The Meaning of Mark 13:6 Explained

Mark 13:6

KJV: For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

YLT: for many shall come in my name, saying -- I am he, and many they shall lead astray;

Darby: For many shall come in my name, saying, It is I, and shall mislead many.

ASV: Many shall come in my name, saying, I am he ; and shall lead many astray.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For  many  shall come  in  my  name,  saying,  I  am  [Christ]; and  shall deceive  many. 

What does Mark 13:6 Mean?

Context Summary

Mark 13:1-13 - Coming Tribulations
Our Lord departed from the Temple, never again to enter its sacred precincts or to open His mouth in public teaching. When He withdrew, the whole system of Judaism was given over to desolation, and the predictions spoken at this time were minutely fulfilled in the fall of Jerusalem under Titus. The Temple was blotted out-indeed, a ploughshare passed over its site; the people were sold into slavery or butchered in the gladiatorial shows; their nationality was obliterated; and their land given to strangers. For more than eighteen centuries the holy places have been defiled.
Christ's words contain a further reference to His second advent. The signs here mentioned were carefully scanned by the early Christians, as one after another they were fulfilled. They saw the Roman world convulsed by rival claimants for the imperial purple; they knew by bitter experience the brunt of the world's hatred; they realized that by the labors of the great apostle of the Gentiles, and others, the gospel had been preached throughout the known world-and when these signs were being fulfilled, and the Roman eagles gathered to prey on the carcass of Judaism, from which the life had passed, they hastened to flee to Pella, from whence they beheld the collapse of the Jewish state. [source]

Chapter Summary: Mark 13

1  Jesus foretells the destruction of the temple;
9  the persecutions for the gospel;
10  that the gospel must be preached to all nations;
14  that great calamities shall happen to the Jews;
24  and the manner of his coming to judgment;
32  the hour whereof being known to none, every man is to watch and pray

Greek Commentary for Mark 13:6

In my name [ἐπί]
Lit., upon. Basing their claims on the use of my name. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Mark 13:6

Mark 12:24 Err [πλανᾶσθε]
Lit., wander out of the way. Compare Latin errare. Of the wandering sheep, Matthew 18:12; 1 Peter 2:25. Of the martyrs wandering in the deserts, Hebrews 11:38. Often rendered in the New Testament deceive. See Mark 13:5, Mark 13:6. Compare ἀστέρες πλανῆται , wandering stars (Judges 1:13), from which our word planet. [source]
Mark 13:5 Take need that no man lead you astray [λεπετε μη τις μας πλανησηι]
Same words in Matthew 24:4. Luke 21:8 has it “that ye be not led astray” This word πλαναω — planaō (our planet) is a bold one. This warning runs through the whole discussion. It is pertinent today after so many centuries. About the false Christs then and now see Matthew 24:5. It is amazing the success that these charlatans have through the ages in winning the empty-pated to their hare-brained views. Only this morning as I am writing a prominent English psychologist has challenged the world to a radio communication with Mars asserting that he has made frequent trips to Mars and communicated with its alleged inhabitants. And the daily papers put his ebullitions on the front page. For discussion of the details in Mark 13:6-8 see notes on Matthew 24:5-8. All through the ages in spite of the words of Jesus men have sought to apply the picture here drawn to the particular calamity in their time. [source]
John 5:43 In my Father‘s name [εν τωι ονοματι του πατρος μου]
Seven times Jesus in John speaks of the “Name” of the Father (John 5:43; John 10:25; John 12:28; John 17:6, John 17:11, John 17:12, John 17:26). See John 1:12 for use of ονομα — onoma (Luke 1:49). And ye receive me not “And yet ye do not receive me,” as in John 5:40, “the Gospel of the Rejection” (John 1:11; John 3:11, John 3:32; John 12:37) often applied to the Fourth Gospel. If another come Condition of third class Note αλλος — allos not ετερος — heteros like αλλον Ιησουν — allon Iēsoun in 2 Corinthians 11:4. Similar prophecies occur in Mark 13:6, Mark 13:22 (Matthew 24:5, Matthew 24:24), all general in character like Antichrist in 2 Thessalonians 2:8-12. There is no occasion for a reference to any individual like Barcochba (about a.d. 134) as Pfleiderer and Schmiedel hold. These Messianic upstarts all come “in their own name” and always find a following. Him ye will receive “That one,” whoever he is, as Jesus said. Future active indicative of λαμβανω — lambanō Credulous about the false Messiahs, incredulous about Christ. [source]
1 John 2:18 As ye heard [κατως ηκουσατε]
First aorist active indicative of ακουω — akouō cometh “Is coming.” Present futuristic or prophetic middle indicative retained in indirect assertion. So Jesus taught (Mark 13:6, Mark 13:22; Matthew 24:5, Matthew 24:15, Matthew 24:24) and so Paul taught (Acts 20:30; 2 Thessalonians 2:3). These false Christs (Matthew 24:24; Mark 13:22) are necessarily antichrists, for there can be only one. Αντι — Anti can mean substitution or opposition, but both ideas are identical in the word αντιχριστος — antichristos (in N.T. only here, 1 John 2:22; 1 John 4:3; 2 John 1:7). Westcott rightly observes that John‘s use of the word is determined by the Christian conception, not by the Jewish apocalypses.Have there arisen (γεγονασιν — gegonasin). Second perfect active indicative of γινομαι — ginomai antichrists (αντιχριστοι πολλοι — antichristoi polloi). Not just one, but the exponents of the Gnostic teaching are really antichrists, just as some modern deceivers deserve this title.Whereby By the fact that these many antichrists have come. [source]

What do the individual words in Mark 13:6 mean?

Many will come in the name of Me saying - I am [He] and many they will mislead
πολλοὶ ἐλεύσονται ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματί μου λέγοντες ὅτι Ἐγώ εἰμι καὶ πολλοὺς πλανήσουσιν

πολλοὶ  Many 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: πολύς  
Sense: many, much, large.
ἐλεύσονται  will  come 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Middle, 3rd Person Plural
Root: ἔρχομαι  
Sense: to come.
ὀνόματί  name 
Parse: Noun, Dative Neuter Singular
Root: ὄνομα  
Sense: name: univ.
μου  of  Me 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
λέγοντες  saying 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.
ὅτι  - 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
εἰμι  am  [He] 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: εἰμί  
Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present.
πολλοὺς  many 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: πολύς  
Sense: many, much, large.
πλανήσουσιν  they  will  mislead 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: πλανάω  
Sense: to cause to stray, to lead astray, lead aside from the right way.