The Egyptian was a 1st-century messianic Jewish revolt leader. His uprising was quelled by the Roman procurator of Judea,
Antonius Felix (ruled 52–60 CE), and the Egyptian fled, while many of his followers were killed and captured, with the remainder managing to flee and hide.
Flavius Josephus says in his ''
Jewish War'' (2.261-262)
In the
Christian
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι� ...
text,
The Acts of the Apostles, the commander (
chiliarch) of the Roman garrison in Jerusalem,
Claudius Lysias
Claudius Lysias is a figure mentioned in the New Testament book of the Acts of the Apostles. According to , Lysias was a Roman tribune and the commander (chiliarch) of the Roman garrison ("cohort" ) in Jerusalem.
Claudius Lysias, the tribune
...
, mistakes Paul for this Egyptian, saying "Aren’t you the Egyptian who started a revolt and led four thousand
terrorists out into the wilderness some time ago?".
[.]
Belgian Catholic theologian
Edward Schillebeeckx (1914–2009) characterised this Egyptian as an 'Egyptian Jewish eschatological miracle-working prophet' who predicted the destruction of Jerusalem's walls akin to the
falling walls of Jericho in
Joshua 6, and compared the Egyptian to
Theudas during Roman procurator
Cuspius Fadus (44–46 CE), and another 'eschatological prophet who led his followers into the wilderness while promising miracles and liberation from all misery' during Roman procurator
Porcius Festus (r. 59–62 CE).
References
{{New Testament people
1st-century births
1st-century deaths
Jewish messiah claimants
Judean people
Year of birth unknown
1st-century Jews
People in Acts of the Apostles
Prophets in Judaism