Body: | What did early Christians believe about...?
(Before 300 AD)
Uninspired records of how early Christians worshipped and what doctrine
they believed!
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Specific False prophets mentioned in New Testament:
Simon of Acts 8
Theudas of Acts 5
Egyptian of Acts 21
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325AD Eusebius (Regarding Simon, See Acts 8) "After the Lord was taken up
into heaven the demons put forth a number of men who claimed to be gods.
These not only escape being persecuted by you, but were actually the
objects of worship - for example Simon, a Samaritan from the village called
Gittho, who in Claudius Caesar's time, thanks to the art of the demons who
possessed him, worked wonders of magic, and in your imperial city of Rome
was regarded as a god, and like a god was honoured by you with a statue in
the River Tiber between the two bridges. It bears this inscription in
Latin, SIMONI DEO SANCTO. Almost all Samaritans, and a few from other
nations too, ackowledge him as their principle god, and worship him." (p.
86)
325AD Eusebius (Regarding Theudas see Acts 5:36) "When Fadus was procurator
of Judea, an imposter called Theudas persuaded a vast crowd to take their
belongings and follow him to the River Jordan; for he claimed to be a
prophet, and promised to divide the river by his command and provide them
with an easy crossing. A great many people were deceived by this talk.
Fadus however did not allow them to enjoy their folly, but sent a troop of
calvary against them. These attacked them without warning, killed many, and
took many alive, capturing Theudas himself, whose head they cut off and
conveyed to Jerusalem." (pp.84-85)
325AD Eusebius (Regarding the Egyptian of Acts 21:38) "A greater blow than
this was inflicted on the Jews by the Egyptian false prophet. Arriving in
the country this man, a fraud who posed as a seer, collected about 30,000
dupes, led them round by the wild country to the Mount of Olives, and from
there was ready to force an entry into Jerusalem, overwhelm the Roman
garrison, and seize supreme power, with his fellow-raiders as bodyguards.
But Felix anticipated his attempt by meeting him with the Roman heavy
infantry, the whole population rallying to the defense, so that when the
clash occurred the Egyptian fled with a handful of men and most of his
followers were killed or captured." (pp. 96-97) ... "These works, that were
done by the robbers, filled the city with all sorts of impiety. And now
these impostors and deceivers persuaded the multitude to follow them into
the wilderness, and pretended that they would exhibit manifest wonders and
signs, that should be performed by the providence of God. And many that
were prevailed on by them suffered the punishments of their folly; for
Felix brought them back, and then punished them. Moreover, there came out
of Egypt about this time to Jerusalem one that said he was a prophet, and
advised the multitude of the common people to go along with him to the
Mount of Olives, as it was called, which lay over against the city, and at
the distance of five furlongs. He said further, that he would show them
from hence how, at his command, the walls of Jerusalem would fall down; and
he promised them that he would procure them an entrance into the city
through those walls, when they were fallen down. Now when Felix was
informed of these things, he ordered his soldiers to take their weapons,
and came against them with a great number of horsemen and footmen from
Jerusalem, and attacked the Egyptian and the people that were with him. He
also slew four hundred of them, and took two hundred alive. But the
Egyptian himself escaped out of the fight, but did not appear any more. And
again the robbers stirred up the people to make war with the Romans, and
said they ought not to obey them at all; and when any persons would not
comply with them, they set fire to their villages, and plundered them.
(Book XX, Chapter VIII, Section 6)
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