Paul was abandoned by everyone as his execution nearedall that is except His cherished Lord. It is not fair to call Judas Iscariot an apostle since he was never truly converted or commissioned by Jesus. Ancient writers tell us that he preached the Gospel in Judea, Samaria, Idumaea, Syria, Mesopotamia, and Lybia. 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. Every apostle was a disciple but not every disciple is an apostle. Ancient. As a result of this despotic leadership and their insufficient representation in the government, many Idumeans defected to a violent extremist group outside the city walls known as the Sicarii, led by Simon b. Gioras. (Arabic) (Hindi). The Apostle Jude was crucified in Persia. Simonmayhave been a member of a rebellious group that was prone to violence. Sts. When the Jews refused, he threatened to destroy the temple but his sudden timely demise saved Jerusalem from a premature siege. Finally, two of Jesus' disciples were named Simon: Simon Peter and Simon the Zealot. Eleazar found himself in a similar situation of helplessness. Days prior to the siege of Jerusalem, Eleazar ben Simon was betrayed by John of Gischala. He died after being crucified in Jerusalem during the First Revolt against Rome (also known as the Great Revolt). Jude Thaddeus, patron saint of of desperate and lost causes, partnered with Simon the Zealot and they preached in Judea, Persia, Samaria, Idumaea, Syria, Iran and Libya. Rhoades concludes that the term zealot is ambiguous enough for there to be more than one valid interpretation: Some scholars assume that citations to zeal and zealots in the 1st century, such as the NT references to Simon the zealot, refer to a Jewish sect of Zealots dedicated to revolution against Rome. I love to see people zealous in the work of the Lord. And after saying this he said to him, Follow me. (John 21:18-19). (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1886.) 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James was far from any reliable historical writers or church historians but it is thought that he was beheaded by King Herod near Palestine and not far from where he was a local missionary to the Jews in Judea. The circumstances of Saint Patrick's death are understandably a little muddy. Simon the Zealot was one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. InThe Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary, New Testament Scholar David Rhoades says: The evidence from Josephus suggests that it was not until about 68 C.E. Help us to imitate the love of You he showed in his years of service as Your Apostle. Contrary to the radical anti-Roman agenda of the Zealots, Ananus and the other moderate leaders of Jerusalem wished to stabilize the conflict and reach equilibrium with Rome. And so he was tied to a cross which was hung in an X shape instead of a T shape. MacMahon. With complete control over the city, Eleazar and John exploited their power and slaughtered the remnants of Ananus' moderate party in Jerusalem in a misguided attempt to unite the city. [citation needed], The Zealot control of Jerusalem was confined to the inner court of the city and the Temple itself. His relics reside at Saint Peter's in Rome, at Rheims, and at Toulouse, France. How will you diein your sins? The name itself sounds wild-eyed. Sadly, most agree that he was basically flayed to death by whip, where he was literally torn to shreds. Jesus preached a message of nonviolence (Matthew 5:39, 43-44; 26:52). He used the wealth acquired in this decisive victory as political leverage during the battle for power in Jerusalem in 67-69 CE. The Lives Of Faith: Simon The Zealot, Simon The Sorcerer, And Simeon Of Jerusalem. On the various New Testament lists of the Twelve Apostles ( Matthew 10:2-4; Mark 3:16-19; Luke 6:14-16; Acts 1:13), the tenth and eleventh places are occupied by Simon the Zealot (also called Simon the "Cananean," the Aramaic word meaning "Zealot") and by Judas of James, also called Thaddaeus or Lebbaeus. 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. The apostle was murdered in Rome by Emperor Nero around 64 AD, after the Great Fire of Rome. Simon was called by Jesus and was completely changed. In response, Nero ordered Cestius Gallus, the Roman legate of Syria, to crush the rebellion. Bible Based. The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. Simon the Zealot (Q12871) apostle of Jesus Simon the Apostle Simon Zelotes Saint Simon edit Statements instance of human biblical figure 0 references part of Twelve Apostles 0 references Simon and Jude 0 references image Simon (Caravaggio).jpg 508 650; 52 KB 1 reference Marienmnster Dieen Josephsaltar Simon Apostel.jpg 1,355 2,332; 1.23 MB While there are some variations in the order the apostles appear and even the names they went by, Simon is listed in all of them. In Foxes Book of Martyrs, it is recorded about Matthew: The scene of his labors was Parthia, and Ethiopia, in which latter country he suffered martyrdom, being slain with a halberd in the city of Nadabah, A.D. 60., Hippolytus, a theologian who lived in the second and third centuries, recorded about James death: And James the son of Alphaeus, when preaching in Jerusalem was stoned to death by the Jews, and was buried there beside the temple.. As the Roman general Vespasian's armies terrorized the countryside of Judea and Galilee, thousands of Jewish refugees joined Eleazar's ranks. Apostolic Identity. For many Jews, the Messiah was no longer a spiritual Savior but an earthly Conqueror. Although Titus Flavius, the son of Emperor Vespasian, and his army were nearing Jerusalem, Eleazar and the other two leaders did not unite to prepare for the attack and were severely weakened by 70 CE. 