“After Theudas,
Judas the Galilean
Rose up
At the time
Of the census.
He got people
To follow him.
He also perished.
All who followed him
Were scattered.”
μετὰ τοῦτον ἀνέστη Ἰούδας ὁ Γαλιλαῖος ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις τῆς ἀπογραφῆς καὶ ἀπέστησεν λαὸν ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ· κἀκεῖνος ἀπώλετο, καὶ πάντες ὅσοι ἐπείθοντο αὐτῷ διεσκορπίσθησαν.
The author of Acts indicated that after this man Theudas (μετὰ τοῦτον), Judas the Galilean (Ἰούδας ὁ Γαλιλαῖος) rose up (ἀνέστη) at the time (ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις) of the registration census (ἀπογραφῆς). He got people to follow him (καὶ ἀπέστησεν λαὸν ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ). He also perished (κἀκεῖνος ἀπώλετο). All who followed him (καὶ πάντες ὅσοι ἐπείθοντο αὐτῷ) were scattered or dispersed (διεσκορπίσθησαν). Judas the Galilean led a tax revolt around 6 CE. He was considered the father of the Zealot movement against the Roman rulers in Israel about a Roman census in 6 CE. However, he came before Theudas. Was there another Theudas before Judas the Galilean? Gamaliel seemed to indicate that these uprisings usually died off after they lost their leader. How important to a movement is its leader?