Pages

google analytics

Monday, October 8, 2012

Simon the Fundamentalist


Christ you know I love you
Did you see I waved
I believe in you and God
So tell me that I’m saved

Christ what more do you need to convince you?
That you've made it, and you're easily as strong
As the filth from Rome who rape our country
And who've terrorized our people for so long [i]


As much as I love this song, it’s time to let go of the romantic, revolutionary picture of Simon the Zealot.  He seems to be a misguided fabrication. 

Simon the Zealot – one of the chosen 12 followers of Jesus  (Matthew 10:4, Mark 3:18, Luke 6:15, Acts 1:13) has sometimes been described as a member of the Jewish revolutionary group the Zealots,  as one who called for violent and armed rebellion against the occupying forces of the Roman Empire.  It is in this tradition that Simon sings in Jesus Christ Superstar

There must be over fifty thousand
Screaming love and all for you.
And everyone of fifty thousand
Would do whatever you ask him to.
Keep them yelling their devotion,
But add a touch of hate at Rome!
And you will rise to a greater power!
We will win ourselves our home!
And you'll get the power and the glory!
Forever and ever and ever!
And you'll get the power and the glory!
Forever and ever and ever![ii]

But the Zealots, as an organized Jewish group like the Pharisees, Saducees, and Essenes, didn’t really exist until the First Jewish War – founded specifically during the winter of A.D. 67 – 8 in Jerusalem by Judas of Galilee.[iii]  To describe Simon, the disciple of Jesus, as a member of this group is an anachronism.   It makes for great drama and exciting movies, but it’s inaccurate.

Instead we should maybe think of him as Simon the Fundamentalist.

Zealotry, in this way, is behavior motivated by a jealous desire to protect one’s self, group, space, or time from violations.[iv]  The Zealots were Jews who were intensely fierce protectors of the torah, insistent that their fellow Jews  strictly observe the Mosaic law to distinguish and separate themselves from the idolatry and immorality of the people groups that surrounded and occupied them.

They took for their model and hero the priest and grandson of Aaron, Phinehas, who thrust his spear through an Israelite man and his wife (mid-coitus) because they were idolaters (Numbers 25: 1 – 13).  This zeal was aimed inward at their fellow Israelites, rather than outward toward the Romans.   The Zealots during the time of Jesus were more intent on making sure that the Jews rigorously and strictly observed the laws of the torah than in seeing the Romans ejected from the country.

And this fits with what we know of Galilee during the time of Jesus.  Galilee during those days was ruled by the Jewish (half Jewish) prince, Herod Antipas, and not directly by the Romans.   Herod Antipas did, of course, answer to Rome, but was clever enough to avoid offending the religious sensibilities of the people he governed. 

It also fits with what we know of another person in the New Testament – Paul, formerly Saul – who described himself as a “former zealot” (Galatians 1: 13 – 14, Philippians 3: 6).  He was zealously motivated to protect the law – even to the point of using violence to force Jews to observe the law. 

So, as exciting as it is to think of Simon the Zealot as a revolutionary figure bravely fighting against the imperial forces of Rome, we should let it go.  It’s not an accurate picture.  Instead think of him as Simon the Fundamentalist.  This is closer to the truth.




[i] Simon Zealotes / Poor Jerusalem – from the Rock Opera Jesus Christ Superstar by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice.
[ii] Ibid.
[iii] Meier, John P. A Marginal Jew: Volume III- Companions and Competitors,
Doubleday, New York NY, 2001. Page 205

[iv] Anchor Bible Dictionary Volume VI page 1044.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Jeff Carter's books on Goodreads
Muted Hosannas Muted Hosannas
reviews: 2
ratings: 3 (avg rating 4.33)

Related Posts with Thumbnails