SIMON THE ZEALOT - BIBLICAL PEOPLE I'M CURIOUS ABOUT (PART 5 OF 6)

St. Simon by Peter Paul Rubens from his Twelve Apostles series at the Museo del Prado, Madrid, c. 1611

It should be no surprise that the majority of these obscure people in Scripture were in the Old Testament. But there are a pair from the New Testament we're not as aware of. We'll look at one this week and conclude this series with the other.

There were two Simons among the 12 apostles. Of course, one is better known as Peter. The other is called Simon the Cananite in Matthew 10:2-4 and Mark 3:16-19, and as Simon the Zealot Luke 6:14-16 and Acts 1:13. And I've just mentioned every passage where he's mentioned by name in Scripture.

If you notice, the 12 are divided into three groups; their names might be in a different order, but it's the same three groups. The first started with Peter and included Andrew and the Zebedee boys. The next group featured Matthew, Thomas, Phillip, and Bartholomew. Finally, we find Simon with James the Son of Alpheus, Lebbaeus (Matt.) aka Thaddeus (Mark) aka Judas the son of James (Luke and Acts; John calls him "Judas not Iscariot" and the voice text on our phone put it "Judas not as scary at"), and you know who (missing, obviously, in Acts). James and the other Judas, like Simon, have nothing written about them in Scripture other than their names and calling.

But Simon has a designation that arouses my curiosity - particularly "The Zealot." Historians are aware there was a violent Zionist group by that name. But was he a zealot? The miniseries "Jesus Of Nazareth" had him leave the Zealots to follow Christ. The little I've seen of "The Chosen" with Simon implies he still had that mindset. Others say that he never was a Zealot. 

What about the other designation - "the Cananite?" Note the writing - it's not saying "Canaanite." Some believe he was from Cana, and possibly was the groom at a certain wedding that took place there. I've heard someone else, however, say that "Cananite" is an Aramaic word meaning ... you guessed it. "Zealot."

Having interest in politics, I'd love to get to know Simon when we get to heaven.