Is it true that many people claimed to be the messiah before jesus...?

Question

if so do you know of any websites where i could find information about them?
or do you have any information that you'd like to share?

also...
christians, if it is true that many people claimed to be messiahs and "the son of god", how does it make you feel about how genuine jesus was in his claims?

[before any assumptions are made, i'm an atheist]

thanks.

Answer 1

Maybe

Who knows?

But how many of THEM returned from the dead?

Answer 2

Yeah there have been many people, prior to Jesus, who claim to have been the Messiah or some sort of prophet. Speaking as an Atheist, I believe Jesus was a real person. His message was universal and that's what attracted so many followers. We don't know for sure if his claims as the son of God were really made. I mean its written in the bible, but that could, along with the miracles, have been put in to keep the dream alive sort of thing. Information on these so called prophets is not documented. If you search you may turn up a name or two, but only the ones that history recognizes is what you'll find.

Answer 3

The Pharisees of Jesus' time said that many people had followers but all the followers fell away when the leader was killed. They assumed the same would happen when they killed Jesus, but 2,000 years later, there are as many Christians as there have ever been.
Jesus warned that many would come saying they were him, but his followers have learned (or are learning, if they are new Christians) to know His voice, so we will not be led astray.
It doesn't matter to me how many people claim to be Jesus, I have met Jesus so I know Him.
Jesus was the only one who fulfilled the prophecies about the Messiah in the OT.

Answer 4

Yes many people said to be the Messiah before and after Jesus. I don't know of any websites sorry. You could check out this book called The Historical Jesus by E.P Sanders. Its a good book covers a lot about.

Answer 5

When you think there were 100’s if not 1000’s of people said to be the messiah , it seems to me a bit tenuous to say than in the particular case of Quexalcote or Jehoshua Ben-Pandira that it’s true !

There is a lovely book called ‘The World's Sixteen Crucified Saviours ‘. Most of these saviours proved themselves to be ‘ The One true God ‘ by being resurrected ( after 3 days in a tomb or cave or some such) . Nearly all of them cast out demons , performed miracles etc.

A few documentaries that will help are ‘ The secret ( bible) Rivals of Jesus ‘ , ‘ The god who was not there ‘ and ‘ Who Wrote the Bible, by Robert Beckford. Not sure if I am allowed to mention ZEITGEIST, The Movie , I think this post will be deleted . That documentary has some errors , but it is still fascinating to watch Part 1 covers Jesus.

NB: Jehoshua Ben-Pandira was the 1st ‘ Jesus Christ ‘ . Born and died in the reign of Alexander Jannæus . circa 80 BCE, about 120 years before the Christian myth of Jesus arose and the gospels were written. The followers of this Jesus Christ were persecuted by the Jews – try telling them they ‘ Got the wrong Jesus Christ ! ‘ .

A few names to watch for:
Quexalcote of Mexico,
Chris of Chaldea,
Quirinus of Rome,
Prometheus of Caucasus,
Osiris of Egypt,
Atys of Phrygia,
"Mithra the Mediator" of Persia
Apollonius of Tyana - Many similar ‘ Jesus-Like ‘ stories healing , miracles etc .
Simon Bar Kochba – Actually fulfilled a couple of prophecies freed Judea from Roman occupation and was a descendent of King David.
TIBERIVS CAESAR AVGVSTVS - He was the official ‘ Son of God ‘ AD 14 to AD 37 , anyone not accepting him as the son of God was denounced as an atheist and persecuted ! OMW !

And list goes on and on .

Dead Gods ?
http://www.graveyardofthegods.org/deadgods/graveyard.html

Answer 6

Many people claimed to be descended from God(s), and still do today. There are thousands of websites out there, you only have to Google "Son of God"

As far as my own beliefs are concerned, I find atheism as such, rank stupidity. How can you deny the existence of something that is completely beyond your comprehension? Atheists have as much ground for saying "There is no God" as some ancient race has for saying "God is a Giant Turtle that Carries the Universe on its back". I do, however, believe in the princples espoused by Jesus Christ and try to adhere to them. Therefore I regard myself as a Christian.

Answer 7

Anyone can make claims, but only Jesus fulfilled all that was written about him in the old testament books of the law, the psalms, and the prophets, and only Jesus predicted that he would rise again again from the dead, and then did it.

Jesus was also the only one to send a dozen very ordinary Judeans out into to the pagan world, and convert much of that world for Christ, even to the point of saving and rebuilding the entire western world after the fall of Rome.

Jesus is also the only one who has placed himself squarely at the center of modern world history, as our present calendar clearly shows, and who continues to shape world history, according to his will, through his own power, and through the power that he gave to his authentic church.

None of these things are subject to faith alone, but can be independently verifified beyond a reasonable doubt ... even by an atheist.

Answer 8

yes and no, the messiah and christ are titles meaning the annointed on in different languages and many people had a claim to it befor during and after jesus although the only one I remember the name of is simon found in the book of acts was seen as a messiah, the emperor of rome was seen as a god and you cant have more than one living god in an empire founded on personal power and devinity to rule, the messiah was also seen as a warrior who would lead his people from the invaiders like moses and the king arthur of merlin fame. the only other i can think of was closer to what the jews saw as the messiah and had a far bigger following 125years after jesus and he and his followers committed seuicide in a fortified city after a long seige by rome that couldn't be won by them, (rather famous event but cant remember the name)

Answer 9

yes. people claimed to be the messiah before Jesus(i think Barabbas did, but that might have just been in the movie)

people claimed to be the messiah after Him(this jewish guy led a revolt like a decade after Jesus, but was slaughtered along with all his fighters)


the difference is Jesus. ALL the other messiahs were warriors, they wanted to throw out Rome by force. They were all massacred.

Jesus wasn't about war and violent uprisings.
the other messiahs don't have miracles attributed to them(but i'm not sure of this)

and obviously, none of the other messiahs have claimed to have risen from the dead.




lost.eu/21618

Answer 10

Love, pretty one, dozens of Jewish Messiahs were popping up before and after Jesus' time on the road in the First Century. He was yet another, and insofar as the thinking of folks in that armpit of the Roman Empire, by no means the leading one.

Answer 11

Read the Jesus Mysteries, it's a wonderful book. There have been may messiahs and this books backs it up with historical evidence. It also talks about the similarties between Christanity and the pagan holidays.