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 The example of Simon the Zealot reminds us of three things. Following the defeat of Eleazar's Zealots and subsequent destruction of the Temple, the lack of centralized worship created a spiritual vacuum within the Jewish community that was filled with the spread of synagogue as the center of Jewish life. Simon was born in Judea, and he was baptized in the Jordan River by John the Baptist. Therefore, he is the patron of desperate situations, forgotten causes, hospital workers, hospitals, impossible causes, lost causes, and the diocese of Saint Petersburg, Florida. The word apostle means one sent and so we can see that disciples and apostles are not the same thing. [citation needed]. Itcouldmean he belonged to a Jewish sect known as the Zealots. He was one of the original followers of Christ. Bible Verses, Quotes, Christian Answers, Songs and More. Since 63 BCE, Roman garrisons stationed throughout Israel had exploited Jews with punitive taxation, exceeding the quota set by the Roman Empire and keeping the surplus revenues for themselves . The name of Simon occurs in all the passages of the Gospel and Acts, in which a list of the Apostles is given. John The only one of the apostles generally thought to have died a natural death from old age. All rights reserved worldwide. There are no early church records of Simon the Zealots ministry, so its hard to say where he spread the gospelbut presumably, he did. So what does this title mean? Judas is often identified as a Zealot, an attribute held by only one other disciple, Simon the Zealot. Tertullian, a Christian writer in the second and third centuries, recorded that before the Romans exiled John, they brought him into a coliseum and immersed him in a barrel of boiling oil. His death sentence was meted out by the Roman Emperor Catus Decianus during his execution in May 61 AD at Caistor, modern-day Lincolnshire . Quick Answer: How Old Was The Apostle Paul When He Became A Christian? We remember him October 28 in Roman Church, andJune 19 in Eastern Church. It records that he led a proconsuls wife to the Lord. Despite the Zealots' failure to achieve political and religious liberation, Eleazar ben Simon helped cultivate the idea of an independent Jewish state and ingrained a sense of fear in future Roman leaders in the Middle East. It is unknown how Eleazar ben Simon died. Simon the Zealot was one of the original Apostles . In the thirteenth century, Jacobus de Varagine compiled numerous biographies of the saints intoThe Golden Legend, where centuries after Jerome, the error was repeated: Simon is as much to say as obedient, or being in heaviness. Simon and Jude, Apostles. Simon He was from Cana and was called Simon the Canaanite or Simon the Zealot (the Zealots were Jewish revolutionaries who opposed . We think of Jesus' disciple, Simon "the Zealot" or "Canaanite", and of Josephus's account of Judas the Galilean in 6 CE apparently responsible for what became the Zealot party and a widespread "nationalist" movement against Roman rule. 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. According to most historians, Philips death was exceedingly cruel. The Bible lists the names of the twelve disciples in Matthew 10:24, Mark 3:1619 and Luke 6:1316. And I was delivered from the lions mouth. Tradition sends him to Syria with Andrew and to death by burning. Richard T. Ritenbaugh And John mentions Thaddeus, calling him Judas (not Iscariot) (John 14:22). His remains are buried in a crypt in Rome. Although the Jewish defeat at Jerusalem cannot be entirely attributed to Eleazar ben Simon, his inability to establish unity with John of Gischala and Simon bar Giora resulted in a bitter civil war that weakened the Jewish resistance against Rome. Apparently, he became a missionary to Asia Minor. Judas the Betrayer. [citation needed], Yet only until later that year did Eleazar and John seize control of the entire city. It is believed that while he hung on that cross and was dying, he called to the crowds and taught them about Jesus Christ and how they might be saved, thus he was sharing the gospel up until the very time of his death on the x-shaped crossbeing loyal to the very end. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. He is thought to have preached in Egypt and then to have joined St. Jude in Persia. King Herod wanted to please the Jews by killing him (Acts 12:3). Your email address will not be published. And I was delivered from the lions mouth. 10:4; Mark 3:18; and Luke 6:15).Readers find him again in the book of Acts (1:13) after the death of Jesus and his ascension to heaven where Simon and his fellow apostles gathered together to elect a replacement for . There is coming a day when no man or woman can be joined together with Christ so why not decide this very hour for when He comes it will be too late. Scholars generally believe he was killed in Jerusalem in 44 AD. Nearly every image of him depicts him wearing a medallion with a profile of Jesus. Some scholars believe that Eleazar's victory at Beit-Horon imbued the Jewish people with a false sense of hope for liberation from Rome. All that is known about his death is that he was also was crucified. Since the Apostle Simon is onlylistedamong the apostles (and hes completely absent from theGospel of John), theres not much we can say about