The occasion[185] of this Faction was thus: When _Cyrenius_ levied this Tax, and seized upon _Archelaus_, _Herod_’s sons goods; then arose this _Judas_ opposing this Tribute; and telling the people, that Tribute was a manifest token of servitude, and that they ought to call none _Lord_, but only him who was _Lord of Lords_, the God of heaven and earth. Whence those that adhered unto him were called _Gaulonitæ_; they were also called _Galileans_.[186] It was their blood that _Pilate_ mixed with their sacrifices, _Luk. 13. 1._ For _Pilate_ had not authority over the Nation of the _Galileans_. The reason of this mixture is thought[187] to be, because the _Galileans_ forbad sacrifices to be offered for the _Roman Empire_, or for the safety of the _Emperour_; whereupon, _Pilate_ being incensed with anger, slew them whilst they were sacrificing.[188] To this faction belonged those murderers, termed Σικαριοὶ, mentioned, _Acts 21. 18._
[186] _Oecumenius. Act. 5. 37. Theophylact. Luc. 13. 1._
[188] _Joseph. l. 7. de bello Judaic. cap. 28. p. 985._
Concerning the _Herodians_, those that number them among _Hereticks_, make the heresie to consist in two things: First, in that they took _Herod_ the Great for the promised _Messias_; because in his Reign, he being a stranger, the _Scepter_ was departed from _Judah_; which was the promised time of the _Messiah_ his coming. Secondly, they honoured him with superstitious solemnities annually performed upon his Birth-days. Of _Herod_ his Birth-day the _Poet_ speaketh,
_---- ---- ---- Cum_ _Herodis venere dies, unctaque fenestra,_ _Dispositæ pinguem nebulam vomuere lucernæ,_ _Portantes violas, rubrumque amplexa catinum,_ _Cauda natat thynni, tumet alta fidelia vino._
Now whether this latter may be referred to _Herod_ the Great, I much doubt; because I find not any Author among the Ancients to speak of _Herod_ the Great his Birth-day: It was another _Herod_, _Tetrarch of Galilee_, otherwise called _Antipas_, whose Birth-day we read celebrated, _Mark 6. 21._ The former point, that the _Herodians_ received _Herod_ as their _Messiah_, though it hath many grave Authors[189] avouching it, yet others[190] justly question the truth thereof; for if the _Herodians_ were _Jews_ (as most think) how then could they imagine, that _Herod_, a stranger, could be the _Messiah_, seeing that it was so commonly preached by the _Prophets_, and known unto the People, that the _Messiah_, must be a _Jew_ born, of the Tribe of _Judah_, and of the house of _David_?