Who Was Simeon? A Zealot?

Zealot: someone who is fanatical in pursuit of their religious political or other ideas

One of the twelve disciples of Christ, Simon was known as a zealot Mathew 6:15 and also named " Canaanite." It was thought by some that he was a member of a fierce and fanatical political sect of Jews called the Zealots.

However, this may not be probable because the sect of Zealots had not really risen during the time of Jesus Some think that instead, he had the name because of the zealousness to his Jewish religion as well as after his conversion to Christianity.

It is believed that he traveled to Egypt and then on to North Africa to Carthage. On to Spain and north to Britain.

According to Church tradition, it is thought that Simon and the apostle Jude preached together in Syria, Mesopotamia and as far away as Persia.

There are traditions that call for the deaths of the two differently. One that they were martyred in Persia, and another in Britain.

Today's sources: Scripture,  Simon the Canaanite? Or Simon the Zealot? - Disciples and  THE APOSTLE SIMON (THE ZEALOT)

This was all the information that I could find about Simon the Zealot. And so what can we take from it? I believe it would be that he was zealous for his faith and we should be likewise. Zealous to win people to Christ. Zealous to live our lives pleasing to God.as best as we can. That is what we.can learn from Simon today. Are you zealous for the cause of Christ? You and I should be. It is a calling we should take seriously.

Thanks for coming by today Friends. I hope you have had a blessed Sunday! Up tomorrow:
Phillip

Who was James? Another Half-Brother of Jesus

It hit me this morning as I  began preparing this post. What would it have been like to have been a sibling of the Lord Jesus.? To have grown up in the same home, raised by his mother Mary who God placed his trust in to send the Savior of the world into her womb to bring forth Jesus. And Joseph,, his earthly father that could have put her away had he been that kind of man that would do that? What would it have been like? In all the 60 plus years of my life, it is a question that I have never contemplated before.

And then other questions that come to mind are, being Mary's firstborn and knowing who he was, was he favored among her other children? What kind of child was he? What kind of relationship did he have with his siblings? Were they jealous of him, if Mary did favor him? They were after all, human. 

He was the Son of God who knew no sin the bible says. 2 Corthinians 5:21. 

What was it like for his siblings to have a brother that did not sin? What kind of childhood did he have? Did he heal the sick? Was he ever sick himself? Did he perform other miracles?

There are stories about his childhood, but what is truth and what is fiction? 

We don't know because the bible does not say much about his childhood. However, we do know that Jesus had 3 bothers.  James was the second eldest mentioned of the siblings, Jesus being the eldest. But he was not really sold on his brother's ministry at first. He was not a believer. James 5:7.

Later, he is one of the witnesses of Jesus' resurrection. From then on, he became a part of Jesus's following. He had been a skeptic but after his conversion became a leader of the church.

In his epistle bearing his name, James identifies himself by his name but describes himself as a "servant of God and the Lord Jesus Christ." James 1:1.

His ministry was geared mostly towards Jewish believers but he did care for Gentile believers as well. He wanted peace within the church and emphasized grace over the law. Acts 15:14-21.

James was a humble leader of his church, never using the fact that he was a blood brother of Jesus to assert authority on anyone. He was truly a servant of Christ and he knew that. And because of it, God greatly blessed his church.

There is no record of James' death, but it is believed he was martyred.

Today's sources: Scripture and What can we learn from the life of James, the brother of Jesus?

Indeed, what would have been like growing up in the same family as Jesus? I don't know but I am thankful that despite not knowing, I am part of his family now. I have brothers and sisters all over the world that no, we do not have his bloodline running through our veins as we know it. However, because of his shedding of blood, I by faith have it. Are you a part of his family? If not, you can be. Please consider it. You have nothing to lose and eternity to gain.

Up tomorrow: Simon




            Thanks for coming by Friends. Be blessed, stay blessed, pass your blessings on!

  But we do know that James was not a believer

Who Was Jude? Jesus's Half Brother

Jude's name was actually Jude Thaddeus and of course, he wrote the book of Jude. He was one of Jesus' lesser-known disciples. Mathew 13:55 makes a reference to Jude being the brother of Jesus and James. His name is a biblical name but not very common. It is the shortened name for Judah or Judas which means "praise." He was one of the 12 original and not to be mistaken for Judas Iscariot that betrayed Christ.  He wrote the book for the end times. His epistle dealt with the danger of believing in false teachers and encouraged readers to remain steadfast in the Christian Faith.

