Saint-Simon

Apostle Simon

Saint-Simon

Saint Simon le Zélote, l'un des disciples peu connus appelés les Cananéens ou Zélotes, vivait en Galilée. La tradition dit qu'il a été crucifié. Saint Simon the Zealot is referred to as a Canaanite twice in the King James Version (Matthew 10:4;Marc 3:18)

However, in the other two places, Saint Simon is referred to as Simon Zealot (Luc 6:15;Actes 1:13). Except for the fact that he was a Zealot, the New Testament tells us almost nothing about him. The Zealots were fanatical Jewish nationalists who had a heroic disregard for the suffering and struggle for the purity of their faith.

Les Zélotes étaient possédés par une haine fervente pour les Romains. Cette haine de Rome était responsable de la destruction de Jérusalem.

Selon Josèphe, les Zélotes étaient des gens téméraires qui étaient zélés dans les bonnes pratiques mais extravagants et téméraires dans les pires actions.

De là, on peut déduire que Simon était un nationaliste fanatique, un homme dévoué à la loi, et un homme rempli de venin pour quiconque osait transiger avec Rome.

Nonetheless, Saint Simon emerged as a homme de foi. Il a abandonné toute sa haine pour la foi de son Maître et l'amour qu'il était prêt à partager avec le reste des disciples, en particulierSaint Matthieu, le percepteur romain.

Simon le Zélote, l'homme qui aurait tué par loyauté envers Israël, est devenu l'homme qui a réalisé que Dieu n'accepterait pas le service forcé. Selon la légende, il mourut en martyr. Son symbole apostolique est unpoisson allongé sur une bible, ce qui indique qu'il était un ancienpêcheurqui est devenu un pêcheur d'hommes par la prédication.

Apostle Simon

Birth

Saint Simon the Zealot was born in the 1st Century in Cana, Galilee. Saint Luke referred to him as the Cananean Zealot.

Apostle Simon

Simon with Jesus

Indépendamment de ses affiliations politiques ou de sa personnalité antérieures, Saint Simon le Zélote est devenu un disciple le jour où il a suivi Jésus. En tant que l'un des disciples les plus proches de Jésus, il a découvert que Jésus n'était pas venu combattre la chair et le sang pour une nation, mais pour combattre les forces spirituelles pour les âmes.

Though Jesus was zealous, it is possible that turning over the vendors’ tables in the temple was his only truly aggressive act. Jesus confronted those who opposed Him with truthfully spoken words. When they took Him to be crucified, He did not fight back.

Jésus ne s'est pas occupé des affaires de l'État, mais a plutôt dit à ses disciples,

“Therefore render to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s” (Matthew 22:21).

He made it clear that salvation was available to anyone who would listen, healing and preaching to anyone who would listen. In Luke 21:5;Luke 21:6, Jesus predicted that the temple in Jerusalem would be destroyed and that the Jewish capital would be taken over by Gentiles. Jesus did not come to start a revolution; He came to die on the cross for mankind’s salvation.

Saint Simon le Zélote est devenu un apôtre au cours de ses trois années de ministère avec Jésus, capable de répandre l'évangile dans la vérité et l'amour à toutes les nations. Bien qu'il existe différentes versions de sa mort, il est probable qu'il a servi comme missionnaire en Perse avec zèle et qu'il soit finalement mort en martyr.

Saint Simon le Zélote

Achievements

Almost nothing is known about Simon in the Bible. He is mentioned three times in the Gospels, but only once to list his name alongside the other twelve disciples. According to Actes 1:13, he was present in the upper room of Jerusalem with the 11 apostles after Christ ascended to heaven. According to church tradition, he served as a missionary in Egypt and was martyred in Persia.

Francesco Moratti San Simone entro Nicchia Disegnata dal Borromini

Truth

Facts tell us that Simon was known as the Zealot because of his strict adherence to Jewish and Canaanite law. He was one of Christ’s first followers. According to Western tradition, he preached in Egypt before traveling to Persia with St. Jude, où les deux ont été martyrisés.

According to Eastern tradition, Simon died peacefully in Edessa. The 28th of October is his feast day.

