Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 5:37
After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, [even] as many as obeyed him, were dispersed.
37. Judas of Galilee ] With this account agrees the history of Josephus ( Antiq. xviii. 1. 1), except that, as has been already noticed, he calls Judas a Gaulonite, but as when speaking of the same man again (xx. 5. 2) he calls him Judas of Galilee, and in the same sentence alludes to the history before narrated “as we have shewn in a foregoing book,” we can have no hesitation in accepting Gamaliel’s story as the correct one, while at the same time we may learn from this example what value we ought to place on the accuracy of Josephus when we have to weigh his statements against those of the New Testament.
in the days of the taxing ] Not the same which is mentioned Luk 2:2. That was rather an enrolment or census-taking preliminary to taxation. The revolt of Judas, about seven years later, was caused by the actual imposition of a tax. Josephus says of it (xviii. 1. 1): “Cyrenius came into Juda to take an account of their substance,” and afterwards “Judas said that this taxation was no better than an introduction to slavery, and exhorted the nation to assert their liberty.”
drew away much people after him ] The Greek word rendered much is wanting in the best MSS. Read, drew away [some of the] people after him.
he also perished ] Josephus gives no notice of the fate of Judas and his party, though he mentions the revolt several times and says ( B. J. ii. 8. 1) that this “Judas was a teacher of a peculiar sect of his own.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Judas of Galilee – Josephus has given an account of this man (Antiq., xvii. 10, section 5), and calls him a Galilean. He afterward calls him a Gaulonite, and says he was of the city of Gamala (Antiq., 18:1:1). He says that the revolt took place under Cyrenius, a Roman senator, who came into Syria to be judge of that nation, and to take account of their substance. Moreover, says he, Cyrenius came himself into Judea, which was now added to the province of Syria, to take an account of their substance, and to dispose of Archelaus money. Yet Judas, taking with him Saddouk, a Pharisee, became zealous to draw them to a revolt, who both said that this taxation was no better than an introduction to slavery, and exhorted the nation to assert their liberty, etc. This revolt, he says, was the commencement of the series of revolts and calamities that terminated in the destruction of the city, temple, and nation.
In the days of the taxing – Or, rather, the enrolling, or the census. Josephus says it was designed to take an account of their substance. Compare Luk 2:1-2.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 37. Judas of Galilee] Concerning Judas of Galilee, Rabbi Abraham, in Jucasin, fol. 139, writes thus: “In this time there were three sects: for, besides the Pharisees and Sadducees, Judas of Galilee began another sect, which was called Essenes. They caused the Jews to rebel against the Romans, by asserting that they should not obey strangers; nor call any one Lord (or Governor) but the holy blessed God above.” Rabbi Abraham makes a mistake here: the Essenes existed long before the days of Judas of Galilee; but it is very possible that he might have been one of that sect. Josephus mentions the insurrection made by Judas of Galilee, Ant. lib. xviii. cap. 1, and says it was when Cyrenius was governor of Syria: See Clarke on Lu 2:2. Bp. Pearce supposes that there were two , taxations or enrolments; and that the one mentioned here took place ten years after that mentioned in Lu 2:1-5. He observes also, in conformity with the note on the preceding verse, that the Judas mentioned here, was not only different from that Judas or Theudas spoken of before, but that his pretence for rebellion was different; the former wished to have the empire of Judea; the latter only maintained that it was base and sinful to obey a heathen governor.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Judas of Galilee; whether this was the same Judas who was called Gaulonite, from the place of his birth, a town in or near Galilee, and Galileus, from the province itself in which he was born, it is not so material to discuss, Josephus makes mention of two of this name.
The taxing; setting down all their names at the command of the Roman emperor, whereby,
1. They professed themselves to be his subjects.
2. They paid him a certain rate, in token of subjection, for every head, as poll money.
3. By this means he knew the number of his subjects, and the strength or weakness of every province. This was another tax than that mentioned Luk 2:2, which is there called the first.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
37. Judas of Galilee(See onLu 2:2, and Lu13:1-3) [JOSEPHUS,Antiquities, 13.1.1].
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
After this man rose up, Judas of Galilee,…. Of whom Josephus thus says k:
“there was a man of Galilee, by name Judas, who led his countrymen into rebellion, declaring it an evil, should they suffer tribute to be paid to the Romans, and introduce mortal rulers after God.”
