Theories Of Simons Death
The Bible says nothing more about Simon the Zealot after Acts 1:13, though there are several theories about whatever happened to him.
Most scholars believe he teamed up with Judas to spread the Gospel throughout Persia and Egypt. Eusebius states that after Simon become the second bishop of Jerusalem , Roman Emperor Trajan martyred him sometime during Trajans period of rule from 98117 A.D.
Another tradition claims he died peacefully in Edessa .
And anon two Ethiopians, black and naked, issued out of the idols, all the people seeing which were abashed, and all to break their idols, and went their way, crying cruelly. And when the bishops saw this, they ran upon the apostles and hewed them to death anon. And that same hour, which was right fair weather, came so great thunder and lightning that the temple was smitten in three, and the two enchanters were turned into coals by the stroke of thunder.
Simon was a very common name at the time. Its possible there was much confusion about which Simon was which. Unfortunately, it means we dont really know whatever happened to him, though it seems the observations of Hegesippus are the closest historically to Simons time we can find. But even that is not conclusive.
Simon The Zealots Family
Some scholars conclude that Simon was Jesus half-brother , but more scholars believe he was more likely a brother of James, another disciple.
To be clear, this James is the not the same one as Jesus half-brother who became Jerusalems first bishop and was martyred by being thrown off the Jewish Temples roof and then stoned by priests. And though seems to indicate Jesus had a half-brother named Simon, according to Hegesippus, a Christian writer in the days of the early church, that was a different man named Simon.
The International Standard Bible Encyclopedias section on the Genealogies of the Twelve Apostles refers to Simon this way: The preaching of the blessed Simon, the son of Cleopas, who was surnamed Judas, which is interpreted Nathanael, who became bishop of Jerusalem after James, the brother of our Lord.
Fourth-century historian and Bible scholar Eusebius points out that Hegesippus had also written three hundred years earlier that Simon was the son of Cleopas, a name often identified with Alphaeus. Remember, Luke 6:15 says, James, the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called the Zealot, a statement indicating Simon and James were likely brothers.
Interesting Facts About Simon Of Cyrene
Simons name is only mentioned three times in the Bible.
Simon was a foreigner traveling through during the crucifixion.
Simon had the honor of helping Jesus in one of Jesus weakest moments. I do not know about you, but the thought of Jesus, the God of all, being weak and needing me to help Him is a humbling thought. I wonder if Simon felt this way. I wonder if He knew this was God in human form. Regardless, he was given an unusual task to carry the cross
We do not get a lot of definitive answers on Simon of Cyrene. However, there is a great lesson that we serve the Lord alone. We do not to be known by man, but to bless our Father. Maybe you feel like you are simply a name. Maybe you wonder if the behind the scenes work that you are doing is never noticed. The Lord tells us that He sees us . You are not unknown, you are valued. You are not just a cross-carrier you have the high honor of continuing on the mission of the Gospel.
At Easter, the Son of God took on the worlds sin and defeated the devil, death, and grave. How is it, then, that historys most glorious moment is surrounded by fearful fishermen, despised tax collectors, marginalized women, feeble politicians, and traitorous friends?
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New Testament People Named Simon
Jump to navigationJump to searchFeast in the House of Simon the PhariseeRubensSimon the PhariseeSimon the Leper
The names Simon and Simeon appear 71 times and 8 times in the New Testament, respectively. Simon was a very common given name in the historical period and region ofJesus, but surnames were still very rare. It is therefore not always clear which person these names refer to, and whether some refer to the same person or distinct characters, which has led to confusion. Therefore, Christian authors and modern scholars have given these men nicknames based on their known attributes.
F.P. Dutripon’s Latin Bible concordance identified 14 people named Simon and 5 named Simeon in the Bible, 10 and 3 of whom featured in the New Testament, respectively. Dutch Franciscan Martialis Vreeswijk argued that Dutripon should have equated Simon, brother of Jesus and Simon the Zealot, as well as Simon the Pharisee and Simon the Leper, resulting in 8 unique New Testament Simons. In Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible Edwin C. Hostetter identified four Simeons and W. Edward Glenny found nine Simons in the New Testament books, counting Simon Peter twice.John F. MacArthur stated: ‘, there are eight other Simons mentioned in the New Testament ‘, excluding the Simeons. Jennifer Smith listed 10 possibly unique Simons in total.
The following Simons and Simeons can be found in the New Testament:
Is Simon In The New Testament
During his descent into the faith, Simon became a Christian and after purchasing supernatural abilities from Apostles Peter and John, the terms simony and te the heavenly power of transmitting the Holy Spirit, thus giving rise to the term simony (q.v. It is a transaction in which holy things are purchased or sold by a church.
