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. I was half-right. We know almost nothing about Simon the Zealot. 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. 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. Berean Standard Bible Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus. Or maybe he simply had a personality that resembled that of the Zealots. 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. In the sixteenth century, Justus Lipsius claimed he was sawed in half. The second story including Nathanael takes place in the final chapter of John: The relationship between these two narratives is really interesting and worth further study, but I won't get into that right now. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. In the Bible, when Jesus says he saw Nathanael under the fig tree (John 1:43-51), there is no indication what Jesus saw Nathanael doing under the fig tree or why this phrase was so significant. Bartholomew was one of the twelve disciples of Jesus (e.g.. Simon the Zealot was a Jewish priest and a member of the early Christian community. TBA as young Simon Z. Simon the Zealot & the Man at the Bethesda Pool (Exploring The Chosen Season 2 Episode 4 with Youth), Dallas and Jonathan Season 2 of The Chosen, After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. As a result, there's a lot of latitude for how they can be depicted in Bible adaptation. In the Bible, there is no indication that Nathanael was an architect. Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, See, you are well! By the time the Gospels mention Simon (e.g. The Chosen recognizes this. And they took offense at him. In this account, in his second mission to Britain, he arrived during the first year of Boadicea's rebellion (60 AD). In Islam, Muslim exegesis and Quran commentary name the twelve apostles and include Simon amongst the disciples. Simon was known for being (or once having been) a Zealot. And it was in Gessius Floruss time that the nation began to grow mad with this distemper, who was our procurator, and who occasioned the Jews to go wild with it by the abuse of his authority, and to make them revolt from the Romans.. In The Chosen, during Season 2 Episode 4, Simon the Zealot is depicted as being the brother of the paralyzed man Jesus heals by the Pool of Bethesda, who is named Jesse in the show. If thats what the Zealot refers to, then like Matthew the Tax Collector, the Apostle Simons presence among the Twelve represents a powerful picture of the gospel. Which disciples seem to be the potential leaders of the group? 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. The Chosen introduces Simon the Zealot and Nathanael (as well as Judas) in similar ways, using teaser segments/prologues. Eastern tradition claims he died of old age in Edessa. While The Chosen Season 2 Episode 4 closes on a happy note, with Jesse joyfully dancing on his new legs full of gratitude to Jesus, the original account of this story in the Gospel of John ends much more ambivalently: The ending of this story in the Gospel of John seems to suggest that the invalid, after getting healed by Jesus, turns into a snitch, reporting Jesus to the Pharisees. By engaging with Scripture creatively, you'll allow your imagination to be unconsciously shaped and formed by the images, metaphors, and patterns of the biblical story. 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. You are the King of Israel! Jesus answered him, Because I said to you, I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? Simon the Zealot's greatest vice is also tied to his longings and his gifts. Indeed, for most viewers, the ability to relate to the characters on a show is paramount. He had been a merchant in Capernaum . It is uncertain whether he was one of the group of Zealots, the Jewish nationalistic party before ad 70. But what we do know is this: he passionately believed in . 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. Some of these Pharisees witnessed the healing of Jesse and saw how Jesus told him to get up and take his mat and walk. What aspects of these characters stuck out to you? The connection between the two figures is invented in order to add depth to Simon's character and suggest thematic connections between their stories. For the apostle Simon Peter, see, Appendix to the Works of Hippolytus 49.11. 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. St Simon is surnamed the Canaanean or Canaanite, and the Zealot, to distinguish him from St. Peter, and from St. Simeon, the brother of St. James the Less, and his successor in the see of Jerusalem. The Golden Legend records that Simon preached in Egypt, then partnered with Judas, the brother of Jesus: Judas preached first in Mesopotamia and in Pontus, and Simon preached in Egypt, and from thence came they into Persia, and found there two enchanters, Zaroes and Arphaxat, whom S. Matthew had driven out of Ethiopia.. In a post-GOT world, however, audiences are more willing than they once were to engage with a broad cast of well-developed characters. Two of them are among Jesus Twelve ApostlesSimon the Zealot and Simon Peter. Jesse initially hopes that the Pool of Bethesda will save him from his injury but ends up disappointed. He was one of the 12 main disciples of Jesus Christ, but he plays no particular role in the gospels and is only mentioned by name in lists of the apostles ( Matthew 10:2-4, Mark 3:16-19, Luke 6:14-16, Acts 1:1-13 ). The Chosen follows this theory and portrays Simon as a Zealot who gives up his violent ways in order to follow Jesus. He saw numerous demonstrations of Jesus divinity. Some have suggested that Jesus is cryptically alluding to the fig leaves of Genesis 3. If you liked this post, you might want to check out some of my other posts on The Chosen and Bible adaptation. 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. What we don't know from Scripture is any connection the paralytic at the well might have had with Simon the Zealot but with great story-telling we are treated to a "what if" scenario. Simon Peter said to them, I am going fishing. They said to him, We will go with you. They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. He found Philip and said to him, Follow me. Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Narrative Ambiguity & Charitable Reading, The Chosen: 6 Good Friday & Easter Episodes, 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), Imagining Mary Magdalene (5 More Bible Adaptations While You Wait for The Chosen Season 2), 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), Two by Two (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 2 with Youth or Small Group), Little James in The Chosen & Scripture (Adapting Biblical Characters), Homecoming (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 1 with Youth or Small Group), 2022 BY THE BIBLE ARTIST. by Ryan Nelson | Aug 7, 2019 | Bible characters. Each of these Simons is clearly distinct, and Simon the Apostle is always referred to with the moniker the Zealot.. This episode is our first extended visit to Jerusalem and introduces us to Simon the Zealot, a future disciple, as well as the invalid at the pool of Bethesda (who, in The Chosen, is the brother of Simon the Zealot). The Bible gives us very little information about Simon the Zealot and no information about his family. Reflecting on The Chosen Season 3 & Anticipating Season 4: What Worked & What to Fix, The Chosen Season 3: What to Expect & How to Watch, The Chosen Season 3 Episode 1 & Episode 2: Reaction and Analysis, The Chosen Season 3 Episode 3: Recap, Review, & Analysis, The Chosen Season 3 Episode 4: Recap, Review, & Analysis, The Chosen Season 3 Episode 5: Recap, Review, & Analysis, The Chosen Season 3 Episode 6: Recap, Review, & Analysis, The Chosen Season 3 Episodes 7 & 8: Recap, Review, & Analysis, The Chosen Season 3 Episodes 1 & 2: Questions to Discuss Before the Premiere, Preparing for The Chosen Season 3: 7 Episodes to Watch, I am the Law of Moses (The Chosen Season 3 Controversy), Quintus, Gaius, Atticus, and the Romans in The Chosen ***Season 3 Update***, Little James in The Chosen & Scripture ***Season 3***, Pontius Pilate & his Wife in The Chosen ***Season 3***, Judas in The Chosen ***Season 3 Update***, Matthew in The Chosen ***Season 3 Update***, Simon and Andrew in The Chosen ***Season 3 Update***, Lilith, Demons, & Evil Spirits in The Chosen, Simon the Zealot & Nathanael in The Chosen, Episode 8 Guide: The Feeding of the 5,000. Logos Bible Software 10 review: Do you REALLY need it? Facts 1 and 2 are true of most of the disciples. Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. 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). As we mentioned earlier, Rhoades argues that Josephus work makes it clear that there was no formal group called the Zealots until about 68 AD. In the place of the pool, what does he discover is a much better hope? At the time when he was healed, he had been paralyzed for thirty-eight years. This is he of whose death we read, Acts 12:2; he was slain by Herod. And Jesus saw in him the potential to spread the kingdom of heaven throughout the earth, not by force, but with the revolutionary power of love. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Simon the Leper hosts Jesus for dinner in Bethany (Mark 14:3). Fortunately, creating sympathetic and believable backstories for under-developed biblical characters is what The Chosen does best. Ethiopian Christians believe he was crucified in Samaria. The connection between the two figures is invented in order to add depth to Simon's character and suggest thematic connections between their stories. When his building collapses, Nathanael fears that his dream of building something great for God has collapsed as well. This mistake led to the idea that Simon was present at the wedding in Cana in John 2, where Jesus performed his first miracle and turned water into wine, and that he was the same person as Simon, the brother of Jesus (Matthew 13:55). The New Testament lists all twelve apostles four timesMatthew 10:2-4, Mark 3:14-19, Luke 6:13-16, and Acts 1:13-16. What did he do? What do you think it looks like to stop putting hope in things that disappoint us, like the Pool of Bethesda, and to instead focus our hopes around Jesus? What do you think we're supposed to conclude? In the thirteenth century, Jacobus de Varagine compiled numerous biographies of the saints into The Golden Legend, where centuries after Jerome, the error was repeated: Simon is as much to say as obedient, or being in heaviness. In Season 2, Episode 5, Simon seeks out Jesus and joins the disciples. Although its worth noting, in the Talmud, Jewish rabbis advocated for peace as well, and the Zealots ignored them. 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. Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. I want the youth to enjoy it and not just see The Chosen as an elaborate preaching illustration. Simon the Zealot. Or he may have simply been zealous for the Mosaic Law. There may have been a pagan association with the Pool of Bethesda and so it's also possible he was trying to cover it up. But heres what we know. Simon the Zealot, one of Jesus Christ 's 12 apostles, is a . He was one of the original followers of Christ. FYI: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. The Apostle Paul talks about his own zeal and the zeal of the Israelites on multiple occasions (Philippians 3:6, Galatians 1:13-14, Acts 22:3, and Romans 10:1-4). In the fifth century, Moses of Chorene wrote that Simon the Zealot was martyred in the Kingdom of Iberia. [1] New Testament [ edit] In Matthew 13:55, people ask concerning Jesus, "Is not this the carpenter's son? boat; cross and saw; fish (or two fish); lance; This page was last edited on 25 January 2023, at 02:53. Just as it's important for every character in an ensemble to contribute in a meaningful way, it's also important for each of them to have unique weaknesses, vulnerabilities, or vices. Why do you think The Chosen made Simon the Zealot and Jesse the Invalid brothers? 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