hē̇ - rō´di - anz ( Ἡρῳδιανοί , Hērōdianoı́ ): A party three times mentioned in the Gospels (Matthew 22:16; Mark 12:13; Mark 3:6 ) as acting with the Pharisees in opposition to Jesus. They were not a religious sect, but, as the name implies, a court or political party, supporters of the dynasty of Herod. Nothing is known of them beyond what the Gospels state. Whatever their political aims, they early perceived that Christ's pure and spiritual teaching on the kingdom of God was irreconcilable with these, and that Christ's influence with the people was antagonistic to their interests. Hence, in Galilee, on the occasion of the healing of the man with the withered hand, they readily joined with the more powerful party of the Pharisees in plots to crush Jesus (Mark 3:6 ); and again, in Jerusalem, in the last week of Christ's life, they renewed this alliance in the attempt to entrap Jesus on the question of the tribute money (Matthew 22:16 ). The warning of Jesus to His disciples to "beware of the leaven of Herod" (Mark 8:15 ) may have had reference to the insidious spirit of this party.
zel´ut , zel´uts : Simon, one of the apostles, was called "the Zealot"Ζηλωτής , Zēlōtḗs from ζηλόω , zēlóō "to rival," "emulate," "be jealous," "admire," "desire greatly," Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13 , the King James Version "Zelotes"). In Matthew 10:4 and Mark 3:18 he is called "the Cananean" (so the Revised Version (British and American) correctly; not "the Canaanite," as the King James Version says, following inferior manuscripts), ὁ Καναναῖος , hoKananaı́os . From the time of the Maccabees there existed among the Jews a party who professed great zeal for the observance of the "law." According to Josephus (BJ , IV, iii, 9; v, 1; VII, viii, 1) they resorted to violence and assassination in their hatred of the foreigner. It is not improbable that the "Assassins" of Acts 21:38 were identical, or at least closely associated, with this body of "Zealots," to which we must conclude that Simon had belonged before he became one of the Twelve.
Bibliography Information
Orr, James, M.A., D.D. General Editor. Entry for 'Zealot; Zealots'. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia.. 1915.
