SEV Biblia, Chapter 5:36
Porque antes de estos días se levant Teudas, diciendo que era alguien; al que se agreg un nmero de hombres como cuatrocientos, el cual fue muerto; y todos los que le creyeron fueron dispersos, y reducidos a nada.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 5:36
Verse 36. Rose up Theudas] Josephus, Ant. lib. xx. cap. 4, sect. 1, mentions one named Theudas who was the author of an insurrection; about whom there has been much controversy whether he were the person spoken of here by Gamaliel. Every circumstance, as related by Josephus agrees well enough with what is referred to here, except the chronology; for the Theudas mentioned by Josephus made his insurrection when Fadus was governor of Judea; which was at least ten years after the time in which the apostles were brought before this council. Much labour has been thrown away in unsuccessful attempts to reconcile the historian and the evangelist, when it is very probable they speak of different transactions. Bp. Pearce thinks "the whole difficulty will disappear if we follow the opinion of Abp. Usher, who imagined that Luke's Theudas was the same with that Judas of whom Josephus gives this account, Ant. lib. xvii. cap. 12, sect. 5; and War, lib. ii. cap. 4, sect. 1: 'that a little after the death of Herod the Great, he raised an insurrection in Galilee, and aimed at getting the sovereignty of Judea,' and that he was defeated and put to death, as is implied in sect. 10, of the same chapter. That Theudas and Judas might be names for the same person, Bp. Pearce thinks probable from the consideration, that the same apostle who is called Judas in John xiv. 22, and Luke vi. 16, and called Jude in Jude 1, is, in Mark iii. 18, called Thaddeus; and, in Matt. x. 3, is also called Lebbeus. This apostle having the names Judas and Thaddeus and Lebbeus given to him, two of these must have been the same; because no Jew had more than two names, unless when a patronymic name was given to him, as when Joseph surnamed Justus was called Barsabas, i.e. the son of Saba. It is no unreasonable thing to suppose that Thaddeus and Theudas are the same name; and that therefore the person called Theudas in Luke is probably the same whom Josephus, in the places above quoted, calls Judas." Dr. Lightfoot thinks that "Josephus has made a slip in his chronology;" and rather concludes that the Theudas mentioned in the Ant. lib. xx. cap. 4, sect. 1, is the person referred to in the text. I confess the matter does not appear to me of so much consequence; it is mentioned by Gamaliel in a careless way, and St. Luke, as we have already seen, scrupulously gives the Lords of every speaker. The story was no doubt well known, and there were no doubts formed on it by the Jewish Council. We see plainly the end for which it was produced; and we see that it answered this end most amply; and certainly we have no farther concern with Gamaliel or his story. Boasting himself to be somebody] legon einai tina eauton, Saying that he was a great personage, i.e., according to the supposition of Bp.
Pearce, setting himself up to be king of the Jews: see the preceding note.
After eauton, himself, magan, great one, is added by several very respectable MSS. and versions.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 36. For before these days rose up Theudas , etc.]. There is one of this name Josephus speaks of, who set up for a prophet, and drew a large number of people after him; pretending, that if they would follow him to the river Jordan, and take their goods along with them, he would but give the word, and the waters would divide and leave them passage to go over dryfoot; but Cuspius Fadus, who then had the administration of Judea, sent out some troops of horse, before they were aware, and killed many of them, and took divers others, and brought them in triumph to Jerusalem, with the head of Theudas. This account agrees with this instance of Gamaliel, only differs in chronology; since, according to Gamaliels account, this case of Theudas was some time ago, and must have been before now, or he could not have mentioned it; whereas the story Josephus relates, as being in the times of Cuspius Fadus, was several years after this.
Some think Josephus is mistaken in his chronology, and then all is right.
Others, that another Theudas is intended; who, as Origen says f220 , was before the birth of Christ, since he was before Judas of Galilee, who rose up in the days of the taxing, at which time Christ was born: and the phrase, before these days, seems to design a good while ago. This name was in use among the Jews, and is either the same with hdwt , Thuda, or Thoda, so the Syriac version reads; one of the disciples of Christ was so called by the Jews f221 , whose name was Thaddeus: or with swdwt , Thudus; one of this name, said to be a man of Rome, is frequently mentioned in the Talmud; and another also that was a physician f223 ; but both different from this Theodas. The Vulgate Latin and Arabic versions read, Theodas; and some take it to be a contraction of Theodotus, Theodorus, or Theodosius.
