Zealots

Matt. 10:4  (ESV)  Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

We’ve all heard of Simon the Zealot, one of Jesus’ disciples, but who were the Zealots exactly?

The Zealots were one of five major Jewish Sects of the first century Flavius Josephus lists in his histories: Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, Sicarii, and, of course, the Zealots.

F. F. Bruce, in his New Testament History (p. 93), says the term zealot, “ may denote not only a zeal in the common sense but a religious jealousy for the exclusive honour of Israel’s God against anyone or anything that threatened to diminish his honor.”

About 167 b.c., the Greek king, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, robbed the Jewish temple of its wealth, outlawed the Jewish religion, and ordered only pagan sacrifices would be allowed.  In 1 Maccabees, we are told how the Maccabean Revolt in 167 b.c. against Antiochus Epiphanes was started by Mattathias Maccabaeus, a man zealous for God: 

1 Maccabees 2:23-28  “. . . there came one of the Jews in the sight of all to sacrifice on the altar which was at Modin, according to the king’s commandment. ²⁴ Which thing when Mattathias saw, he was inflamed with zeal, and his reins trembled, neither could he forbear to shew his anger according to judgment: wherefore he ran, and slew him upon the altar. ²⁵ Also the king’s commissioner, who compelled men to sacrifice, he killed at that time, and the altar he pulled down. ²⁶ Thus dealt he zealously for the law of God like as Phinees did unto Zambri the son of Salom.

“²⁷ And Mattathias cried throughout the city with a loud voice, saying, Whosoever is zealous of the law, and maintaineth the covenant, let him follow me. ²⁸ So he and his sons fled into the mountains, and left all that ever they had in the city.” (KJV with Apocrypha)

The Maccabeans defeated King Antiochus IV and eventually gained their independence (and semi-independence under the Hasmonean Dynasty 140-63 b.c.) until the Romans annexed Israel in 63 b.c.

The Zealots of the time of Jesus traced their movement directly back to Mattathias Maccabaeus, but Israel has had people zealous for the purity of the faith since Zimri and his Midianite wife were killed by Phinehas (Num. 25:6-6) to forestall the wrath of God and return the Israelite faith to it’s purity.

The Zealots swore to protect the faith at all costs.  One faction strove to accomplish this by peaceful means while others saw their duty to also include violence to gain the freedom of the nation of Israel against the occupying Romans.

Pilate offered to free either Jesus or a “robber” named Barabbas at the time of Jesus’ sentencing to crucifixion.  The crowd chose to save Barabbas.  Since he was found guilty not just of robbery but also of sedition, many scholars believe Barabbas may well have been one of these nationalistic zealots.

It  should be mentioned it was a group of Zealots who bravely gave their lives at the last stand against the Romans at Masada in 72 a.d.

Why is this important?

Our own zeal for the Lord is commended throughout the Bible.  Paul tells the church in Corinth:

2 Cor. 9:1-2 (ESV)  Now it is superfluous for me to write to you about the ministry for the saints, ² for I know your readiness, of which I boast about you to the people of Macedonia, saying that Achaia has been ready since last year. And your zeal has stirred up most of them.

Jude 3 tells us,  (NASB)  Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.  

In many churches all over the world, the world has crept into the message.  Sermons are about current events leaving out our need for zeal toward the purity and accuracy of the biblical faith God commands.  Let us never turn from our zealousness for God and for His Word.