izarya
6th June 2007, 04:00 PM
The Sicarii or Sacarii were an extremely violent political-religious group of assassins that emerged from the Zealots who required its members to completely reject any foreign ruler over Israel. They became known as Sacarii after the Latin word for the short ice-pick like daggers which they were known to carry under their clothing to execute anyone they felt to be a Roman sympathizer, especially from among their own people.
They taught that God required absolute obedience, which included an active resistance against all foreign powers. They believed that only under these conditions would God intervene and establish the Messianic Age and put Israel back in it's rightful place as rulers of the earth, God's chosen people.
The Sicarii resisted foreign rule by refusing to pay taxes; harassing and murdering government officials; and rebelling against the use of the Greek and Latin languages. They interpreted the writings of certain biblical prophets to mean that they were living in the time of Messianic salvation.
Among Jesus' disciples were at least two members of the Zealot party: Simeon Zealotes (Simon the Zealot) and Yehudah Sicarius (or Judah the Assassin), usually translated into English as “Judas Iscariot.”
Scholars are not in agreement about the origin of the Sacarii. Some conclude that their roots go back to the second century BCE, when Jewish priest-kings called the Hasmoneans (Maccabees) attempted to restore Israel to its Davidic boundaries and glory.
One early leader, Judas of Gamla, referred to as Judas the Galilean in Acts. 5:37, initiated the resistance movement at the time of the census (6-7 BCE).
Bar Abba (Barabbas, or Son of a Father), who was released by Governor Pilate in exchange for Jesus' execution, was a notorious Sicarius (Matthew 27:11-25).
Still Under Construction
They taught that God required absolute obedience, which included an active resistance against all foreign powers. They believed that only under these conditions would God intervene and establish the Messianic Age and put Israel back in it's rightful place as rulers of the earth, God's chosen people.
The Sicarii resisted foreign rule by refusing to pay taxes; harassing and murdering government officials; and rebelling against the use of the Greek and Latin languages. They interpreted the writings of certain biblical prophets to mean that they were living in the time of Messianic salvation.
Among Jesus' disciples were at least two members of the Zealot party: Simeon Zealotes (Simon the Zealot) and Yehudah Sicarius (or Judah the Assassin), usually translated into English as “Judas Iscariot.”
Scholars are not in agreement about the origin of the Sacarii. Some conclude that their roots go back to the second century BCE, when Jewish priest-kings called the Hasmoneans (Maccabees) attempted to restore Israel to its Davidic boundaries and glory.
One early leader, Judas of Gamla, referred to as Judas the Galilean in Acts. 5:37, initiated the resistance movement at the time of the census (6-7 BCE).
Bar Abba (Barabbas, or Son of a Father), who was released by Governor Pilate in exchange for Jesus' execution, was a notorious Sicarius (Matthew 27:11-25).
Still Under Construction