Ζηλωτής
Zēlōtḗs
G2208
SILEX Entry
Definition
One who is zealous, ardent, or passionately devoted to a cause or objective; in certain contexts, particularly in the late Second Temple period, an adherent or member of a political movement that actively opposed Roman occupation and sought to maintain or restore Judean self-governance and traditional customs. In a general sense, the term can refer to anyone characterized by zeal, enthusiasm, or fervor, but in some texts, it denotes a specific faction known for militant activism.
Semantic Range
one who is zealous or fervent, ardent supporter or advocate, partisan, enthusiastic adherent, in Second Temple context—member or sympathizer of an anti-Roman Judean movement, epithet for a person showing conspicuous zeal
Root / Etymology
From the root ζῆλος (zēlos, 'zeal, ardor, enthusiasm'), with the agent suffix -της (-tēs) forming a noun indicating a person characterized by zeal.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Ζηλωτής appears in Hellenistic Greek to describe someone marked by zeal or fervor, not always in a political sense. In the New Testament (notably Luke 6:15, Acts 1:13), it is used as a title for Simon ὁ ζηλωτής, most likely distinguishing him for his ardent devotion, possibly linking him to the movement later called the Zealots—a Judean group known for its anti-Roman fervor during the first century CE. This movement sought to resist Roman influence and defend traditional Judean practices, though the term ζηλωτής itself does not exclusively denote membership in this group until later historical usage. In some Septuagint and Hellenistic sources, ζηλωτής is a general descriptor of passionate advocates or defenders of a person or principle. English translations often render Ζηλωτής as 'the Zealot' or 'Zelotes,' sometimes anachronistically equating it with the strictly defined party active during and after the First Jewish Revolt (66–73 CE). The term's nuance depends on context: as an epithet it can mean either 'zealous adherent' or reference to a political faction; as a common noun, it connotes fervency in action or belief. Contrast ζηλωτής (one characterized by zeal) with ζηλωτής as a descriptive epithet and ζηλοῦν (to be zealous), and note the further distinction from related words like ζηλοτύπος (jealous, envious).
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
the same as ζηλωτής; a Zealot, i.e. (specially) partisan for Jewish political independence:--Zelotes.
Word Forms
0 distinct forms
No word forms found for this Strong's number.
Occurrences in Scripture
0 occurrences
No occurrences found.