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Explanation for:
Matthew
24
:
5
For many will come in my name saying, I am Christ: and they will seduce many.
10
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{"arr":[{"author-name":"Cyrill of Jerusalem","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88a9af397fcf9d613728f_Cyrill%20of%20Jerusalem.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"Be vigilant so that no one leads you astray. Numerous individuals will arrive claiming to be the Messiah, and they will mislead many (Matthew 24:5). This has already begun, as figures like Simon the Magician, Menander, and other wicked heretical leaders have made such claims. They will persist in doing so both in our era and beyond."},{"author-name":"Jerome of Stridon","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88dcd3432c6dd41375498_Jerome%20of%20Stridon.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"Many will arise claiming my name and asserting, ‘I am the Messiah,’ leading many astray. Among these was Simon the Samaritan, mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles, who proclaimed himself to be the great power of God (Acts 8:9-10). He disseminated writings in which he declared, ‘I am the Word of God, I am the glorious one, I am the comforter, I am the omnipotent, I am fully divine.’ Conversely, the Apostle John expresses in his letter that you have heard about the coming of the Antichrist, and now many antichrists have emerged (1 Jn. 2:18). I assert that all heretical leaders are antichrists who propagate teachings opposing Christ while using His name. It is not surprising that some fall victim to their deceptions, for the Lord warned, ‘And many will be deceived.’"},{"author-name":"Euthymios Zigabenos","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":11,"exegesis-text":"Many will arise claiming my authority, declaring, ‘I am the One, and the hour is near.’ Do not pursue them. They will come in my name to lead astray those who are inclined to believe them, each asserting that they are the Christ and that my return is imminent. Do not follow any of them. As Mark stated, \\"And many will be deceived.\\" Notable deceivers included Simon and Menander from Samaria, along with others."},{"author-name":"Abbot Panteleimon about the Trinity","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"Soon I will return to my Father, and in that time, falsehood and deception will escalate, leading to the emergence of false Christs. Many will come in my name, proclaiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ claiming that the hour of the Messiah has arrived. A great number will be misled and deceived: many will fall prey to their allure. Therefore, do not follow them—be on guard! This warning from the Lord materialized soon after His ascension, as numerous false Christs and deceivers surfaced. The Jewish historian Flavius notes that the land was rife with magicians who misled the people into the wilderness, presenting illusions as if produced by divine power. Among them were individuals like Dositheus the Samaritan, who referred to himself as a Christian; Simon the Magician, also a Samaritan, who attempted to purchase the gifts of the Holy Spirit and who boldly contended with the Apostle Peter; Menander, a follower of Simon; Theudas, who drew a large crowd of Jews to the banks of the Jordan, promising to part the waters like Elijah and Elisha; and an Egyptian mentioned in the Acts of the Holy Apostles, along with others. ‘The conflict,’ as the Lord states, ‘will be of two types: from the seducers and from adversaries; but the former will be far more intense, unfolding in times of uncertainty and dread, when people will be engulfed in fear and turmoil’ (St John Chrysostom)."},{"author-name":"Michail (Lusin)","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c89550c567e172d15b3055_Michail%20(Lusin).png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"\\"Under My name\\" refers to the name of the Messiah - Christ. During this time, anticipation for the Messiah was greatly intensified, resulting in the emergence of numerous false prophets. According to Flavius, the region was rife with deceivers and magicians who misled the populace into the wilderness, where they claimed to perform miracles by divine power. Among these impostors were figures such as Dositheus the Samaritan, who proclaimed himself the Christ, Simon the Magician, another Samaritan who asserted he was the son of God, Theudas (Acts 5:36), who convinced many Jews to journey to the Jordan River with the promise of parting its waters, reminiscent of Elijah and Elisha, and an Egyptian figure referenced in the Book of Acts (Acts 21:38), along with others."