Doves On Distant Oaks

I love studying the interesting array of real-life people in the Bible, especially the obscure ones. The Bible is full of such characters, some good and some bad. At times we get so caught up in the famous people that we forget that they all, no matter how little-known, have something to teach us. And in terms of the followers of Jesus, the one that I find most interesting is Simon the Zealot. He is the most obscure of all of the apostles and has been called "The Mystery Man" of the apostles.

We probably all know the phrase "You are known by the company you keep." This perfectly describes Simon. The latter part of his name was probably added to differentiate him from the Simon whose name Jesus later changed to Peter. It became easy to associate Simon the Zealot by the company he kept—the Zealots.

The Zealots were a political group in Israel during the time of Jesus. Starting in 6 AD, they at first fought against a Roman census tax. The movement was forced to go underground, but remained focused on bringing down Roman rule. They were violent men, and probably women, who plundered and destroyed anything to do with the Roman Empire.

A branch of the Zealots were called Sicarii, meaning "dagger men." They were the first known assassins in history. They killed soldiers, political leaders, and anyone opposed to their ideals—including their own people who might try to negotiate with the Romans. The modern Spanish term, sicario, is a derivation of the name and is used today in Latin American countries for a person hired to kill someone.

Such was Simon the Zealot. He could be called the "Jason Bourne" of the apostles, and the question always comes up, why would Jesus choose such a man? The answer to that question is what makes him such an interesting person.

While we may not all have violent tendencies, many people think that to become a follower of Christ, a pure heart is needed first—a righteous way of living. Nothing could be further from the truth. The fact is, it's Christ who changes our hearts, not ourselves. Jesus chose Simon the Zealot to show that no matter who you are, all are capable of following Him.

Imagine Simon—probably jaded, violent, fiercely independent—sitting at the feet of Jesus as He taught about loving others. Simon had probably followed the calling of Jesus because he thought he would end Roman rule through military action. What complex feelings must have run through him as he heard Jesus say that those who are to become part of the Kingdom of God must forgive their enemies. They must forgive out of love, even do more for their enemies than their enemies ask of them. Jesus would reach into the heart of this man, who had chosen such a brutal path in life, and alter it to instead follow those teachings, even to death.

While the Bible is silent on what happened to Simon the Zealot, extra-biblical sources indicate he became a missionary, carrying the Gospel of Christ first to Egypt and then to Mesopotamia. Supposedly there he met up with another apostle named Jude (also called Thaddaeus), both of whom then traveled to Persia (modern-day Iran), teaching about the life of Jesus. Thousands of Persians were reportedly converted to Christianity, though the two were eventually martyred together. Simon was supposedly sawed into pieces and Jude was clubbed to death.

Jesus did not change who Simon was—what made Simon be Simon. However, Jesus allowed Simon to find a different path, one that would take his political passion and direct it toward a spiritual passion.

The Zealots, on the other hand, would eventually lead Israel to its annihilation, including the destruction of the Temple. They are remembered for their last stand at Masada where they committed mass suicide to avoid capture by the Romans. The Zealots had won nothing and lost everything they cared for. Simon had lost his life, but won the souls of many to the Kingdom of God.

The takeaway from Simon's life is that if Jesus can change the heart of a man such as a Zealot, how much more can he do for any of us. Jesus changes hearts, but not personalities or who we are. He merely shifts our perspective toward God, because He is about salvation, not politics, class, race, gender, or anything else. That's something that we should keep in mind during turbulent times.




Keywords: Change, Heart


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