Simon the Zealot was one of Jesus’ disciples. He was also a former member of a radical sect of Jewish patriots committed to overthrowing Rome. Explore the story of Simon the Zealot in the Bible and how his story relates to Christ.
Who was Simon the Zealot?
According to the New Testament, Simon the Zealot is one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ. He is mentioned in the lists of apostles provided in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, as well as in the Book of Acts. His epithet, "the Zealot," distinguishes him from Simon Peter, another of the twelve apostles.
The term "Zealot" refers to a political movement among Judeans that existed during the 1st century, which advocated for the violent overthrow of Roman rule in Judea. However, it is not definitively established whether Simon was actually a member of this movement. The label "Zealot" could indicate his zealous nature or fervent devotion to the Jewish faith and cause rather than membership in a specific political group.
Little is known about Simon’s life and activities before and after he followed Jesus. The New Testament does not provide details of his deeds or words. In Christian tradition, Simon the Zealot is often considered to have preached the Gospel in different regions, including Egypt and Persia, where he is sometimes said to have been martyred. However, details and traditions vary among different Christian sources.
Simon the Zealot is venerated as a saint in various Christian denominations, and his feast day is celebrated on different dates depending on the liturgical calendar of each tradition. Like many of the lesser-known apostles, his legacy is primarily based on his association with Jesus and his role as one of the original twelve apostles.
Where is Simon the Zealot in the Bible?
In three of the four gospel accounts, Simon the Zealot is listed as one of the chosen 12 disciples of Jesus Christ (Matthew 10:4; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15).
As a disciple, Simon would become one of Jesus’ closest friends and followers. Like the others, he would have been present for nearly all of Jesus’s teachings and most of Christ’s miracles. He would have also benefitted from a personal relationship with Jesus, in which he traveled, shared meals, and conversed with the Son of God daily.
However, although Simon is listed among the Twelve, he is only one of two disciples who is not featured individually in any stories in the gospel.
Does this mean Simon the Zealot wasn’t as important as the rest? Of course not. The lack of stories about him should not be seen as a slight on his character.
Jesus chose each of His disciples for a reason. He anointed and appointed them apostles and commissioned each to minister and spread the gospel wherever they went. Each would have a role to play in laying the foundation for the church in the future (Acts 1:13). Those roles may have looked different, but Simon was nonetheless a valued part of that ministry.
So, what do we actually know about Simon the Zealot beyond his name?
Why Does the Bible Call Simon Was a Zealot?
Ironically, the name attached to Simon tells us the most about him.
It’s worth noting, of course, that Simon the Zealot was not the only Simon among the Twelve. Simon, who was called Peter, was also a disciple and a member of Jesus’ inner circle.
In addition, at least six other Simons are mentioned in the New Testament. They are:
- Simon the leper, who Jesus visited in Bethany (Matthew 26:6; Mark 14:6)
- Simon of Cyrene was called upon to help carry the cross of Jesus (Matthew 27:32; Mark 15:21; Luke 23:26)
- Simon, the half-brother of Jesus, by their mother Mary (Matthew 13:55; Mark 6:3)
- Simon Iscariot, the father of Judas the betrayer (John 13:2, 26)
- Simon the sorcerer, mentioned in the book of Acts (Acts 8:9)
- Simon the tanner, who Peter stayed with in Joppa (Acts 9:43; 10:6)
With Simon being such a common name, it makes sense that the New Testament writers would want to distinguish one Simon from the other, especially among the Twelve.
Therefore, in Matthew and Mark’s gospel, Simon is listed as either Simon the Zealot or the Canaanite, which comes from the Hebrew word qanna, meaning “to be zealous.”
What was Simon “zealous” about?
This one word tells us quite a bit about Simon’s former political affiliations, worldview, and expectations in following Jesus.
What Do We Know about the Zealots?
Any good study of the Bible must include a proper understanding of the historical and cultural context in which each book was written. However, while some things about the first century are unique and specific to that time, we encounter a few common themes and political issues that today’s church can relate to.
For one thing, in Jesus’ day, competing ideologies and political parties influenced the day-to-day life of the Jews living in the region.
The historian Josephus describes four prominent groups in first-century Judea. They were the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the Essenes, and the Zealots.
The fourth group, which Simon was affiliated with, was the Zealots—the most politically minded of the Jews.
Who were the Zealots exactly?
According to historical accounts, the Zealots were a notorious sect of Jewish patriots who sought to overthrow the Roman occupation—often through violence, terror, and political intimidation.
In their case, the Zealots were more known for their hatred of Rome than anything else. It was this animus towards the Roman occupation of their home that motivated the Zealots to become violent extremists with “an insatiable passion for liberty.” (Josephus, Antiquities 18.1.6)
However, their zeal for country and hatred of Rome, a zeal they believed served God, were often misguided and misdirected. For example, the most extreme among the Zealots furthered their cause by attacking Roman soldiers, politicians, and even Jews friendly to Rome. On a broader scale, the Zealots also put themselves on the radar of the Roman army by burning Roman targets throughout Judea.
Their founder, Judas (not Iscariot), was himself a Galilean who had led a revolt against Rome in 6 AD. Not surprisingly, the Romans were wary of any potential uprising or prospective “messiah” coming out of Galilee from then on.