him. As we mentioned earlier, Rhoades argues that Josephus work makes it clear that there was no formal group called the Zealots until about 68 AD. However, the 4th-century St. He saw numerous demonstrations of Jesus divinity. Jesus saw this coming when He said, 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. (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) Generally speaking, a zealot is anyone who fervently supports a particular cause. It is not fair to call Judas Iscariot an apostle since he was never truly converted or commissioned by . When he surrendered to Vespasian, he claimed Jewish messianic prophecies were about Vespasian becoming the emperor of Rome, and lo and behold Vespasian decided to let him live, taking him on as a slave. He is usually identified with the Apostle Simon the Zealot, with whom he shares a surname, or with the Apostle Jude. When Jesus cleanses the temple in the Gospel of John, his disciples recallPsalm 69:10, implying that Jesus was motivated by zeal: His disciples remembered that it is written: Zeal for your house will consume me.. Some scholars believe Josephus exaggerated the Zealots to keep the peace, blaming the war on a small Jewish sect and some bad Roman leaders. Although not vindicated from misguided leadership, Eleazar (and for that matter most of the Zealots) are no longer seen as violent tyrants who destroyed the city before the Romans got to Jerusalem. Our most detailed descriptions of who they were, how their movement started, and what they stood for comes from Flavius Josephus, a Jewish-Roman historian who lived during the first century. Come, follow me, Jesus said, and I will make you fishers of men. At once they left their nets and followed him. We know almost nothing about Simon the Zealot. People are attracted to people who get on fire for a cause. 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. . The apostle Jude, who wrote the next to the last book in the New Testament by the same name, went all the way to Persia and it was there that he was crucified by the Magi. There are several explanations for why he is called "less." The Bible does not expressly give details about the ways in which the apostles died. The Bible says that he betrayed Jesus and then being consumed with worldly guilt went out to hang himself (Matthew 27:3-8). His brother, Andrew, and his wife's mother lived with him. Here is a man we know by name only and not by his . 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. 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. James the Greater was nicknamed one of the Sons of Thunder by Jesus. Because Gods holiness will not tolerate idolatry or other violations against the covenant (Exod 20:5;Deut 5:9), God will punish the whole nation for such offenses unless someone acts on behalf of Godzealous with Gods jealous angerto kill or root out the offenders.. What happened to the 12 disciples after the ascension of Christ? He was crucified, tied upside down in an x-shaped cross from where he preached for two days before he finally died. Some Bible translations preserve Jeromes mistake out of respect for tradition, calling Simon the Cananite or the Cananaean inMatthew 10:3andMark 3:18. First, followers of Jesus are invited to proclaim the Kingdom of God in weakness rather than strength. Simon the Zealot is also referred to in the gospels as Simon the Canaanite or Simon the Cananaean. 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. Edited by Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson, and A. Cleveland Coxe. But heres what we know. Read them in the archive below. SIMON THE CANAANITE; SIMON THE CANANAEAN; SIMON THE ZEALOT. And yet something we know is that Simon by his radical background would St. Jude Thaddeus and St. Simon the Zealot, Apostles Feast day: Oct 28 St. Jude Thaddaeus St. Jude, known as Thaddaeus, was a brother of St. James the Lesser, and a relative of Jesus. Christian Ethiopians claim that he was crucified in Samaria, while Justus Lipsius writes that he was sawn in half at Suanir, Persia. Most scholars today believekananaioscomes from the Aramaic wordqanan, meaning zealous one, which effectively makes Simons moniker the same in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and Acts. Simon was a member of the militant political movement called the Zealots. He blames the defeat of Jewish War on "unrepresentative and over-zealous fanatics" including Eleazar. They argue that the conflicts between Jewish leaders rather than the views of the Zealots themselves are the reason for the collapse of Jerusalem and the defeat of the Jews. 10 - Simon the Zealot - bishop of Jerusalem after James; died of old age. As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, called Peter and his brother Andrew. What we do know is that he died sometime in the first century, possibly around 80 AD in Herapolis (Turkey). May it not be held against them. It was actually politically risky for Jesus to recruit Simon as one of His disciples. Simon was born in Galilee, which was part of Roman-occupied Israel at the time. Amen.. What terrible destruction we can cause when we proudly act on our private interpretations of Scripture! Hes never mentioned in the Gospel of John, but John never explicitly lists all the apostles.This means Simon was one of the people who was closest to Jesus, and that he spent about three years living with him, witnessing his miracles, and hearing his teachings. The cause of his death in unclear because of the existence of two versions: (1) He was crucified in Edessa, Turkey; (2) He was clubbed-to-death and his body was either sawed or axed in pieces after (together with Simon the Zealot). 