Zealots
Josephus describes the Zealots as the fourth of the philosophical sects among the Jews. Their philosophy, owever, consisted in their resolute denial of the right of any foreign power to rule over God's heritage, and their readiness to suffer martyrdom, if necessary, in support of their convictions. They represented the extreme of Pharisaism politically, as the Essenes did religiously. Simon, one of the apostles, is surnamed Zelotes (Luke vi. 16), probably because he belonged to this sect; and the term Canaanite applied to him in the A. V. of Matt. x. 4, Is most likely a Hebraic derivation of the same meaning (to be zealous). The Zealots maintained the Mosaic Law with fanatical strictness, and resisted, not always passively, every attempt to enforce foreign usages upon the people. Hence arose constant outbreaks, of which Galilee was pre-eminently the scene. It is often stated that "Zealot" and " Galilean" were interchangeable terms, but this is hardly accurate.
The name of Galilean was always used by the Jews of the South with an undertone of contempt, as that of a rustic and unlettered community, rendered moreover impure by the admixture of Gentile blood. But in the time of Jesus and his apostles, certain recent events had brought the title into deeper disfavor with the ruling authorities, and the word had. become a synonym for disaffection and rebellion.
"In the days of the taxing", or enrolment, under Quirinus (Cyrenius), AD, which followed the dethronement of Archelaue, "Judas of Galilee", a Gaulonite of the city of Gamala (Jon. Ant. xviii. 1, sec. 1), raised the standard of rebellion. "Would Israelites", he demanded "be such cowards as to pay tribute to Romans :- Would they, after God, submit to any mortal man for lord?" {Wars, ii. 8, sec. 1). His followers doubtless thought that the days of his Maccabean namesake were return« ingj and Josephus thus describee their bearing: "They do not value dying any kind of death, nor indeed do they heed the deaths of their relatives and friends, nor can any such fear make them call any man lord " (Ant. xviii. 1, sec. 6). For a time, these Zealots overran the country, and the whole surrounding country was given up to wild and lawless rebellion; but the might of Rome prevailed; Judas was slain, his followers were dispersed : but the "Galilœan" spirit survived—a constant source of dread to the authorities. Subsequent attempts at revolt, in fact, were made by the sons of Judas, penetrating even to Jerusalem (A.D. 47 and 66); and were more ruthlessly repressed than at first.
Bearing this state of things in mind, the expression: need at our Lord's trial, "Jesus of Galilee "and "Thou art a Galilœan" (Matt. xxvi. 69; Markxiv. 70), receive a new significance, as betraying a malicious desire to identify Jesus and his followers with the promoters of sedition, and thus to create a prejudice against them. In after years the pagans sought to fasten the same ill name, and with the same application, upon the whole Christian body ; a fact which throws much light upon the care of the Apostles to inculcate subordination to the ruling powers (Rom. xiii. 1—7; 1 Tim. ii. 1—4; 1 Pet. ii. IS—17).
As the Zealots represented the fanatical extreme of the Pharisees, and the Galileans were a class of Zealots, continual disturbers of the peace, so the Sicarii, assassins, or " murderers" (Acts xxi. 38), formed an association or secret society of bandits, springing ont of the! Galilœan rebellions. Josephus fully describes their organization and procedure (War vii. 10, sec. 1). These fanatics, carrying a small poniard (sica, whence their name), concealed in the folds of their dress, attempted to carry out their purposes by secret assassination, visiting Jerusalem at festival times, and inflicting mortal blows unseen in the crowds on those whom they adjudged the enemies of God and His people. At other times they levied open war against the Roman authority (War, vii. 8, seo. 5; Ant. xx. 8, seca. 5, 6). Josephus's notice of the Egyptian offers a striking undesigned coincidence to the brief allusion in the Acts (xxi. 38); for whereas the latter mentions the suspicion against St. Paul of being that leader, without giving any clue to account for it, not even explaining who or what the Sicarii were, Josephus supplies all that is required in describing the religious nature of their principles, and stating that the Egyptian in particular gave himself out as a prophet.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