},{"author-name":"Gladkow B.I.","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88bf0ceef8c96e09a6521_Gladkow%20B.I..png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"The apostles believed that the anticipated reign of the Messiah would commence following the destruction, with Jesus Christ returning and establishing His glorious dominion simultaneously with the world's conclusion. They expected these events to unfold quickly, while they were still living. It was necessary for them to be cautioned against such anticipations. As a result, prior to addressing their inquiry, Jesus warned: “Beware lest someone deceive you with false assurances about my coming and the coming end of the world. Many will come under my name and say, ‘I am the Christ’; many they will mislead, many they will deceive; and the time is near (Luke 21:8). But do not believe them!” There would be social upheaval, conflict, and violent wars; nation rising against nation, kingdom against kingdom; famine, disease, and earthquakes would add to the turmoil; celestial signs would manifest; and many would proclaim the imminent end of days upon seeing these occurrences. “Do not believe them!” Now let us examine what historians recount regarding the fulfillment of Jesus' prophecy.\\n\\nDuring the period leading to the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, the Jews, who viewed themselves as the sole subjects of God, held deep resentment toward the Romans and continually sought opportunities to rebel against their oppressive rule. This animosity was exacerbated by the cruelty and avarice of Roman procurators. The times were especially harsh under Florus, prompting the Jews to petition the emperor for Florus's removal. Upon receiving a negative response, they revolted, killed the Roman soldiers maintaining order in Jerusalem, and took control for themselves. This insurrection soon spread to other cities across Palestine. Roman troops were dispatched to quell the uprising, led by Vespasian as they moved into Galilee. This marked the beginning of the Jewish War, chronicled in detail by the Jewish historian Josephus Flavius, who was himself a participant in these events. \\n\\nRemembering the Lord’s words, “Beware lest anyone deceive you, for many will come under my name” (Matthew 24:4), the Apostles remained vigilant against the numerous false prophets and pretenders. Josephus Flavius noted that Palestine had become rife with deceivers and sorcerers who lured the populace into the wilderness to display signs, falsely attributing them to divine power. Among these deceivers were Dositheus the Samaritan, who claimed to be the Messiah, Simon the Magician, also from Samaria, who styled himself the Son of God, Theudas, Menander, an Egyptian, and others. The Jews, having rejected Christ, were eagerly anticipating the arrival of a conquering Messiah and were thus susceptible to the allure of any charlatan. All of these events transpired before the destruction of Jerusalem, which had to occur first, and indeed it did."},{"author-name":"Lopuchin A.P.","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c891400ee1341634d2276d_Lopuchin%20A.P..png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"Christ presented to His followers a prophetic vision concerning the evolution and trajectory of God's kingdom on earth, focusing particularly on two significant occurrences—the devastation of Jerusalem and the dissolution of the Jewish nation as a sovereign entity, along with the culmination of time. The fall of Jerusalem will mark merely the beginning of these events, serving as a forerunner to the grim judgment of both the living and the dead. The timing of this final, terrifying event remains a divine mystery, beyond the understanding of angels; however, prior to this momentous occasion, there will be a brief period filled with numerous trials that must be navigated carefully. Deceptive Messiahs will emerge, alluring many with charm and intimidation; nevertheless, steadfast faith in their Savior and Lord must be maintained. Those who persevere through all challenges for His sake will ultimately attain salvation."},{"author-name":"Paul Matwejewski","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8969f5be0d592d5a10576_Paul%20Matwejewski.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"In the view of the God-man, all events, near and distant, converge into one grand vision, where many aspects of the city's and temple's devastation serve as representations of the terrifying occurrences at the world's end. The Lord first indicated to His disciples the signs that would herald the execution of divine judgments. \\"Watch ye, lest any man deceive you: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am the Christ; and the time is at hand; and many shall deceive you: for ye shall not go out in their footsteps.