The Great Apostasy, Considered in the Light of Scriptural and Secular HistoryTalmage, James E. (James Edward)
Religion
The Great Apostasy, Considered in the Light of Scriptural and Secular History
Talmage, James E. (James Edward)
Great Apostasy (Mormon doctrine); Latter Day Saint churches -- Doctrines
at last, unable to bear his adulteries, homicides, and abominations
any longer, rose against him. In despair of maintaining his position,
he put the papacy up at auction. It was bought by a presbyter named
John, who became Gregory VI, A. D. 1045."--(J. W. Draper,
"Intellectual Development of Europe," Vol. 1, ch. XII, pp. 378-381.)
4. _Commentary on the Passage from II Thess. 2:3, 4_. It should be
remembered that the application of Paul's declaration as to the
apostasy made in the text, is the one generally made by theologians of
Protestant denominations. It is in no way peculiar to the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Let us read the passage again: "Let
no man deceive you by any means: for that day [the day of Christ's
promised advent] shall not come except there come a falling away
first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 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."
In his Bible Commentary, Dr. Adam Clarke says of this scripture: "The
general run of Protestant writers understand the whole as referring to
the popes and church of Rome, or the whole system of the papacy. * * *
Bishop Newton has examined the whole prophecy with his usual skill and
judgment. * * * The principal part of modern commentators follow his
steps. He applies the whole to the Romish church: the apostasy, its
defection from the pure doctrines of Christianity; and the 'man of
sin,' etc., the general succession of the popes of Rome." An
abridgment of Bishop Newton's interpretation is then added; this, in
part, is as follows:
"_For that day shall not come except, etc._--The day of Christ shall
not come except there come the apostasy first. The apostasy here
described is plainly not of a civil, but of a religious nature; not a
revolt from the government, but a defection from the true religion and
worship. * * *
"_So that he as God sitteth in the temple, etc._--By the temple of God
the apostle could not well mean the temple of Jerusalem, because that,
he knew, would be destroyed within a few years. After the death of
Christ, the temple of Jerusalem is never called the temple of God; and
if, at any time, they make mention of the house or temple of God, they
mean the church in general or every particular believer. Whoever will
consult I Cor. 3:16, 17; II Cor. 6:16; I Tim. 3:15; Rev. 3:12, will
want no examples to prove that under the gospel dispensation, the
temple of God is the Church of Christ; and the man of sin's sitting
implies his ruling and presiding there. * * *
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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