Matthew 10:4

Mat_10:4

Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.

A chapter in human biography

I. Early opportunity. Called to be an apostle. Sharing, too, in the prayers of Christ (Luk_6:12-13). His gifts marked him out for certain work. That work fell to his lot. Possibilities of such a calling.

II. Growth of evil (Joh_6:64-71; Joh_12:1-6).

III. The price of a soul (Joh_13:1-38.; Mat_26:14-16).

IV. The end (Joh_18:2-5; Mat_27:3-5; Act_1:18; Act_1:25, with Mat_27:5). The sentence of the Master upon his life and his work is this, It were better for this man that he had never been born. (G. T. Kerble.)

A wicked minister

Let us adore the unsearchable judgment of God, in the choice of a wicked minister, whose unworthiness He knew. Let us learn from hence that no merit gives a right to the ministry, but the sole choice of God alone. Jesus Christ would not put saints into it, to oblige us not to judge of the holiness of the Church by certain of her ministers. He would not put into it any of the rich, noble, powerful, or learned, for fear lest men should affix ecclesiastical dignities to temporal advantages. Let us bear with the bad patiently; let us adore Jesus Christ and His authority degraded in them, yet without the virtue of His ordinances thereby suffering anything; and herein let us be assured that it is Jesus Christ who effects all in them, even by the most unworthy workmen. (Quesuel.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

10:4 the zealot: Zealots were militant Jews who thought violence and war were capable of accomplishing the will of God. As a Jewish nationalist, Simon was probably zealous for the law (Acts 22:3-5; Gal 1:14; Phil 3:6). Josephus blamed the Zealot party for the great war with Rome in AD 66–70. • Iscariot might refer to someone from Kerioth in southern Judea (Josh 15:25) or from Kerioth in Perea (Jer 48:24).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Mat 10:4. Ἰσκαριώτης, Iscariot) so called from the village of Iscariot in the tribe of Ephraim, as Jerome says on the beginning of Isaiah 28. Louis de Dieu, on Act 1:16, says, “In the Æthiopic language, I find אִשְכָרַֽן for a bag or pouch to carry money in: for thus the translator has rendered τὸ γλωσσοκόμον (the bag) in Joh 12:6; Joh 13:29.—Hence may be derived, without any impropriety, אִשְכַרְיותָא (Iscariota), ὁ ἔχων γλωσσοκόμον, he who hath the bag.—ὁ καὶ, who also) The word also implies that Judas was best known and most easily distinguished by the betrayal.—παραδοὺς, betrayed) By the mention of his treason, it is silently intimated that Matthias, whom St Luke mentions by name in the Acts, was his successor in the apostolate.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mat_10:4. Ὁ καναναῖος] see the critical remarks. Luke calls him ζηλώτης, the (quondam) zealot. Luk_6:15; Act_1:13; Chald. קַנְאַנִי; Hebr. קַנא; Exo_20:5; Exo_34:14; Deu_4:24. Zealots were a class of men who, like Phinehas (Num_25:9), were fanatical defenders of the theocracy; and who, while taking vengeance on those who wronged it, were themselves frequently guilty of great excesses; Ewald, Gesch. Chr. p. 67 f. But the ὁ Καναναῖος (or Κανανίτης, according to the Received text) is not to be explained in this way, inasmuch as this form of the epithet is derived from the name of some place or other: the Canaanite, or Cananaean; comp. Κανανίτης in Strabo, xiv. 5, p. 674 (ἀπὸ κώμης τινος). It cannot be derived from the town of Cana in Galilee (Luther, Calovius); in that case it would require to have taken the form Καναῖος, just as the inhabitants of Κάναι in Aeolis (Strabo, xiii. 1, p. 581) were called Καναῖοι (Parmenides in Athen. 3, p. 76 A). This enigmatical name is to be explained from the fact that, in accordance with his previous character, Simon bore the surname קַנְאָנִי, ζηλώτης, a name which was correctly interpreted by Luke; but, according to another tradition, was erroneously derived from the name of a place, and accordingly came to be rendered ὁ Καναναῖος.

Ἰσκαριώτης] אִישׁ קְרִיּוֹת, a native of Karioth, in the tribe of Judah. Jos_15:25; Joseph. Antt. vii. 6. 1 : Ἴστοβος (אִישׁ טוֹב). There is no evidence that he was the only one that did not belong to Galilee (which has induced Ewald to think that the place in question is the town of קַרְתָּה (Jos_21:34) in the tribe of Zebulon. The proposal of Lightfoot, to derive either from אסקורטיא, leather apron, or from אסכרא, strangulation, is indeed recommended by de Wette; but like the interpretation איש שקרים, man of lies (Paulus, Hengstenberg), it is not suited to the Greek form of the word; nor are de Wettes or Hengstenbergs objections to the ordinary explanation of the name to be regarded as unanswerable.

