THEUDAS

(Theuʹdas) [possibly a contraction for gift of God].

A rebel who started an insurrection with a following of about four hundred men sometime before 6 C.E. By using this Theudas as his first example of a movement that caused no more trouble after its leader was put to death, the Pharisee Gamaliel persuaded the Sanhedrin not to bother the youthful Christian congregation so soon after Jesus’ death.—Acts 5:34-40.