The Sect of the Zealots Bible References: All four times this group is mentioned in the New Testament is in reference to one of the Twelve Apostles named Simon (Matthew 10:4; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15 and Acts 1:13). Meaning Of Their Name: The English word “Zealot” (along with the English words “zeal” & “jealous”) come to us from the Greek language - ζηλωτής [zelotes /dzay·lo·tace/] and ζῆλος [zelos /dzay·los/] – all arising ultimately from a base word that has to do with “boiling over” with emotion. The Aramaic term for a member of this group (used by both Matthew & Mark in their respective Gospels) was “Kanani,” meaning “a zealous Jew.” Unfortunately, this was transliterated into some English versions (including the KJV) as “Canaanite,” which can then be confused with the ancient pagans who occupied the Promised Land. Josephus’ Testimony About Zealot Philosophy & Origins “But of the fourth sect of Jewish philosophy, Judas the Galilean32 was the author. These men agree in all other things with the Pharisaic notions; but they have an inviolable attachment to liberty; and say that God is to be their only Ruler and Lord. “They also do not value dying any kind of death, nor indeed do they heed the deaths of their relations and friends, nor can any such fear make them call any man ‘Lord;’ and since this immovable resolution of theirs is well known to a great many, I shall speak no farther about that matter; nor am I afraid that anything I have said of them should be disbelieved, but rather fear, that what I have said is beneath the resolution they show when they undergo pain. “And it was in Gessius Florus’s time33 that the nation began to grow mad with this distemper, who was our procurator, and who occasioned the Jews to go wild with it by the abuse of his authority, and to make them revolt from the Romans; and these are the sects of Jewish philosophy.” Antiquities 18.1.6 “Now Cyrenius, a Roman senator,34 and one who had gone through other magistracies, and had passed through them till he had been consul, and one who, on other accounts, was of great dignity, came at this time into Syria, with a few others, being sent by Caesar to be a judge of that nation, and to take an account of their substance. 32 Mentioned by Rabbi Gamaliel in his (AD 33?) warning to the Jewish Sanhedrin about how to respond to the Apostles’ teaching about Jesus (Acts 5:34-40). 33 Roman Procurator of Judea, AD 64-66. 34 Publius Sulpicius Quirinius was the Roman Legate of Syria, AD 6-12. His first responsibility in that role was to put Judea under direct Roman administration after the abysmal failure of King Herod’s son, Archelaus (reigned 4 BC – AD 6). Legate Quirinius is mentioned by name in Luke 2:2. In fact, I believe the proper translation of that passage should be, “This registration [Caesar Augustus’ registration] was one prior to that when Quirinius was governing Syria.” The Jewish riots associated with the first time that Judea was directly taxed made it a notorious chronological marker. 19 “Coponius35 also, a man of the equestrian order, was sent together with him, to have the supreme power over the Jews. Moreover, Cyrenius came himself into Judea, which was now added to the province of Syria, to take an account of their substance, and to dispose of Archelaus’s money; but the Jews, although at the beginning they took the report of a taxation heinously, yet did they leave off any farther opposition to it, by the persuasion of Joazar, who was the son of Boethus, and high priest.36 So they, being over-persuaded by Joazar’s words, gave an account of their estates, without any dispute about it. “Yet there was one Judas, a Gaulonite, of a city whose name was Gamala,37 who, taking with him Sadduc, a Pharisee, became zealous to draw them to a revolt, who both said that this taxation was no better than an introduction to slavery, and exhorted the nation to assert their liberty: as if they could procure them happiness and security for what they possessed, and an assured enjoyment of a still greater good, which was that of the honor and glory they would thereby acquire for magnanimity. They also said that God would not otherwise be assisting to them, than upon their joining with one another in such counsels as might be successful, and for their own advantage; and this especially, if they would set about great exploits, and not grow weary in executing the same; so men received what they said with pleasure, and this bold attempt proceeded to a great height. “All sorts of misfortunes also sprang from these men, and