Judas of Galilee

Judas of Galilee or Judas of Gamala led a violent resistance to the census imposed for Roman tax purposes by Quirinius in Iudaea Province around AD 6. The revolt was crushed brutally by the Romans. These events are discussed by Josephus in Jewish Wars and in Antiquities of the Jews . In Antiquities of the Jews Josephus states that Judas, along with Zadok the Pharisee, founded the Zealots , which he calls the "fourth sect" of first century Judaism (the first three are the Sadducees , the Pharisees , and the Essenes ). Josephus blames the Zealots, a group of theocratical - nationalists who preached that God alone was the ruler of Israel and later urged that no taxes should be paid to Rome, for the Great Jewish Revolt and for the destruction of Herod's Temple . Josephus does not relate the death of Judas, although he does report that Judas' sons James and Simon were executed by procurator Tiberius Julius Alexander in about 46 AD. He also reports that Menahem , one of the early leaders of the Jewish Revolt in AD 66, was Judas' son, but most scholars doubt this. Menahem may have been Judas' grandson, however . Menahem's cousin, Eleazar ben Ya'ir , then escaped to the fortress of Masada where he became a leader of the last defenders against the Roman Empire . Judas is mentioned in the New Testament Book of Acts of the Apostles . The author has Gamaliel , a member of the Sanhedrin , refer to him as an example of a failed Messianic leader . This is evidently an error, since it describes the revolt of Theudas , which would not actually take place for another ten years, as happening before that of Judas , see also Historical reliability of the Acts of the Apostles . The Birth of Christianity , (Eerdmans, 2005), page 199.

Judas of Galilee or Judas of Gamala was a Jewish leader who led an armed resistance to the census imposed for Roman tax purposes by Quirinius in Iudaea Province around 6 AD. The revolt was crushed brutally by the Romans. These events are discussed by Josephus in Jewish Wars and in Antiquities of the Jews .

Judas of Galilee , or Judas of Gamala , was a Jewish leader who led resistance to the census imposed for Roman tax purposes by Quirinius in Judea Province around 6 CE. He encouraged Jews not to register and those that did had their houses burnt and their cattle stolen by his followers. He began the "fourth philosophy" of the Jews which Josephus blames for the disastrous war with the Romans in 66–70. These events are discussed by Josephus in The Jewish War and in Antiquities of the Jews and mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles . In Antiquities of the Jews , Josephus states that Judas, along with Zadok the Pharisee, founded the "fourth sect" of 1st century Judaism (the first three being the Sadducees , the Pharisees , and the Essenes ). Josephus blamed this fourth sect for the First Jewish–Roman War of 66–73. Judas and Zaddok's group were theocratic nationalists who preached that God alone was the ruler of Israel and urged that no taxes should be paid to Rome. Several scholars, such as Gunnar Haaland and James S. McLaren, have suggested that Josephus's description of the fourth sect does not reflect historical reality, but was constructed to serve his own interests. According to Haaland, the part covering the sect acts as a transition and an introduction to the excursion concerning the Jewish schools of thought, all of which Josephus presents to portray the majority of Jews in a positive light, and to show that the Jewish War was incited by a radical minority. Similarly, McLaren proposes that Judas and his sect act as scapegoats for the war that are chronologically, geographically and socially removed from the priestly circles of Jerusalem (and Josephus himself). Josephus does not relate the death of Judas, although he does report that Judas' sons James and Simon were executed by procurator Tiberius Julius Alexander in about 46 CE. He also reports that Menahem ben Judah , one of the early leaders of the Jewish Revolt in 66 CE, was Judas' "son", but some scholars doubt this. Menahem's cousin, Eleazar ben Ya'ir , then escaped to the fortress of Masada where he became a leader of the last doomed defenders against the Roman Empire . Judas is referred to in Acts of the Apostles , in which a speech by Gamaliel , a member of the Sanhedrin , identifies Theudas and Judas as examples of failed Messianic movements , and suggests that the movement emerging in the name of Jesus of Nazareth could similarly fail. An Adult Christ at Christmas: Essays on the Three Biblical Christmas Stories, Matthew 2 and Luke 2 by Raymond E. In Anders Kolstergaard et al. (ed.), Northern Lights on the Dead Sea Scrolls. Studies on the Text of the Deserts of Judah v. 80.

