Bible Encyclopedia: Zealot

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International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

SIMON THE CANAANITE; SIMON THE CANANAEAN; SIMON THE ZEALOT

(Simon Kananaios; kanna'i, "the Jealous (or Zealous) One"): One of the Twelve Apostles. 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 6:15 Acts 1:13 the King James Version) or "the Zealot" (Luke 6:15 Acts 1:13 the Revised Version (British and American)).

According to the "Gospel of the Ebionites" or" Gospel of the Twelve Apostles" (of the 2nd century and mentioned by Origen) Simon received his call to the apostleship along with Andrew and Peter, the sons of Zebedee, Thaddaeus and Judas Iscariot at the Sea of Tiberias (compare Matthew 4:18-22; see also Hennecke, Neutestamentliche Apokryphen, 24-27).

Although Simon, like the majority of the apostles, was probably a Galilean, the designation "Cananaean" is regarded as of political rather than of geographical significance (compare Luke's rendering). 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.

Simon has been identified with Simon the brother of Jesus (Mark 6:3 Matthew 13:55), but there also are reasons in favor of identifying him with Nathanael.

Thus (1) all the arguments adduced in favor of the Bartholomew-Nathanael identification (see NATHANAEL) can equally be applied to that of Simon-Nathanael, except the second. But the second is of no account, since the Philip-Bartholomew connection in the Synoptists occurs merely in the apostolic lists, while in John it is narrative. Further, in the Synoptists, Philip is connected in the narrative, not with Bartholomew but with Andrew.

(2) The identity is definitely stated in the Genealogies of the Twelve Apostles (see NATHANAEL). Further, the "Preaching of Simon, son of Cleopas" (compare Budge, II, 70;) has the heading "The preaching of the blessed Simon, the son of Cleopas, who was surnamed Judas, which is interpreted Nathanael, who became bishop of Jerusalem after James the brother of our Lord." Eusebius (Historia Ecclesiastica, III, xi, 32; IV, xxii) also refers to a Simon who succeeded James as bishop of Jerusalem and suffered martyrdom under Trajan; and Hegesippus, whom Eusebius professes to quote, calls this Simon a son of Cleopas.

(3) The invitation of Philip to Nathanael (compare John 1:45) was one which would naturally be addressed to a follower of the Zealots, who based their cause on the fulfillment of Messianic prophecy.

(4) As Alpheus, the father of James, is generally regarded as the same as Clopas or Cleopas (see JAMES), this identification of the above Simon Nathanael, son of Cleopas, with Simon Zelotes would shed light on the reason of the juxtaposition of James son of Alpheus and Simon Zelotes in the apostolic lists of Luke and Acts, i.e. they were brothers.

C. M. Kerr

ZEALOT; ZEALOTS

zel'-ut, zel'-uts: Simon, one of the apostles, was called "the Zealot" Zelotes from zeloo "to rival," "emulate," "be jealous," "admire," "desire greatly," Luke 6:15 Acts 1:13, the King James Version "Zelotes"). In Matthew 10:4 and Mark 3:18 he is called "the Cananean" (so the Revised Version (British and American) correctly; not "the Canaanite," as the King James Version says, following inferior manuscripts), ho Kananaios. From the time of the Maccabees there existed among the Jews a party who professed great zeal for the observance of the "law." According to Josephus (BJ, IV, iii, 9; v, 1; VII, viii, 1) they resorted to violence and assassination in their hatred of the foreigner, being at many points similar to the Chinese Boxers. It is not improbable that the "Assassins" (see ASSASSINS) of Acts 21:38 were identical, or at least closely associated, with this body of "Zealots," to which we must conclude that Simon had belonged before he became one of the Twelve.

See , further, SIMON THE ZEALOT.

William Arthur Heidel

Greek

2208. Zelotes -- the Zealot, a member of a Jewish political party
... Zelotes. 2209 . the Zealot, a member of a Jewish political party. Transliteration:
Zelotes Phonetic Spelling: (dzay-lo-tace') Short Definition: Zealot. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2208.htm - 6k

2581. Kananaios -- Cananaean, Aramaic for Zealot, surname of one ...
... Cananaean, Aramaic for Zealot, surname of one of the twelve apostles. Part of Speech:
Noun, Masculine Transliteration: Kananaios Phonetic Spelling: (kan-an-ee ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2581.htm - 7k

2207. zelotes -- zealous
... zealous. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: zelotes Phonetic Spelling:
(dzay-lo-tace') Short Definition: a zealot Definition: one who is eagerly ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2207.htm - 7k

5332. pharmakeus -- sorcerer.
... This has a "drugging" effect on the aspiring religious zealot, inducing them to
think they have "special spiritual powers" (that do operate in keeping with ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5332.htm - 6k

Library

After Prayer Jesus Selects Twelve Apostles.
... for Luke and John wrote later than Matthew and Mark) by the name Judas"John 14:22.]
^a 4 Simon the Cananaean, ^c who was called the Zealot [Cananæan means ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/xli after prayer jesus selects.htm

C. The Third Period. Chs. 6:12 to 8:56
... brother, and James and John, and Philip and Bartholomew, 15 and Matthew and Thomas,
and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot, 16 and ...
/.../erdman/the gospel of luke an exposition/c the third period chs.htm

Acts xxi. 39, 40
... "Yes: but what if thou didst indeed know the law accurately, but dost not vindicate
it, no, nor love it?" "Being a zealot," he adds: not simply (one that knew ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on acts and romans/homily xlvii acts xxi 39.htm