And not unlike this is what another Jewish writer says l of Judas the Galilean, and his party:
“these were the cause of the Jews rebelling against the Romans, for they said, it was not fit that any should rule over men but God alone; and that no one should be called Lord, but the blessed God.”
And this insurrection was “in the days of the taxing”; which was made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria; and the reason of it was, because he and his party would not pay that tax, for the reasons suggested in the above citations: and this is what Josephus refers to, when he says m,
“Cyrenius came to Syria, sent from Caesar as judge of the nation, and appraiser of their estates; upon which Judas, the Gaulonite, (the same with Judas of Galilee,) rebelled, and Saddochus with him; saying, that this appraisment brought nothing else but servitude upon them; and therefore exhorted the nation to vindicate their liberty.”
And his exhortations and arguments prevailed with the people: wherefore it follows here,
and drew away much people after him; perhaps a much larger number than Theudas did, since they are not expressly mentioned how many they were:
he also perished; being killed in the insurrection, or taken and put to death by the Romans. So Origen says n, that he was punished, and his doctrine was destroyed, and remained only among a few contemptible persons:
and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed; were forced to fly, some one way, and some another, and could make nothing of it: and as this instance was after the other before mentioned; and was so early as under the government of Cyrenius, and at the time of the taxing under him; it shows that Theudas could not be the Theudas of Josephus, unless the words should be rendered as see choose to do, “besides this man rose up Judas”, c. And others observe, that “after him”, is the same as “before him” and which, however, at first hearing, may seem very absurd, yet is justified by instances, as being a very proper way of speaking, seeing, when an account proceeds from the last as nearest, the first must be last, and the last first. Some, in order to reconcile this passage, think, that there is a transposition in the words of Luke, and that they should be read thus, “for before those days rose up Judas of Galilee”, c. and then, “after this man rose up Theudas”, c. so making Judas of Galilee more ancient than Theudas, as he must be, if he is the same Theudas Josephus speaks of: but still it is a difficulty how he could be the same, when that fact of his, the above historian speaks of, was seven, or eight, or ten, and, as some say, twelve years after this speech of Gamaliel’s. To remove this, it is proposed, that what is said concerning Theudas is to be put into a parenthesis, and to be considered not as the words of Gamaliel saying them in the sanhedrim, but as the words of Luke the historian, who wrote after this fact was done and because of the agreement of it with that of Judas, mentioned by Gamaliel, he inserts it here, and joins it with it o. And yet, after all, it looks as if it was another Theudas that is here spoken of, who was before Judas; and that he that Josephus speaks of, might be, as Dr. Lightfoot conjectures, one of his posterity, who was of, the same name, and trod in his steps, and. was guilty of sedition as his ancestor was, and as the sons of Judas were, mentioned by the same historian in the same place.
k De Bello Jud. l. 2. c. 8. sect. 1. l Juchasin, fol. 139. 1. m Antiqu. l. 18. c. 1. sect. 1. Vid. l. 20. c. 4. sect. 2. n L. 1. contr. Cels. p. 44. o Vid. Vales. Not. in Euseb. Eccl. Hist. l. 2. c. 11. & Capelli Spicileg. in loc.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Of the enrolment ( ). Described by Josephus (Ant. XV. 1, 1). The same word used by Luke of the first enrolment started by Augustus B.C. 8 to 6 (Lu 2:2). See the discussion on Lu 2:2. This is the second enrolment in the fourteen year cycle carried on for centuries as shown by numerous dated papyri. Ramsay (The Bearing of Recent Discovery on the Trustworthiness of the N.T.) has produced proof from inscriptions that Quirinius was twice in Syria as Luke reports (Robertson, Luke the Historian in the Light of Research).
Drew away (). Causative sense of the first aorist active indicative of , made people (, no need of “some of the”) to revolt (apostatize) with him.
He also (, crasis for ). That one, also.
Were scattered abroad (). First aorist (effective) passive indicative of , old verb to disperse. Used of sheep (Mr 14:27), of property (Lu 15:13). Aorist here after imperfect () as in verse 36.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Obeyed. Note the word for obeyed [] , implying the persuasive power of Theudas’ boasting. See on ver. 29.
