Subscribe to the CompellingTruth.org Newsletter: There are nine Simons mentioned in the New Testament: Simon the brother of Jesus (Mark 6:3), Simon Iscariot the father of Judas Iscariot (John 6:71), Simon the Pharisee who invited Jesus to dinner when the sinful woman poured perfume on His feet (Luke 7:40), Simon the leper who had Jesus over for dinner in Bethany (Mark 14:3), Simon from Cyrene who was forced to help Jesus carry His cross (Mark 15:21), Simon the sorcerer who tried to buy the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:924), and Simon the tanner who hosted Peter when he had the vision of unclean food (Acts 9:43). document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Online Christian Articles and Information Hub. But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. Perhaps surprisingly, one of Christ's own disciples, Simon, was a member of the Zealots prior to meeting Jesus. So whowasthis person the Bible calls Simon the Zealot, and what do we actually know about him? I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Others believe that he was crucified in Pella, Jordan. Accessed 8/08/2013. Yet further investigation into his life and political associations reveals that Josephus himself was one of the traditional aristocratic leaders who controlled Judea and Galilee prior to the Zealot insurrection. During his three years of ministry with Jesus, Simon the Zealot matured into an apostle empowered to spread the gospel in truth and love to all nations. In this guide, well dig into the ambiguities surrounding this lesser-known biblical figure, address some common confusions, and look at how he may have died. He was believed to have been thrown some 100 feet off a wall. Another tradition says, he was stoned by Jews in Jerusalem and then beheaded. Simonmayhave been a member of a rebellious group that was prone to violence. This post is also available in: Not much beyond this is known since Matthew was in such a remote place in Africa and went where few historian or Christians ventured to go. How agonizing that must have been. The word apostle means one sent and so we can see that disciples and apostles are not the same thing. Simon the Zealot was a Jewish priest and a member of the early Christian community. As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, called Peter and his brother Andrew. Acts 1:20-26 reveals how this was done, and some scholars say it may have fulfilled a prophecy in Psalm 69:25 and Psalm 109:8. Your email address will not be published. In the midst of his pain as he hangs on the cross, unjustly accused, sentenced, and condemned to death, he does not cry out curses and abuse on his tormentors, as do the dying "lestai." Hammond and Grotius think that St. Simon was called the Zealot, before his coming to Christ, because he was one of that particular sect or party among the Jews called Zealots, from a singular zeal they possessed for the honour of God and the purity of religion. When Simon joined the apostles, he was thirty years of age. He was called Zealot in all 4 places. [1] J.H. having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ, Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go., How the Apostle Bartholomew or Nathaniel Died, How the Apostle James (son of Zebedee) Died, Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, Lord, who is the one who betrays You?, Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, But Lord, what about this man? Jesus said to him, If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? Simon was transformed by the Jesus and his message. The lack of verses mentioning Simon the zealot probably indicates that Jesus had little if any problems with him. Saint Simon the Apostle, also called Simon the Zealot, (flourished 1st century ad died, Persia or Edessa, Greece? We must rely on early church historians and secular historians as well but thankfully both seem to be in agreement and both are reliable. It can be inferred, however, from the geopolitical scene of ancient Israel in the first century CE. And in the sixteenth century, Justus Lipsius recorded that he was sawed in half. In 39 CE, the Roman Emperor Caligula declared himself divine and ordered his troops in Jerusalem to place his name on the Temple . From the first of these surnames some have thought that St. Simon was bom at Cana, in Galilee. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that dayand not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. You can hear the passion and love of Paul in his last words to Timothy. Although he had proven his devotion and leadership at Beit-Horon, Eleazar ben Simon was given no office "because of his tyrannical temperament" (B.J 2.564). Western tradition is that he preached in Egypt and then went to Persia with St. Jude, where both suffered martyrdom. He saw numerous demonstrations of Jesus divinity. The Acts of Philip document gives an account of his martyrdom. Again, not very much is known about the method of Thomas execution but that maybe due to the fact that he was a missionary in India and was establishing a church there when he was stabbed with a spear and died from the wound. This was done to him after he repeatedly refused to deny his faith in Jesus. First, followers of Jesus are invited to proclaim the Kingdom of God in weakness rather than strength. Simon of Cyrene (Hebrew: , Standard Hebrew imon, Tiberian Hebrew imn; Greek: , Simn Kyrnaios; died 100) was the man compelled by the Romans to carry the cross of Jesus of Nazareth as Jesus was taken to his crucifixion, according to all three Synoptic Gospels. He died after being crucified in Jerusalem during the First Revolt