. Porphyry interprets this as an action to fortify Jerusalem's stronghold and other cities, instructing the Jews to revere a foreign god, presumably Jupiter. Once he has made that deity known and persuaded them to worship it, he will grant honors and great distinction to those misled, rewarding their betrayal with lands and gifts. The Antichrist will likewise bestow numerous gifts upon those deceived, enriching his followers with territories; those who resist him out of fear will be subdued by temptation.