Simon (X)

X. SIMON, the Canaanite, or Simon Zelotes, an Apostle of Jesus Christ. ‘Tis doubtful whether the Name of Canaanite was derived to him from the City Cana in Galilee; or whether it might not be written Chananean;¹ or lastly, whether it should not be taken according to its Signification in the Hebrew, by deriving it from the Root Kana,² to be zealous. St. Luke gives Luke vi. 15. Acts i. 13. Matt. x. 4. Mar. iii. 18.him the Surname of Zelotes, the Zealous or Zelot, which seems to be the Translation of the Surname Cenaanite, which is given him by the other Evangelists. Some Fathers say,³ he was of Cana, of the Tribe of Zebulun or Naphtali. The Learned are still divided about the Signification of the Term Zelotes, what it may stand for. Some take it only for the Zeal he shew’d in embracing the Gospel of Jesus Christ; while others think⁴ he was of a certain Sect call’d Zealots, of which mention is made in Josephus⁵.

The Particulars of his Life are unknown, nor does it appear where he preach’d, or where he died. Nicephorus and the modern Greeks say, that he travell’d through Egypt, Cyrenaica, and Africa; that he preached in Mauritania, and through all Lybia; that he carry’d the Gospel even into the Isles of Britain, and that after an infinite Number of Miracles and Sufferings, he was crown’d with Martyrdom by the Death of the Cross, which he endured with incredible Courage. Others⁶ will have it, that he suffer’d Martyrdom in the City of Sunir in Persia; and the antient Martyrology given by Florentinius, sets it down so on the 28th of October, upon which the Latin Church celebrates his Festival. It puts his Martyrdom on the First of July, on which Abdias says he was massacred, in a Tumult rais’d by the Idol-priests against him and St. Jude, whose Feast is kept on the same Day. The Greeks honour him on the Tenth of June, and will have Menæa. Jun. p. 93him to be Nathanael, the Bridegroom at the Marriage of Cana.

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