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Acts Of Peter And Paul
Another apocryphal document, the Acts of Peter and Paul gives a slightly different version of the above incident, which was shown in the context of a debate in front of the Emperor Nero. In this version, Paul the Apostle is present along with Peter, Simon levitates from a high wooden tower made upon his request, and dies “divided into four parts” due to the fall. Peter and Paul were then put in prison by Nero while ordering Simon’s body be kept carefully for three days .
Medieval Legends Later Interpretations
The church of Santa Francesca Romana, Rome, is claimed to have been built on the spot where Simon fell. Within the Church is a dented slab of marble that purports to bear the imprints of the knees of Peter and Paul during their prayer. The fantastic stories of Simon the Sorcerer persisted into the later Middle Ages, becoming a possible inspiration for the Faustbuch and Goethe’s Faust.
The opening story in Danilo Ki‘s 1983 collection The Encyclopedia of the Dead, “Simon Magus”, retells the confrontation between Simon and Peter agreeing with the account in the Acts of Peter, and provides an additional alternative ending in which Simon asks to be buried alive in order to be resurrected three days later .
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Why Did Jesus Call Simon Peter The Rock
A major debate between Catholics and Protestants centers on Matthew 16:18 where Jesus tells Peter: You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church. Catholics interpret the verse as saying that Jesus would build his church on Peter, the apostle: Jesus told Peter that he would build his Church on this
How Many People Are Named Simon In The Bible
There are 9 people named Simon in the Bible. All 9 of these men are found in the New Testament. We have listed them below along with scriptures from the Bible that they appear in.
1. Simon Peter
As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.
2. Simon the Zealot
Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot
3. Simon
Isnt this the carpenter? Isnt this Marys son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Arent his sisters here with us? And they took offense at him.
4. Simon the Sorcerer
When Simon saw that the Spirit was given when the apostles laid their hands on people, he offered them money to buy this power.
5. Simon Iscariot
It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. NLT
6. Simon the Pharisee
When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she isthat she is a sinner. Jesus answered him, Simon, I have something to tell you.Tell me, teacher, he said.
7. Simon the Leper
While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.
8. Simon from Cyrene
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The Man Who Tried To Buy Power
The first glimpse we have of Simon Magus is that he paraded himself as some great one, and is an exaggerated specimen of popularity seekers among us today. This Samaritan mountebank, who carried on his astounding impositions, was as bad as he was clever. He professed to be converted and was so deceitful that he completely deceived Philip.
In Samaria, Philip was having tremendous success in his evangelistic work, and Simon fell under the influence of his message, so much so that he professed belief in Christ and was baptized. But when Peter and John came on the scene to establish the work begun by Philip, through the laying on of hands, miraculous gifts were imparted to many of those Samaritan believers.
9. A tanner of Joppa, with whom Simon Peter lodged when sent for by Cornelius . What precious fellowship those two Simons must have had during those days! A tanner and a fisherman! How they come to Jesus from every walk of life!
Who Was Simone Of Cyrene From The Bible
- M.A., Christian Studies, Union University
- B.A., English Literature, Wheaton College
There are a number of interesting minor characters connected to the historical crucifixion of Jesus Christ — including Pontius Pilate, the Roman Centurion, Herod Antipas, and more. Among these was a man named Simon who was conscripted by the Roman authorities to carry Jesus’ cross-beam on the way to His crucifixion.
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What Relationship Did The Zealots Have With The Torah
Zealots: jealous, they believe that strict compliance with the law will give them all the promises made by God to the prophets, including freedom. They do not tolerate any law other than the Torah, which is why they declare themselves frontal enemies of the Romans. They also consider that everything should be left in the hands of God.
What Happened To Simon Of Cyrene After The Resurrection
Scripture makes no direct mention of Simon of Cyrene after the Resurrection. Tradition states Simon went to Egypt and shared the Gospel. After that, according to the apocryphal Acts of Simon and Judas, Simon was martyred in 100 A.D by being cut in half with a saw.
Cyrenians, however, are mentioned in Acts 6:9. They are of the group who disputed with Stephen as he did great wonders and signs among the people . Since Scripture makes no direct reference to Simon, we cannot assume he was in that same gathering.
Marks Gospel states Simon bore two sons . This fact does not assert the sons were with Simon, nor does it mean the Rufus mentioned in Romans 16:13 or the Alexander cited in 1 Timothy 1:20 or 2 Timothy 4:14 are Simons sons. Yet Mark references them for a reason of which we are not aware and may never be.
