Who was Simon the Zealot?
Answered from the commentary of Morrish Bible Dictionary, The Bible Treasury, Church History and 4 others
Simon the Zealot was one of the twelve apostles, of whom nothing is specially recorded. He is named in the lists of the Twelve at Matthew 10:4, Mark 3:18, Luke 6:15 and Acts 1:13. After that he disappears from the sacred page, and after his appointment he is mentioned only in Acts 1. His title sets him apart from Simon Peter and from Simon the Lord's brother, from whom he seems to be a different person.
Matthew and Mark call him "the Cananaean" (the "Canaanite" of older versions), and Luke calls him "the Zealot". These are the same man under two names. The first is the Hebrew or Aramaic word and the second the Greek word for the same thing. Most of these authors say the name does not mean a man of Canaan or of Cana; it comes from the Aramaic *qana*, "to be zealous". One dictionary alone treats the New Testament "Canaanite" as a form of Cana, though it gives Cana the meaning "zealous".
The Zealots were a Jewish sect holding violent religious and political views, hostile to the Romans. They were the most extreme and violent of the Pharisees, and they began in Galilee. It is generally supposed that Simon belonged to this party before his call. The Zealots claimed to succeed Phinehas and took it on themselves to kill offenders without the forms of law. Their zeal for the law of Moses and for freedom from Rome soon degenerated into licence and violence, so that they became the pests of every class of society. Even so, there may have been true and sincere men among them, though good and bad alike bore that odious name.
When Matthew lists the Twelve in pairs, as they were sent out two by two, Simon is coupled with Judas Iscariot. Another reading, taken from Luke's order, couples Judas with Jude instead. Nothing is certainly known of Simon's later labours. One tradition says he preached in the East, then went west as far as Britain, and was martyred there. Another makes "Simon the Zealot, the son of Clopas" bishop of Jerusalem after James, dying there at 120 years of age.
Verses: Luke 6:15, Acts 1:13, Matthew 10:4, Mark 3:18, Luke 6:13, Luke 6:14, Luke 6:16, Matthew 10:2, Matthew 10:3, Mark 3:16, Mark 3:17, Mark 3:19, Acts 1:12, Acts 1:14
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What the commentators say
The passages the answer is drawn from, the most direct first, with the words that bear on the question marked.
Simon the Canaanite, or rather Cananite, or Zealot, and therefore called SIMON ZELOTES; one of the twelve apostles, of whom nothing is specially recorded. Matt. 10:4; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13.
Simon, one of the brethren of the Lord. Matt. 13:55; Mark 6:3.
(11) Simon. He is distinguished from Simon Peter by Matthew and Mark as the Cananean, and by Luke as the Zealot. The first term is the Hebrew (not meaning an inhabitant of Canaan)), and the second the Greek name for a Jewish sect holding violent religious and political views, inimical to the Romans. Nothing else is recorded concerning this apostle specially.
(12) Judas Iscariot. This name is always placed last of all in the lists of the apostles. With one or two exceptions each reference to him is accompanied by a phrase alluding to his betrayal of Jesus. He is said to have been [the son] of Simon (John 6:71; John 12:4; John 13:2, 26). He was not of Galilean origin, like the majority of the apostles, but of Kerioth, a town in the land of Judah (Joshua 15:25), this being implied by "Iscariot."
The descendants of Canaan the son of Ham, of whom the Jubusites, the Amorites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, the Arkites, the Sinites, the Arvadites, the Zemarites, and the Hamathites were branches. They were "spread abroad, and the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon, as thou comest to Gerar, unto Gaza: as thou goest unto Sodom and Gomorrha, and Admah, and Zeboim, even unto Lasha." Gen. 10:15-19. In Gen. 15:18-21, where the land promised to Abram extends to the river Euphrates, there are ten nations mentioned: the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaims, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites. Deut. 7:1; Joshua 3:10. Here and elsewhere the Canaanites are only one people of many; whereas in other places the term Canaanite appears to include any of the inhabitants of Canaan, as in Joshua 17:12-13; Neh. 9:24; Obadiah 20; Zech. 14:21. The same Hebrew word is translated 'merchant' in Job 41:6; Prov. 31:24; Isa. 23:8; so the passage in Zech. 14:21 may signify "there shall no more be the merchant in the house of the Lord of hosts." cf. John 2:16.
Used to designate Simon Zelotes, one of the twelve apostles; this name Κανανίτης, Canaanite, is not the same as that of an inhabitant of Canaan, which in the LXX is Καναναῖος. That respecting Simon occurs in Matt. 10:4; Mark 3:18; by the other two Evangelists he is styled 'Zelotes,' and Κανανίτης (in some copies Καναναῖος) is held to be from the Aramaic qana, 'to be zealous:' cf. Num. 25:11, 13.
