So who was this person the Bible calls Simon the Zealot, and what do we actually know about him? While there may only be one path that saves us, that path can be entered through a variety doorways. during the Roman-Judean War that one of the revolutionary factions came to identify itself formally as the Zealots. The Bible gives us very little information about Simon the Zealot and no information about his family. as members of a sect called the Zealots.. In Acts, a man known as Simon the Sorceror attempted to buy the power of the Holy Spirit from Peter (Acts 8:9-24). There are no early church records of Simon the Zealots ministry, so its hard to say where he spread the gospelbut presumably, he did. There may have been a pagan association with the Pool of Bethesda and so it's also possible he was trying to cover it up. Narrative Ambiguity & Charitable Reading, The Chosen: 6 Good Friday & Easter Episodes, The Rings of Power, LOTR, and Bible Adaptation, Amazon Prime's The Rings of Power & The Challenges of Biblical Adaptation, In Defense of The Chosen and Other Christian Movies, Books, & Media (Part 1), In Defense of The Chosen and Other Christian Movies, Books, & Media (Part 2), Imagining Mary Magdalene (5 More Bible Adaptations While You Wait for The Chosen Season 2), Yussif, Jairus, & Shmuel in The Chosen (Adapting Biblical Characters), Reflecting on The Chosen Season 3 & Anticipating Season 4: What Worked & What to Fix, Ears to Hear (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 7 with Youth or Small Group), The Chosen Season 3 Episode 7 & Episode 8: Recap, Review, & Analysis, The Feeding of the 5,000 (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 8 with Youth or Small Group), Pontius Pilate & His Wife in The Chosen (Adapting Biblical Characters), Intensity in Tent City (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 6 with Youth or Small Group), Clean Part 2 (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 5 with Youth or Small Group), Clean Part 1 (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 4 with Youth or Small Group), Physician, Heal Thyself (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 3 with Youth or Small Group), Two by Two (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 2 with Youth or Small Group), Little James in The Chosen & Scripture (Adapting Biblical Characters), Homecoming (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 1 with Youth or Small Group), 2022 BY THE BIBLE ARTIST. 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. But humans are complex creatures. The Zealots. GOSPEL: Matthew 13:54-58 EPISTLE: 1 Corinthians 4:9-16 Simon as a Member of the Zealot Party Simon the Zealot (Luke 6:15, Acts 1:13) is also called Simon the "Canaanite" (Matthew 10:4, Mark 3:18). Simon Zelotes, the eleventh apostle, was chosen by Simon Peter. Simon received no more than four mentions in the Bible, but the mystery of the identity of this apostle deepened with his epithet or nickname: the Zealot. [10], Simon, like the other Apostles, is regarded as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Churches, the Oriental Orthodox Churches, the Eastern Catholic Churches, the churches of the Anglican Communion and the Lutheran Church. Simon the Zealot & the Man at the Bethesda Pool (Exploring The Chosen Season 2 Episode 4 with Youth), Dallas and Jonathan Season 2 of The Chosen, After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. To overcome his vice, Nathanael needs to recognize what happens when he trusts too much in himself and his skill and he instead needs to learn how to entrust himself to the greater architect, Jesus, and find hope for meaning and purpose in humbly submitting to the guidance of someone wiser. He was a fiery agitator and was also a man who spoke much without thinking. According to the Golden Legend, which is a collection of hagiographies, compiled by Jacobus de Voragine in the thirteenth century "Simon the Cananaean and Judas Thaddeus were brethren of James the Less and sons of Mary Cleophas, which was married to Alpheus. How would you react if someone asked you that question after you'd been disabled for almost 40 years? The name Simon occurs in all of the Synoptic Gospels and the Book of Acts each time there is a list of apostles, without further details: Simon, (whom he also named Peter,) and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called Zelotes, And Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor. Heres how Josephus described the Fourth Philosophy which became known as the Zealots: These men agree in all other things with the Pharisaic notions; but they have an inviolable attachment to liberty, and say that God is to be their only Ruler and Lord. I have Bible studies/discussion guides for each episode of The Chosen Seasons 1-3, blogs exploring how The Chosen adapts key biblical figures, and articles exploring the controversial nature of adaptation. He was crucified 10 May 61 AD by the Roman Catus Decianus, at Caistor, modern-day Lincolnshire, Britain. Although The Chosen Season 2 Episode 4 did livestream on YouTube and Facebook, new episodes are now only being left up