Simon was there. He carried the cross of Christ. All the facts as recorded in the Bible are written by Gods design .
May we allwith a remembrance of what Jesus did for usbear our own crosses daily.
Lisa Loraine Baker is the award-winning author of Someplace to Be Somebody . Lisa writes fiction and nonfiction and is currently co-writing a Christian living book with her husband, and a suspense novel.Lisa is a member of Word Weavers, Intl , AWSA, ACFW, Serious Writer Group, and BRRC.Lisa and her husband, Stephen, inhabit their home as the Newlyweds of Minerva with crazy cat, Lewis.
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What Does The Bible Say About Him
Scripture does not give us much information about Simon of Cyrene. That is part of the mystery of Simon. Below are the only Bible references with his name included.
Matthew 27:32 says, Now as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. Him they compelled to bear His cross.
says, A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross.
Luke 23:26 says, Now as they led Him away, they laid hold of a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, who was coming from the country, and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus.
What this tells us is that Simon was given Jesus cross. He was likely married and was a father to two sons. He was foreign. He was a visual representation of Luke 14:27 which tells us, And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. Notice how the verse in Luke tells us that Simon bore the cross after Jesus. I love that imagery of how Christ carried the cross first so that we might carry ours after him.
The Man Who Was Zealous
The Hebrew canna means, zealous, thus the Greek Zelotes . As a Zealot, Simon belonged to the historical party which bore that name. This communion of noble-hearted men loved their own land and cherished their belief in its rightful independence, which made any foreign interference or dominion hateful. Their zeal for the laws of God which were their national laws, the guardian and source of their independence and liberty, attracted a lover of freedom such as Simon.
What we admire about this apostle is the fact that after he became Christs follower, he never ceased to be known as the Zealot. What had attracted him as a man, he came to love as a Christian. In Christs teaching the Zealot found the helper and handmaid of everything that he in his calmer moments could hope or look for. The lesson we gather for our own hearts is that we may carry our true and noblest selves into our following of Christ. Whatever hopes and aspirations we may have apart from Christ can find a true home in Christ. Simon, the Jewish patriot who chafed under the foreign yoke and sighed for emancipation, came to experience a sweeter yoke and a more blessed emancipation. May an increasing number of Christs disciples strive to earn the honorable title, zealous of spiritual gifts .
3. One of the brothers of our Lord .
4. The one-time leper in Bethany, in whose house the head of Jesus was anointed with oil .
7. The father of Judas Iscariot .
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How Did Simon The Zealot Die
There are numerous accounts of Simon the Zealots death, but the earliest records come centuries after his death. Like many of the apostles, its hard to conclude exactly which tradition can be trusted:
- In the fifth century, Moses of Chorene wrote that Simon the Zealot was martyred in the Kingdom of Iberia.
- The Golden Legend says he was martyred in Persia in 65 AD.
- Ethiopian Christians believe he was crucified in Samaria.
- Another account says he was crucified in 61 AD in Britain.
- In the sixteenth century, Justus Lipsius claimed he was sawed in half.
- Eastern tradition claims he died of old age in Edessa.
So maybe he was a martyr. And maybe not.
Do We Know What Happened To Simon Of Cyrene After The Crucifixion
Lisa Loraine Baker from Bible Study Tools shares, Scripture makes no direct mention of Simon of Cyrene after the Resurrection. Tradition states Simon went to Egypt and shared the Gospel. After that, according to the apocryphal Acts of Simon and Judas, Simon was martyred in 100 A.D by being cut in half with a saw.
Simon was the father of Alexander and Rufus. When Paul wrote Romans, He mentions Romans 16:13 says to greet Rufus and his mother. He explains that Rufus mother was like a mother to him.
Compelling Truth shares, People from Cyrene were among the first Christian believers at the Day of Pentecost . Perhaps Simon, Alexander, and Rufus were among those who heard and believed? If so, the connection of Rufus in Romans 16:13 would not be surprising.
What is the moment in your life that could appear to be a negative, but through spiritual eyes, you can see how God is using it for your good and His glory? We can learn so many things from the humility and the perseverance of Simon of Cyrene.
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When Was Simon Called Peter
A best-selling work of fiction in 1921, Robert Keables novel Simon Called Peter was written in 1887-1927. Its a tribute to Simon Peter the apostle and first Pope of the Catholic Church, known here as Simon Peter the Savior. Keable gained enormous popularity over time. The song was a huge success in 1921.