ὁ καὶ παραδοὺς αὐτόν] who also delivered him over (not betrayed, in which case we should have had προδούς). A tragic reminiscence, and ever present to the mind! Καί has the force of qui idem; Klotz, ad Devar. p. 636.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mat 10:4 . Σίμων ὁ Καναναῖος : Luke gives τὸν καλ . Ζηλωτὴν = the zealot, possibly a piece of information based on an independent reliable source, or his interpretation of the Hebrew word קַנְאָנִי . The form Καναναῖος seems to be based on the idea that the word referred to a place. Jerome took it to mean “of Cana,” “de vico Chana Galilaeae”. Ἰούδας ὁ Ἰσκαριώτης : last in all the lists, as Peter is first. The epithet is generally taken as denoting the place to which he belonged: the man of Issachar (Grotius); but most render: the man of Kerioth (in Judah, Jos 15:25 , Jer 48:41 ); in that case the one non-Galilean disciple. The ending, - ωτης , is Greek; in Mark the Hebrew ending, - ωθ , is given.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

A man of Kerioth. Now Kerioth was in the tribe of Judah, Josh. 15:25.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Simon the Canaanite--rather "Kananite," but better still, "the Zealot," as he is called in Luk 6:15, where the original term should not have been retained as in our version ("Simon, called Zelotes"), but rendered "Simon, called the Zealot." The word "Kananite" is just the Aramaic, or Syro-Chaldaic, term for "Zealot." Probably before his acquaintance with Jesus, he belonged to the sect of the Zealots, who bound themselves, as a sort of voluntary ecclesiastical police, to see that the law was not broken with impunity.

and Judas Iscariot--that is, Judas of Kerioth, a town of Judah (Jos 15:25); so called to distinguish him from "Judas the brother of James" (Luk 6:16).

who also betrayed him--a note of infamy attached to his name in all the catalogues of the Twelve.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 4. Simon] He was third son of Alpheus, and brother of James and Jude, or Judas, Mt 13:55.

The Canaanite] This word is not put here to signify a particular people, as it is elsewhere used in the Sacred Writings; but it is formed from the Hebrew קנא kana, which signifies zealous, literally translated by Luke, Lu 6:15, ζηλωτης, zelotes, or the zealous, probably from his great fervency in preaching the Gospel of his Master. But See Clarke on Lu 6:15.

Judas Iscariot] Probably from the Hebrew איש קריות ish kerioth, a man of Kerioth, which was a city in the tribe of Judah, Jos 15:25, where it is likely this man was born.

As אסכרא iscara, signifies the quinsy, or strangulation, and Judas hanged himself after he had betrayed our Lord, Dr. Lightfoot seems inclined to believe that he had his name from this circumstance, and that it was not given him till after his death.

Who also betrayed him] Rather, even he who betrayed him, or delivered him up; for so, I think, ο και παραδους αυτον should be translated. The common translation, who ALSO betrayed him, is very exceptionable, as it seems to imply, he was betrayed by some others, as well as by Judas.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

4. Simon the Cananæan (not Canaanite), or Zelotes, equivalent terms. The fierce party of the Zealots professed a rigid attachment to the Mosaic law; they acknowledged no king save God. Under Judas the Gaulonite they rose in rebellion at the time of the census.

We hear of a Theudas (which is another form of Thaddæus) who rose in rebellion (Act_5:36). Is it not possible that this Lebbæus or Jude may owe his third name to this patriot, as a Galilæan might regard him? It may be observed that Simon (Joseph. Ant. xvii. 10, 5) and Judas (Ant. XVIII. 1, 1) were also names of zealous patriots who rose against the Roman government.

Iscariot] Man of Kerioth, in the tribe of Judah; accordingly (if this be the case) the only non-Galilæan among the Apostles. For other accounts of the name see Dict. of Bible.

The choice of the disciples is an instance of the winnowing of Christ, the sifting of the wheat from the chaff. In these men the new life had manifested itself. Their faith, or at least their capacity for faith, was intense, and sufficient to bear them through the dangers that confronted them by their Master’s side. [Editor’s notes on Greek text of St Luke’s Gospel.]