O Glorious Saint Simon, you were a cousin of Jesus and a devoted follower as well. You were called “the Zealot,” indicating that you were willing to give your life for your religion and your freedom as a human person. Obtain for us the grace to be willing to give our lives for Christ and to labor for the freedom and peace that only God can give. Help us to spend ourselves for God on earth and be received by him in eternal bliss in heaven. Amen

Identity

Étant donné l'association de Simon avec la secte juive connue sous le nom de Zélotes, cela vaut la peine de se pencher sur qui ils étaient. On ne sait pas quand le groupe était officiellement connu sous le nom de Zélotes.

Flavius Josèphe, un historien judéo-romain qui a vécu au premier siècle, a fourni les descriptions les plus détaillées de qui ils étaient, comment leur mouvement a commencé et ce qu'ils représentaient.

Pendant la première guerre judéo-romaine, Josèphe s'est battu contre les Romains.

Lorsqu'il s'est rendu à Vespasien, il a revendiqué des prophéties messianiques juives selon lesquelles Vespasien deviendrait empereur de Rome, et Vespasien a décidé de le laisser vivre, le prenant comme esclave.

Vespasien devint empereur et accorda à Josèphe la citoyenneté romaine.

Certains érudits pensent que Josèphe a exagéré les Zélotes pour maintenir la paix, attribuant le conflit à une petite secte juive et à quelques mauvais dirigeants romains. Comme indiqué précédemment, Rhoades soutient que le travail de Josèphe établit qu'il n'y avait aucun groupe formel connu sous le nom de Zélotes jusqu'à environ 68 après JC.

Cependant, Josèphe a tenté de retracer les origines du groupe jusqu'à un petit soulèvement en 6 après J. , où Jésus est né.

Rubens Apostel Simon

The Sainthood

Simon, comme les autres apôtres, est considéré comme un saint par l'Église catholique romaine, les Églises orthodoxes orientales, les Églises orthodoxes orientales, les Églises catholiques orientales, l'Église anglicane et l'Église luthérienne.

Travels & Missionary

Simon le Zélote, en tant qu'apôtre de Jésus-Christ, aurait été envoyé quelque part pour répandre l'évangile, tout comme les autres apôtres. Le mot pour apôtre (apóstolos) signifie « celui qui est envoyé ».

Selon la Légende dorée, Simon a prêché en Egypte avant de s'allier à Judas, le frère de Jésus :

« Judas prêcha d'abord en Mésopotamie et au Pont, et Simon prêcha en Égypte, et de là ils vinrent en Perse et y trouvèrent deux enchanteurs, Zaroès et Arphaxat, que saint Matthieu avait chassés d'Éthiopie.

Parce qu'il n'y a pas de registres paroissiaux du ministère de Simon le Zélote, il est difficile de dire où il a propagé l'évangile, mais on peut supposer qu'il l'a fait.

Simon the Apostle

Décès

C'était un disciple peu connu qui vivait en Galilée et a fait l'objet de plusieurs histoires sur sa mort.

Selon la Légende dorée, ildied as a martyr in Persiavers l'an 65 après JC, alors que les chrétiens éthiopiens croyaient qu'il avait été crucifié en Samarie.

On a dit au 16ème siècle qu'il a été scié en deux, mais d'autres prétendent qu'il est mort de vieillesse à Edesse. Comme je l'ai dit précédemment, il existe des traditions non bibliques concernant les apôtres.

Malgré le récit du martyre de Jacques dans Actes 12, un évêque espagnol a commencé à promouvoir l'idée que Jacques était venu en Espagne au XIIe siècle.

La même chose est vraie avec Simon le Zélote avec différents groupes et agendas revendiquant l'héritage de Simon.

L'opinion majoritaire semble être que Simon a été scié en deux en Perse.

Amsterdam - Rijksmuseum - Late Rembrandt Exposition 2015 - The Apostle Simon 1661

Points clés à retenir

Simon Pierre a choisi Simon Zélote comme onzième apôtre. C'était un homme capable de bonne ascendance qui vivait à Capharnaüm avec sa famille.

Lorsqu'il s'attacha aux apôtres, il avait vingt-huit ans. C'était un agitateur fougueux ainsi que quelqu'un qui parlait beaucoup sans réfléchir.

Il était marchand à Capharnaüm avant de consacrer sa vie à l'organisation patriotique des Zélotes. Simon Zealot fut chargé des divertissements et de la détente du groupe apostolique, et il fut un organisateur très efficace de la vie ludique et des activités récréatives des douze. Chaque apôtre a été choisi pour une raison précise.

