Was Judas The Messiah?

The Messiah, the Go’el Redeemer, the Savior, would be a Patriot backed by God. No Christian can get around this truth. All those who attempt this, are guilty of Treason in God’s Judgment, and are – cast out!

Get out of God’s Aboltionist Party founded by my kindred. I cast you out!

Jon

Son of Liberty

Messianic claimants (4)

Judas the Galilean (6 CE)
Sources: Flavius Josephus, Jewish War 2.433 and Jewish Antiquities 18.1-10 and 18.23; Acts of the apostles 5.37.
Story: The Jewish king Herod Archelaus was an incapable ruler, and the Roman authorities decided to dispose him in 6 CE. His realm, Judea, Samaria and Idumea, was annexed as the province Judaea. The new governor, a man named Coponius, tried to establish new taxes, but a large rebellion was the only result. Its leader was Judas the Galilean, and when the high priest Joazar had shown himself incapable of overcoming the rebellion, the governor of adjacent Syria interfered and conducted the census. This was Publius Sulpicius Quirinius, well known from the census mentioned in the Gospel of Luke (2.2).

There was one Judas, a Galilean, of a city whose name was Gamala, who, taking with him Zadok, a Pharisee, became zealous to draw them to a revolt. 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 councils 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.
[Flavius Josephus, Jewish Antiquities 18.4-6]

Judas the Galilean was the author of the fourth branch of Jewish philosophy. 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 kinds 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.

[Flavius Josephus, Jewish Antiquities 18.23]
Comment: This ‘fourth branch of Jewish philosophy’ is called Zealotism; the other three sects were the Sadducees, Essenes and Pharisees. Flavius Josephus hated the Zealots, because he held them responsible for the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE; consequently, their leader Judas is not treated kindly. He continues his story as follows:
All sorts of misfortunes 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, which used to alleviate our pains. There were also very great robberies and murder 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. Famine also came upon us, and 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 enemies’ 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.
[Flavius Josephus, Jewish Antiquities 18.7-9]
It is unclear what happened exactly. For instance, we do not know whether Judas conducted military operations or was merely the intellectual leader of the revolt. However, the revolt is absent from the catalogue of armed interventions by the Syrian governor of the Roman historian Tacitus (Histories, 5.9); Quirinius’ measures were probably harsh, but not military in nature. Josephus does not tell us what became of Judas, but the author of the Acts of the apostles tells us that he perished by the sword.
Some time ago, Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered.
[Luke, Acts of the apostles 5.36-37]
This is a quotation from a discussion among the Jewish leaders about Jesus. We know that both Jesus and Theudas, together with Judas’ (grand)son Menahem, were called Messiahs, and this makes it extremely likely that this title was given to Judas too. An additional argument is that Judas made a bid for national independence, something that was expected from the Messiah. In about 47, Judas’ sons Jacob and Simon were arrested and crucified by governor Tiberius Julius Alexander. The story is told by Flavius Josephus.
Then came the successor of Fadus, Tiberius Alexander. He was the son of Alexander, the chief customs officer of Alexandria, one of the most influential men of his age, both for his family and wealth. He was also more eminent for his piety than his son Alexander, for the latter did not continue in the religion of his country. Under this prefect a great famine happened in Judaea, and queen Helena of Adiabene bought grain in Egypt at a great expense, and distributed it to those that needed it. Besides this, the sons of Judas the Galilean were executed; I mean that they were the sons of that Judas who caused the people to revolt when Quirinius came to take an account of the estates of the Jews. The names of those sons were James and Simon, whom Alexander commanded to be crucified.
[Jewish antiquities 20.100-103]
We do not know why they were arrested, but it is reasonable to assume that they were fierce nationalists as well.

Judas of Galilee

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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.[1] 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[2] Josephus states that Judas, along with Zadok the Pharisee founded the “fourth sect”, of 1st century Judaism (the first three are the Sadducees, the Pharisees, and the Essenes). Josephus blames this sect, usually identified with the later 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.[3] 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.[4] 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.[5] 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 betrayal by Judas, [6]

Theudas is also the name of a follower of Paul of Tarsus, who taught Valentinius, for more information, see Theudas (teacher of Valentinius)
Theudas (thyū’dăs) (died c. 46 AD) was a Jewish rebel of the 1st century AD. His name, if a Greek compound, may mean “gift of God”, although other scholars believe its etymology is Semitic[1] and might mean “flowing with water”.[2] At some point between 44 and 46 AD, Theudas led his followers in a short-lived revolt.

Contents
 [hide] 
1 The revolt
2 The Theudas problem
3 Sources
4 References
5 External links
[edit] The revolt
Our principal source for the story is Josephus, who wrote:
It came to pass, while Cuspius Fadus was procurator of Judea, that a certain charlatan, whose name was Theudas, persuaded a great part of the people to take their effects with them, and follow him to the Jordan river; for he told them he was a prophet, and that he would, by his own command, divide the river, and afford them an easy passage over it. Many were deluded by his words. However, Fadus did not permit them to make any advantage of his wild attempt, but sent a troop of horsemen out against them. After falling upon them unexpectedly, they slew many of them, and took many of them alive. They also took Theudas alive, cut off his head, and carried it to Jerusalem. (Jewish Antiquities 20.97-98)[dead link]
The movement was dispersed, and was never heard of again.
Josephus does not provide a number for Theudas’ followers, but the Acts of the Apostles, if it is referring to the same Theudas (see below), reports that they numbered about 400. The ease with which they were overcome suggests that they were unarmed, unlike many other Messianic insurgents of the period.[3]
Some writers are of the opinion that he may have said he was the Messiah.[4]
[edit] The Theudas problem
See also: Historical reliability of the Acts of the Apostles#Acts 5:33-39: Theudas
In Bible scholarship, the sole reference to Theudas presents a problem of chronology. In Acts of the Apostles, Gamaliel, a member of the sanhedrin, defends the apostles by referring to Theudas:
“Men of Israel, be cautious in deciding what to do with these men. Some time ago, Theudas came forward, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him. But he was killed and his whole following was broken up and disappeared. After him came Judas the Galilean at the time of the census; he induced some people to revolt under his leadership, but he too perished and his whole following was scattered.” (NEB, Acts 5:36-8)
The difficulty is that the rising of Theudas is here given as before that of Judas of Galilee, which is itself dated to the time of the taxation (c. 6-7 AD). Josephus, on the other hand, says that Theudas was 45 or 46, which is after Gamaliel is speaking, and long after Judas the Galilean.
There are several arguments put forward to solve this problem. The 18th century theologian John Gill wrote “Some think Josephus is mistaken in his chronology, and then all is right.”[5] Another argument is that the author of the Book of Acts used Josephus as a source and made a mistake in a reading the text, taking a later reference to the execution of the “sons of Judas the Galilean” after the rebellion of Theudas as saying that the rebellion of Judas was later; however there is disagreement as to whether Luke used Josephus.[6] Other explanations are that he was referring to a different revolt by another Theudas, or that he mistakenly transposed the two names.[7]