Simon

The name Simon belongs to a striking number of distinct men in the biblical record — an apostle, a kinsman of Jesus, a leper of Bethany, a Cyrenian conscripted at the cross, a Pharisee who hosted Jesus, the father of Judas Iscariot, a sorcerer rebuked by Peter, a tanner of Joppa, the Hasmonean prince Simon Maccabeus, and the high priest Simeon son of Jochanan praised in Sirach. They are grouped here under one heading, with the most famous Simon — Simon Peter — pointed out to his own entry. This page treats each Simon as a distinct person.

Simon Peter

The Simon best known to readers of the Gospels — the fisherman of Bethsaida who confessed Jesus as the Christ, denied him, and was later restored — is treated separately under Peter.

Simon the Zealot

The list of the Twelve includes a second Simon, distinguished from Peter by an epithet. Mark calls him "Simon the Cananaean," from a root meaning religious zeal: "and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the [son] of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Cananaean" (Mark 3:18). Luke uses the Greek translation of the same designation: "and Matthew and Thomas, and James [the son] of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot" (Luke 6:15). Beyond his name and title, the Gospels add no further detail.

Simon, the Brother of Jesus

A third Simon appears in the village of Nazareth as one of Jesus' own kin. When Jesus teaches in the synagogue there, his hearers are scandalized: "Isn't this the son of the carpenter and Mary, and the brother of James, and Joses, and Judas, and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended in him" (Mark 6:3). He is named once and not heard from again.

Simon the Leper

A Simon at Bethany hosts Jesus in the days before the Passion. Mark sets the scene of the anointing in his house: "And while he was in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat to eat, there came a woman having an alabaster cruse of ointment of pure nard very costly; [and] she broke the cruse, and poured it over his head" (Mark 14:3). The narrative does not say whether he had been healed, only that the meal in his house became the setting for the woman's act.

Simon of Cyrene

On the road to the crucifixion, a man from Cyrene is conscripted to carry the cross. Mark identifies him by his sons: "And they compel one passing by, Simon of Cyrene, coming from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to go [with them], that he might bear his cross" (Mark 15:21). Luke records the same impressment: "And when they led him away, they laid hold on one Simon of Cyrene, coming from the country, and laid on him the cross, to bear it after Jesus" (Luke 23:26). The detail of his sons' names suggests Mark's audience knew the family.

Simon the Pharisee

In Luke 7 a Pharisee named Simon invites Jesus to dinner, and the meal becomes the occasion for one of Jesus' parables of forgiveness. The opening sets up the encounter: "And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he entered into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat" (Luke 7:36). A woman known in the city as a sinner enters with an alabaster cruse and weeps over Jesus' feet, wiping them with her hair and anointing them. Simon objects inwardly; Jesus answers his thought with a story:

"Simon, I have somewhat to say to you. And he says, Teacher, say on. A certain lender had two debtors: the one owed 500 denarii, and the other 50 [denarii]. When they did not have [that with which] to pay, he forgave them both. Which of them therefore will love him most? Simon answered and said, He, I suppose, to whom he forgave the most. And he said to him, You have rightly judged" (Luke 7:40-43).

Jesus then turns the parable directly on his host: "And turning to the woman, he said to Simon, Do you see this woman? I entered into your house, you gave me no water for my feet: but she has wet my feet with her tears, and wiped them with her hair" (Luke 7:44). The contrast is the point of the story.

Simon, Father of Judas Iscariot

The fourth Gospel repeatedly identifies the betrayer by his father's name. After the bread-of-life discourse, Jesus speaks of one of the Twelve who would betray him: "Now he spoke of Judas [the son] of Simon Iscariot, for it was he who should deliver him up, [being] one of the twelve" (John 6:71). At the supper in Bethany, where Lazarus sat at table — "So they made him a supper there: and Martha served; but Lazarus was one of those who sat to eat with him" (John 12:2) — it is Judas who objects to the anointing: "But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples, that should deliver him up, says" (John 12:4). At the last supper, the same patronymic recurs: "And during supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas [the son] of Simon Iscariot, to deliver him up" (John 13:2). When Jesus identifies the betrayer by the dipped morsel, John names father and son together once more: "Jesus answers, It is he, for whom I will dip the sop, and give it him. So when he had dipped the sop, he takes and gives it to Judas, [the son] of Simon Iscariot" (John 13:26). Of Simon himself the Gospel adds no further detail.

Simon Magus and Simon the Tanner

Two more Simons appear in the early apostolic mission — the Samaritan sorcerer rebuked by Peter, and the tanner of Joppa with whom Peter lodged before his vision. Both belong to narratives in Acts (Ac 8:9-24; Ac 9:43; 10:6, 17, 32), which is not yet available in UPDV. They are noted here for completeness, with no quotation attempted from primary text.

Simon Maccabeus

In the Hasmonean period, Simon is one of the five sons of Mattathias the priest. The first chapter of revolt names them: "And he had five sons: John who was surnamed Gaddis: And Simon, who was surnamed Thasi: And Judas, who was called Maccabeus: And Eleazar, who was surnamed Abaron: and Jonathan, who was surnamed Apphus" (1 Macc 2:2-5). On his deathbed, Mattathias commends Simon to his brothers in particular: "And look, I know that your⁺ brother Simon Is a man of counsel. Give ear to him always, And he will be a father to you⁺" (1 Macc 2:65).

After Judas and Jonathan, the leadership falls to Simon. He extends the campaign down to the coast and the lowlands: "Simon also went forth, and came as far as Ascalon, and the nearby fortresses, and he turned aside to Joppa, and took possession of it" (1 Macc 12:33); "And Simon built Adiada in Sephela, and fortified it, and set up gates and bars" (1 Macc 12:38). When Tryphon threatens to invade Judah, the people gather to him: "Now Simon heard that Tryphon was gathering together a very great army, to invade the land of Judah, and to destroy it" (1 Macc 13:1). They acclaim him in his brother's place: "And they answered with a loud voice, saying: You are our leader in the place of Judas, and Jonathan your brother" (1 Macc 13:8). He encamps and holds the line: "But Simon pitched in Addus, over against the plain" (1 Macc 13:13). The official record marks the new era from his accession: "And the people of Israel began to write in the instruments and public records, 'The First Year under Simon the High Priest, the Great Captain and Prince of the Jews'" (1 Macc 13:42). The chronicler then sums up his rule: "And the land of Judah was at rest all the days of Simon, and he sought the good of his nation: and his power, and his glory, pleased them well all his days" (1 Macc 14:4).

Simeon the High Priest in Sirach

Ben Sira's gallery of fathers closes on a high priest named Simeon — the Greek form of Simon — whose ministry the writer himself had witnessed. The praise opens with the building works of his generation: "Was Simeon, the son of Jochanan, the priest. In whose generation the house was renovated, And in whose days the temple was fortified" (Sir 50:1). After the long account of his service at the altar, the chapter closes with a benediction tying him back to the priestly covenant of Phinehas: "May his mercy be established with Simeon, And may he raise up for him the covenant of Phinehas; May there not be one cut off from him, And as to his seed [may it be] as the days of heaven" (Sir 50:24).