The Zealots:
The Zealots were a Jewish sect known for their fanatical resistance to Roman rule in Judea during the 1st century AD. They emerged as a distinct political group during the reign of Herod the Great (37-4 BC). In AD 6, when Judea was put under direct Roman rule and the authorities ordered a census for purposes of taxation, the Zealots, led by Judas of Galilee, called for rebellion. Acknowledging the authority of the pagan Roman emperor, they argued, would mean repudiating the authority of God and submitting to slavery. Their motto was "No king but God."
The Rebellion was quickly put down, but other zealots continued to advocate uncompromising resistance to the Romans.
One of Jesus' disciples, Simon, was a zealot (Luke 6:15).
An extremist group of Zealots called Sicarii ("dagger men") used terrorist tactics. They were assassins who killed Romans and even some leading Jews who were cooperating with the Romans.
Josephus says the Zealots played a leading role in starting the Jewish wars against the Romans in 66 AD. They fought bravely until the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD.
The Sicarii, led by Eleazar (a descendant of Judas of Galilee), fled to an old fortress Herod had strengthened at Masada. They held the fortress until 73 AD. Then, before the attacking Roman soldiers could take the stronghold, they committed suicide rather than surrender.
Josephus says of the Zealots:
"The (Zealot) philosophy agrees with the Pharisees except that they have an overwhelming desire for liberty, with the conviction that God alone is their leader. They will easily endure any sort of pain or death so long as they do not have to call man their master."
Judas Iscariot:
Because of his last name, some people think Judas Iscariot may have been a Sicarii. There is some Biblical support for this since Jesus paired him with Simon the Zealot (Matthew 10:4), when He sent out the disciples. But Judas' motive for betraying Jesus seems to simply be that he loved money.
Others say that the name Iscariot simply means "a man from Kerioth." "Ish" is the Hebrew word for "man." Kerioth was the name of a village in Judah (see Joshua 15:25) This last explanation seems to be a better one than the first. In 1st century Palestine it was common to name people according to their town or village of origin: Thus "Jesus of Nazareth" or "Mary Magdalene" (i.e. Mary of Magdala), or Judas Iscariot.
next lesson: Josephus
previous lesson: Priests
table of contents