Taxing [] . See on Luk 2:1, 2.
Much people. The best texts omit much.
Were dispersed [] . See on Mt 25:24.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “After this man rose up Judas of Galilee,” (meta touton aneste loudas ho Galilaios) “After this (the days of Theudas) there stood up Judas of Galilee,” also a self-appointed public leader, an insurrectionist. This is a second specific example of public windbags and empty clouds to which Gamaliel calls the attention of the council. To infer that if the apostles were of like order their plaudits from men would also soon fade away.
2) “In the days of the taxing,” (en tais hemerais tes apographes) “in the days of the enrollment,” the time of tax assessment, perhaps referred to as the taxing under Caesar Augustus, Luk 2:1. This Judas was of the territory of Galilee. This was under Cyrenius Governor of Syria.
3) “And drew away much people after him:” (kai apestesen laon opiso autou) “And caused many people to stand up after (following after) him,” in a tax rebellion in Syria, Galilee, and Judea, Luk 2:1-5.
4) “He also perished; (kakeinos apo; eto) “And that man (Judas of Galilee) also perished,” lost his life, came to nothing in comparison with his crusading promises, as a false prophet in Israel, 2Pe 2:1-13.
5) “And all, even as many as obeyed him,” (kai pantes hosoi epeithonto auto) “And all (those) as many as were persuaded to stand up (with him),” To stand up with and follow holy men is an holy thing, 1Co 11:1-2; But to follow the blind, deaf, dumb leader is to fall into the ditch, to come to sudden loss, Pro 25:14.
6) “Were dispersed,” (deskorpisthesan) “Were (also) scattered or dispersed,” driven out of Galilee, out of the country; God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble, 1Pe 5:6; Jas 4:7-8; Jas 4:10.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(37) Judas of Galilee.In one passage Josephus (Ant. xviii. 1) calls him a Gaulonitei.e., of the country east of Galilee. Had this stood alone, St. Luke might have been charged here also with inaccuracy; but in other passages (Ant. xx. 5, 2; Wars, ii. 8, 1) he is described as a Galilean. On the taxing, in the modern sense of the term, which followed on the census that synchronised with our Lords nativity, both being conducted under the supervision of Quirinus, see Notes on Luk. 2:1-2. The insurrection of Judas was by far the most important of the attempts to throw off the yoke of Rome. He was assisted by a Pharisee, named Sadduk, and the absolute independence of Israel was the watchword of his followers. It was unlawful, in any form, to pay tribute to Csar. It was lawful to use any weapons in defence of freedom. The war they waged was a religious war; and Josephus, writing long after the movement had collapsed, but giving, obviously, the impressions of his own early manhood, enumerates them as being with the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes, with the first of whom they were very closely alliedone of the four great religious sects of Judaism. Roman procurators and princes, like Archelaus and Antipas, were naturally united against him, and he and his followers came to the end of which Gamaliel speaks. His influence over the excitable population of Galilee was, however, at the time great, and in part survived. One of the Apostles probably derived his name of Zelotes, or Cananite (see Notes on Mat. 10:4), from having been among the followers of Judas, who were known by that name. His sons, Jacob and Simon, continued to be looked on as leaders after his death, and were crucified under Tiberius Alexander, the successor of Fadus in the procuratorship (Jos. Ant. xx. 5, 2).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
37. Judas of Galilee This statement by Gamaliel is either confirmed or left undenied by Josephus’ account of him. He is called Gaulonite from his having been born in Gaulonitis; but Galilean, probably because he afterward lived in Galilee.
Taxing The taxing consequent to the census of Luk 2:1, (where see our note,) and about seven years subsequent to it.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Act 5:37. And allas many as obeyed him, Dr. Lardner has justly observed, that the word rendered dispersed, by no means implies that these men, were destroyed. Gamaliel’s reason will for ever hold good against all persecution and intolerance. See the note on Luk 13:1-2. We may just observe, for the classical reader, that there is in Homer’s Iliad, E. 606 a line very similar to what Gamaliel says, Act 5:39.
