Theudas Θευδᾶς
Jewish rebel leader killed by Roman authorities
Biography
Theudas is mentioned in Act.5.36 as an example of a failed messianic pretender. According to Gamaliel, a respected Pharisee, Theudas rose up claiming to be somebody important and gathered about four hundred men to follow him. However, he was killed, and his followers were dispersed, resulting in the failure of his movement. Gamaliel used Theudas and another rebel named Judas the Galilean as cautionary examples to dissuade the Jewish council from persecuting the apostles. He argued that if the apostles' movement was of human origin, it would fail like those of Theudas and Judas.
In Scripture
1 biblical book ; 1 with study contentActs 1 verse
- Acts 5:36
"For before these days Theudas rose up, making himself out to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves. He was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were dispersed, and came to nothing."
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Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script | Strong's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Named | Greek | Θευδᾶς | G2333 |
Theudas
tles (Ac 5:36). The failure of the rebellion of Theudas was quoted by Gamaliel on this occasion as typical of the natural end of such movements as were inspired "not of God, but of men." A rising under one Theudas is also described by Josephus (Ant., XX, v, 1), but this occurred at a later date (according to Josephus about 44 or 45 AD) than the speech of Gamaliel (before 37 AD). Of theories put forward in explanation of the apparent anachronism in Gameliels speech, the two most in favor are
(1) that as there were many insurrections during the period in question, the two writers refer to different Theudases;
(2) that the reference to Theudas in the narrative of Ac was inserted by a later reviser, whose historical knowledge was inaccurate (Weiss; compare also Knowling, The Expositor's Greek Testament, II, 157-59).
C. M. Kerr
(`ets `abhoth (Le 23:40; Ne 8:15)): One of the varieties of trees which the Israelites were directed to use at the Feast of Tabernacles; in