King Herod wanted to please the Jews by killing him (Acts 12:3). However, the New Testament records the death of only two of the apostles Judas Iscariot and James the son of Zebedee. Once again, very little is known about him inside or outside of the Bible. [1] The fact that he was in Greece may mean that he was participating in the Great Commission and taking the gospel to the whole worldat least the known world. This faith in the Zealot cause attracted many Jews to help fight against Rome, which resulted in vast casualties. How did Jesus meet Simon Peter? Most historians, both secular and church, say that he was beheaded. Simon He was from Cana and was called Simon the Canaanite or Simon the Zealot (the Zealots were Jewish revolutionaries who opposed . The Golden Legend says he was martyred in Persia in 65 AD. 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. Who were Jesus' twelve (12) disciples / apostles? . Its unclear when the group formally became known as the Zealots. Most, however, accept that he died. John desperately needed Eleazar's funds to supply his followers, and Eleazar required the protection of John's large entourage to fend off Ananus. 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. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. It can be inferred, however, from the geopolitical scene of ancient Israel in the first century CE. 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. I included Paul among the apostles since he was perhaps the greatest apostle and evangelist the world has ever known and most certainly deserves to be included among the apostles. ; Western feast day October 28, Eastern feas. Simon the Zealot, one of Jesus Christ 's twelve apostles, is a mystery character in the Bible. Jesus teachings (such as turning the other cheek and loving your enemies) were often the complete opposite of the ideology the Zealots embraced. Amen. The apostle James is not the same James as Jesus brother so we need to establish that fact. A party called Zealots were famous in the war of the Jews against the Romans. The name of Simon occurs in all the passages of the Gospel and Acts, in which a list of the Apostles is given. 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. 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. Simon ben Gioras' control of Jerusalem rendered Eleazar and John's alliance useless and the Zealots split from John and barricaded themselves in the Temple. Antonyms for Zealot. Simon and St. Jude, Apostles. He was named Simon, son of Jonah or John. He was one of the original followers of Christ. In the context of the New Testament, the Zealots were a party zealous for Jewish independence and throwing off Roman rule. It is unknown how Eleazar ben Simon died. Since the Apostle Simon is onlylistedamong the apostles (and hes completely absent from theGospel of John), theres not much we can say about him. 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). He usually has a small flame above his head and he often carries a pen. According to Tacitus, "there were three generals and three armies, and between these three there was constant fighting, treachery, and arson" (Histories 5.12.3). Regarding this Simon's name, "Zealot," there are possibilities. Matthew, Mark, and Luke all refer to him as Simon the Zealot (Zelotes in KJV). What can we learn from what the Bible says about James the apostle. A party called Zealots were famous in the war of the Jews against the Romans. Scholars generally believe he was killed in Jerusalem in 44 AD. His feast day is October 28th. He is mentioned in the Gospels according to Matthew (Matthew|26:613) and Mark. Yet prior to this encounter, little is known about his early life and rise to power. Christian Ethiopians claim that he was crucified in Samaria, while Justus Lipsius writes that he was sawn in half at Suanir, Persia. 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 . Both Peter and Andrew were fisher partners of the sons of Zebedee. 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. 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. Copyright 2010-2023 Telling Ministries LLC. The knowledge of Peters death is widespread among secular and church historians. Perhaps surprisingly, one of Christ's own disciples, Simon, was a member of the Zealots prior to meeting Jesus. He was married, had three children, and lived at Bethsaida, near Capernaum. His remains are buried in a crypt in Rome. Later, during Domitians persecution in the middle 90s, he was exiled to the island of Patmos. This must have meant that he was tilted to one side or the other and was not crucified vertically or horizontally. 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. 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. Once again, very little is known about him inside or outside of the Bible. Saint Simon the Apostle, also called Simon the Zealot (flourished 1st century addied , Persia or Edessa, Greece? A second-century apocryphal text called Acts of Peter claimed that Peter was crucified upside down, at his request for he didnt feel worthy to die as Jesus did. Accounts. Some sources say he was buried either in Northern Persia or the most accepted version that his remains are buried . Eleazar found himself in a similar situation of helplessness. 