They were. Problem is, they didn't agree about who "Jesus Christ" was and is.
People still don’t agree on who Jesus is.
The safest approach is to take His Word: “I Am That I Am”.
It was all beside the point.
The point is to do what he said, which nobody was doing.
When the pope was throwing around excommunications on this nothing,
Jesus’ words to Peter come to mind, “Get behind me, Satan.”