the nation was infected with this doctrine to an incredible degree; one violent war came upon us after another, and we lost our friends, who used to alleviate our pains; there were also very great robberies and murders of our principal men. This was done in pretense indeed for the public welfare, but in reality for the hopes of gain to themselves; whence arose seditions, and from them murders of men, which sometimes fell on those of their own people (by the madness of these men towards one another, while their desire was that none of the adverse party might be left), and sometimes on their enemies; a famine also coming upon us, reduced us to the last degree of despair, as did also the taking and demolishing of cities; nay, the sedition at last increased so high, that the very temple of God was burnt down by their enemy’s fire. “Such were the consequences of this, that the customs of our fathers were altered and such a change was made, as added a mighty weight toward bringing all to destruction, which these men occasioned by thus conspiring together; for Judas and Sadduc, who excited a fourth philosophic sect among us, and had a great many followers therein, filled our civil government with tumults at present, and laid the foundation of our future miseries, by this system of philosophy, which we were before unacquainted withal; concerning which I shall discourse a little, and this the rather, because the infection which spread thence among the younger sort, who were zealous for it, brought the public to destruction.” Antiquities 17.1.1 35 The very first Roman governor of Judea, AD 6-9. 36 A Sadducee who had briefly served as Jewish High Priest under King Herod in 4 BC, but was removed from office by Archelaus for not being able to prevent riots associated with the new king’s ascension to the throne. 37 While Judas was a Galilean by birth, he lived at Gamala in Gaulanitis, a territory NE & East of the Sea of Galilee (modern name: the Golan Heights). 20 Direct Roman Rule of Judea When Herod the Great died in 4 BC, some Jews preferred direct Roman rule of Judea, rather than having his son Archelaus (18 years old) govern them. They even sent a special entourage to Rome to petition Caesar Augustus on this matter. Caesar decided to let Archelaus try to govern. Direct Roman rule of Judea began when Caesar removed & banished Archelaus in AD 6 and remained in place until Claudius Caesar declared his friend Herod Agrippa as the new “King of the Jews” in AD 41. The Herodians & the Zealots of the Gospel period may have both desired an end to direct Roman rule by the re-establishment of the Herodian royal family to power in Judea. When Herod Agrippa died by God’s divine wrath in AD 44 (Acts 12), Claudius Caesar was intending to appoint Agrippa II (17 years old) as the new “King of the Jews.” However, his advisors convinced him that this would be unwise, so once again Judea was placed under direct Roman rule. The first of these new series of governors, Cuspius Fadus (AD 44-46), decided to assert control over the High Priest’s uniform. This was appealed to the emperor, who then gave official control of the uniform, along with all things relating to the Jewish Temple, into the hands of the brother of the late Herod Agrippa, one Herod of Chalcis.38 Upon the death of Herod of Chalcis in AD 48, this authority over Judaism & its Temple was passed by Claudius to King Herod Agrippa II (now 21 years old), but Claudius kept direct Roman control over the Judean portion of Roman Syria. This division of sacred & secular authority over Judea remained in place until the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. Tiberius Alexander was an Egyptian Jew by birth and governed Roman Judea in AD 46-48. During his tenure, he crucified two sons of Judas the Galilean, James & Simon (Antiquities 20.5.2). While no specific reason is given, it is generally assumed that they were actively engaged in rebellion against direct Roman rule. Ventidius Cumanus served as Roman governor of Judea from AD 48 until AD 52. Festival disturbances during his tenure resulted in the deaths of 10,000 – 20,000 worshippers being trampled in a stampede out of the Temple complex. Because of other problems which arose, he was banished by Claudius for incompetence. Marcus Antonius Felix served as Roman governor of Judea from AD 52 until AD 58. While serving in Judea, he married Drusilla, the youngest sister of King Herod Agrippa II. Because this involved divorces for both parites & because Felix was not circumcised, this caused a rift between Agrippa II and Drusilla.