145 Luke 6:15. — In "Zealot" we have substitution of a Greek for a Hebrew name. Matt. 10:4 has "Cananaean." The Zealots were the most extreme and violent of the Pharisees (Joseph. "Antiqq.," xviii. 1, 6). The Jewish historian states that they originated in Galilee (cf. note 121).
Simon Zelotes — also called "Simon the Canaanite." He seems to be a different person from Simon the brother of James. We have no account of him in the Gospel history. He is duly named in the Gospels and in the Acts, and then disappears from the sacred page.
It is generally supposed that, before his call to be an apostle, he belonged to a sect among the Jews called "The Zealots." They were conspicuous for their fierce advocacy of the Mosaic ritual. They looked upon themselves as the successors of Phinehas, who, in zeal for the honour of God, slew Zimri and Cozbi. (Num. 25) In pretending to follow the zeal of the priest of old, they assumed to themselves the right of putting to death a blasphemer, an adulterer, or any notorious offender, without the ordinary formalities of the law. They maintained that God had made an everlasting covenant with Phinehas, and with his seed after him, "because he was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for Israel." These high sounding claims and pretensions deceived both rulers and people for a time. Besides, their fury and zeal for the law of Moses, and for the deliverance of the people from the Roman yoke, gave them favour in the eyes of all the nation. But, as must ever be the case under similar circumstances, their zeal soon degenerated into all manner of licentiousness and wild extravagance. They became the pests of every class of society.
Under a pretended zeal for the honour of God, they charged whom they would with being guilty of blasphemy or of some other grievous sin, and immediately slew them and seized their property. Josephus tells us that they failed not to accuse some of the "prime nobility," and when they had succeeded in turning everything into confusion, they meantime "fished in the troubled waters." He bewails them as the great plagues of the nation. Attempts were made at different times to suppress the society, but it does not appear that they were ever much reduced until, with the unbelieving nation, they were swept away in the fatal siege.
Simon is frequently styled "Simon the Zealot." and is supposed to have belonged to this troublesome faction. There may have been true and sincere men among them, but good and bad alike passed under the odious name of "Zealots." Nothing is certainly known of the future labours of our apostle. Some say that, after travelling for a while in the East, he turned to the West, and penetrated as far as Britain where he preached, wrought miracles, endured many trials, and at last suffered martyrdom.
Simon the Zealot, the son of Clopas, who is also [called] Judas, became bishop of Jerusalem after James the Just, and fell asleep and was buried there, at the age of 120 years.
We get a list of them in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and the Acts. In each case Peter is first, and Judas last, except where Matthias takes his place. These little undesigned coincidences are very comforting, as showing what we believe so heartily — the plenary inspiration of the Scriptures. The names are grouped in three fours; the twelve tribes are divided into four threes. Twelve is a complete number. Four plus three makes seven, the perfect number: and four times three gives us the perfect administrative number. Peter, James, John and Andrew form the first group always, and Peter is always the first, but the other three are not always in the same order. Philip is always the first Of the second four, who are always grouped together; whilst James the son of Alphaeus is always the first of the last four. Simon was not a Canaanite but a Zealot, a member of a sect of the Jews so called. We ought to take notice of these little things. It is only in this list given by Matthew, that Matthew is called the publican. Matthew and Thomas are always put together, but when Matthew writes he puts Thomas first. There are many little things in this Gospel which bring out his humility.
APOSTLES, THE TWELVE. The Lord appointed these "that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out demons," and also to carry out the various commissions given by Christ on earth. It will be seen by the lists that follow that Lebbaeus, Thaddaeus and Judas are the same person; and that Simon the Canaanite (Cananaean) and Simon Zelotes are the same; Peter is also called Simon; and Matthew is called Levi.
Verses
- Luke 6:13–1613And when it was day he called his disciples, and having chosen out twelve from them, whom also he named apostles 14Simon, to whom also he gave the name of Peter, and Andrew his brother, [and] James and John, [and] Philip and Bartholomew, 15[and] Matthew and Thomas, James the [son] of Alphaeus and Simon who was called Zealot, 16[and] Judas [brother] of James, and Judas Iscariote, who was also [his] betrayer;
- Acts 1:12–1412Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called [the mount] of Olives, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath-day's journey off. 13And when they were come into [the city], they went up to the upper chamber, where were staying both Peter, and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James [son] of Alphaeus, and Simon the zealot, and Jude [the brother] of James. 14These gave themselves all with one accord to continual prayer, with [several] women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.
- Matthew 10:2–42Now the names of the twelve apostles are these first, Simon, who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the [son] of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the tax-gatherer; James the [son] of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, who was surnamed Thaddaeus; 4Simon the Cananaean, and Judas the Iscariote, who also delivered him up.