Egyptian (prophet)
The Egyptian was a messianic Jewish revolt leader. His uprising was quelled by the Roman procurator of Judea, Antonius Felix, 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
In the Christian text, The Acts of the Apostles, the commander of the Roman garrison in Jerusalem, Claudius Lysias, mistakes Paul for this Egyptian, saying "Aren’t you the Egyptian who started a revolt and led four thousand Sicarii out into the wilderness some time ago?".
Belgian Catholic theologian Edward Schillebeeckx 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, and another 'eschatological prophet who led his followers into the wilderness while promising miracles and liberation from all misery' during Roman procurator Porcius Festus.