against Rome (also known as the Great Revolt). Simon the Zealot - aka Simeon or Kananaios, or Kananite s or even Simon - another brother of Jesus?. Once again, very little is known about him inside or outside of the Bible. Eleazar ben Simon was a Zealot leader during the First Jewish-Roman War who fought against the armies of Cestius Gallus, Vespasian, and Titus Flavius.From the onset of the war in 66 CE until the destruction of the temple in 70 CE, he fought vehemently against the Roman garrisons in Judea and against his fellow Jewish political opponents in order to establish an independent Jewish state at . This mistake led to the idea that Simon was present at the wedding in Cana in John 2, where Jesus performed his first miracle and turned water into wine,andthat he was the same person as Simon, the brother of Jesus (Matthew 13:55). The apostle was murdered in Rome by Emperor Nero around 64 AD, after the Great Fire of Rome. This apostle, in the catalogue of our Lord's chosen disciples, is styled "Simon the Canaanite," whence some are of the opinion that he was born at Cana in Galilee; and it is generally thought that he was the bridegroom mentioned by St. John, at whose marriage our blessed . At 14th level for the Zealot: "While you're raging, having 0 hit points doesn't knock you unconscious. This Simon was also named "the Canaanite" ( Matthew 10:4 Mark 3:18 the King James Version) or "the Cananean" ( Matthew 10:4 Mark 3:18 the Revised Version (British and American)) or "Zelotes" ( Luke . Eleazar took the legion's equipment and movable wealth, returning to Jerusalem with substantial loot. According to Josephus, John sent a party to the Zealot stronghold in the Temple to offer a sacrifice before the coming festival of Passover. Due their fear that Ananus would betray the nationalist cause and surrender to the Romans in order to solidify his position of power, the Idumeans invested their support in Eleazar and John's coalition in hopes of establishing a more radical government to counter the inevitable Roman attack. The Bible does not expressly give details about the ways in which the apostles died. It's thought that he became a missionary to Africa and died of old age. In the context of the New Testament, the Zealots were a party zealous for Jewish independence and throwing off Roman rule. People are attracted to people who get on fire for a cause. Eleazar ben Simon and his Zealots' radical anti-Roman policies and eradication of the moderate temple aristocracy from Jerusalem in 67 CE also prevented any peaceful agreement with Rome to avoid the death and destruction which ensued in 70 CE. Accounts. By association with John, Eleazar inherited much of Josephus' hatred of his political partner and became a victim of harsh and bitter desecration in Bellum Judaicum. At the onset of the war, John of Gischala, Eleazar's future ally, disobeyed Josephus' orders not to attack a Roman granary, thus sparking a bitter hatred between the two leaders. Peter, who refused to renounce his faith, was crucified, at his request, upside down. The Apostle Jude was crucified in Persia. Any time that Jesus said truly, truly or verily, verily He was putting great emphasis on a truth and Jesus must have known, with certainty, how Peter would die and that they will stretch out your hands and carry you where you do not want to go clearly implied crucifixion. Or he may have simply been zealous for the Mosaic Law. Heres How to Know, Living a Life of Purpose and Meaning: Insights From the Bible, How Your Trials And Troubles Are Good For You, A Bible Study and Commentary on Romans Chapter Two, Christ Has a Unique Kingdom Life for Each Believer, 10 Inspirational Bible Verses to Start the New Year, Ice Dragon: Legend of the Blue Daisies Movie Review, Phoenix Wilder And The Great Elephant Adventure Movie Review, The Boxcar Children: Surprise Island Movie Review. Here the term Canaanite is synonymous with the word Zealot. Although this is pure speculation, it is certain that Eleazar ben Simon's inability to establish unity with Simon bar Gioras and John of Geschala during the period of the independent Jewish state severely exacerbated and expedited the fall of Jerusalem. Later, during Domitians persecution in the middle 90s, he was exiled to the island of Patmos. Since a zealot was a fanatic and eventually resorted to violence, Simon would have left this cause when he gave up all to follow Jesus. Apostles, But heres what we know. PETA, Greenpeace, and NOW might all be considered organizations that are filled with zealots. Zeal is behavior motivated by the jealous desire to protect ones self, group, space, or time against violations. With his Legio XII Fulminata of 5,000 men, Cestius Gallus was ambushed and defeated at Beit-Horon in 66 CE by 2,400 Zealots led by Eleazar ben Simon. Nothing else is known about him. You follow Me., whoever would be my disciple must follow after me, For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. One wonders how Simon felt about Matthew, who would have been considered a traitor by the Jews because he was a tax-collector for Rome. Saint Jude Thaddeus is not the same person as Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Our Lord and despaired because of his great sin and lack of trust in God's mercy. Eleazar ben Simon's radical anti-Roman ideology derived from a lifetime of oppression in Israel under Roman rule. Sts. This event has been called the Dispersion of the Apostles. To him be glory for ever and ever. Here, he was supposedly martyred by being cut in half with a saw, a tool he is often depicted with. Josephus identifies three main Jewish sectsthe Essenes, the Saduccees, and the