Any other information that can be taken from his life is only from tradition. Such as his mission to Levant, Mesopotamia, and Cyrenaica (Libya) and to Jerusalem in 62 AD to help in the election of his brother, St.Simeon to the bishop of Jerusalem.

He may have been martyred in Syria along with another apostle, Simon the Zealot

(Sources today came from Scripture, Book of Jude Overview - Insight for Living Ministries, who was the apostle jude - Google Search and Jude Thaddeus, Apostle - Amazing Bible Timeline with World History)

Unfortunately, that is about all that is said about Jude that I could find but the fact is, he did stand for the truth and wanted to make Christians aware of the false teachings that were trying to infiltrate them.

There are many of those today. They come in all sizes, all kinds of packages and preaching all kinds of "other gods." And too many times and too many people are swept up by their messages because they think they will gain some kind of better life.

From the so-called Reverend Jim Jones of the 70s that was able to persuade 900 of his followers to commit suicide to the fortune tellers and mediums of today that would take our money giving false promises of hope-these false teachers are among us, causing destruction among God's people whenever and wherever they can.

The book of Jude is a warning for us to beware. To dare to ask questions, to study what the bible says against what the teachings that we are being taught, just as the apostle Thomas did when he wanted to see and touch the nail prints in the hands and side of the resurrected Christ before he believed. He is our prime example to watch and beware of those that would snare us away from the truth of Jesus Christ.

The bible says in Mathew 7:15 to beware of false prophets that come in sheep's clothing but are inwardly raging wolves. And in 1 Peter 5:8-our adversary the devil is walking around like a roaring lion looking for those that he might devour.

By those two scriptures, we can see that there are at least 2 kinds of false prophets that we have to be aware of. Those that are sneaky, as in churches that lure people in by loving them and then they start brainwashing people, using just enough of God's Word to make people think they are from God when they are not, and those that are more blatant by getting people to think they can tell their futures or talk to dead relatives, sucking the money out of vulnerable and grieving people.

These and probably more, are what Jude was warning about in his epistle. It is up to us to learn who is who and what i what when it comes to the things we are being taught. We need to seek God daily in his word, to know the difference and do a lot of praying so that we don't fall victim to the devil as his prey.

God is so good to us. He knows the innermost thoughts that we have and the things we desire. If we need love, he gives it. If we want something, he promises to give us the desires of our hearts in his time. If we need something, he promises to supply all our needs. Why try to get it from someone or something that does not have our best interests at heart but only seeks to supply their own selfish needs? We don't have to if we trust God alone. Trust him today. He loves you and want to do for you as no one else can.

Thanks for stopping in for a visit today. Please come back tomorrow. The next disciple we will look at will be (The other) James. Have a blessed day!

Who Was Thomas? No, Not a Doubter

Thomas wanted proof that the person that the other disciples had said they saw and had called Jesus, was actually their friend, their master, their Lord. And because God is so great and knew that without that proof, he would not believe, he gave it to him. Jesus appeared to him and allowed him to see the wounds that he had received when he was crucified.

That much we know to be true. But what about the rest of the life of Thomas? What does the bible and/or recorded history itself tell us? There is not much but here is what I found.

His nickname was Didymus (the twin) There is only speculation as to why he had this name. Perhaps he had been a twin. Perhaps he had a strong physical appearance to Jesus. It is not really known.

He is mentioned in Mathew, Mark, Luke, and Acts in a very few scriptures. However, in the gospel of John is the account where he wants to see the wounds in the hands and side of Jesus. Math.10:3, Mark3:18, Luke 6:15, Acts 1:13 and John 20:24-25.

 He was one of the 12 original disciples. And though he has been known as the doubting Thomas down through history, he was really a leader, When Jesus was heading to Judea where the Jews were looking for him to kill him, Thomas said to the others, "Let's go with him, that we may die with him." Later in life, Thomas traveled to the outside of the Roman Empire as a missionary and perhaps as far away as India. And he may have been the first to bring the gospel to the Far East.

Not much is known about his death. Church traditions say that while he was establishing a church in India, he was stabbed to death with a spear. There are no known facts beyond his death.

In conclusion, he was not anymore a doubter than anyone that had been told that Jesus was alive, but had not actually seen him-until they actually had. He had a strong faith in God and God used him as to his glory to carry the gospel to those that did not know him.

Could we be given that label at the end of our lives? Or could we have had the kind of faith that Thomas had? I hope we opt for the latter because there are too many doubters and in the end, the answer to that question will make all of the difference to each of us when it comes to whether or not we really do believe in Christ.

