Bible Dictionary
Theudas
Theudas was an insurgent leader whose failed revolt was cited by Gamaliel before the Jewish council as an example of movements that collapse when they are merely human in origin.
Definition
Theudas was an insurgent leader whose failed movement was cited by Gamaliel before the Jewish council. He led about four hundred men, but his following was dispersed and his cause came to nothing.
Biblical Usage
Gamaliel used Theudas as an example of a movement that would collapse if it were merely human rather than from God.
Historical Background
The Theudas mentioned by Luke is distinguished in the supplied material from a later Theudas described by Josephus, who lived during the reign of Claudius.
Scripture References
Historical Bible Dictionaries
Easton's Bible Dictionary
Thanksgiving, referred to by Gamaliel in his speech before the council at Jerusalem (Acts 5:36). He headed an insurrection against the Roman authority. Beyond this nothing is known of him.
Smith's Bible Dictionary
(God-given), the name of an insurgent mentioned in Gamaliel’s speech before the Jewish council, (Acts 6:35-39) at the time of the arraignment of the apostles. He appeared, according to Luke’s account, at the head of about four hundred men. He was probably one of the insurrectionary chiefs or fanatics by whom the land was overrun in the last year of Herod’s reign. Josephus speaks of a Theudas who played a similar part in the time of Claudius, about A.D. 44; but the Theudas mentioned by St. Luke must be a different person from the one spoken of by Josephus.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>thu'-das (Theudas, a contraction of Theodorus, "the gift of God"): Theudas is referred to by Gamaliel in his speech before the Sanhedrin, when he advised them as to the position they should adopt in regard to the apostles (Ac 5:36). The failure of the rebellion of Theudas was quoted by Gamaliel on this occasion as typical of the natural end of such movements as were inspired "not of God, but of men." A rising under one Theudas is also described by Josephus (Ant., XX, v, 1), but this occurred at a later date (according to Josephus about 44 or 45 AD) than the speech of Gamaliel (before 37 AD). Of theories put forward in explanation of the apparent anachronism in Gameliels speech, the two most in favor are</p><p>(1) that as there were many insurrections during the period in question, the two writers refer to different Theudases;</p><p>(2) that the reference to Theudas in the narrative of Ac was inserted by a later reviser, whose historical knowledge was inaccurate (Weiss; compare also Knowling, The Expositor's Greek Testament, II, 157-59).</p><p>C. M. Kerr</p>