for 24 hours before being taken down. 721 Smith Rd. It was most likely an underground hot spring. There's also a separate area for you to draw and take notes on your favorite biblical characters. Since Simon is commonly identified with the Jewish sect known as the Zealots, its worth unpacking who they were. (John 21:1-8, ESV), Nathanael sitting under a fig tree in Season 2 of The Chosen, In order for characters to contribute to an ensemble in a meaningful way, it's important for each of them to have unique gifts or abilities. Most scholars today believe kananaios comes from the Aramaic word qanan, meaning zealous one, which effectively makes Simons moniker the same in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and Acts. Such details are often quite instructive though if we pause and consider how they function. How do the hopes of Simon and Jesse turn out? In the Bible, when Jesus says he saw Nathanael under the fig tree (John 1:43-51), there is no indication what Jesus saw Nathanael doing under the fig tree or why this phrase was so significant. Remember that, during the time of the New Testament, the land of Israel was occupied by the Roman Empire, which had conquered it several decades earlier. So far, there are no obvious figures in Scripture that correspond to Atticus Aemilius. Thank you! In the Bible there is no indication that Simon the Zealot was related to the paralyzed man at the Pool of Bethesda. In the sixteenth century, Justus Lipsius claimed he was sawed in half. He was an able man of good ancestry and lived with his family at Capernaum. The second story including Nathanael takes place in the final chapter of John: The relationship between these two narratives is really interesting and worth further study, but I won't get into that right now. Of course, within the frame of the narrative itself, Jesus appears to be demonstrating his super-human knowledge - a common theme in the Gospel of John. He discovers that Jesse has been healed by Jesus. Did you have any questions about what happened? The Bible itself never explains Simon's relationship to the Zealot movement. (NIV) Acts 1:13 PROUDLY CREATED WITH WIX.COM. In some versions of the Bible, Matthew 10:4 and Mark 3:18 (NRSV) both mentioned him as "the Cananaean," while Luke tagged him as "the Zealot" (the Book of John totally left him out). Alaa Safi as Simon Z.: a former Zealot, the brother of Jesse who was the paralytic at Bethesda, and one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. The Zealots (as The Chosen shows) were a group of religious insurgents, who sought to push back against the oppressive practices of Rome through violence, terrorism, and assassination. Jesus said to them, Children, do you have any fish? They answered him, No. He said to them, Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some. So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. What aspects of these characters stuck out to you? These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Judas was apparently killed as a result of his actions.. The appearances of Nathanael (in John 1 and John 21) function as a kind of framing device for John's Gospel. What do you think it looks like to stop putting hope in things that disappoint us, like the Pool of Bethesda, and to instead focus our hopes around Jesus? In The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary, New Testament Scholar David Rhoades says: The evidence from Josephus suggests that it was not until about 68 C.E. I'm sure that's why The Chosen decided to make Simon a former Zealot who has repented and turned to Jesus. At first glance, this may seem like a rather minor structural detail. English Standard Version Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. [1] New Testament [ edit] In Matthew 13:55, people ask concerning Jesus, "Is not this the carpenter's son? A few pseudepigraphical writings were connected to him, but Saint Jerome does not include him in De viris illustribus written between 392 and 393 AD.[4]. John P. Meier argues that the term "Zealot" is a mistranslation and in the context of the Gospels means "zealous" or "religious" (in this case, for keeping the Law of Moses), as the Zealot movement apparently did not exist until 30 to 40 years after the events of the Gospels. . Fact 3, however, is unique. Episode 7 Guide: Did Nicodemus Follow Jesus? The backstory prologues gives us a thumbnail sketch of the pride and arrogance that Nathanael is prone to as a result of his great skill and intelligence. Community formation does take precedence over the individual encounters in Season 2 of The Chosen, but individual encounters continue to be a source of great interest for the show. If you liked this post, you might want to check out some of my other posts on The Chosen and Bible adaptation. Jessie pleads with his brother not to complete a Zealot mission to kill a Roman . Instead of saying he does or doesn't want to be well, he explains why he thinks he can't get well - he doesn't have anyone to put him in the pool when it is stirred up. It could mean he belonged to a Jewish sect known as the Zealots. Bartholomew was one of the twelve