Judas of Galilee, orJudas of Gamala, was a Jewish leader who led resistance tothe census imposed forRoman tax purposes byQuirinius in theJudaea Province in 6 AD.[1] He encouraged Jews not to register, and those who did were targeted by his followers.[2] He is credited with beginning the "fourth philosophy" whichJosephus blames for thewar with the Romans in 66–73. These events are discussed by Josephus inThe Jewish War andAntiquities of the Jews and mentioned in theActs of the Apostles.[3]
InAntiquities of the Jews, Josephus states that Judas, along with Zadok the Pharisee, founded the Zealots, the "fourth sect" of 1st-century Judaism[4] (the first three being theSadducees, thePharisees, and theEssenes). Josephus blames this fourth sect for the First Jewish–Roman War of 66–73. The Zealots preached that God alone was the ruler ofIsrael and urged that notaxes should be paid to Rome.[5]
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 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.[6] 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).[7]
Josephus does not relate the death of Judas but does report that Judas's sons James and Simon were executed byprocuratorTiberius Julius Alexander in about 46.[8] He also claims thatMenahem 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.[9] Menahem's cousin,Eleazar ben Ya'ir, escaped to the fortress ofMasada, where he became a leader of the last defenders against the Roman Empire.
Judas is referred to in theActs of the Apostles, in a speech byGamaliel, a member of theSanhedrin, who identifiesTheudas and Judas as examples offailed Messianic movements.[10]