u917? . The words lest haply are to be connected with let them alone, Act 5:38 and all that comes between it to be read in a parenthesis. “This speech of Gamaliel seems to me (says Dr. Benson,) to have been made, partly in opposition to the Sadducees, partly out of policy, to fall in with the popular sentiments at that time concerning the apostles, that the people might still keep up their veneration for him and for the other leading men among the Pharisees. But he seems to have spoken after that manner chiefly from an expectation of a temporal deliverance, and a strong desire to see it accomplished bythe apostles of Jesus, rather than not at all.”With what principle or view soever Gamaliel made it, his speech had so good an effect upon the Sanhedrim, that, instead of putting the twelve apostles to death, they called them in, and only ordered them to be scourged. “This, (says the Doctor,) I suppose, was the inflicting upon them what St. Paul calleth the forty stripes save one, 2Co 11:24. For the Romans did then allow the Jews to make use of that punishment as they thought proper.”
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Act 5:37 . ] Joseph. Antt. xviii. 1. 1, calls him a Gaulanite; for he was from Gamala in Lower Gaulanitis. But in Antt. xviii. 1. 6, xx. 5. 2, Bell. ii. 8. 1, xvii. 8, he mentions him likewise as . Apparently the designation “the Galilean” was the inaccurate one used in ordinary life, from the locality in which the man was at work . Gaulanitis lay on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee.
He excited an insurrection against the census which Augustus in the year 7 aer. Dion. (thirty-seven years after the battle of Actium, Joseph. Antt. xviii. 2. 1) caused to be made by Quirinius the governor of Syria (see on Luk 2:2 ), representing it as a work of subjugation, and calling the people to liberty with all the fanatical boldness kindled by the old theocratic spirit. Joseph. Antt. xviii. 1. 1. See Gerlach, d. Rm. Statthalter , p. 45 f.; Paret in Herzog’s Encykl. VII. p. 126 f.
] he withdrew them (from the government), and made them his own adherents . Attraction: Hermann, ad Vig. p. 893.
] a notice which supplements Josephus. According to Joseph. Antt. xx. 5. 2, two sons of Judas perished at a later period, whom Tiberius Alexander, the governor of Judaea, caused to be crucified. Comp. Bell. ii. 8. 1. Still later a third son was executed ( Bell. ii. 17. 8 f.; Vit. v. 11).
] they were scattered , which does not exclude the continuance of the faction, whose members were afterwards very active as zealots, and again even in the Jewish war (Joseph. Bell. ii. 17. 7); therefore it is not an incorrect statement (in opposition to de Wette).
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
37 After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed.
Ver. 37. Rose up Judas of Galilee ] Or Judas Gaulonites. It was the blood of his followers that Pilate mingled with their sacrifices, Luk 13:1 . To his faction belonged those cut throats or murderers, Act 21:38 , who might very well be of the sect of the Essenes, called by some Hashom, that is, rebels; because, under pretence of asserting the pubhc liberty, they taught the Jews not to acknowledge the Roman Empire; choosing rather to endure the most exquisite torments than to call any man living Lord. (Joseph. xviii. 2.)
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
37 .] The decided fixes beyond doubt the place here assigned to Theudas. This Judas, and the occasion of his revolt, are related by Josephus, Antt. xviii. 1. 1, , , . . , . . , , . And, in returning to the mention of him as the founder of the fourth sect among the Jews (xviii:1. 6), he calls him . From the above citation it is plain that this was that so called , under Quirinus: see Luk 2:2 and note. His revolt took a theocratic character, his followers maintaining (Jos. as above).
] Not related by Josephus.
] Strictly accurate for they still existed, and at last became active and notorious again, under Menahem, son of Judas , , . (B. Jud. ii. 17. 7; see also Antt. xx. 5. 2.)
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Act 5:37 . .: here too an inaccuracy might have been charged against St. Luke, but it is to be noted that while Josephus speaks of Judas as a Gaulonite in one passage, Jos., Ant. , xviii., 1, 1, he frequently, as both Belser and Wendt point out, speaks of him as a Galilean, cf. Ant. , xviii., 1, 6; xx., 5, 2; B. J. , ii., 8, 1, and 17, 8. But the name Galilean might easily be given to him because Galilee was the scene of his exploits, or because Gamala, his home, belonged to Lower Gaulonitis, which was reckoned as part of Galilee. The accuracy of St. Luke in the account of Judas is remarkable, for Gamaliel speaks of his insurrection as coming to nothing. He could so speak, say in 34 or 35 A.D., but not some ten years later, when the followers of Judas had again gathered together, and formed a kind of school or party, to say nothing of the rebellion of his three sons, James, Simon, and later, Menahem; see Belser, u. s. , p. 61, so Lightfoot, u. s. , Nsgen, and Alford’s note.