Jésus était le juge de caractère ultime, et il voyait en Simon le Zélote une intensité qui serait utile pour répandre l'évangile. La violence de la crucifixion de Jésus a dû ébranler Simon le Zélote. Simon était impuissant à l'arrêter.

Le royaume de Jésus concernait le salut, pas la politique. Il a converti les hommes qui étaient obsédés par les choses de ce monde et a changé leur vie pour se concentrer sur des choses qui durent pour toujours.

Ribera San Simon

Characteristics

The interesting thing about researching the characteristics of Saint Simon is that he is never mentioned throughout The Bible, except to list his name as one of the twelve disciples. The word Canaanite as used to describe Simon is actually a term that relates to his position as a member of the Zealots, a political party.

Simon the Zealot, one of Jesus Christ’s 12 apostles, is a mystery character in the Bible. We have one tantalizing bit of information about him, which has led to an ongoing debate among Bible scholars. In some versions of the Bible (such as the Amplified Bible), he is called Simon the Cananaean. Simon the Zealot was rebellious and fearless, but when h met Jesus, he became a lover of God and purpose.

Saint-Simon

Simon was a rabid revolutionist, a fearless firebrand of agitation. He was twenty-eight years old when he became attached to the apostles. He was a fiery agitator and was also a man who spoke much without thinking. He had been a merchant in Capernaum before he turned his entire attention to the patriotic organization of the Zealots.

He was a rebel by nature and an iconoclast by training, but Jesus won him for the higher concepts of the kingdom of heaven. He had always identified himself with the party of protest, but he now joined the party of progress, unlimited and eternal progression of spirit and truth. Simon was a man of intense loyalties and warm personal devotions, and he did profoundly love Jesus.

Rebellious

Another odd aspect of Simon’s appointment was that the Zealots generally agreed with the Pharisees and the legalistic observance of the commandments. Jesus frequently clashed with the Pharisees over their strict interpretation of the law. We might wonder how Simon the Zealot reacted to that.

The Zealot party had a long history in Israel, formed by men who were passionate about obeying the commandments in the Torah, especially those that banned idolatry.

As foreign conquerors imposed their pagan ways on the Jewish people, the Zealots sometimes turned to violence. One such offshoot of the Zealots was the Sicarii, or daggermen, a group of assassins who tried to cast off Roman rule. Their tactic was to mingle in crowds during festivals, slip up behind a victim, then kill him with their Sicari or short curved knife. The effect was a reign of terror that disrupted the Roman government.

Preacher

As a Zealot, Simon once lived his life on the opposite end of the spectrum from Matthew. Matthew, a Roman sympathizer hated by the Jews because he was a tax-gatherer, was despised by the Zealots of his day. Whereas Simon (the tax hater) once might have considered a dagger for Matthew (the tax collector), later he became a compatriot of Matthews, spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ to the remote corners of the world.

Here we can appreciate the beauty of the Christian church. Coming together as a people of every possible race, political background, nationality, and personality, Christians rise up to form a church that is alive with love for one another.

Each member becomes a servant of the master, Jesus Christ. The miracle of joining twelve men together with such opposite natures and personalities is mirrored in the miracle of an entire Church that spans the world.

The Zealots were angry people. It kind of came along with the territory. And Simon was probably an angry person too. But Jesus had replaced that anger with love. We do not know the circumstances surrounding his initial meeting with Christ, but we do know that it changed him.

It is also a possibility that he saw a possible earthly kingdom in Christ. But if he did, he wasn’t much different from many other followers. He just didn’t see the big picture.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t think I would have chosen a man with such strong political convictions against Rome and then chosen the apostle Matthew, who worked for Rome!

From a purely logical point of view, that would never work out. But Jesus had changed them. They were not the men that they used to be. How many of us would have disliked each other before we met Christ, and yet we are now bound together in our love for Jesus? We are family now!

Nevertheless, I still wonder if they ever talked about politics. That would have been an interesting discussion to hear!

Canvas print depicting Saint Simon, the saint stands out alone, the colours are lively, the saint is dressed in a simple way as to show that the apostles were common men of their times, this basic dress also exalts the divine dimension of the saint.

The Lover of Purpose

I mentioned that the Zealots later evolved into a group of assassins who preferred to silently kill with the dagger. The first-century writer Josephus recorded this in his historical records, The Wars of the Jews. He also wrote that the Zealots would just as soon kill a Roman as look at him.