1st-century Jewish revolutionary Judas of Galilee , or Judas of Gamala , was a Jewish leader who led resistance to the census imposed for Roman tax purposes by Quirinius in the Judaea Province in 6 CE. He encouraged Jews not to register and those that did had their houses burnt and their cattle stolen by his followers. He is credited with beginning the " fourth philosophy " of the Jews which Josephus blames for the disastrous war with the Romans in 66–73. These events are discussed by Josephus in The Jewish War and in Antiquities of the Jews and mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles . In Antiquities of the Jews , Josephus states that Judas, along with Zadok the Pharisee, founded the Zealots, the "fourth sect" of 1st-century Judaism (the first three being the Sadducees , the Pharisees , and the Essenes ). Josephus blamed this fourth sect for the First Jewish–Roman War of 66–73. The Zealots were theocratic nationalists who preached that God alone was the ruler of Israel and urged that no taxes should be paid to Rome. Several scholars, such as Gunnar Haaland and James S. McLaren, have suggested that Josephus's description of the fourth sect does not reflect historical reality, but was constructed to serve his own interests. According to Haaland, the part covering the Zealots acts as a transition and an introduction to the excursion concerning the Jewish schools of thought, all of which Josephus presents to portray the majority of Jews in a positive light, and to show that the Jewish War was incited by a radical minority. Similarly, McLaren proposes that Judas and his sect act as scapegoats for the war that are chronologically, geographically and socially removed from the priestly circles of Jerusalem (and Josephus himself). Josephus does not relate the death of Judas, but does report that Judas's sons James and Simon were executed by procurator Tiberius Julius Alexander in about 46 CE. He also claims that Menahem ben Judah , one of the early leaders of the Jewish Revolt in 66 CE, was Judas's "son", which some scholars doubt though Menahem may have been Judas's grandson. Menahem's cousin, Eleazar ben Ya'ir , escaped to the fortress of Masada where he became a leader of the last doomed defenders against the Roman Empire. Judas is referred to in Acts of the Apostles, in which a speech by Gamaliel , a member of the Sanhedrin , identifies Theudas and Judas as examples of failed Messianic movements , and suggests that the movement emerging in the name of Jesus of Nazareth could similarly fail. An Adult Christ at Christmas: Essays on the Three Biblical Christmas Stories, Matthew 2 and Luke 2 by Raymond E. In Anders Kolstergaard et al. (ed.), Northern Lights on the Dead Sea Scrolls. Studies on the Text of the Deserts of Judah v. 80. Flavius Josephus, Antiquities 20.5.2 102 "Messianic claimants (12) Menahem" .

1st-century Jewish revolutionary Judas of Galilee , or Judas of Gamala , was a Jewish leader who led resistance to the census imposed for Roman tax purposes by Quirinius in the Judaea Province in 6 AD. He encouraged Jews not to register, and those that did were targeted by his followers. He is credited with beginning the " fourth philosophy " which Josephus blames for the war with the Romans in 66–73. These events are discussed by Josephus in The Jewish War and in Antiquities of the Jews and mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles . In Antiquities of the Jews , Josephus states that Judas, along with Zadok the Pharisee, founded the Zealots, the "fourth sect" of 1st-century Judaism (the first three being the Sadducees , the Pharisees , and the Essenes ). Josephus blames this fourth sect for the First Jewish–Roman War of 66–73. The Zealots preached that God alone was the ruler of Israel and urged that no taxes should be paid to Rome. Several scholars, such as Gunnar Haaland and James S. McLaren, have suggested that Josephus's description of the fourth sect does not reflect historical reality, but was constructed to serve his own interests. According to Haaland, the part covering the Zealots acts as a transition and an introduction to the excursion concerning the Jewish schools of thought, and to show that the Jewish War was incited by this faction. Similarly, McLaren proposes that Judas and his sect act as scapegoats for the war that are chronologically, geographically and socially removed from the priestly circles of Jerusalem (and Josephus himself). Josephus does not relate the death of Judas but does report that Judas's sons James and Simon were executed by procurator Tiberius Julius Alexander in about 46. He also claims that Menahem ben Judah , one of the early leaders of the Jewish Revolt in 66 AD, was Judas's "son", which some scholars doubt though Menahem may have been Judas's grandson. Menahem's cousin, Eleazar ben Ya'ir , escaped to the fortress of Masada where he became a leader of the last defenders against the Roman Empire. Judas is referred to in the Acts of the Apostles in which a speech by Gamaliel , a member of the Sanhedrin , identifies Theudas and Judas as examples of failed Messianic movements , and suggests that the movement emerging in the name of Jesus of Nazareth could similarly fail, unless he really was the Messiah. An Adult Christ at Christmas: Essays on the Three Biblical Christmas Stories, Matthew 2 and Luke 2 by Raymond E. In Anders Klostergaard Petersen et al. (ed.), Northern Lights on the Dead Sea Scrolls. Studies on the Text of the Deserts of Judah v. 80. Flavius Josephus, Antiquities 20.5.2 102 "Messianic claimants (12) Menahem" .