 Sources for today: Scripture, The apostle Thomas: the infographic | Overview Bible and
The Apostle Thomas Biography, Doubting, Life and Death

Up tomorrow: Jude

Thanks for visiting Friends. Have a blessed Day!

Who Was Thomas? A Doubter?

Thomas, one of the twelve called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples told him "We have seen the Lord." But he said, "Unless I see the mark of the nails, and place my finger in the marks and in his side, I will never believe." John 20L24-29


Jesus had appeared to the disciples after his crucifixion and resurrection But Thomas was not there and when the others told him that they had seen Jesus, he just was not going to believe them without seeing proof. It should have been proof enough to him as there were 10 disciples that were present and had seen Jesus. He should have believed them. Shouldn't he have?

And yet he didn't. He still needed to see for himself. A week later, Thomas was to get the proof he needed. The disciples had gathered once again in the house and the doors were locked.  All of a sudden, there Jesus was right there with them. He told Thomas to put his finger in his hand and to see the marks in his hand and in his side. And then he told Thomas to stop doubting and believe.

Well, Thomas had his proof. He said, "My Lord and my God."

Jesus said, "You have seen me and believed. Blessed are those that have not seen me but have believed."

This disciple had doubts. Just like all Christians do, and through Jesus certainly did not have to give it to him, he did. Sometimes God just does not do what we want him to do when we doubt his promises and do not answer our prayers the way we want or in the time frame we think they should be answered. Sometimes he does. And while he did for Thomas, in itself lies the promise that he does give us what we need when and how he deems best for us.

It is interesting to note that in the Bible, Thomas was never said to be a "doubting Thomas." That nickname is not found there. Had we been in his position ourselves, how many of us could acquire such a label? How many people from those times through today, doubt the validity of Jesus, his birth, life, death, crucifixion, resurrection, ascension, and yet today living with the Father and soon coming again?  Unfortunately, too many.

And at times, are we any too different in things of a spiritual nature?

But he said, "Blessed, are those that have not seen, yet believed." Wow!" Friends, that means you and me! Those of us that do believe. And for those that just take him at his word, believe what he says, believe his promises, and that he will answer our prayers, he blesses us for our belief in him that he will do what he says he will do.

It is doubtful that the other disciples were that much more optimistic about what had happened then Thomas was. These men probably did not fully understand the implications of what happened or what would be. Understanding might have taken some time. They probably did have some doubt that entered their minds. But when they saw Jesus, they knew who he was right away while Thomas had to see what he needed to see to believe.

Thomas dared to ask questions. We today need to ask questions. If there are things that do not seem right in the churches we are a part of or the things that someone passing them off as messiah or god or whatever, we need to ask questions. Check them out. But do not just blindly follow them. And really, that is what Thomas wanted. To see for himself. To check out what was being told to him. And then he could believe.

This story of Thomas, and who he was is not is not in the bible to tell us how dumb he was for wanting to see the proof. I think Jesus chose him in spite of it. Because it shows us our own doubtfulness at times, and that we do need to seek out what is truth and what is not. Those other 10 disciples that did believe? Would they have fallen for someone that were false had it not been for Jesus? Maybe. Maybe not. But Thomas had more of a chance that he wouldn't have, due to his need for answers.

What else can we know about Thomas?  The bible does not have a lot to say about his life but come back tomorrow for what else I have found.

Todays's references are from the following: John 20:24-29,  How can I avoid being a doubting Thomas   John 20:24-29 NIV - Jesus Appears to Thomas - Now Thomas - Bible Gateway and The Apostle Thomas Biography, Doubting, Life and Death


I am thankful you decided to stop by today friends! Have a wonderfully blessed day and I hope you will come back tomorrow.

Who Was Luke? The Physican Turned Evangelist

Luke was not one of the twelve original disciples. He was one of the 70 that was called to go out and preach the gospel after the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus, therefore becoming an evangelist. I found it interesting that he never met Jesus. Or at least there is no evidence that he did. He had been a friend of the apostle Paul who called him "the beloved physician" (Colossians 4:14) and as a physician, he was devoted to science and research before his conversion to Christ.

He was a Gentile and wrote the books of uke and Acts. His writings focus on the plan of salvation as the "good news" and that phrase was mention ten times in the gospel, and fifteen times in the book of Acts.

It is said that he died at the age of 84 in Boeotia and it is not known how he died.


