A Dictionary of All Religions and Religious Denominations/Galileans

by Hannah Adams

GALILEANS. or GAULITES,^[1] a political sect, or rather party among the Jews, the followers of Judas, a native of Gaulan in Galilee, who in the tenth year of Jesus Christ excited his countrymen, the Galileans, and many other Jews, to take arms, and venture upon all extremities, rather than pay tribute to the Romans. The principles he instilled into his party were, not only that they were a free nation, and ought not to be in subjection to any other; but that they were the elect of God, that he alone was their governour, and that therefore they ought not to submit to any ordinance of man. Though Judas was unsuccessful, and his party in their very first attempt was entirely routed and dispersed; yet so deeply had he infused his own enthusiasm into their minds, that they never rested, until in their own destruction they involved the city and temple.

Original footnotes

1. Acts v. 37. See Calmet's Dict. in Judas, vol. i. new ed.