\\" Yet, when you hear of conflict and chaos, do not be alarmed or terrified, for it is necessary that these events occur first, although not right away. Nations will rise against nations, and there will be great hardships in various places, along with joys, disturbances, and plagues; and there will be significant wonders and signs from heaven. All these occurrences represent the onset of afflictions—the beginning of a distressing series of events that would lead to the downfall of Jerusalem and the temple. The precise fulfillment of the Lord's words is illustrated through the genuine accounts of those who lived at that time. From the crucifixion of the Lord to the prophesied ruin of the city and temple, Judea and the entire Roman Empire experienced continuous upheaval and conflict, to the extent that a Roman historian labeled this era as one overflowing with disasters, brutal battles, and unrest, even amidst supposed peace. Taking advantage of the restless sentiment anticipating extraordinary happenings, a succession of false messiahs emerged among the Jewish people, luring the naive (Acts 5:36, 37). Alongside these tribulations, natural disasters beset the land: earthquakes devastated prosperous cities in Asia Minor, Macedonia, and Achaia, while a severe famine afflicted Rome, Greece, and Jerusalem itself (Acts 11:28). A widespread plague swept through various regions in the east and Italy. The Roman historian also recorded wondrous celestial signs—fearsome thunders and other indicators of divine wrath, warning his contemporaries due to their increasing vices and transgressions. Furthermore, the historian of Judea chronicled numerous extraordinary occurrences leading up to Jerusalem’s downfall, such as a sword-like comet observed over the city for an entire year, an extraordinary light illuminating the temple at night, the midnight opening of the brazen gates of the temple—gates that twenty men struggled to open—a vision of chariots and armies in the clouds, and finally, on Pentecost, at the priests’ entrance into the temple, a loud noise and a voice proclaiming, \\"Let us depart from this place.\\" The various calamities and signs that foreshadowed Jerusalem’s destruction, when seen through the lens of the God-Man, merge the immediate and distant events into allegories of even greater tribulations yet to come at the end of time."},{"author-name":"Bogolepow D.P.","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"The destruction of Jerusalem and the culmination of the world, despite being temporally distinct events, are addressed simultaneously by Christ in His teaching to the disciples. He does not seek to correct their current understanding but rather allows the events themselves to provide clarity. This approach is due to the inherent connection between the two occurrences, with the fall of Jerusalem serving as a foreshadowing of the ultimate end of the age. The prophetic nature of His message regarding the former event is clear from Matthew 15-22, Mark 14-20, and Luke 20-24, particularly in Luke's account, which vividly depicts the siege of Jerusalem and the turmoil faced by the Jewish people during that period. Moreover, it is evident that this discourse also foretells the last days, as indicated in Matthew 29-31, Mark 24-27, and Luke 25-27. Firstly, it prophesies significant upheavals that explicitly belong to the final times, and secondly, it unmistakably speaks of Christ’s glorious return for judgment. The structure of Christ's discourse reflects this duality, with the initial portion focusing more on Jerusalem’s destruction and the latter half drawing attention to the end of the world.\\n\\nIn relation to the prelude of Jerusalem’s downfall, there are mentions of false Messiahs as recorded in Matthew 4-6, Mark 5-6, and Luke 8. All Gospel writers convey Christ’s prophetic exhortation against such deceivers who would claim to be the Messiah and lead many astray. Luke preserves the phrase indicating that \\"this time is near,\\" signifying a close association with the events prior to Jerusalem’s ruin. Indeed, prior to this moment, various charlatans emerged in Palestine, who are remembered in the New Testament writings (Acts 5:36). While it remains unclear whether these impostors explicitly claimed to be the Messiah, they effectively positioned themselves as the rightful leaders of the people. Thus, in essence, they mimicked the authority and significance in God’s kingdom that is uniquely held by Christ, rendering them false Messiahs."},{"author-name":"Alexander Gorsky","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8884037c1e1c51e1332e2_Alexander%20Gorsky.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"The warning given by Jesus (Matt. 23:37-39) deeply affected the disciples, who wished to believe in its reality. They felt compassion for Jerusalem and struggled to reconcile this prophecy with their expectations of the Messiah's reign. As they departed from the temple, the Lord overheard His followers admiring its grandeur, particularly visible from the Mount of Olives on their way. He then disclosed that all that magnificence would be utterly destroyed. Eager to learn more, the disciples, when they were alone with Him on the Mount of Olives, inquired about the timing of this catastrophic event. Many who had not yet witnessed the establishment of the Messiah’s kingdom, which they believed would radically transform the world, could not recognize the signs that indicated the approaching end of the current age. Thus, they collectively asked Him how they might discern the signs that would indicate the arrival of His kingdom and the conclusion of the present world."}]}
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