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GALILaeAN ( Ãáëéëáῖïò ).—Twice Jesus is mentioned as a Galilaean: once by a maid-servant (Mat_26:69); once when Pilate was anxious to transfer the trial of Jesus from his own to Herod’s court (Luk_23:6). It was during the trial of Jesus also that Peter was recognized as a Galilaean by the bystanders (Mat_26:73, Mar_14:70, Luk_22:59; see Galilee, § 7). In Joh_4:45 we read that Galilaeans, who had been at Jerusalem and had seen the works of Jesus there, received Him on that account in their own land. In Luk_13:1 we are told of Pilate’s (evidently recent) punishment of some Galilaeans, whom he had slain even while they were sacrificing. This event cannot be identified with any revolt mentioned in history. Some suppose Barabbas to have been arrested in connexion therewith; some would associate it with the revolt of Judas of Galilee (Josephus BJ ii. viii. 1), but this took place, according to Act_5:37, more than twenty years before. Probably it refers to some small outbreak, severely punished by Pilate as usual (cf. Philo, Leg. ad Gaium, 37).
For characteristics of Galilaeans see Galilee, § 7, ‘People.’
G. W. Thatcher.