Texts in Conversation
Acts describes history backwards, describing Theudas as the earlier revolt when Judas the Galilean came decades before him. Josephus reverses the historical figures in the same way in Antiquities, suggesting Acts follows the history of a common source.
Share:
2500 BCE
1000+ CE
Acts 5:36
New Testament
35 Then he said to the council, “Men of Israel, pay close attention to what you are about to do to these men. 36 For sometime ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and about 400 men joined him. He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and nothing came of it. 37 After him Judas the Galilean arose in the days of the census and incited people to follow him in revolt. He too was killed, and all who followed him were scattered. 38 So in this case I say to you, stay away from these men and leave them alone because if this plan or this undertaking originates with people, it will come to nothing,
Josephus Antiquities of the Jews 20.5.1
Classical
1 Now it came to pass, while Fadus was procurator of Judea, that a certain magician, whose name was Theudas, persuaded a great part of the people to take their effects with them, and follow him to the river Jordan. 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. And 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. Who falling upon them unexpectedly, slew many of them, and took many of them alive. They also took Theudas alive, and cut off his head, and carried it to Jerusalem. This was what befel the Jews in the time of Cuspius Fadus’s government. 2 Then came Tiberius Alexander, as successor to Fadus. He was the son of Alexander, the alabarch of Alexandria: which Alexander was a principal person among all his contemporaries, both for his family, and wealth. He was also more eminent for his piety than this his son Alexander: for he did not continue in the religion of his countrey. Under these procurators that great famine happened in Judea, in which Queen Helena bought corn in Egypt, at a great expence, and distributed it to those that were in want: as I have related already. And besides this, the sons of Judas of Galilee were now slain: I mean of that Judas, who caused the people to revolt, when Cyrenius came to take an account of the estates of the Jews; as we have shewed in a foregoing book.4 The names of those sons were James and Simon: whom Alexander commanded to be crucified. But now Herod King of Chalcis, removed Joseph, the son of Camydus, from the High Priesthood; and made Ananias, the son of Nebedus, his successor. And now it was, that Cumanus came as successor to Tiberius Alexander: as also that Herod, brother of Agrippa, the great King, departed this life: in the eighth year of the reign of Claudius Cesar. He left behind him three sons; Aristobulus, whom he had by his first wife, with Bernicianus, and Hyrcanus; both whom he had by Bernice, his brother’s daughter. But Claudius Cesar bestowed his dominions on Agrippa junior.
Date: 93-94 C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
Search:
Notes and References
... Immediately after describing the fate of Theudas under Cuspius Fadus (Antiquities 20.97-99), he summarizes the governorship of Tiberius Julius Alexander. Alexander’s main claim to fame was that he crucified the sons of Judas the Galilean (Antiquities 20.100-102). In describing this action, Josephus reminds the reader about Judas, who incited the people to revolt during the census of Quirinius. The description of Judas here ("incited the people to revolt") is very close to the construction in Acts 5:37, quoted above. As several scholars have suggested, therefore, it may be that Luke’s order, Theudas then Judas, was suggested by his memory of this passage from Josephus. Since Josephus links Theudas and Judas in this order for his own narrative purposes, the reproduction of this connection in Acts is either another noteworthy coincidence or the result of Luke’s knowledge of Josephus. ...
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
Your Feedback:
Leave a Comment
Anonymous comments are welcome. All comments are subject to moderation.