As we consider the characteristics of such men as Theudas and Judas, it is difficult to suppose that the age which produced them could have produced the Messiah of the Gospels. He is, in truth, the Anti-Christ of Judaism. Instead of giving Himself out to be somebody, Jesus is meek and lowly of heart; instead of stirring revolt in Galilee, a burning furnace of sedition, His blessing is upon the peace-makers; instead of seeking a kingly crown, like Judas the Gaulonite, He withdraws from those who would take Him by force, and make Him a king; instead of preaching revolt and licence in the name of liberty for merely selfish ends, He bade men render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; instead of defiantly bidding His followers to be in subjection to no man, and inaugurating a policy of bloodshed and murder, He bade them remember that whilst One was their Master and Teacher, they all were brethren. Schrer, Jewish People , div. ii., vol. iii., p. 80, E.T., well points out that we have a literary memorial of the views and hopes of the Zealots in the Assumption of Moses , which goes so far as to prophesy that Israel will tread on the neck of the eagle, i.e. , the Romans, x. 8; but see also edition of Assumption of Moses by Prof. Charles, p. 42.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Act 5:37 . ., see Blass, in loco , on St. Luke’s accuracy. We must be careful to distinguish this from Luk 2:1 . The tribal method of numbering which forms an essential part of St. Luke’s story in the Gospel may explain why no such serious disturbance followed as resulted from the Roman numbering and valuation which marked Quirinius’ second Roman administration, “the great census,” . (in 6 8 A.D.), taken when Juda had just become a part of the Roman province of Syria. This “great census,” taken after the Roman method, involved the imposition of a tax, Jos., Ant. , xviii., 1, 1, and it was this impost which roused the indignation of Judas. To pay tribute to a foreign power was to violate an Israelite’s allegiance to Jehovah: “We have no Lord and Master but God,” was the watchword of Judas and his followers. For the whole subject see Ramsay, Expositor , April and June, 1897, and Was Christ born at Bethlehem? (1898), e.g. , pp. 107, 108, 127, 139. : used here transitively, and here only in the N.T., cf. Deu 7:4 , and in classical writers, Herod., i., 76. The verb is not found in any of the Gospels except St. Luke’s, where it occurs four times, and in the Acts six times. It is not only one of the words characteristic of the two books, but also of St. Luke and St. Paul (so also , see on Act 19:26 ), as it is only found once outside St. Paul’s Epistles (in which it is employed four times), viz. , Heb 3:12 ; “drew away some of the people ,” R.V. There is no word which actually expresses this as in T.R., where we have = “much,” A.V. : this prepositional use of . is not found in classical writers, where the word is always an adverb. In the N.T. and LXX the prepositional use is derived from Hebrew , cf. Act 20:30 , Luk 9:23 ; Luk 21:8 . Blass, Grammatik des N. G. , p. 126. : it is true that the sect revived under the name of Zealots, and played an active part in the Jewish wars, but there is no reason for charging St. Luke’s account with inaccuracy (so Overbeck following De Wette). The fate of the leader and the dispersion of his followers was quite sufficient to point the moral which Gamaliel wished to draw.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
After. Greek. meta. App-104.
this man = this one.
Judas of Galilee. His revolt is recorded by Josephus, Antiquities xviii. 1,1.
taxing. Greek. apographe. Only here and Luk 2:2, which see.
drew away = caused to revolt or apostatize.
after. Greek. opiso.
he also. App-124.
perished Greek. apollumi. Only here in Acts. See note on Joh 17:12.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
37.] The decided fixes beyond doubt the place here assigned to Theudas. This Judas, and the occasion of his revolt, are related by Josephus, Antt. xviii. 1. 1, , , . . , . . , , . And, in returning to the mention of him as the founder of the fourth sect among the Jews (xviii:1. 6), he calls him . From the above citation it is plain that this was that so called , under Quirinus: see Luk 2:2 and note. His revolt took a theocratic character, his followers maintaining (Jos. as above).
