The Man of Lawlessness: Paul’s Enigmatic Warning in 2 Thessalonians. Few New Testament passages have provoked as much debate as Paul’s description of the “man of lawlessness” in 2 Thessalonians 2:1–12. Across the centuries, interpreters have speculated whether Paul was referring to a present political figure, a future antichrist, or a symbolic embodiment of evil. Misinterpretations have fueled everything from apocalyptic hysteria to complex eschatological systems.