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. However, the New Testament records the death of only two of the apostles Judas Iscariot and James the son of Zebedee. (Simon Kananaios; kanna'i, "the Jealous (or Zealous) One"): One of the Twelve Apostles. He was believed to have been thrown some 100 feet off a wall. They feared that appointing a Zealot to power would provoke Rome to attack and would diminish their own power. This is the most inconspicuous of all the apostles and he is called James the Less to distinguish him from the other apostle named James and the James who was Jesus half-brother. It is believed that most of the apostles died in the middle or late 1st century. We have studied James, the brother of John, an apostle that was among our Lord's closest disciples. Like most of the other apostles, Simon the Zealot deserted Jesus during his trial and crucifixion. His zeal once focused in the right direction must have made him stay on the straight and narrow path, although it did require new learning on his part! Outnumbered and isolated by Ananus' troops surrounding the Temple, Eleazar control of the Temple was seriously threatened from the winter of 67 to the spring of 68. Simon the Zealot, one of Jesus Christ 's twelve apostles, is a mystery character in the Bible. Yet Caligula's threat caused many of the moderate Jews to shift towards radical anti-Roman political views. The Zealots were associated with violent uprisings (including, later, the First Jewish-Roman War), and expected the coming Messiah to overthrow Rome using force. ; Western feast day October 28, Eastern feas. Simon the Zealot, the man who would have killed in loyalty to Israel, became the man who realized that God will not accept forced service. The failure in ancient manuscripts to distinguish formal nouns allows for differing interpretations regarding the use of the term zealot. It seems clear, however, that Jewish and Christian writings of the period refer to a wide variety of offenses against which private individuals or groups might act in zeal on behalf of the community, some of these actions being revolutionary and others not.. Following his victory against Cestius' forces, Eleazar was deposed from power in Jerusalem by the High Priest Ananus ben Ananus. Or he may have simply been zealous for the Mosaic Law. The word we translate as apostle (apstolos) literally means one who is sent.. This faith in the Zealot cause attracted many Jews to help fight against Rome, which resulted in vast casualties. He died early in the church history while the New Testament was still being compiled. It is unlikely that the Magi mentioned in the New Testament who were searching for the child King, Jesus, and the ones who crucified Jude were one and the same. There, he died a natural death as an old man. The Bible reveals nothing significant about this apostle. Jesus predicted Peters death when He said to him, when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go (John 21:18). Real Questions. It can be inferred, however, from the geopolitical scene of ancient Israel in the first century CE. From 68 CE to 69 CE this alliance between Eleazar and his Zealots, John of Gischala, and the Idumeans ruled Jerusalem with unstable leadership. Or, he may have simply been zealous for the Lawor even zealous for Jesus or his teachings. So whowasthis person the Bible calls Simon the Zealot, and what do we actually know about him? 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. We are sent out as sheep among . Another says he was beheaded, stoned to death, crucified upside down or hanged. In Josephus' Bellum Judaicum, the primary source of the First Jewish-Roman War, important historical figures are introduced with their patrimonial name when they first appear, and addressed by first name in all following appearances. Inspired by Eleazar and the Zealots' victory, rebellions arose in Galilee, only to be crushed in 67 by Roman forces. In the West, Simon is said to have preached in Egypt, then traveled to Persia with Jude (who had been working in Mesopotamia) where they were both martyred. Finklestein, Louis, William Horbury, William David Davies, and John Sturdy. 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.. One tradition is that he first preached in Egypt, before joining Jude and travelling to Persia, where both were martyred. 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. 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. And is not Galilee a hotbed of these messianic and nationalist rebels? Repent today, confess your sins, see your need for a Savior and put your trust in Jesus Christ and you too will be part of that which is being built today by God and which has as its foundation, the saints of God, the apostles and the Chief Cornerstone, Jesus Christ. He was from Cana and was called Simon the Canaanite or Simon the Zealot (the Zealots were Jewish revolutionaries who opposed Rome); the son of Clopas, died and was buried in Jerusalem. Judas was apparently killed as a result of his actions.. PETA, Greenpeace, and NOW might all be considered organizations that are filled with zealots. 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. Simon and St. Jude, Apostles. This Apostle is said to have suffered martyrdom in Armenia, which was then subject to Persia. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Dollar General Payroll Department, Articles S