Interesting find, MtD. In
Mat 24:5, ο χριστος (the Christ) is there within the verse, but in both
Mark 13:6 and
Luke 21:5, it is left out, leaving an implied "I am [the Christ]."
Since "ο χριστος" can simply mean "the anointed", and since these people are already coming in His name (and not their own), I've been less inclined to think they were advocating that
they were the messiah, but rather that they would claim to be "the anointed" person who is working in His name, but in truth be deceivers. Jesus warned there would be many of these, and considering how often "many" and "few" are scripturally understated, that seems to have happened to "many" throughout the history of Christendom, IMO.
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