However, after the initial revolt, the Zealots went underground, with its members resorting to more selective, covert attacks on individual targets. This was the group that Simon found himself a part of in his formative years.
Like many of his fellow Jews, Simon had probably grown up resenting the Roman occupation. At some point in his life, the promise of revolution and being part of overthrowing the Romans became attractive. Like many of today’s youth, Simon’s political activism and passion for “the cause” gave him a sense of purpose and belonging.
It is probable, therefore, that Simon initially followed Jesus for political reasons, believing the Messiah would be the revolutionary leader who’d finally unite the Jewish people in open revolt against the Romans.
Jesus, however, was no such Messiah, something Simon the Zealot would inevitably discover.
What Can We Learn from Jesus Having a Zealot and a Tax Collector?
The 12 men Jesus called to be His closest followers were not highly educated or particularly well-suited for the ministry at the time of their calling. None of them possessed great wisdom or oratory skills. They were not cultural insiders, religious elite, or academic darlings. They were as common as they came. Nevertheless, the 12 men Jesus chose to be His closest followers and the bedrock of His church were living proof of what God can do to equip and empower ordinary individuals for His kingdom.
However, Jesus didn’t just call an unlikely group of outsiders to walk in His footsteps. He also looked to build a community out of wildly unique and sometimes conflicting personalities.
Nowhere was this clash of characters more evident than in the reputations of men like Simon the Zealot and Matthew the tax collector.
As their title suggests, first-century tax collectors (or publicans) like Matthew were commissioned by the Roman Empire to collect taxes on property and income, duty on imports and exports, and most things that traveled by Roman road. Though some of their duties were legitimate, the notoriously unprincipled tax collectors were known for cheating their neighbors and collecting more than required.
For these reasons, the tax collectors were despised by their own people and viewed as traitors to the nation.
Calling a scoundrel like Matthew a friend, and making Matthew a disciple, would have done nothing to boost Jesus’ credibility in the eyes of the Pharisees. However, Matthew was not the only socially unsavory character in Jesus’ company.
Jesus had also called Simon the Zealot.
No one hated the tax collectors more than the Zealots, who frequently attacked, harassed, and even targeted tax collectors for assassination. Unfortunately, because the tax collectors were so disdained, hostility towards them was of no concern to the Jewish people. Many felt they were getting what they deserved.
Jesus had brought a tax collector and a political extremist into the same community by calling Matthew and Simon to be His disciples. Once sworn enemies had been called to follow Jesus and become brothers, working side by side to build the church and spread the gospel.
In Jesus, Simon and Matthew encountered the opposite of what the world and their profession had promised.
For Simon, Jesus would provide true and lasting peace. For Matthew, Jesus abundantly offered grace and redemption. In Christ, the disciples found true purpose and encountered, perhaps for the first time, their true identity.
As Christ labored to reconcile the hearts of man to the Father, so too were former enemies and political adversaries reconciled through Christ’s work on the cross.
Do We Know How Simon the Zealot Died?
After the ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven, the apostles remained in Jerusalem until they received the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. The book of Acts records the apostles’ larger ministry and the early church’s growth. However, what happened later to each apostle is not always clear.
Some things are made known in Scripture; other things we learn about the apostles’ fate from history, early records, and church tradition.
In the case of Simon the Zealot, some early sources say that he fled Judea after the destruction of Jerusalem, traveling as far north as the British Isles. Whether he made it that far is unknown. We also don’t know much about his ministry in his later years.
Can We Learn Anything from Simon the Zealot’s Life for Today?
The first-century Zealots pursued a political agenda driven by resentment, retribution, and violence. This worldview fueled Simon the Zealot for most of his life. In Christ, however, he encountered something radically different. Where many people believed the Messiah would come as a conquering king or revolutionary, Jesus made it clear that He brought a mission of grace, forgiveness, and salvation. Jesus had not come to condemn the world. Rather, He had come to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10).
The Zealots sought political revolution; Jesus came to reconcile fallen man to God the Father.
Like Simon, many Christians today will try and find purpose in many causes. Of course, many of the cultural issues we face should greatly concern the church. God cares about these things because they hurt His creation and separate sinners from Him. However, in following Jesus, Simon the Zealot learned many important truths that Christians must also encounter for themselves.
For one thing, Jesus challenged the heart of all would-be zealots when He said, “you have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:43-44).
The Zealots saw the Romans as enemies. Jesus saw them as sinners needing saving.
Simon once saw Matthew as his sworn adversary. Jesus turned former enemies into new creations and spiritual brothers. And if the power of the cross can reconcile sinners to the Father, there is no hatred, division, or conflict between men, people groups, or nations that the love and grace of Jesus Christ cannot overcome.
Furthermore, Jesus reminded His disciples that if God the Father has forgiven us of our sins, how much more should we seek to forgive those who have wronged us? (Matthew 6:14-15; 18:21-35).
Simon was as passionate as they come. However, passion and zeal removed from the love and truth of God’s word only brings more confusion, division, and destruction.
Jesus, however, had made His mission clear: “the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came so that they would have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10).
Only the Prince of Peace could transform a resentful, unforgiving, hate-filled heart into something new and beautiful. What was once dead in sin was brought to life in Christ. In Christ, the transformation of Simon the Zealot would become a testimony of God’s goodness, grace, and peace.
Photo Credit: Getty Images/miriam-doerr
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