We would refer to the Zealots as fanatical religious terrorists today. Their passion for their nation drove their hatred for Rome. But when Simon, the religious terrorist, met the Lord Jesus Christ, all that hatred melted away, and all that was left was his fervent passion.

Then, Jesus took that passion, enhanced it, and focused it on a higher purpose – no longer a patriot of Israel but a servant of God.

This disciple with a killer instinct, this man who was involved in organized criminal activity and sedition, became a new person, zealous for Christ – chosen to be an apostle. If there is one thing that can be said about Simon, he was certainly not apathetic!

A Lover of His Nation

There were actually quite a number of political groups in the time of Christ. The Bible mentions four specifically. One of the most mentioned in the Bible is the Pharisees. They were super-committed to keeping the whole law. They would not associate with anyone they thought was not completely in sync with their way of thinking. They disliked the Roman Empire because of their many gods and their wicked lifestyle. But their form of resistance was passive-aggressive.

Another group was the Sadducees. They were typically from rich and affluent families. They didn’t believe in the supernatural aspects of the Scriptures. This group wasn’t as serious about the law and probably because so much of it was laced with supernatural events that they just couldn’t accept. They didn’t really mind the Romans as long as they got to keep their own place and position. So they offered no resistance to the Roman occupation at all.

Then, the New Testament mentions a third group that was very political in nature – the Herodians. These people looked favorably toward the Herods’ rule, they liked Greek culture, and consequently, they didn’t mind the Romans at all. They got along with the Sadducees but didn’t care for the Pharisees. They especially didn’t agree with the Zealots.

Summary Characteristics

In some versions of the Bible (Amplified Bible), he is called Simon the Cananaean. In the King James Version and New King James Version, he is called Simon the Canaanite or Canaanite. In the English Standard Version, New American Standard Bible, New International Version, and New Living Translation, he is called Simon the Zealot.

To confuse things further, Bible scholars argue over whether Simon was a member of the radical Zealot party or whether the term simply referred to his religious zeal. Those who take the former view think Jesus may have chosen Simon, a member of the tax-hating, Roman-hating Zealots, to counterbalance Matthew, a former tax collector, and employee of the Roman empire.

Those scholars say such a move by Jesus would have shown that his kingdom reaches out to people from all walks of life.

Facts St. Simon

Facts made us understand that Simon was a political activist in his younger years. Why would Jesus choose someone with this background? “It is amazing that Jesus would select a man like Simon to be an apostle. But he was a man of fierce loyalties, amazing passion, courage, and zeal. Simon believed the truth and embraced Christ as his Lord. The fiery enthusiasm he once had for Israel was now expressed in his devotion to Christ.” Simon’s strength was his inspirational loyalty. When the apostles found a man or woman who floundered in indecision about entering the kingdom, they would send for Simon.

Symbol

The apostle Simon the Zealot facts show us that Simon does not have a prominent role in the New Testament, just like most of the apostles. We know very little about him from the Bible, except that he was a member of the Zealots.

The Zealots fought against Roman rule in Israel, and they wanted to preserve their Jewish religion in the face of Roman hostility. The historian, Josephus, gives us most of our information about the Zealots, though he can be an untrustworthy source.

He writes that the Zealots started the rebellion against Rome that lead to the destruction of Jerusalem. The Zealots also committed the abomination that causes desolation that Jesus predicted in the gospels.

Simon’s great weakness was his material-mindedness. He could not quickly change himself from a Jewish nationalist to a spiritually-minded internationalist.

Four years was too short a time in which to make such an intellectual and emotional transformation, but Jesus was always patient with him. The one thing about Jesus that Simon so much admired was the Master’s calmness, assurance, poise, and inexplicable composure.

Although Simon was a rabid revolutionist, a fearless firebrand of agitation, he gradually subdued his fiery nature until he became a powerful and effective preacher of “Peace on earth and goodwill among men.”

Apostle Simon the Zealot Facts give a great impression that Simon was a great debater; he did like to argue. And when it came to dealing with the legalistic minds of the educated Jews or the intellectual quibbling of the Greeks, the task was always assigned to Simon.

The fact that Zealot was always biblically attached to Simon’s name most likely indicates that he belonged to the eponymous Jewish sect and a political faction of the time.

Simon, however, would have left the Zealots behind when he followed Jesus. Tradition has it that he traveled with St. Jude, also called Thaddeus, or Labeus, to Persia where both were martyred. His persecutors killed him by cutting him in half with a saw. Others claim he was killed by crucifixion.