disciples of Jesus (e.g., Matthew 10:3). The Pool of Bethesda was specifically known to heal people only at a specific time - when the waters had been stirred up. I want the youth to enjoy it and not just see The Chosen as an elaborate preaching illustration. In the cultural context of the time, the idea of a stairway between heaven and earth would have evoked the image of a Babylonian ziggurat - one of the architectural wonders of the ancient world. To begin your time, have your youth read the main passage that this episode of The Chosen is adapting: During the time of the New Testament, it was common for people to believe that certain places like the Pool of Bethesda had miraculous power to bring healing. Did Simon the Baptist have any siblings? In the fifth century, Moses of Chorene wrote that Simon the Zealot was martyred in the Kingdom of Iberia. Scripture background: Matthew 10:4 ("Canaanite") Mark 3:18 (Zealot) Luke 6:15 Acts 1:13. In the biblical tradition, human acts of zeal punished idolatrous violations of Gods right to exclusive allegiance from Israel. However, his title "the Zealot" suggests that he may have been a member of a band of violent Jewish revolutionaries. Indeed, for most viewers, the ability to relate to the characters on a show is paramount. What do you think he meant by it? This draws our attention to something significant about the way The Chosen is adapting the figures of Simon the Zealot and Nathanael. Simon the Zealot's greatest vice is also tied to his longings and his gifts. Some Bible translations preserve Jeromes mistake out of respect for tradition, calling Simon the Cananite or the Cananaean in Matthew 10:3 and Mark 3:18. The Chosen Season 3: What to Expect & How to Watch, The Chosen Season 3 Episode 1 & Episode 2: Reaction and Analysis, The Chosen Season 3 Episode 3: Recap, Review, & Analysis, The Chosen Season 3 Episode 4: Recap, Review, & Analysis, The Chosen Season 3 Episode 5: Recap, Review, & Analysis, The Chosen Season 3 Episode 6: Recap, Review, & Analysis, The Chosen Season 3 Episodes 7 & 8: Recap, Review, & Analysis, The Chosen Season 3 Episodes 1 & 2: Questions to Discuss Before the Premiere, Preparing for The Chosen Season 3: 7 Episodes to Watch, I am the Law of Moses (The Chosen Season 3 Controversy), Little James in The Chosen & Scripture ***Season 3***, Pontius Pilate & his Wife in The Chosen ***Season 3***, Judas in The Chosen ***Season 3 Update***, Matthew in The Chosen ***Season 3 Update***, Simon and Andrew in The Chosen ***Season 3 Update***, Lilith, Demons, & Evil Spirits in The Chosen, Simon the Zealot & Nathanael in The Chosen, Quintus, Gaius, and the Romans in The Chosen, Episode 8 Guide: The Feeding of the 5,000. And, who knows? Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. A party called Zealots were famous in the war of the Jews against the Romans. Josephus fought against the Romans in the First Jewish-Roman War. Simon the Zealot can't simply be another name on a list - we want to have at least a basic understanding of where he came from and what he contributes as a disciple. 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.. (John 5:10-16 ESV), The ending of this story in the Gospel of John seems to suggest that the invalid, after getting healed by Jesus, turns into a snitch, reporting Jesus to the Pharisees. Simon's background as a Zealot also establishes that he is a serious, disciplined, and *surprise* zealous person. Notice that the man doesn't reply directly to Jesus' question. Therefore, it is anachronistic to view people acting with zeal before 68 C.E. I hope you enjoy them! If so, this sheds slight on James, son of Alphaeus and Simon Zealot as brothers. St Simon is surnamed the Canaanean or Canaanite, and the Zealot, to distinguish him from St. Peter, and from St. Simeon, the brother of St. James the Less, and his successor in the see of Jerusalem. Appearances Season Two The Perfect Opportunity Spirit Others like you also viewed Simon Z. Nathanael Thaddeus John Big James Andrew Simon Peter Judas Iscariot Philip Matthew Thomas Little James Gaius Tamar Categories Simon the Zealot's prologue establishes his longing to combat evil and injustice. [22], "St. Simon" redirects here. The show also is also trying to distinguish his personality from the other disciples - his role as an architect suggests precision, intelligence, and creativity, while his encounter with Jesus suggests that he is honest and candid. Read Scripture Like an Artist is a Bible journal that will help you engage with Scripture through your imagination and respond to what you are reading through art and/or creative writing. Did he leave the Zealots in order to join the Jesus movement, while continuing to be known for his past association? something. If thats what the Zealot refers to, then like Matthew the Tax Collector, the Apostle Simons presence among the Twelve represents a powerful picture of the gospel. [18] Nikephoros I of Constantinople writes:[18][19]. James the son of Zebedee, so called to distinguish him from another of the apostles of the same name, who was the son of Alphaeus. 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