Luke 21:8

And he said, Take heed that ye be led not astray: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am he; and, The time is at hand: go ye not after them. And when ye shall hear of wars and tumults, be not terrified; for these things must needs come to pass first; but the end is not immediately.

There were many historical fulfillments of the things mentioned here in the forty years preceding the destruction of Jerusalem. Such things as "wars and tumults," however, were but the normal state of humanity; and even the earthquakes and natural disasters mentioned a moment later were all "par for the course," as far as this world is concerned.

One thing that has occasioned some questioning among scholars is Jesus' prophecy of the many false christs who would come claiming to be "I AM," and that "the time (of the End) is at hand." Geldenhuys said;

As far as can be ascertained, there were no persons who represented themselves as Christ during the years between the Ascension and 70 A.D. ... this refers to the last days before his Second Advent.[14]

Boles, however, mentioned that the whole country (during those years) "was overrun with magicians, seducers, impostors, etc., who drew the people after them into the wilderness, promising signs and wonders.[15] There was also a pretended prophet, an Egyptian (Acts 21:38).

If there were indeed no such people claiming to be "Christ" during the interval, Geldenhuys is correct in referring the words to the times prior to the End; but it is rash to conclude that there were no such claimants to Messiahship, whether or not we may be able to identify them. Spence stated that:

Many of these pretenders appeared during the lifetime of the apostles ... Simon Magus was one (Acts 8). His rival Dositheus, and his disciple Meander were such ... Many of these false Messiahs appeared in the interval between the Ascension and the destruction of Jerusalem.[16]

In view of the prophecy of Jesus, and the known condition of the times, it would appear that the preponderance of evidence favors Spence's view.

By the very nature of this double prophecy, the same condition of false pretenders to Messiahship and deity will mark the approach of the final judgment; and it must be observed that our generation has already seen many such pretenders to divine honors.

[14] Ibid., p. 530.

[15] H. Leo Boles, Commentary on Luke (Nashville: Gospel Advocate Company, 1940), p. 394.

[16] H. D. M. Spence, op. cit., p. 184.