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). Josephus fought against the Romans in the First Jewish-Roman War. Also, the zealot? St. Jude, known as Thaddaeus, was a brother of St. James the Lesser, and a relative of Jesus. His apostolic symbol is a fish lying on a Bible, which indicates he was a former fisherman who became a fisher of men through preaching. And I was delivered from the lions mouth. He suggests that the Zealots were a fourth which sprung up as a result of Judas influence and caused the problems which led to the First Jewish-Roman War: For Judas and Sadducus, who excited a fourth philosophick sect among us, and had a great many followers therein, filled our civil government with tumults at present, and laid the foundations of our future miseries, by this system of philosophy, which we before were unacquainted withal., Your email address will not be published. It may not even be accurate to call him a disciple because he truly did not follow Christ Who said that whoever would be my disciple must follow after me (Matthew 16:24). As the Roman general Vespasian's armies terrorized the countryside of Judea and Galilee, thousands of Jewish refugees joined Eleazar's ranks. Simon the Zealot - aka Simeon or Kananaios, or Kananite s or even Simon - another brother of Jesus?. We have one tantalizing bit of information about him, which has led to ongoing debates among Bible scholars. Richard T. Ritenbaugh Despite his rejection from power, Eleazar remained in Jerusalem promoting the Zealot cause from his headquarters at the Temple. In any case, the gospel writers used this description to distinguishthisSimon from Simon Peterand the other Simons in the New Testament. Simon would have considered Matthew a Jewish sell-out, a traitor to the cause of Israel. As a Zealot, Eleazar ben Simon's radical anti-Roman beliefs prevented him from pursuing any peaceful coalition with Rome. From the first of these surnames some have thought that St. Simon was bom at Cana, in Galilee. This page was last edited on 17 March 2022, at 20:12. The lack of verses mentioning Simon the zealot probably indicates that Jesus had little if any problems with him. We know that Judas was probably a Zealot by his surname, Iscariot. Here, he was supposedly martyred by being cut in half with a saw, a tool he is often depicted with. Simon was born in Galilee, which was part of Roman-occupied Israel at the time. He is also known as, "James the Younger" ( Mark 15:40 ). His books are include: Teaching Children The Gospel/How to Raise Godly Children, Do Babies Go To Heaven?/Why Does God Allow Suffering?, "The Great Omission; Reaching the Lost for Christ," and Blind Chance or Intelligent Design?, Empirical Methodologies & the Bible.". St. Simon Novena - Day 1. 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. As time passed, the perception of Eleazar ben Simon and the Zealots shifted from the tyrannical despot whom Josephus portrays to a dedicated leader with flawed tactics. In fact, whenever he is listed in the Gospel writings it is with the designationSimon the Zealot. There are no early church records of Simon the Zealots ministry, so its hard to say where he spread the gospelbut presumably, he did. According to Josephus, John sent a party to the Zealot stronghold in the Temple to offer a sacrifice before the coming festival of Passover. 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. Simon was a member of the militant political movement called the Zealots. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you?. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1886.) Apostle Simon Even so, I thought he should be mentioned. And John elaborated, Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God (John 21:19). How Did Simon The Zealot Die by Ibrahim Smile June 16, 2022 Simon the Zealot was a Jewish priest and a member of the early Christian community. If you step out of this life without Christ, then you have sealed your own fate and eternally separated yourself from God. May it not be held against them. The circumstances of Saint Patrick's death are understandably a little muddy. 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. 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. as members of a sect called the Zealots.. 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). Most scholars today believekananaioscomes from the Aramaic wordqanan, meaning zealous one, which effectively makes Simons moniker the same in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and Acts. There are numerous accounts of Simon the Zealot's death, but the earliest records come centuries after his death. Probably Christ Himself must have told him and he was preparing Timothy to take over for him. Once again, most historians agree that Andrew was also crucified but he was crucified on an x-shaped cross in Greece. More than 1,000 copies ofThe Golden Legendsurvive today, showing how deeply embedded this mistranslation was in the church. The other James, James the Less, is named in Scripture only in each list of the apostles ( Matthew 10:3, Mark 3:18, Luke 6:14-16, and Acts 1:13) and as a secondary figure in Mark 15:40. The title Zealot tells us much about Simon. Peter, who refused to renounce his faith, was crucified, at his request, upside down. It is not fair to call Judas Iscariot an apostle since he was never truly converted or commissioned by Jesus. how did 12 apostles die, Jack Wellman is a father and grandfather and a Christian author and pastor of Heritage Evangelical Free Church in Udall, KS [https://modelchrist.org/] & also a Prison Minister. Here is a man we know by name only and not by his . Tradition also claims he died peacefully at Edessa. Simon was called by Jesus and was completely changed. This disunity with other sects of Judaism confined Zealotry to its birthplace in Galilee. The apostle was murdered in Rome by Emperor Nero around 64 AD, after the Great Fire of Rome. The Acts of Philip document gives an account of his martyrdom. Historical evidence of Eleazar arises in 66 CE, when he participated in crushing Cestius Gallus' Legio XII Fulminata at Beit-Horon. He blames the defeat of Jewish War on "unrepresentative and over-zealous fanatics" including Eleazar. Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 20 Bible Verses About Success: Study From Scripture, 25 Encouraging Bible Verses About Strength, Words of Encouragement: 30 Uplifting Quotes, Are You a Disciple of Christ? We remember him October 28 in Roman Church, andJune 19 in Eastern Church. We will now examine the historical evidence of how these men died. Appointed consul at Rome in 143, he was the first Greek to hold the rank of consul ordinarius, as opposed to consul suffectus. FAQ: Where Was The Apostle Paul In Prison In Rome? The East claims Simon died a peaceful death at Edessa. 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. ' twelve ( 12 ) disciples / apostles in Persia in 65 AD followers of Christ know name... 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