A very common name in the Second Temple period—Judas being simply the Greek form of Judah, and Jude being the shortened version of Judas. Six different persons by this name are mentioned in the NT, the most (in)famous being Judas Ischariot. The other five lesser known Judases will be discussed here.
1) One of the four brothers of Jesus one was named Judas: "Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother's name Mary, and aren't his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas?" (Matt 13:55). Many scholars believe he was the same person as Jude, the author of the epistle of that name.
2) Apart from Judas Ischariot, one other of Jesus' twelve disciples was also named Judas, "son of James" (Lk 6:16; Acts 1:13). He may also have been called Thaddaeus or Lebbaeus (Matt 10:3; Mk 3:18). He is on record as being one of the handful of the twelve who asked meaningful questions of Jesus; "Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, 'But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?'" (Jn 14:22). Some scholars think that this Judas, rather than the brother of Jesus, is the author of the epistle of Jude.
3) "Judas the Galilean" was a rebel who "appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered" (Acts 5:37). This is probably the rebel reported by Josephus; "Archelaus's part of Judea was reduced into a province, and Coponius, one of the equestrian order among the Romans, was sent as a procurator, having the power of [life and] death put into his hands by Caesar. Under his administration it was that a certain Galilean, whose name was Judas, prevailed with his countrymen to revolt, and said they were cowards if they would endure to pay a tax to the Romans and would after God submit to mortal men as their lords. This man was a teacher of a peculiar sect of his own, and was not at all like the rest of those their leaders" (Antiquities of the Jews, 8:1). This would put the event about 6 AD.
4) The Jew living on the street named Straight in Damascus with whom Paul stayed after he was blinded in his encounter with the risen Lord on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:11). It was to Judas' house that Ananias was sent by the Lord in a vision to restore sight to Paul and to bring him into the fold of Christ's kingdom.
5) "Judas (called Barsabbas)" was the leader, together with Silas, elected by the Jerusalem church to accompany Paul and Barnabas to Antioch with a letter declaring the decisions of the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:22-31). After delivering the letter, "Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the brothers. After spending some time there, they were sent off by the brothers with the blessing of peace to return to those who had sent them" (vv32f).
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