Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 6:15
Matthew and Thomas, James the [son] of Alphaeus, and Simon called Zelotes,
15. called Zelotes ] Rather, who was called the Zealot.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 15. Called Zelotes] Some Jews gave this name to themselves, according to Josephus, (War, b. iv. c. iii. s. 9, and vii. c. viii. s. 1,) “because they pretended to be more than ordinarily zealous for religion, and yet practised the very worst of actions.” “But this (says the judicious Bp. Pearce) Josephus says of the zealots, at the time when Vespasian was marching towards Jerusalem. They probably were men of a different character above forty years before; which was the time when Jesus chose his twelve apostles, one of whom had the surname of the Zealot.” It is very probable that this name was first given to certain persons who were more zealous for the cause of pure and undefiled religion than the rest of their neighbours; but like many other sects and parties who have begun well, they transferred their zeal for the essentials of religion to nonessential things, and from these to inquisitorial cruelty and murder. See on Mt 10:4.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Matthew and Thomas,…. The first of these was a publican, and who also was called Levi; and the latter had besides the name of Didymus, and was he that was so unbelieving of Christ’s resurrection:
James the son of Alphaeus; sometimes called James the less, and the brother of our Lord: and
Simon called Zelotes; or the Canaanite;
[See comments on Mt 10:4].
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Matthew. See on Superscription of Matthew.
Thomas. See on Mr 3:18.
Simon. Distinguished by Matthew and Mark as the Cananaean. See on Mt 10:4; Mr 3:18.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “Matthew and Thomas,” (kai Matthaion kai Thoman) “And Matthew and Thomas;” Matthew means “gift of Jehovah,” one of the twelve who called himself “Matthew the publican,” also called Levi, Mat 10:3. Thomas also called (Gk) Didymus, means “the twin”, Joh 20:24, known also as the doubter.
2) “James the son of Alphaeus,” (kai lakobon halphaiou) “And James a son of Alphaeus,” called James “the less”, or younger, Mar 15:40. Alphaeus was also known as Clopas, Joh 19:25. His wife was Mary, sister of the Virgin Mary, and mother of James and Jude.
3) “And Simon called Zelotes,” (kai Simona ton kaloumenon Zeloten) “And Simon the one who is and was called a Zealot.” The Zealots were a fanatical sect of the Jews noted for their intemperate zeal in maintaining Jewish law and customs. Matthew calls him “the Canaanite”, another form of the name “Zealot” from the Heb word “Kineah”, meaning “Zeal,” Mat 10:4.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
15. Simon called Zelotes See note on Mat 10:4. The sect of Zealots consisted of a body of men who held it unlawful to submit to a foreign power, and hence were frequently rebellious to a bloody extent against the Roman dominion. The Sicarii or assassins, who appeared later in Jewish history, and were celebrated for a lawless use of the dagger, belonged to this sect. Van Oosterzee remarks “that while Matthew associates Judas Iscariot with this Simon Zelotes, Luke associates him with Jude brother of James.” This he thinks arose, not from a varying tradition, but from a varying practice of our Lord, who allowed not Judas always to retain the same companion for fear of his corrupting influence.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And Matthew and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called Zelotes, (or ‘the zealous one’),’
Matthew is Levi, the son of Alphaeus, who was the toll collector mentioned in Luk 5:27-32 (see Mat 10:3). Thomas occasionally came into prominence (Joh 11:16; Joh 14:5) but is best known for not having been present when the other equally doubting Apostles met the risen Lord in Jerusalem (Joh 20:24-27) and was therefore rather unfairly dubbed ‘Doubting Thomas’. James the son of Alphaeus (who may be the James the Little of Mar 15:40) may have been brother to Levi the son of Alphaeus (Mar 2:14), although the name Alphaeus was fairly common. Simon is also called Zelotes, which means ‘the zealous one’. It may be that he established a reputation for over-eagerness. The term Zealot, signifying insurrectionists against Rome, did not arise until later, although it is possible that the term was affectionately applied to him later by the Apostles because of his hotheadedness.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Luk 6:15. Zelotes, Or, The Zealot.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
15 Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called Zelotes,
Ver. 15. See Trapp on “ Mat 10:2 “ See Trapp on “ Mat 10:3 “ See Trapp on “ Mat 10:4 “ See Trapp on “ Mar 3:14 “ See Trapp on “ Mar 6:7 “
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Matthew and Thomas . . . Alphaeus. All Aramaic. App-94.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Luk 6:15. , the devotee) The name of His native country [Cana or Canaan] hereby is turned, from its derivation, into a designation of merit.[59]
[59] In Mat 10:4, Simon, the Canaanite, Th. , to be zealous. However is probably not, as Beng. thinks, the name of his country, but = . So the LXX. Exo 20:5. Matthew, as writing to Jews, uses the Hebrew name; Luke, as writing to Gentiles, the Greek. Before conversion he probably had belonged to the sect of Zealots, who, like Phinehas, Num 25:7, took the execution of the law into their own hands. Subsequently, he was probably zealous in the better sense, and in that sense the name was still applied to him as an apostle. The Greek subsequently supplanted the Hebrew name, as did Cephas.-ED. and TRANSL.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Matthew: Luk 5:27, Levi, Mat 9:9
Thomas: Joh 11:16, Joh 20:24
James: Act 15:13, Gal 1:19, Gal 2:9, Jam 1:1
Alphaeus: Mat 10:3, Mar 2:14, Mar 3:18, Act 1:13
Simon: Mat 10:4, Mar 3:18, Simon the Canaanite, Act 1:13
Reciprocal: 1Co 9:5 – the brethren