W of M 1:11-15
From Feast upon the Word (http://feastupontheword.org). Copyright, Feast upon the Word.
The Book of Mormon > Words of Mormon > Chapter 1
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Contents |
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Questions
- Who are the "false Christs" mentioned in vs. 15?
- What is the difference between a "false Christ" and an "Anti-Christ"?
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Lexical notes
- While we don't know what original word is being translated in verse 15 as "false Christ", in the New Testament (Matt 24:24; Mark 13:22), the term "false Christ" is a translation of the Greek noun Pseudochristos--defined as "one who falsely lays claim to the name and office of the Messiah".
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Exegesis
- One possible source for the reference to "false Christs" in this passage is the ancient Mesoamerican practice of god impersonation, where a priest dresses up as a god to perform sacred rites. These costumes often included masks and feathers, and were prominent in the religious worship in most Mesoamerican cultures, begining with the Olmec traditions over 600 years before the time of Christ. For more information see the related links section below.
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Related links
- In this Meridian magazine article, Brant Gardner briefly discusses the ancient Mesoamerican practice of god impersonation as providing one possible source of this reference to "false Christs". This ancient practice is described in Julia Kappelman's interesting 1997 doctoral dissertation at the University of Texas.
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