Matthew 24:4

The character of the times in which we live is such as to call forth from us even this admonition, that we ought not to be astonished at the heresies (which abound) neither ought their existence to surprise us, for it was foretold that they should come to pass; nor the fact that they subvert the faith of some, for their final cause is, by affording a trial to faith, to give it also the opportunity of being "approved.

What then saith He? "Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ, and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that ye be not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet." For since they felt as being told of vengeance falling on others when hearing of that which was to be brought upon Jerusalem and as though they were to be out of the turmoils, and were dreaming of good things only, and looked for these to befall them quite immediately; for this cause He again foretells to them grievous things, making them earnest, and commanding them on two grounds to watch, so as neither to be seduced by the deceit of them that would beguile them, nor to be overpowered by the violence of ills that should overtake them. But He answered nothing directly to this question, but first speaks of those other things that are urgent, and which it was needful for them to learn first. For neither concerning Jerusalem straightway, nor of His own second coming, did He speak, but touching the ills that were to meet them at the doors. Wherefore also He makes them earnest in their exertions, by saying, "Take heed that no man deceive you; for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ." Afterwards, when He hath roused them to listen about these things (for, "take heed," saith He, "that no man deceive you"); and having made them energetic, and prepared them to be watchful, and hath spoken first of the false Christs, then He speaks of the ills of Jerusalem, assuring them ever by the things already past, foolish and contentious though they were, of those which were yet to come.

And Jesus answering said to them: See that no one seduces you. For many will come in my name saying that I am the Christ, and they will seduce many (24, 4. 5). Those who understand simply suppose that these words signify only this: that many were going to come asserting themselves to be Christs, having in themselves also certain wonder-working powers and words by which they might provoke to belief many who had shown themselves worthy of seduction. But John in his epistle says: "and as you have heard that Antichrist is coming, now many Antichrists have arisen; whence we know that it is the last hour". By these words he teaches that every word which is foreign to the truth and asserts itself to be the word of God is Antichrist; for it is thus possible to understand what he says: "and now many Antichrists have arisen", since there is one thing that is true. But as the record of the readings makes plain, there were not many men in the time of the apostles who said that they were Christs, unless perhaps Dositheus the Samaritan — whence they are also called Dositheans — and Simon, of whom the Acts report, who proclaimed himself to be the great power of God. Besides these, there were none either before or afterward, so far as my knowledge goes. But every discourse which professes an exposition of the Scriptures and faith in them, yet does not have the truth, is rightly to be understood to be Antichrist, coming in the name of Christ and saying that I am the Christ, lying and by no means able to display in itself the form of truth. And since to those who examine the words of Scripture, in order to find its meaning, there frequently occur certain interpretations as if true when they are not true, and sometimes they are drawn also by other plausible, specious discourses, so that it is not easy to find which is the true meaning before against the lying estimations the truer and firmer meaning has been found — for this reason I think that Christ, to the question of his disciples saying: "when shall these things be? and what is the sign of your coming and of the consummation of the age?" answered thus: See that no one seduces you. For many will come in my name saying: I am the Christ, and they will seduce many. For truly he who fulfills that commandment which says: "be prudent money-changers", and that which says: "prove all things, hold fast what is good; abstain…