Episode 7 Guide: Did Nicodemus Follow Jesus? Simon is mentioned occasionally in early church writings, but centuries after the gospels were written, Saint Jerome and others mistranslated Simons title, believing that Matthew and Mark referred to him as Simon the Cananite or Simon the Cananaean. Josephus identifies three main Jewish sectsthe Essenes, the Saduccees, and the Pharisees. The most widespread tradition is that after evangelizing in Egypt, Simon joined Jude in Persia and Armenia or Beirut, Lebanon, where both were martyred in 65 AD. Narrative Ambiguity & Charitable Reading. Those scholars say such a move by Jesus would have shown that his kingdom reaches out to people in all walks of life. In Luke 22:38, the disciples tell Jesus, "See, Lord, here are two swords." The moniker the Zealot comes from the Greek word zlts, which the Apostle Luke used in both his gospel and Acts to distinguish this Simon from Simon Peter. Facts. In Acts 1:13 we learn that he was present with the eleven apostles in the upper room of Jerusalem after Christ had ascended to heaven. As The Chosen has showed us at various points, the Romans were hated by most of the Jews, who viewed them as oppressive enemies. In Season 2, Episode 5, Simon seeks out Jesus and joins the disciples. Simon the Zealot | Angel Studios Simeon of Jerusalem - Wikipedia Or maybe he simply had a personality that resembled that of the Zealots. Some might have family members carry them back and forth from home and help them when needed, but others were basically homeless people who had to beg in order to get food and care. There are nine people named Simon in the New Testament. Who Was Simon the Zealot in the Bible? - Steppes of Faith The Apostle Philip followed Peter, John, James, and Andrew in being called to serve as a disciple of Jesus. Another account says he was crucified in 61 AD in Britain. He is most likely a character invented by The Chosen to help advance the story and perform actions that we know must have happened but which are not described in detail in the Bible. Jesus' kingdom was not about politics but salvation. There are numerous accounts of Simon the Zealots death, but the earliest records come centuries after his death. Western tradition is that he preached in Egypt and then went to Persia with St. Jude, where both suffered martyrdom. That being said, the show hasn't created Nathanael's vocation out of whole clothe. When did Simon Peter first meet Jesus? - Answers Season 2 Reflection P2: What was The Chosen Season 2 about? After seeing his brother healed by Jesus, do you think he will continue to hope in violence to bring salvation? It is uncertain whether he was one of the group of Zealots, the Jewish nationalistic party before ad 70. He lived true to the Great Commission after Jesus' ascension. The 12 Disciples Of Jesus: Who Exactly Were They? (2023) Corrections? Therefore, it is anachronistic to view people acting with zeal before 68 C.E. A Pharisee named Simon invited Jesus over for dinner, where a sinful woman famously poured perfume on Jesus feet (Luke 7:40). He found Philip and said to him, Follow me. Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Episode 7 Guide: Did Nicodemus Follow Jesus? Liberty, the Law, and/or the Lord. The sketchiness of the invalid is further highlighted by how his healing in John 5 is closely mirrored by the healing of the man born blind in John 9 and the much more faithful response of the blind man. Matthew and Mark give him the title kananaios, which most scholars believe comes from the Aramaic word qanan, meaning zealous one.. In The Chosen, the man at the pool is given the name Jesse and is depicted as the brother of Simon the Zealot (see more above). Explain that this episode of The Chosen Season 2 will be exploring many of these questions imaginatively, filling in the details that the Bible leaves us to wonder about. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. Based on these references, we only know a few facts: Simon was one of Jesus' original apostles, Simon continued to be one of the apostles after the Ascension. The sketchiness of the invalid is further highlighted by how his healing in John 5 is closely mirrored by the healing of the man born blind in. In order for characters to contribute to an ensemble in a meaningful way, it's important for each of them to have unique gifts or abilities. [15], Another tradition states that he traveled in the Middle East and Africa. Episode 1: What do we do when we are scared? and Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot; Matthew 10:2. Remember that, during the time of the New Testament, the land of Israel was occupied by the Roman Empire, which had conquered it several decades earlier. "St. Jude Thaddeus and St. Simon the Zealot, Apostles", All appearances of "Simon" in the New Testament, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Simon_the_Zealot&oldid=1151638594. "Meet Simon the Zealot: A Mystery Apostle." Their one and only goal was to overthrow the Roman government and their occupation of Israel. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. Season 2 Reflection P1: What is The Chosen Season 2 about? During his three years of ministry with Jesus, Simon the Zealot matured into an apostle empowered to spread the gospel in truth and love to all nations. To watch this season with your group, you'll need to pick up The Chosen app (Google / Apple). To begin your discussion, ask your youth group: What stuck out to you about this episode? (NIV). By the time the Gospels mention Simon (e.g. The Bible does not tell us anything about Simon the Zealot before he met Jesus. That's why I'm excited to share with you a new resource that I've created to help you study biblical adaptations & reflect on how they apply to everyday life. Two of them are among Jesus Twelve ApostlesSimon the Zealot and Simon Peter. At first glance, this may seem like a rather minor structural detail. To some readers, this suggests that he may be identical with the "Judas not Iscariot" mentioned in John 14:22: "Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Our Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?" In the gospels Simon the Zealot is not identified with Simon the brother of Jesus mentioned in Mark 6 :3: Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him. Simon was a man of intense loyalties and warm personal devotions, and he did profoundly love Jesus. As The Chosen shifted its attention toward the formation of the church in Season 2, it would have been quite easy for the show to fill up the remaining roster of the disciples with two-dimensional background characters. This would be very in-keeping with the Gospel of John, which is quite interested in the way people initially respond to Jesus with faith when he does a miracle but eventually fall away when he doesn't something inexplicable or the water gets too hot. