xiv; and for account of violent seismic disturbances at Rome, see
Suetonius in his _Life of Galba_. Josephus (Wars iv, ch. 4) records a
particularly severe earthquake that disrupted parts of Judea, and was
accompanied by "amazing concussions and bellowings of the earth--a
manifest indication that some destruction was coming upon men." The
portent of "fearful sights and great signs" from heaven, as recorded by
Luke was realized in the phenomenal events chronicled by Josephus
(Preface to "Wars").

Of the persecution that befell the apostles and others, and of their
arraignment before rulers, Dr. Adam Clarke, in his commentary on
passages in Matt 24, says: "We need go no farther than the Acts of the
Apostles for the completion of these particulars. Some were delivered to
councils, as Peter and John (Acts 4:5). Some were brought before rulers
and kings, as Paul before Gallio (18:12); before Felix (ch. 24); before
Festus and Agrippa (ch. 25). Some had utterance and wisdom which their
adversaries were not able to resist; so Stephen (6:10), and Paul who
made even Felix himself tremble (24:25). Some were imprisoned, as Peter
and John (4:3). Some were beaten, as Paul and Silas (16:23). Some were
put to death, as Stephen (7:59); and James the brother of John (12:2).
But if we look beyond the book of the Acts of the Apostles, to the
bloody persecutions under Nero, we shall find these predictions still
more amply fulfilled; in these, numberless Christians fell, besides
those two champions of the faith, Peter and Paul. And it was, as says
Tertullian, a war against the very name of Christ; for he who was called
Christian had committed crime enough in bearing the name to be put to
death. So true were our Savior's words that they should be hated of all
men for His Name's sake."

Among the false prophets, and men who claimed to be the duly accredited
ministers of Christ, were Simon Magus who drew many people after him
(Acts 8:9, 13, 18-24; see also _The Great Apostasy_, 7:1, 2), Menander,
Dositheus, and Theudas, and the false apostles referred to by Paul (2
Cor. 11:13) and others, such as Hymeneus and Philetus (2 Tim. 2:17, 18).
Dummelow's _Commentary_ applies here the record by Josephus concerning
"a body of wicked men, who deceived and deluded the people under
pretense of divine inspiration, who prevailed with the multitude to act
like madmen, and went before them into the wilderness, pretending that
God would there show them the si