SIMON, THE ZEALOT
INTRODUCTION
A. (Lu.6:12-16) On the occasion of our text, we discover Jesus spending the entire night in prayer to God. The reason Jesus did this, as inferred by Luke, is because He is selecting among the present disciples 12 whom He designates as apostles.
a. apostles apostolos “1) a delegate, messenger, one sent forth with orders 1a) specifically applied to the twelve apostles of Christ”
b. in a broader sense applied to other eminent Christian teachers - e.g. Barnabas
B. Now, if you were going to select 12 men with which you will be traveling, spending days & nights with, & dispatching to various places to teach about God’s kingdom, whom would you select? Likely you would not have chosen the 12 men Jesus did.
C. Two of the men the Lord chose to be apostles were named “Simon.” In our text Luke distinguishes between the two by telling us Jesus called one “Peter” while the other was known as “the Zealot.”
D. It is “Simon called the Zealot” that we will consider in this lesson.
I. SIMON CALLED THE ZEALOT
A. This Simon is as obscure as the first is celebrated, for he is nowhere mentioned in the Gospel history, except in the catalogues. The name “Simon” is the Greek of the Hebrew “Simeon.” This name means “flat-nosed.”
B. Simon was from Galilee (Ac.2:7)
C. The epithet the gospel writers give Simon tell us something about his political persuasion. He is referred to by Luke as “Simon called the Zealot” (Lu.6:15; Ac.1:13) & by Matthew & Mark as “Simon called the Cananite” (Mt.10:4; Mr.3:18). The words “Zealot” & “Cananite” are the same – one is Greek while the other is Aramaic. (Zealot – “a zealous one”)
D. Some might assume the phrase the “the Cananite” means he was a native of Canaan. Though he likely was, nevertheless, that is not what this word means. It derives from the Syriac word Kanean or Kaneniah - the name of a Jewish sect.
a. in 63 B.C. Palestine had come under the control of the Roman Empire. As we would imagine, this was much to the dislike of the Jews. In an effort to discourage Roman occupation some of the more radical patriots of the Jews formed a band known as the Zealots/Cananites some 20 years before Jesus’ ministry
b. Cananite sect – originated with Judas the Gaulonite
c. (Ac.5:37) consisted of fanatical patriots who rebelled against the Romans, but were soon scattered, with members just waiting for another opportunity to strike at Roman rule
d. fanatical patriots later became known as “Assassins” from the word “sica” – a small curved dagger (zealots concealed the dagger inside their rob & used it when an opportunity presented itself
e. zealots hated publicans & publicans feared zealots (we can only imagine the tension that 1st existed between Simon & Matthew
f. zealots were destined to bring ruin on themselves & their country by their fanatical, reckless, & unavailing patriotism – though the insurrection of Judas was crushed, the fire of discontent still smoldered in the breasts of his followers; & at length it burst out into the blaze of a new rebellion, which brought on a death-struggle with the gigantic power of Rome, & ended in the destruction of the Jewish capital, & the dispersion of the Jewish people
A. What led Simon to leave Judas the Gaulonite for Jesus of Nazareth we know not; but he made a wise exchange for himself ().
a. no 2 men could differ more widely in their spirits, goals, & means, than Judas & Jesus
b. Judas was politically malcontent while Jesus taught the Jews to bow to the Roman yoke (Mt.5:41) & render unto Caesar the things that are Caesars (Mt.22:21)
c. Judas wanted to restore the ancient kingdom of Israel by using a human sword while was preparing to establish a kingdom not of this world by using the “sword of the Spirit”(Eph.6:17)
d. Judas was longing for material security while Jesus taught that there was no such thing & that men could only be spiritually secure (Mt.6:19-21;
B. By Jesus calling Simon to be a disciple & apostle, we learn the following:
a. Jesus disregards the wisdom of the world in choosing a man who formerly was a zealot & might arouse political suspicion (Lu.5:32)
b. Jesus is able to reconcile enemies – Simon & Matthew (Eph.2:14-16; Gal.3:28)
c. some labor with little recognition – some divided the 12 apostles into 3 groups of 4
a. 1st group – best known, 2nd group – next best, & 3rd group least known (except Judas) – (Ac.9:36)
b. Foxe’s Book of Martyrs says Simon preached in Mauritania, Africa, & in Britain, where he was crucified in A.D. 74
We have met 2 Simons who occupied one body. One, who formerly was “the
Zealot,” & the other, who, through the grace of God, became a Christian & an
apostle. Now, who do people see when they meet us – the sinner we all became
or the saint? (2Cor.5:17)