Basil the Great, however, recalls a different tradition. He claimed that Simon died peacefully in Edessa, Greece. Simon’s symbol is a fish over a Bible showing his faithful mission. He is also frequently represented by a saw.

Detail of a fresco by Pomarancio in the church St Nereus and Achilleus in Rome. It depicts the death of St Simon the apostle, who was believed to have been sawn in half by the Persians.

A Zeal for Jesus

One thing Apostle Simon the Zealot facts tell us is we can conclude is Simon’s zeal turned from overthrowing governments to following Jesus’ teachings. Despite the lack of mention in the Gospels, the Bible cites his name in Actes 1:13, where the disciples met together the day after Jesus ascended to heaven.

“And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying: Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus; and Simon the Zealot; and Judas, the son of James. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication with the women and Mary, the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.” Actes 1:13; Acts 1:14

Apostle Simon the Zealot Facts write that Simon followed Jesus throughout Jesus’ ministry and continued after the Lord’s death and ascension; however, the only Biblical evidence of this was his involvement in choosing a new disciple as a replacement for Judas Iscariote in Acts 1:23; Acts 1:24; Acts 1:25; Actes 1:26. Yet, despite the lack of clear verification, additional historical observations tell us he went on to proclaim the Good News for the remainder of his life.

Regardless, it’s clear Simon’s zeal is why Jesus asked him to join His group of disciples. A zeal he held onto throughout his life, even to the point of death.

Sainthood

Apostle Simon the Zealot facts tell us that like the other Holy Apostles, Simon is regarded as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Churches, the Oriental Orthodox Churches, the Eastern Catholic Churches, the Anglican Church, and the Lutheran Church.

Conclusion Facts

Simon the Apostle facts have shown that Simon the Zealot is one of the greatest causes of the changing power of Christ. He was a Zealot for much of his life, which meant he was extremely legalistic and held a deep-set hatred towards the Romans and any who had dealings with them. Simon was called by Jesus and was completely changed.

Jesus’ power removed the seeded hatred from his heart and instilled compassion, love, and zeal for Christ within him. Simon retained the moniker the Zealot because of his unwavering faith in Jesus, rather than for his formerly hateful ways.

There is not much else told about Simon within the Bible. It is most commonly assumed that he was crucified as a martyr for God. His symbol in the Catholic church is a fish resting on a Bible. This is to represent his initial beginnings as a fisherman who grew to become a fisher of men through the saving grace of Jesus.

Resources Facts

https://truthbook.com/jesus/twelve-apostles/simon-the-zealot
https://ourlordstyle.com/blogs/christian-writings/classic-christian-symbols-and-their-meaning (page is gone)
https://steppesoffaith.medium.com/who-was-simon-the-zealot-in-the-bible-3782095c943b

Summary Saint Simon the Zealot

Simon le Zélote, l'un desLes 12 apôtres de Jésus-Christ, est une énigme biblique.

Nous n'avons qu'une seule information à son sujet, ce qui a déclenché un débat en cours parmi les érudits de la Bible. Dans certaines versions de la Bible (comme la Bible amplifiée), il est appelé Simon le Cananéen.

Il est appelé Simon le Cananéen ou Cananéen dans la version King James et la nouvelle version King James.

Il est appelé Simon le Zélote dans la version anglaise standard, la nouvelle Bible standard américaine, la nouvelle version internationale et la nouvelle traduction vivante.

Pour compliquer davantage les choses, les érudits de la Bible ne sont pas d'accord pour savoir si Simon était membre du parti radical Zélote ou si le terme faisait simplement référence à son zèle religieux.

Ceux qui soutiennent l'ancien point de vue croient que Jésus a choisi Simon, un membre des Zélotes qui détestent les impôts et les Romains, pour contrebalancer Matthieu, un ancien collecteur d'impôts et employé de l'empire romain.

Selon ces érudits, une telle initiative de Jésus aurait démontré que son royaume s'étendait à des personnes de tous les horizons.

Ressources

https://www.bibleinfo.com/en/questions/who-were-twelve-disciples#simon-zealot
https://overviewbible.com/simon-the-zealot/
https://www.learnreligions.com/simon-the-zealot-mystery-apostle-701071
https://truthbook.com/jesus/twelve-apostles/simon-the-zealot

Saint-Simon

Apostle Simon