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot,.... This is the last couple, for they are all mentioned by pairs, because they were sent forth "by two and two", as the Evangelist Mark says, Mar 6:7. The former of these is called Simon the Canaanite, to distinguish him from Simon Peter, before mentioned; not that he was a Canaanite, that is, an inhabitant of the land of Canaan, a man of Canaan, as a certain woman is called a woman of Canaan, Mat 15:22 for all the disciples of Christ were Jews; though in Munster's Hebrew Gospel he is called , "Simeon the Canaanite", or of Canaan, as if he belonged to that country; nor is he so called from Cana of Galilee, as Jerorm and others have thought; but he was one of the "Kanaim", or "Zealots"; and therefore Luke styles him, "Simon called Zelotes", Luk 6:15. The Kanaites, or Zelotes, were a set of men, who, in imitation of Phinehas, who slew Zimri and Cozbi in the very act of uncleanness, when they found any persons in the act of adultery, idolatry, blasphemy, or theft, would immediately kill them without any more ado: this they did, from a pretended zeal for the honour and glory of God: nor were they accountable to any court of judicature for it; yea, such an action was highly applauded, as a very laudable one (z): under this specious name of Zealots, innumerable murders, and most horrible wickedness were committed, both before, and during the siege of Jerusalem, as Josephus (a) relates. Now Simon was one of this sect before his conversion, and still retained the name afterwards. Judas, the last of the twelve, is called Iscariot; concerning which name, the notation of it, and the reason of his being so called, many are the conjectures of learned men: some think that he belonged to the tribe of Issachar, and that he is called from thence, , "a man of Issachar", as a certain man is, in Jdg 10:1 others, that he takes his name from the place he belonged to, and that he was called , "a man of Kerioth". A place of this name is mentioned, Jos 15:25 and some manuscripts and copies in some places read Judas , of "Caryot". Caryota is said (b) to be a plain of the city of Jericho, about eighteen miles from Jerusalem, which abounded in palm trees, called "Caryotae", of which mention is made in the (c) Talmud, and other writers (d). Others think he is so called, from the Syriac word, "secariota", which signifies a "purse", or bag, because he carried the bag. Some copies read it, "scariotes": others are of opinion, that he is so called, from the manner of death he died, which was strangling: for "ascara", a word often used in the (e) Talmudic writings, signifies "strangling"; and is accounted by the Jews the hardest of deaths, and an evil one; and which seems to bid fair for the true reason of his name: however, it is mentioned here, as elsewhere, to distinguish him from Jude, or Judas, the true and faithful apostle of Christ; for this was he,

who also betrayed him; that is, Christ, as the Persic version reads it; and which is mentioned, not only for further distinction's sake, but to his great reproach. We learn from hence, that in the purest society on earth there has been an impure person; nor can it therefore be expected it should be otherwise in the best of churches, in the present state of imperfection; yea, that a man may have the highest gifts and attainments, as Judas had, ministerial gifts, and power of performing miracles, and yet be a vile person.

(z) Misn. Sanhedrim, c. 9. sect. 6. & Bartenora, in ib. T. Avoda Zara, fol. 36. 2. Maimon. Issure Bia, c. 12. sect. 4, 5, 6. 14. & Sanhedrim, c. 18. sect. 6. & Obede Cochabim, c. 2. sect. 9. Philo de Monarchia, l. 1. p. 818. (a) De Bello Jud. l. 5. c. 1, 2. & 6. 1. Vid. Abot R. Nathan, c. 6. fol. 3. 2. (b) Vid. Wolfi Heb. Bibl. p. 410. (c) T. Bab. Beracot, fol. 50. 2. & Avoda Zara, fol. 14. 2. (d) Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 13. c. 4. (e) T. Bab. Beracot, fol. 8. 1. & Sabbat, fol. 33. 1. Sota, fol. 35. 1. Pesachim, fol. 105. 1. Taanith, fol. 19. 2. & 27. 2. Yebamot, fol. 62. 2.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

4 Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.

Ver. 4. Simeon the Canaanite] Or a man of Cana {a} in Galilee (as Judas Iscariot), that is, a man of Kerioth: see Jos 15:25. Simon the zealot, St Luke calls him. Christ, when he called him to the apostleship, either found him or made him zealous. Tardis mentibus virtus non facile committitur. Cic. 5. Tusc.

" Mediocribus esse poetis

Non Dii, non homines, non concessere columnae."

(Her. de Art. Poet.)

{a} קכא significat zelum, means jealousy.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Simon the Canaanite - Luke calls him “Simon Zelotes,” the zealous. It is probable that he was one of a small sect of the Jews called “Zealots,” on account of special zeal in religion. His native place was probably “Cana.” Afterward he might with propriety be called by either title.

Judas Iscariot - It is probable this name was given to him to designate his native place. Carioth was a small town in the tribe of Judah.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

4. Simon the Canaanite — Least is known in regard to this apostle of all the twelve. He is not mentioned in the New Testament out of the catalogue. The epithet Canaanite is an Aramaic word, signifying Zealot. This name indicates that he had belonged to the fanatical sect of Judas the Gaulonite before he became an apostle of Jesus.

Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him — Luke styles him the traitor, that is, betrayer. His name is uniformly brought last because he was the least respected. The name Iscariot is the Greek form for Isch Kerioth, or man of Kerioth. Kerioth was a small town of Judea. Judas is conspicuous among the apostles for dark traits of character, and the events of a dark history.

So much will have to be said of him in our future notes, that we may say very little here.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Simon the Canaanite. Simon the Cananaean (Revised Version); o Kananaiov (cf. Farisaiov Saddoukaiov , vide Bishop Lightfoot"s "Revision," p. 138, edit. 1871) representing Kannan or Kan-an (anq), the Aramaic for "Zealot", (parallel passage in Luke; Act_1:13) the name given to members of the extreme nationalist party founded about A.D. 7 by Judas of Gamala, a city that appears to have lain near the east coast of the sea of Galilee (vide Schurer, 1. 2:225). And Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him; delivered him up (Revised Version margin), which seems more in accordance with paradidwmi , for, unlike "betray," and usually pmodidwmi , this does not in itself connote treachery.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Iscariot - So called from Iscarioth, (the place of his birth, ) a town of the tribe of Ephraim, near the city of Samaria.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

4. Simon ὁ Καναναῖος, (Aramaic Kanani, Hebr. Kannah, ‘jealous,’ Exo 20:5), or ζηλωτής, equivalent terms. The fierce party of the Zealots professed a rigid attachment to the Mosaic law; they acknowledged no king save God. Under Judas the Gaulonite they rose in rebellion at the time of the census.

We hear of a Theudas (which is another form of Thaddæus) who rose in rebellion (Act 5:36). Is it not possible that this Lebbæus or Jude may owe his third name to this patriot, as a Galilæan might regard him? It may be observed that Simon (Joseph. Ant. XVII. 10, 5) and Judas (Ant. XVIII. 1, 1) were also names of zealous patriots who rose against the Roman government.

Iscariot=Man of Kerioth, in the tribe of Judah; accordingly (if this be the case) the only non-Galilæan among the Apostles. For other accounts of the name see Dict. of Bible.

The choice of the disciples is an instance of the winnowing of Christ, the sifting of the wheat from the chaff. In these men the new life had manifested itself. Their faith, or at least their capacity for faith, was intense, and sufficient to bear them through the dangers that confronted them by their Master’s side. [Editor’s notes on Greek text of St Luke’s Gospel.]

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

4. Σίμων ὁ καναν.] This is not a local name, but is derived from קַנִאָן (Hebr. קַנָּא) = ζηλωτής (Luke, Gosp. and Acts). We may therefore suppose that before his conversion he belonged to the sect of the Zealots, who after the example of Phinehas (Num 25:7, Num 25:8) took justice into their own hands, and punished offenders against the law. This sect eventually brought upon Jerusalem its destruction.

Ἰούδας ὁ ἰσκ.] Son of Simon (Joh 6:71; (12:4 v. r.) 13:2, 26). Probably a native of Kerioth in Juda, Jos 15:25, אִישׁ קְרִיּוֹת, a man of Kerioth, as ἴστοβος, i.e. אִישׁ טוֹב, a man of Tob, Joseph. Antt. vii. 6. 1. That the name ἴσκ. cannot be a surname, as Bp. Middleton supposes, the expression Ἰούδας Σίμωνος ἰσκαριώτης, used in all the above places of John, clearly proves. Dr. Donaldson assumed it as certain that the Simon last mentioned was the father of Judas Iscariot. But surely this is very uncertain, in the case of so common a name as Simon.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

(M) 4. Simon the Cananœan, and Judas Iscariot, who also delivered Him up.] Mk. has: “And Simon the Cananæan, and Judas Iscariot, who also delivered Him up.”

Καναναῖος] according to Lk. means “Zealot,” i.e. a member of the fanatical sect known to us from Josephus, Wars, iv. 160, v. 310, vii. 268; cf. Schürer, 1. ii. 80 ff. Dalman (Gram. p. 174) thinks that the Greek form should be Κανναῖος, and this has been changed into Καναναῖος by assimilation to the geographical term Canaanite.

Ἰσκαριώτης] Mk. has Ἰσκαριώθ, which Mt. has found unintelligible, and has græcised. Ἰσκαριώθ has been explained in many ways, but none of them are satisfactory. Dalman, who thinks that it is equivalent to the Hebrew איש קריות, admits that it is surprising that this phrase should have been left untranslated. Cf. Words, 51 f.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The Canaanite [ο καναναιος] . Rev., Cananaean. The word has nothing to do with Canaan. In Luk 6:15; Act 1:13, the same apostle is called Zelotes, Both terms indicate his connection with the Galilaean Zealot party, a sect which stood for the recovery of Jewish freedom and the maintenance of distinctive Jewish institutions. From the Hebrew kanna, zealous; compare the Chaldee kanan, by which this sect was denoted.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.