The Snag of The Sword by Kattathara Thomas S.J

Author:Kattathara, Thomas S.J.
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Peter Lang AG

Conclusion

The Zealots, the Sicarii, the Robbers and the other minor groups like the Barjone and the Galileans provide us a concrete socio-political view of the time of Jesus and His disciples. Most of the informations about these groups come from Josephus. However, it must be kept in mind that he often refers to them contemptuously. These names appear again and again in the writings of Josephus. For him they are lawless rebels, who often cause social unrest. He, at ← 131 | 132 → times, distorts the real aim of these groups and stresses greed as their fundamental motive – a charge motivated greatly by personal interests rather than the social cause and the aims of these rebels. The word rebels fits very well, perhaps, to the lh|stai,. The Sicarii had originally a similar meaning. It was given to those who revolted against the Roman enemies and due to the way they fought. Josephus refers to the particular group of men under Menahem, who fled to Masada after his murder, as Sicarii. But the Romans, in general, called every Jewish freedom fighter a Sicarius. The name ‘Galilean’ stresses the importance of Galilee in the fight against the Roman rule.

However, deep spiritual motives can be attributed to most of these groups, especially to the Zealots. They express a special zeal for YHWH and His law. This zeal is expressed, rigorously, in their refusal to be submissive to any law and rule other than YHWH’s. They refused to compromise anything other than God’s Commandmend and resorted to the use of violence against anyone who did not adhere to that law. A short analysis of the various Jewish freedom movements takes us to the context of Jesus and His disciples, which is basic also to the exegetical study of Lk 22:35–38. The context determines, illustrates and even limits the meaning of any teaching. ← 132 | 133 →

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