ACC ~ Mark 13 v6

EXPERTS AT IMPERSONATION

ORIGEN: Christ is truth. Antichrist falsifies truth. Christ is wisdom. Antichrist deftly simulates wisdom. All genuine excellences have a correspondence with Christ. All pretended virtues correspond with Antichrist. For each variety of good which Christ embodies in himself to build up the faithful, the demonic will find a way of mimicking in appearance to deceive the faithful. [1] COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 32. [2]

[1] Cf. Mt 24:24; Mk 13:22.

[2] PG 13:1644-45; AEG 5:117-18*.

THE COMMON CONDITION OF NATIONS

AUGUSTINE: As to wars, when has the earth not been scourged by them at different periods and places? To pass over remote history, when the barbarians were everywhere invading Roman provinces in the reign of Gallienus, [1] how many of our brothers who were then alive do we think could have believed that the end was near, since this happened long after the ascension of the Lord! Thus, we do not know what the nature of those signs will be when the end is really near at hand, if these present ones have not been so foretold that they should at least be understood in the church. Certainly, there are two nations and two kingdoms, namely, one of Christ, the other of the devil. LETTER 199, TO HESYCHIUS 35. [2]

[1] Emperor from 260 to 268.

[2] Cetedoc 0262, 199.57.10.274.8; FC 30:384.