Second Thoughts ~ Walking with Judas Part III Zealots

Greetings Dear Reader, 

In case you have missed it, my next work of fiction, The Judas Scroll will be out on November 5, 2021.  It is the next novel in The Jesus Cycle which includes, The Foster Father of God, Magi: The Gift Bearers, and The Praetor.   What I wish to do is address some of the historical background leading up to it. 

First one must understand what a Zealot is.  The Zealots or Sicarii were the fourth philosophy of Jewish faith in the time of Christ.   The Sadducees, the Pharisees, and the Essenes were the other three.  Feel free to read about them all you wish.  My focus is firmly on Judas for this writing.  Iscariot contains the root for Sicarii.  His father Simon, is even called Simon the Zealot.  This identification as a militant conservative Jew goes far in building the argument for his actions. 

Here is the history of Zealots in summary.  They were founded by Judas of Galilee at the time of the same census causing Joseph to travel to Bethlehem.  The Zealots held the biblical view that God was to be their only Ruler and Lord.  Since Rome was claiming sovereignty over Judea, the Zealots were willing to kill them to oust the foreign rulers.  The subset of the Sicarii were the most militant of the Zealots.  They wanted to destroy Roman rule and anyone who sympathized with Rome. 

Ponder with me how a Zealot would interpret all the freedom promises in the Prophets.  Then look at the power Simon and Judas see in Jesus.  He is healing, raising the dead, and escaping enemies through the power of God.  He creates food.  He commands the weather.  The Messiah is supposed to destroy the enemies of the Chosen People.  Here he is before them, keeping the law, living as a devout Jew, and challenging the corrupt Priests.  

Judas wanting Jesus to act to free Israel is in line with both his philosophy and his actions.  It is a primary argument as to why he would hand Jesus over to the Priests.  He wanted Jesus to be the GOD, he believed him to be.  He did not see or chose not to understand that this was not how Jesus would destroy his enemies.  

So, we have a devout Jew who believed he found the Messiah who would free his occupied nation.  He follows God around for three years waiting for him to give the word.  When he does not do it, Judas is not disillusioned.  He is impatient and tries to manipulate the situation.  We will look at that a couple of posts down the path. 

For now, Dear Reader, I leave you with a power-filled Zealot walking with God.  In him is the longing to see the King of Kings on the throne that is only rightfully his.  It is not evil to want this.  It is how we get there that must be answered.  Ponder with me and ask more questions until we talk about the Kingdom to Come. 

Wishing you joy in the journey, 

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a homeowner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) 

Every human story is part of the great story that leads to the Father getting everything back to Good. 

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