The fact that he began as a physician shows us that no matter what course we set for ourselves in life, God has other plans for us. Psalm 37:23 reminds us that the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord. Luke was a good man. He started out one way on his path and ended up on another one set by God himself. Seeing the truth in Jesus, he knew it as truth and went on to follow it into carrying on the gospel of Christ. No matter the cost.

Can we say the same for ourselves? Have we started out in own way in our life, and then find Jesus who sets us another course? When he calls us, have we followed him? Or have we rejected his directions and gone our own way? It is something to think about as we go about our every day living. The bible also says: Choose this day, whom you will serve. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Joshua 24:14. I believe that means every day we should choose to follow our Savior because it is so easy to get off the beaten path and be tempted to go our own way. We must get up every morning to choose his way to avoid that. I pray that like Luke you have recognized the truth and let God set you on whatever path he has chosen for you. Whatever the cost to us, it will bring blessing and in the end, it will bring eternal life.

(sources: Scriptures used today, as well as   What can we learn from the life of Luke? and  Luke the Evangelist - Wikipedia

 I have not yet looked into the question of whether Mathew and Mark were two of the original disciples. I will do so before this series has ended. Thanks for coming by. Up tomorrow will be Thomas.

Have a wonderful Tuesday Friends. Be a blessing to someone today!

Who Was Mark?Known as The Evanglist but Not One of the 12 Orginal Diciples?

Learning about the disciples of Jesus had been an interesting study for me because I don't recall any teachings on what the bible has to say about them other than the familiar stories we read about them. For example, we all know the one where Peter denied Jesus after Jesus had been arrested by Roman soldiers. So this study has brought me a little closer in knowing what other information about them we could learn from the bible and perhaps reports that written by others during and after their ministries.

It was interesting to me to find that the Apostle Mark, was not one of the ordinal twelve disciples. A fact I had never known until now and that his name was actually named John Mark. He was a Levite, a native from Cyprus and owned land. ( Please note that other sources I found may differ from these facts.)

 He was the son of Mary, whose home was used for prayer meetings.

He became known as the Evangelist and of course, wrote the book of Mark for which it is named.
Early on,  he went with Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary trip. There was a disagreement and he returned home which caused the two to split up due to what were Paul feelings that Mark had abandoned them. Acts 15:36-41.

However, Mark did eventually become an important part of Paul's life and was mentioned in one of Paul's final letters while Paul was imprisoned and right before his death.

Other interesting facts about Mark's gospel:

1. It is the shortest gospel of the four
2. It is the only gospel that tells of the healings of the deaf and dumb of Tyre, 7:31-37 and the blind man at Bethsaida, 8:22-33
3. Throughout his gospel, Mark's focus is more on Christ's power over demons, illness, death and so on.
4. His gospel is written much in story form and his account of the coming death of Jesus in the garden, where Jesus is alone and on through to where he, suffering on the cross cries out to why his Father has forsaken him, is very passionate. 
5. His gospel is associated with the lion. He begins it with a reference to Isiah which reminded the early church of a roaring lion, roaring in the desert.

 “I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way—a voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.” 

There is more you can learn about Mark and his gospel at: 2 Timothy 4 NIV - In the presence of God and of Christ - Bible Gateway and The Story Of The Storytellers - The Gospel Of Mark | From Jesus To Christ | FRONTLINE | PBS if you are interested. 

As to his death, I was not able to find out much about that without doing a more exhaustive study. However,  Wikipedia references it this way:

 When Mark returned to Alexandria, the pagans of the city resented his efforts to turn the Alexandrians away from the worship of their traditional gods.^{[citation needed]} In AD 68, they placed a rope around his neck and dragged him through the streets until he was dead.^[30]

As with Mathew and others whom we don't know of how they died, that, of course, is not the important factor in their lives. That he became a minister of the gospel and followed Christ was. It resulted in his own eternal home when arriving there, as well as those that he led to Christ under his ministry.

Witnessing to people is not easy to do. Christians can be guilty of not telling others about their hope in God. I have been guilty of that. And yet there are those out there that are starving for the gospel of Jesus Christ. Many do not even know it. It is our duty to tell them of Jesus. Because some will never know if we don't.

I thank you for coming here today and hope you have a blessed weekend. I want to let you know that something has come up that may prevent me from posting for Sunday and Monday. If you get here those days, and I have not posted the next disciple, please be assured that I will be back on Tuesday with some information about our next disciple: Luke. Was he one of the 12? What about Mathew that wrote the book of Mathew? I always thought they were. Do you? I will try to find out that information for Tuesday blog if not before then. Tell then God bless!