] Not related by Josephus.
] Strictly accurate-for they still existed, and at last became active and notorious again, under Menahem, son of Judas , , . (B. Jud. ii. 17. 7; see also Antt. xx. 5. 2.)
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Act 5:37. , after) It must therefore be a different Theudas whom Josephus places after this Judas [not before him, as here].- , in the days) A time then well known and suited for attempts to effect a revolution.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Judas: Luk 2:1, Luk 13:1
he also: Job 20:5-9, Psa 7:14, Psa 7:15, Psa 9:15, Psa 9:16, Mat 26:52, Luk 13:1, Luk 13:2
Reciprocal: Mat 22:17 – is Mat 24:5 – in Mat 26:69 – Jesus Luk 2:2 – taxing Luk 20:22 – General Luk 21:8 – for Luk 23:6 – a Galilaean Joh 5:43 – if Act 20:30 – to draw Act 21:38 – that
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
7
Act 5:37. I shall quote from Jo-sephus, Wars. Book 2, Chapter 8, Section 1:”Under his [Coponius, an agent] administration it was that a certain Galilean, whose name was Judas, prevailed with his countrymen to revolt; and said they were cowards if they would endure to pay a tax to the Romans, and would, after God, submit to mortal men as their lords. This man was a teacher of a peculiar sect of his own, and was not at all like the rest of those their leaders.” As a further support of the account of Gamaliel touching the downfall of the claims of Judas, I shall quote Jo-sephus, Antiquities, Book 20, Chapter 5, Section 2: “And besides this, the sons of Judas of Galilee were now slain; I mean of that Judas who caused the people to revolt, when Cy-renius came to take account of the estates of the Jews” [for the purpose of taxing them].
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Act 5:37. After this man arose. These words determine pretty closely the date of the failure of the pretensions of Theudas. The attempted rising of Judas of Galilee, related in this verse, was a well-known one, and happened in the reign of Augustus about A.D. 6 or 7that is, about twenty-six years before the arrest of the apostles. This rising is stated to have taken place after that of Theudas; and as both are related as events which happened not long ago (see note on Act 5:36), in the memory of some still living, we must fix the date of the attempt of Theudas not very long before that of Judas of Galilee. Now, the period of the death of Herod the Great, which happened a few months after the Bethlehem massacre related in Mark it, when, as Josephus states, the land was overrun with insurgents led by various fanatics, one of whom we have suggested was Theudas, in all respects fits in with the history.
Judas of Galilee. A well-known Jewish enthusiast, styled by Josephus the author of a fourth Jewish sect, though his followers professed the opinions held generally by the Pharisees. The great feature of his teaching was that it was unlawful to pay tribute to Caesar, as God was the only Ruler of the nation. His followers were dispersed and himself slain, but his opinions were revived by the fierce faction of the Zealots, which arose in the last days of Jerusalem; two of his sons were subsequently crucified, and a third was also put to death by the Roman authorities, as dangerous rebels, before the outbreak of the Jewish war.
In the days of the taxing. Better translated enrolment. Not that alluded to in Luk 2:2, and which took place at the birth of Christ, and probably was merely a census of the population. This taxing or enrolment was made after the dethronement of Archelaus, when Judea was converted into a Roman province, and the enrolment of persons and property was made with a view to taxation. It was in consequence of this taxing that Judas of Galilee revolted.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
See notes on verse 34
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
Verse 37
Drew away, &c.; in an attempt, probably, to resist the tax.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
Judas of Galilee led a revolt against Rome in A.D. 6. [Note: Josephus, Antiquities of . . ., 2:8:1.] The census in view was probably the one that Quirinius, legate of Syria, took in A.D. 6 when Archelaus was deposed and Judea became part of the Roman province of Syria. [Note: Neil, p. 100.] Judas founded the Zealot movement in Israel that sought to throw off Roman rule violently.
"Judas was a fanatic who took up the position that God was the King of Israel; to Him alone tribute was due; and that all other taxation was impious and to pay it was a blasphemy." [Note: Barclay, pp. 48-49.]
His influence was considerable, though it declined after his death. Gamaliel seems to have been playing the influence of Judas down a little more than it deserved.