claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’: During AD 30 to 70, many false prophets and miracle workers claimed to be the Messiah. They convinced people to follow them, promising salvation (Josephus, Antiquities 18.4.1; 20.5.1; 20.8.6; War 6.5.2). The first known person to openly claim to be the Messiah was Bar Kochba in AD 132. It is unclear if Jesus was talking about impostors before the temple's destruction, false messiahs throughout the church Age, or possibly during a future difficult time.