Pharisees. that he grew up in Galilee, the center of Zealotry. Required fields are marked *. We know almost nothing about Simon the Zealot. Saint Matthias from the workshop of Simone Martini, c. AD 80 Jerusalem, Judaea or in Colchis (modern-day Georgia). Eleazar ben Simon (Hebrew: ) was a Zealot leader during the First Jewish-Roman War who fought against the armies of Cestius Gallus, Vespasian, and Titus Flavius. He was a Zealot for much of his life, which meant he was extremely legalistic and held a deep-set hatred towards the Romans and any who had dealings with them. Cambridge University Press, 1999. Christian Truth. His political campaign to eradicate moderate Jews from Jerusalem in 67-70 CE eliminated the possibility to surrender to Titus and avoid his relentless massacre of the city. Quick Answer: What Apostle Began The Greek Church? Listen to the heartbreaking last words of Paul as he awaited his execution in 2 Timothy 4:16-18: At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. He was present when Jesus performed miracles, such as walking on water (Matthew 14:22), healing lepers (Luke 5:12), feeding thousands with five loaves of bread and two fish (Matthew 15:32), raising people from the dead (Luke 7:11), and raising Lazarus from death after four days (John 11:1-44). The fall of Jerusalem also spurred a Jewish Diaspora throughout the ancient world because of enslavement and a large number of fleeing refugees. He was married, had three children, and lived at Bethsaida, near Capernaum. Following his victory against Cestius' forces, Eleazar was deposed from power in Jerusalem by the High Priest Ananus ben Ananus. Inspired by Eleazar and the Zealots' victory, rebellions arose in Galilee, only to be crushed in 67 by Roman forces. the causes of the war were many and complex: incompetent and corrupt roman governors, deteriorating roman policies toward jews, a determined jewish opposition to foreign domination, economic exploitation of peasants (the war was also a peasant revolt against the jewish elites), widespread banditry, apocalyptic expectations, the conviction that Who were Jesus' twelve (12) disciples / apostles? Yet when the revolt broke out in 66 CE, the Galilean zealots fled the Roman massacres and sought refuge in the last major Jewish stronghold: Jerusalem. ( Matthew 27:3-5) It was too late. There are nine people named Simon in the New Testament. Simon was such a man. All that is known about his death is that he was also was crucified. Simon the Zealot was one of Jesus' disciples. The Zealots were a faction, headed by Judas of Galilee, who "in the days of the enrollment" (compare Acts 5:37; Luke 2:1,2) bitterly opposed the threatened increase of taxation at the census of Quirinius, and would have hastened by the sword the fulfillment of Messianic prophecy. [1] He was impaled by iron hooks in his ankles and hung upside down to die. Amen. How heartbreaking. The Zealots were a political movement in 1st-century Second Temple Judaism which sought to incite the people of Judea Province to rebel against the Roman Empire and expel it from the Holy Land by force of arms, most notably during the First JewishRoman War (6670). Since Eleazar was placed in command of a large army of Jews in the battle against Cestius' Legio, he had already risen to a position of power in the priesthood prior to his military success. It is unknown how Eleazar ben Simon died. This alliance was rooted in their mutual dependence upon each other. by | May 25, 2022 | camden county ga school schedule | cindy deangelis grossman pictures | May 25, 2022 | camden county ga school schedule | cindy deangelis grossman pictures St. Jude, known as Thaddaeus, was a brother of St. James the Lesser, and a relative of Jesus. The Golden Legendrecords that Simon preached in Egypt, then partnered with Judas, the brother of Jesus: Judas preached first in Mesopotamia and in Pontus, and Simon preached in Egypt, and from thence came they into Persia, and found there two enchanters, Zaroes and Arphaxat, whom S. Matthew had driven out of Ethiopia.. Simon and Jude, Apostles. Some Bible translations preserve Jeromes mistake out of respect for tradition, calling Simon the Cananite or the Cananaean inMatthew 10:3andMark 3:18. Tradition sends him to Syria with Andrew and to death by burning. After his resurrection, Jesus sent eleven of them (minus Judas Iscariot, who by then had died ) by the Great Commission to spread his teachings to all nations. Simon and St. Jude, Apostles. Simon the Zealot is also referred to in the gospels as Simon the Canaanite or Simon the Cananaean. Generally speaking, a zealot is anyone who fervently supports a particular cause. Founded by Judas of Galilee, the Zealots kindled anti-Roman sentiment throughout Galilee and Judea. Take a look at this related article about the Apostles: Who were the 12 Disciples or Apostles of Jesus Christ? Today, anyone who has trusted in Christ is a disciple but the days of apostleship is over and ended with the conclusion of the New Testament. Ancient writers tell us that he preached the Gospel in Judea, Samaria, Idumaea, Syria, Mesopotamia, and Lybia. The title Zealot tells us much about Simon. When he emerged unharmed, the entire coliseum converted to Christianity. Yet when Eleazar and his Zealots opened the gates to permit entry, John's forces slaughtered the inhabitants of the temple while the Zealots tried to flee. Simon was born in Galilee, which was part of Roman-occupied Israel at the time. The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. The apostle Simon is not Simon Peter (Andrew's brother) but Simon the Zealot. 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