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. Moreover, in addition to being a compelling story, The Chosen Season 2 Episode 4 offers several interesting themes that will be worth exploring with your youth group. While the conflict among the disciples and their struggle to come together temporarily takes the backseat, this miracle-of-the-week storyline is one of the most intricately constructed episodes of The Chosen so far. In the cultural context of the time, the idea of a stairway between heaven and earth would have evoked the image of a Babylonian ziggurat - one of the architectural wonders of the ancient world. Sources "Who Were the Zealots in the Bible?" Occupation: The Bible does not tell us Simon's occupation, other than a disciple and missionary for Jesus Christ. Simon the Zealot's prologue establishes his longing to combat evil and injustice. The Chosen Season 4 Controversy? Zavada, Jack. 28 Bible verses about Zealots - Knowing Jesus Apparently the titles may have been an attempt to distinguish him from the apostle St. Simon Peter. How did Jesus meet Simon Peter? Instead, Jesus shows up and provides Simon with a new vision of justice and of how to make things right - not through violence but through the healing hand of the Messiah. Even though the Book of Acts and the epistles never describe Simon the Zealots ministry, as one of the Twelve, he wouldve been one of the most important leaders of the early church. PROUDLY CREATED WITH WIX.COM. We also need to think about how their characters are shaped by the structure of The Chosen and the demands of modern screen adaptation. 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. Some Bible translations preserve Jeromes mistake out of respect for tradition, calling Simon the Cananite or the Cananaean in Matthew 10:3 and Mark 3:18. That said, this is an adaptation and that means it's their telling of these stories, so I won't be too bummed if they've taken reworked this relatively minor story. Carrying a mat around was forbidden on the Sabbath, so we can expect that their conflict with Jesus about this to come up in next episode of The Chosen Season 2. Eastern tradition claims he died of old age in Edessa. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. If Josephus account is reliable, its possible that Simon the Zealot did belong to this groupwhether or not it was formally known as the Zealots at the time he was involved or the time the gospels were written. Whether you're studying on your own or with your small group or ministry, Come and See is a perfect resource to help you dig deeper into The Chosen. The second explanation is that the show wanted this story to have a happy ending and so it significantly changed it to end in the desired place. Despite the lack of mention in the Gospels, the Bible cites his name in Acts 1:13, where the disciples met together the day after Jesus ascended to heaven. Simon the Zealot and Nathanael in The Chosen (Adapting Biblical Characters) To distinguish him from Simon Peter he is called Kananaios or Kananites, depending on the manuscript (Matthew 10:4 Mark 3:18), and in the list of apostles in Luke 6:15, repeated in Acts 1:13, Zelotes, the "Zealot". So the Jews said to the man who had been healed, It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to take up your bed. But he answered them, The man who healed me, that man said to me, Take up your bed, and walk. They asked him, Who is the man who said to you, Take up your bed and walk? Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place. We are exposed to the indignities and oppression he witnessed as a young man and sympathize with his desire to make things right. FAQ: How Did The Apostle Simon Die? - stbartsestes.org Some Jewish people might have believed this was because God had blessed these places, but others believed that these healing centers were connected to pagan gods like Asclepius. In this account, in his second mission to Britain, he arrived during the first year of Boadicea's rebellion (60 AD). Read Scripture Like an Artist is a Bible journal that will help you engage with Scripture through your imagination and respond to what you are reading through art and/or creative writing. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. With a group as large as the twelve + disciples, however, the gifts and personality of each character needs to be more specialized. Nathanael's aspiration to build great things for God becomes a kind of excuse/justification that allows his arrogance to grow out of control, until it finally lands him in tragedy. In this guide, well dig into the ambiguities surrounding this lesser-known biblical figure, address some common confusions, and look at how he may have died. Matthew 10:4. It was most likely an underground hot spring. The name Simon occurs in all of the Synoptic Gospels and the Book of Acts each time there is a list of apostles, without further details: Simon, (whom he also named Peter,) and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called Zelotes, And Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor. Did he leave the Zealots in order to join the Jesus movement, while continuing to be known for his past association? As expressed in the First Commandment, God is a jealous/zealous God who requires the allegiance of the people. Heritage Images / Contributor / Getty Images. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Simon-the-Apostle. Samuel, Cain, & the Queen Mother (Tragic Old Testament Stories that Need a Film/TV Adaptation), The Chosen: 9 Good Friday & Easter Episodes ***Season 3 Update***, The Rings of Power, LOTR, and Bible Adaptation, Amazon Prime's The Rings of Power & The Challenges of Biblical Adaptation, In Defense of The Chosen and Other Christian Movies, Books, & Media (Part 1), In Defense of The Chosen and Other Christian Movies, Books, & Media (Part 2), Thomas and Ramah in The Chosen & Scripture (Adapting Biblical Characters), Yussif, Jairus, & Shmuel in The Chosen (Adapting Biblical Characters), Ears to Hear (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 7 with Youth or Small Group), The Chosen Season 3 Episode 7 & Episode 8: Recap, Review, & Analysis, The Feeding of the 5,000 (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 8 with Youth or Small Group), Pontius Pilate & His Wife in The Chosen (Adapting Biblical Characters), Intensity in Tent City (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 6 with Youth or Small Group), Clean Part 2 (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 5 with Youth or Small Group), Clean Part 1 (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 4 with Youth or Small Group), Physician, Heal Thyself (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 3 with Youth or Small Group), 2022 BY THE BIBLE ARTIST. [5] Eisenman's broader conclusions, that the zealot element in the original apostle group was disguised and overwritten to make it support the assimilative Pauline Christianity of the Gentiles, are more controversial. A boy named Simon is bitten by a snake in his hand; he is healed by Jesus, who told the child "you shall be my disciple". Or did he in fact find a way to straddle the two movements? What emotions do you imagine you'd feel? Zealots - Wikipedia "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men.". What do you think he meant by it? Like many of the apostles, its hard to conclude exactly which tradition (if any) can be trusted: Like many of the lesser-known apostles, most of Simon the Zealots life and identity remains a mystery, and the few details the Bible gives us has led to centuries of speculation, little of which can be confirmed or denied. 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. Were there any scenes that you found interesting or moving? Traditionally, it has been believed that Bartholomew was another name for Nathanael/Nathaniel. Or did he in fact find a way to straddle the two movements? You will see greater things than these. And he said to him, Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man. (John 1:43-51 ESV), Commentators throughout history have puzzled over the significance of Jesus telling Nathanael that he saw him while he was sitting under the fig tree. This is because this line is not found in the earliest Greek manuscripts of the passage and most scholars believe that it was not in the original Gospel of John. Luke 6:15. I'm sure that's why The Chosen decided to make Simon a. Invalids - people with debilitating sicknesses, injuries, or birth defects - would often congregate around these miraculous places like Bethesda in hopes of having their sicknesses healed. Simon the Zealot is one of the greatest cases of the changing power of Christ. In The Chosen, Nathanael is portrayed as an architect in order to give his character depth and perhaps because the biblical story that features him contains a reference to Jacob's ladder. He saw numerous demonstrations of Jesus divinity. The Bible says nothing more about Simon the Zealot after Acts 1:13, though there are several theories about whatever happened to him. One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. Who was Simon the Zealot? | GotQuestions.org If you're like me, watching The Chosen is about more than entertainment. [13] However, Moses of Chorene writes that he was martyred at Weriosphora in Caucasian Iberia. Rhoades concludes that the term zealot is ambiguous enough for there to be more than one valid interpretation: Some scholars assume that citations to zeal and zealots in the 1st century, such as the NT references to Simon the zealot, refer to a Jewish sect of Zealots dedicated to revolution against Rome. I have Bible studies/discussion guides for each episode of The Chosen Seasons 1-3, blogs exploring how The Chosen adapts key biblical figures, and articles exploring the controversial nature of adaptation. To begin your time, have your youth read the main passage that this episode of The Chosen is adapting: During the time of the New Testament, it was common for people to believe that certain places like the Pool of Bethesda had miraculous power to bring healing. The Zealots were associated with violent uprisings (including, later, the First Jewish-Roman War), and expected the coming Messiah to overthrow Rome using force. What has Simon the Zealot put his hope in to bring salvation? Eusebius, a Greek historian of Christianity, wrote that Simon the Zealot became the second bishop of Jerusalem. Following Jesus leads to salvation and heaven. His remains were later transferred to Anacopia. He made disciples of men who had been fixed on the things of this world and changed their lives to focus on things that last forever. Nathanael and Simon the Zealot (and Judas) are each drawn into an encounter with Jesus by distinct longings. Jesus said to them, Children, do you have any fish? They answered him, No. He said to them, Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some. So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. Season 2 Reflection P2: What was The Chosen Season 2 about? Another odd aspect of Simon's appointment was that the Zealots generally agreed with the Pharisees, as far as legalistic observance of the commandments. In his commentary on Matthew, Jerome mistakenly interpreted kananaios as an indicator that Simon was from Cana, which led to other errors: He was surnamed Peter to distinguish him from another Simon who is called the Cananean, from the village of Cana of Galilee, where the Lord turned water into wine..