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On the Theophania
Eusebius of Caesarea, tr. Lee, 1843
On those who should falsely name themselves the Christ. From the Gospel of Matthew.
“When He sat on the mount of Olives, His Disciples drew near, saying between themselves and Him, Tell us, When shall these things be? and What is the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? And Jesus answered them, and said, See that no man deceive you: for many shall come in my name, and shall say, I am the Christ; and shall deceive many.” And again, after a few things He said, “If at that time any one say to you, the Christ is here, or there; believe ye not. For false Christs shall arise, and false Prophets, and shall give great signs and wonders, so that if it were possible they should deceive even the elect. Behold, I have foretold (it) to you. If therefore they shall say to you, Behold, He is in the desert, go not forth; or, Behold, He is in the chamber, believe (it) not. For, as the lightning shineth from the East, and is seen even to the West; so shall the coming of the Son of Man be.” And on another occasion, when speaking with the Jews, He added these things and said, “I am come in the name of my Father, and ye receive me not; but, if another come in his own name, him ye will receive.” These things He foretold when warning His Disciples against the lying Antichrist, whom they were expecting: and one (of these) shewed of another in the Epistle to the Thessalonians, who (should be) in (the time of) the end. But, that others also should be before this, our Saviour Himself foretold in several places: “For many,” said He, “shall come in my name, and shall say, I am the Christ, and shall deceive many.” And there were many (such) after (these) His words. And so the Samaritans were forthwith persuaded that Dosithëus, who was after the times of our Saviour, was the prophet of whom Moses predicted. And he so deceived them, that they declared he was the Christ. Others again, in the times of the Apostles, named Simon Magus “the great power of God,” and thought that he was the Christ. Others (thought the same) of Montanus in Phrygia: and others again, of others, in another place. Nor did the deceivers cease. And it is necessary we should suppose, that there were many such as these; so that even from them, testimony may be had, as to the reality of our Saviour’s foreknowledge. Our Saviour taught moreover, that His glorious second coming should not again be, as it was at the first, in some one place, so that it may be supposed to be visible in some corner of the earth: and, that no one should thus think, He said, “If any one shall say to you, Behold, the Christ is here, or is there, believe ye not.” For opinions such as these comport by no means with Him, but with those false Christs and false Prophets. He indeed appeared once in the form of man, and in a certain district. But, of what sort his glorious second coming from heaven should be, He taught and said, “For, as the lightning goeth forth from the East, and is seen even to the West; so also shall the coming of the Son of Man be.”