Acts 5:36 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Rose up Theudas, boasting himself, &c.— Pretending to somewhat extraordinary. Heylin. Theudas was a very common name among the Jews; the person therefore here mentioned most probably was one among the many leaders who, as Josephus informs us, took up arms in defence of the public liberties, when the grand enrolment and taxation were made by Cyrenius, in the days of Archelaus: for that this was not the Theudas mentioned by Josephus under the character of a false prophet (who drew a great number of people after him, with a promise of dividing Jordan before them, but was defeated, andbeheaded, most of his followers being also slain or imprisoned) is plain from hence, that he appeared when Fadus was procurator of Judea; that is, according to the best calculations, at least ten years after this was spoken. The Theudas here mentioned seems to have been supported by smaller numbers than the second of that name: but, like that second, he perished in the attempt. As his followers were dispersed, and not slaughtered, like those of the second Theudas, survivors might nottalk much of him, and Josephus might not think it worth his while to make a particularmention of him, though his history might be well known to Gamaliel, and the people of those times. This account of Theudas renders all the criticisms upon the beginning of the next verse entirely useless. In the days of the taxing might be read, In those days of the taxation, or enrolment; meaning those same days, or at the same period of time, when Theudas appeared. The reader will find in Josephus's 18th book of his Antiquities, an account of Judas of Galilee. See also the notes on Matthew 22:16; Matthew 24:3-4.Luke 2:2.