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Zealots?? 3-4

I think most of us knew there were 3 groups in Judiasm, the Pharisees, Sadducees and the Essenes. Sadduccees took care of the temple and supplied the priests and this is where the high priest came from. The pharasees were more concerned with the law and tradition. The Essenes who were communal and seemed to not be on either side of anythng according to records looked at but they seemed to abide by the Jewish law. They would not break any laws or speak against Moses even under torture. Later on Josephus the writer records the Zealots as another group.

Archelaus, Herod's son, was hoping to become King but his confrontation with a mob did not turn out so well. Many had traveled to attend the passover, and Archelaus was having a feast in the temple.Hearing the mob he sent a commander to the crowd who was stoned before he could talk.

Archelaus now sends troops to the temple and arrest the leaders who were calling for changes as it seems he is trying to show some power but it backfires and the crowd attacks the troops with stones and most of the soldiers were killed. Were these the Zealots? Archelaus now orders his infantry to attack Jerusalem and others to attack the country side and the battle ends with thousands of civilians killed. Our writer views this as sedition. Antipas taking advantage while his brother is busy contests the will and claims the throne for himself.

A crowd places Roman bases under seige and fighting breaks out with Galilee seeming to be the hotest spot. The first leader emerges, Judas of Galilee who raids the royal armory to seize weapons and at the same time Herod's palace at Jericao was burned down. Romans moved rapidly and struck back, and some 2000 Jews, all leaders of the resistance were crucified ..for sedition of course.

In finishing this chapter these are mentioned and you can take them at their worth to believe them or not. Your comments are always welcome to me through the Contact Us button on our website.

1. Matthew records Jesus being born in Bethlehem and taken to Nazareth as a child. After a long period of silence in the gospel he emerges in Galilee to be baptized by John the Baptist.

2. It is in Galilee he gathers his diciples of which two were zealots and he was commonly called Jesus of Galilee.

3. Galilee was in the hotbed or revolt and it was from here that Judas, the leader of a large group of rebels came. What was Jesus relationship to these agitators?

Clues from Josephus which we should take in stride since he was a zealot and he turned to the Roman side when his territory was taken over.

1. Josephus hints that Judas of Galilee founded the group or led them.

2. Josephus also claims Judas along with Zadok were responsible for adding the zealots as a faction.

3. Interesting enough Josephus is the only one who mentions zealots and no other Roman author does so.

4. Paul was accused of being the leader of 4000 men or murderers and arrested. Greek text does ot say murderers but Sicarion (dagger men)

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