Jesus' presentation of himself as the Messiah had followed many other men who had similar claims. And, as Jesus indicated (Matthew 24:5) there would be many others who would follow him claiming
to be the Messiah (Gr. “Christ” or Eng. “anointed one”)

Josephus records many men who pretended to be or claimed to be the Messiah in the years
leading up to the 70 AD destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans. Many of these pretenders who came in their own name encouraged the Jews to rebel against Rome. These false Christs led
Israel to their destruction.

After Jesus had been rejected and crucified in 30 AD different portions of the Jewish people embraced a variety of different men as Messiah-like leaders. Three that are recorded are:

1. Menahem, the leader of the Sicarri (the "dagger men," were a first century Jewish extremist group that broke off from the Zealots as a terrorist group that used concealed daggers to kill pro-Herodian or Roman supporters at crowded public events), marched his followers to Masada to plunder Herod’s arsenal of weapons there around 66 AD. Menahem then led his armed men back to Jerusalem to lay siege to Fort Antonia and the palace. He defeated the troops of Agrippa II and forced the Romans to retreat into towers. During the Roman war Menahem was attacked and killed while wearing the robes of royalty by Eleazer, the Temple Captain. His followers, the Sicarri, fled to Masada to await their legendary fate at the hands of the Romans in 74 AD.
2. John of Gischala was a revolutionary who replaced Josephus as commander of the Jewish troops in Galilee after the Romans took Josephus captive. John took control of the Temple and claimed he would “never fear capture, since the city was God’s.” (Josephus, War 6:98)
3. Simon Bar Giora took control of Masada, captured Idumea (Edom) and attempted to capture Jerusalem. John was forced to surrender to the Romans, but when he did Josephus records that Simon “Dressed himself in white tunics and buckling over them a purple mantle arose out of the ground at the very spot where on the Temple formerly stood.” (War 7:29) Simon was taken to Rome in their triumphal procession, scourged, and executed as the king of the Jews.

At the time of Jesus birth and childhood Messianic-fever was high in Israel. Herod the Great died shortly after the birth of Jesus in 4 BC. Josephus identifies several men who stepped up to fill the void:

1. Judas, son of Ezekias, made an assault on the royal palace at Sepphoris in Galilee to confiscate the weapons. He rose in power because of violence not virtue.
2. Simon, a strong, tall, handsome slave of Herod placed the diadem (crown) on his head. He burned the royal palace at Jericho after plundering it and other royal residences in Judea.
3. Athronges, a shepherd, set himself forth as king and held a council, but only did what he wanted. They vigorously slaughtered the Romans and men of Herod.

Josephus describes these times like this:

“Judea was filled with brigandage. Any one might make himself king as the head of a band of rebels who fell in with, and then would press on to the destruction of the community, causing trouble to few Romans and then only to a smaller degree but bringing the greatest slaughter upon their own people." (Antiquities 17:285)

The final and worse defeat of a “messiah" was of Simon bar Kokhba in 135 AD by Hadrian and his Roman Legions that ended the Second Jewish War with Rome. This defeat drove Israel from their land and ended them as a nation completely until 1948.

These men’s claim to power was based on “glory from human beings.” They came in their own name just like Shemaiah, the false prophet, is said to have written prophecy in own name in Jeremiah 29:24. Jesus came in the Father’s name and not in his own name. Jesus was accredited by God and provided seven witnesses for his claim to Messiahship in John 5:30-47:

1. Holy Spirit (5:32)
2. John the Baptist (5:33)
3. Miraculous works (5:36)
4. Father’s audible voice that was heard at Jesus’ baptism (5:37)
5. Father’s written word called “the Scripture” (5:38-39)
6. Jesus, who came in Father’s name, not his own (5:43)
7. Moses wrote of Jesus (5:46-47)

After listing off his own witnesses, Jesus then warns them of their own bd future choice: If “someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him.” (5:3) This set the stage for the false messiahs who led Israel to war and destruction by Rome in 66-70 AD. But, also, these verses warn of the coming anti-christ who will come in his own name and Israel will once again look to him as their political savor until they finally recognize that their one, their only, and their true savor in Jesus the Messiah (Christ).

“Suppose a nation in some distant region should take
the Bible for their only law book, and every member
should regulate his conduct
by the precepts there exhibited!...conscience, temperance, frugality,
industry concerning themselves; justice,
kindness, charity toward
fellow men; piety, love, reverence toward Almighty God…What a Utopia
what a Paradise this
would be.”
– John Adams,
Feb. 22, 1756