In the time of Jesus, there was a group of fanatic social extremists. They looked forward to the coming of the Messiah, the descendant of David, to revive the previous glory of the Jewish people. The Romans called them Sicarii -, bandits or thieves. Their official name is Zealots which means ‘devoted’ in Greek. They adored only one Lord and would not accept the Roman emperor as their god. They would not participate in the Roman census either, because this would mean to confirm submission to Rome and it would oblige the Jews to pay taxes. Hence, the Zealots and the Romans (including the Jews who supported the Romans) were bitter enemies. The Zealots believed that the Roman Empire would suppress all activities of the Messiah. Hence, they advocated violence in order to get away from the jurisdiction of Rome, to gain independence and to establish a new Kingdom of God. They went into the city to start guerilla warfare, with more frequent incursions during big festivals or celebrations.

One of Jesus’ apostles, Simon, was a Zealot. Many people hoped that Jesus was what they were waiting for: their hero Messiah. Even Jesus’ apostles were having such an expectation. Indeed people would mistake Jesus as a Zealot. For example, Jesus opposed human authority, encouraged people not to be afraid to die, triumphantly entered into Jerusalem, drove merchants away from the Holy Temple. All these actions were considered provocative. At the end at the trial the crowds condemned him as a Zealot.

Jesus was not a Zealot. He did not have any political motivations, or plans for revolution. He did not use sensitive occasions to incite the people; he appropriately answered questions about paying taxes; he did not advocate rebellion; he showed he was a meek king by riding on a donkey; he asked people to love their enemies, to see through failures, to take up serving people as the highest honor; he did not use violence to resist those who arrested him. In the Garden of Gethsemane: “And behold, one of those who accompanied Jesus put his hand to his sword, drew it, and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his ear. “ Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its sheath, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.” (Matthew 26：51-52﹚

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