The Zealots were a Jewish movement primarily advocating what?

• A. Peaceful negotiation with Rome.
• B. Violent resistance against Roman rule.
• C. Literal adherence to the Oral Law.
• D. Priestly elevation within the temple.

Answer: (B)

The Zealots embody a nationalist impulse that treats Roman occupation as illegitimate and believes liberation must come through force. In the first century CE they rose in response to Roman taxation, census, and control, arguing that Israel’s true king is God and that true freedom cannot be achieved by negotiating with Rome. A radical subgroup known as the Sicarii carried out acts of violence to disrupt Roman authority, and the movement as a whole helped fuel the Jewish War (66–70 CE).

This focus on resisting Roman rule distinguishes them from peaceful negotiation, which they did not pursue as their primary tactic. It also sets them apart from groups more tied to strict adherence to the Oral Law or to priestly power within the temple, which align with other Jewish movements of the period. Therefore, the description that best fits the Zealots is violent resistance against Roman rule.