Just as Theucharis is put for Theocharis, and Theudosia for Theodosia: but it seems rather to be an Hebrew name; and so Jerom took it to be, who renders it praise: but who the man was is not certain; however, he rose up, as Gamaliel says, and made an insurrection, boasting himself to be some body , or some great one, as the Alexandrian copy, and three of Bezas copies read, and two of Stephenss, and the Complutensian cdition; and as read also the Syriac and Arabic versions; just as Simon Magus did afterwards, ( Acts 8:9) and so Josephuss Theudas gave out, that he was a prophet, and promised great things to the people, as to divide the waters of Jordan for them, by a word speaking and lead them through it as on dry land: to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves ; who believing what he said, put themselves under his command, and set him at the head of them: who was slain : so Josephuss Theudas had his head cut off by the troops of Cuspius Fadus, the Roman governor: and as many as obeyed him were scattered and brought to nought ; some killed, and others taken; and so the faction was quelled, and came to nothing. This instance Gamaliel produces, to show that impostors and seditious persons, such as the apostles were thought to be, seldom succeeded, but generally failed in their attempts, and were blasted; and with the same view he mentions the following one.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 34-42 - The Lord still has all hearts in his hands, and sometimes directs the prudence of the worldly wise, so as to restrain the persecutors. Commo sense tells us to be cautious, while experience and observation sho that the success of frauds in matters of religion has been very short Reproach for Christ is true preferment, as it makes us conformable to his pattern, and serviceable to his interest. They rejoiced in it. I we suffer ill for doing well, provided we suffer it well, and as we should, we ought to rejoice in that grace which enabled us so to do The apostles did not preach themselves, but Christ. This was the preaching that most offended the priests. But it ought to be the constant business of gospel ministers to preach Christ: Christ, and his crucified; Christ, and him glorified; nothing beside this, but what ha reference to it. And whatever is our station or rank in life, we shoul seek to make Him known, and to glorify his name __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
προ 4253 PREP γαρ 1063 CONJ τουτων 5130 D-GPF των 3588 T-GPF ημερων 2250 N-GPF ανεστη 450 5627 V-2AAI-3S θευδας 2333 N-NSM λεγων 3004 5723 V-PAP-NSM ειναι 1511 5750 V-PXN τινα 5100 X-ASM εαυτον 1438 F-3ASM ω 3739 R-DSM προσεκολληθη 4347 5681 V-API-3S αριθμος 706 N-NSM ανδρων 435 N-GPM ωσει 5616 ADV τετρακοσιων 5071 A-GPN ος 3739 R-NSM ανηρεθη 337 5681 V-API-3S και 2532 CONJ παντες 3956 A-NPM οσοι 3745 K-NPM επειθοντο 3982 5712 V-IPI-3P αυτω 846 P-DSM διελυθησαν 1262 5681 V-API-3P και 2532 CONJ εγενοντο 1096 5633 V-2ADI-3P εις 1519 PREP ουδεν 3762 A-ASN
Vincent's NT Word Studies
36. Joined themselves (prosekollhqh). The best texts read prosekliqh, were inclined; i.e., leaned to, or took sides with.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
5:36 {Theudas} (qeudas). Luke represents Gamaliel here about A.D. 35 as speaking of a man who led a revolt before that of Judas the Galilean in connection with the enrolment under Quirinius (Cyrenius) in A.D. 6. But Josephus (_Ant_. XX. 5, 1) tells of a Theudas who led a similar insurrection in the reign of Claudius about A.D. 44 or 45. Josephus (_Ant_. XVIII. 1, 6; XX. 5, 2; _War_ ii. 8, 1 and 17, 8) also describes Judas the Galilean or Gaulonite and places him about A.D. 6. It is not certain that Josephus and Luke (gamaliel) refer to the same Theudas as the name is an abbreviation of Theodosus, a common name. "Josephus gives an account of four men named Simon who followed each other within forty years, and of three named Judas within ten years, who were all instigators of rebellion" (Hackett). If the same Theudas is meant, qen either Josephus or Luke (gamaliel) has the wrong historical order. In that case one will credit Luke or Josephus according to his estimate of the two as reliable historians. {To be somebody} (einai tina). Indirect assertion with the infinitive and the accusative of general reference (heauton) and tina, predicate accusative. tina could be "anybody" or "somebody" according to context, clearly "somebody" of importance here. {Joined themselves} (prosekliqe). Correct text and not prosekolleqe (Textus Receptus). First aorist passive indicative of prosklinw, old verb to lean towards, to incline towards. Here only in the N.T. {Was slain} (aneireqe). First aorist passive of anairew (cf. verse #33). {Obeyed} (epeiqonto). Imperfect middle, kept on obeying. {Were dispersed} (dieluqesan). First aorist passive indicative (effective aorist) of dialuw, old verb to dissolve, to go to pieces. Here only in the N.T.
