Further, in the Synoptists, Philip is connected in the narrative, not with Bartholomew but with Andrew. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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)).Īccording 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).Īlthough 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). (Simon Kananaios kanna'i, 'the Jealous (or Zealous) One'): SIMON THE CANAANITE SIMON THE CANANAEAN SIMON THE ZEALOT

Simon the zealot