Simon the Zealot

Biblical Record

In the New Testament, Simon appears only in the lists of the twelve apostles. None of his words or deeds are recorded.

• Matthew 10:4 and Mark 3:18: "Simon the Cananaean" (the Korean Revised Version reads "Simon the Canaanite")
• Luke 6:15: "Simon called Zelotes"
• Acts 1:13: "Simon Zelotes"

Acts 1:13 lists the apostles gathered in the upper room in Jerusalem after Jesus' ascension and records that Simon was among them. This is all that Scripture reports about him.

Because the New Testament mentions several people with the same name, they must be distinguished from one another. Simon called Peter, Simon the brother of Jesus (Matthew 13:55), Simon of Cyrene, Simon the leper of Bethany, and Simon the sorcerer are all different people.

Meaning in Scripture

The term "Cananaean" is regarded as unrelated to the place names Canaan and Cana. It is generally interpreted as a Greek transliteration of an Aramaic word meaning "zeal." Luke conveyed the same meaning with the Greek word zēlōtēs (Zelotes, "one who is zealous"). The Korean Revised Version's rendering "Canaanite" could lead readers to mistake the term for a place of origin. The New Korean Revised Version changed it to "Cananaean," which is closer to the pronunciation of the original.

Interpretations and Debates

• The meaning of "Zealot": The Zealots were a Jewish group that resisted Roman rule by armed force. Some interpreters hold that Simon belonged to this political movement. Other scholars, however, point out that the Zealots did not emerge as a clearly organized party until around the time of the Jewish War (late first century), and they conclude that Simon's epithet refers simply to his zeal for the Law.
• Contrast with Matthew: It is often emphasized that Matthew, a tax collector who collected taxes on behalf of Rome, and an anti-Roman Zealot belonged to the same band of disciples. This contrast, however, holds only if Simon is understood to have been a political Zealot.
• Later traditions: Several accounts not found in Scripture have been handed down. According to Western church tradition, Simon preached in the region of Persia together with Jude (Thaddaeus) and was martyred there. Other traditions hold that he preached in Egypt, North Africa, or the British Isles. Because of the story that he was martyred by being sawn apart, Western art frequently depicts him with a saw as his emblem. Some traditions identify him with Simon the brother of Jesus or with the bridegroom at the wedding in Cana, but these identifications find little support in Scripture.
• Feast day: The liturgical calendars of Western churches, including the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion, commemorate Simon together with Jude (Thaddaeus) on October 28. Most Protestant churches do not observe separate feast days for the apostles.

In the Korean Church

In the Korean church, Simon is mentioned mainly in sermons and Bible studies on the twelve disciples. In these settings he is commonly paired with Matthew the tax collector as an example of how people from different backgrounds were formed into a single community in Jesus. In Sunday schools, he is often taught as "Simon the Cananaean" or "Simon the Zealot" in activities for memorizing the names of the twelve disciples.