Saul's Conversion
... and haling men and women, committed them to prison." One would have imagined, that
this should have satisfied, at least abated the fury of this young zealot. ...
/.../whitefield/selected sermons of george whitefield/sauls conversion.htm

First Part.
... By the vertue wherof a Zealot may runne through all his affections, and with David,
breath zeale out of every pipe, after this manner for a taste; ...
/.../ward/a coal from the altar to kindle the holy fire of zeale/first part.htm

The Elizabethan Reaction
... she threw off the disguise. A dagger launched by some fiery zealot against
a preacher [138] at St. Paul's Cross, who divining his ...
/.../studies in the book of common prayer/chapter iii the elizabethan reaction.htm

Vanity of Human Glory.
... Simon we only know that he was called the Canaanite, or Zealot, for the words have
the same meaning, belonging, before his conversion, to a certain fierce sect ...
/.../newman/parochial and plain sermons vol viii/sermon xii vanity of human.htm

The Genuine Acts of Peter.
... But because virtue is the mark of the zealot, "it is the tops of the mountains that
are struck by lightning," [2245] he hence endured multifarious conflicts ...
/.../peter/the writings of peter of alexandria/the genuine acts of peter.htm

Mary at the Cross.
... Pilate from the first look he got of his Prisoner understood that he had before
him quite another kind of person than the ordinary zealot, or spurious Messiah ...
/.../dods/the expositors bible the gospel of st john vol ii/xx mary at the cross.htm

The Twelve and the Seventy.
... His namesake, the other Simon, was termed the Canaanite, and also Zelotes, [38:7]
or the zealot"a title expressive, in all likelihood, of the zeal and ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/killen/the ancient church/chapter iii the twelve and.htm

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

(n.) One who engages earnestly warmly in any cause, especially, one who is overzealous, or carried away by his zeal; one absorbed in devotion to anything; an enthusiast; a fanatical partisan.

Thesaurus

Zealot (4 Occurrences)
... partisan. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. SIMON THE CANAANITE; SIMON THE CANANAEAN;
SIMON THE ZEALOT. (Simon ... CM Kerr. ZEALOT; ZEALOTS. zel'-ut ...
/z/zealot.htm - 12k

Zealots
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. ZEALOT; ZEALOTS. zel'-ut, zel ... of the Twelve.
See , further, SIMON THE ZEALOT. William Arthur Heidel. ...
/z/zealots.htm - 8k

Canaanite (74 Occurrences)
... 3. (n.) A zealot. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. ... ka-na-ne'-an, ka'-nan-it. See
SIMON; CANANAEAN. SIMON THE CANAANITE; SIMON THE CANANAEAN; SIMON THE ZEALOT. ...
/c/canaanite.htm - 36k

Alphaeus (5 Occurrences)
... Mark 3:18 Andrew; Philip; Bartholomew; Matthew; Thomas; James, the son of Alphaeus;
Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot; (WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY NAS RSV NIV). ...
/a/alphaeus.htm - 12k

Thomas (12 Occurrences)
... Mark 3:18 Andrew; Philip; Bartholomew; Matthew; Thomas; James, the son of Alphaeus;
Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot; (WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV). ...
/t/thomas.htm - 17k

Bartholomew (4 Occurrences)
... Mark 3:18 Andrew; Philip; Bartholomew; Matthew; Thomas; James, the son of Alphaeus;
Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot; (WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV). ...
/b/bartholomew.htm - 10k

Cananaean (2 Occurrences)
... SIMON THE CANAANITE; SIMON THE CANANAEAN; SIMON THE ZEALOT. (Simon Kananaios;
kanna'i, "the Jealous (or Zealous) One"): One of the Twelve Apostles. ...
/c/cananaean.htm - 10k

Zeal (45 Occurrences)
... engagedness; enthusiasm; fervor. 2. (n.) A zealot. 3. (vi) To be zealous.
Multi-Version Concordance Zeal (45 Occurrences). John 2 ...
/z/zeal.htm - 21k

Andrew (12 Occurrences)
... Mark 3:18 Andrew; Philip; Bartholomew; Matthew; Thomas; James, the son of Alphaeus;
Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot; (WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV). ...
/a/andrew.htm - 20k

Philip (37 Occurrences)
... Mark 3:18 Andrew; Philip; Bartholomew; Matthew; Thomas; James, the son of Alphaeus;
Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot; (WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV). ...
/p/philip.htm - 32k

Bible Concordance

Zealot (4 Occurrences)

Matthew 10:4 Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who was false to him.
(BBE NAS NIV)

Mark 3:18 Andrew; Philip; Bartholomew; Matthew; Thomas; James, the son of Alphaeus; Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot;
(WEB BBE NAS NIV)

Luke 6:15 Matthew; Thomas; James, the son of Alphaeus; Simon, who was called the Zealot;
(WEB WEY ASV BBE DBY NAS RSV NIV)

Acts 1:13 When they had come in, they went up into the upper room, where they were staying; that is Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James.
(WEB WEY ASV BBE DBY NAS RSV NIV)

Subtopics

Zealot

Related Terms

Zealots

Canaanite (74 Occurrences)

Alphaeus (5 Occurrences)

Thomas (12 Occurrences)

Bartholomew (4 Occurrences)

Cananaean (2 Occurrences)

Zeal (45 Occurrences)

Andrew (12 Occurrences)

Philip (37 Occurrences)