ZEALOT
“one who has zeal.” Gr. Transcription from the term Aram. «kan’ân». Member of a party of Jewish patriots (Wars 4:3, 9; 7:8, 1).
Because of this adjective he distinguished himself between Simon Peter and Simon the Zealot (Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13). Judas the Galilean created this party in the time of Cyrenius in order to confront the Romans.
It finally degenerated into an organization of murderers, the assassins (Ant. 18:1,1 and 6; Wars 2:8, 1; 17:8; 4:3, 9 ff.). The fanaticism of the Zealots helped spark the war between Jews and Romans.