1 00:00:10.200 --> 00:00:13.540 - Nice to meet you - Nice to meet you 2 00:00:13.540 --> 00:00:16.240 Today, I would like to share with you 3 00:00:16.240 --> 00:00:19.920 The story of two of Jesus' twelve disciples, 4 00:00:19.920 --> 00:00:25.719 the apostles Matthew and Simon 5 00:00:25.719 --> 00:00:30.680 The first apostle we will talk about is Matthew 6 00:00:30.680 --> 00:00:33.080 You all have heard of Matthew, right? 7 00:00:33.080 --> 00:00:35.200 Where have you heard of Matthew? 8 00:00:35.200 --> 00:00:40.439 The Matthew who appears in the Gospel of Matthew 9 00:00:40.439 --> 00:00:44.400 If he had a nickname 10 00:00:44.400 --> 00:00:49.520 He would be the one who turned contempt into respect 11 00:00:49.520 --> 00:00:53.119 That could be his nickname 12 00:00:53.119 --> 00:00:59.480 Let's first listen carefully to the words from 13 00:00:59.480 --> 00:01:06.760 Chapter 9, verses 9 to 13, where Matthew 14 00:01:06.760 --> 00:01:15.360 becomes a disciple and begins his new life 15 00:01:23.080 --> 00:01:26.360 'As Jesus passed on from there, 16 00:01:26.360 --> 00:01:30.879 he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, 17 00:01:30.879 --> 00:01:35.040 and he said to him, “Follow me”. And he rose and followed him' 18 00:01:35.040 --> 00:01:39.360 'And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, 19 00:01:39.360 --> 00:01:45.720 many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples' 20 00:01:45.720 --> 00:01:49.800 'And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, 21 00:01:49.800 --> 00:01:55.720 “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”' 22 00:01:55.720 --> 00:02:01.760 'But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, 23 00:02:01.760 --> 00:02:05.480 but those who are sick' 24 00:02:05.480 --> 00:02:08.559 'Go and learn what this means: 25 00:02:08.559 --> 00:02:14.360 "I desire mercy, and not sacrifice"' 26 00:02:14.360 --> 00:02:23.840 'For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners' [Mt. 9:9-13] 27 00:02:38.200 --> 00:02:43.800 When our Lord Jesus was on this earth, 28 00:02:43.800 --> 00:02:48.119 there were two groups of people 29 00:02:48.119 --> 00:02:53.080 who were most despised in the Jewish society of Palestine 30 00:02:53.080 --> 00:02:59.440 One group could be the prostitutes, who sold their bodies 31 00:02:59.440 --> 00:03:03.320 The other group of people were the tax collectors 32 00:03:03.320 --> 00:03:08.440 We get prostitutes, but why were tax collectors also despised? 33 00:03:08.440 --> 00:03:13.600 At that time, tax collectors were affiliated with Rome 34 00:03:13.600 --> 00:03:19.759 The tax collectors were taking taxes from the Jews 35 00:03:19.759 --> 00:03:26.399 and naturally exploiting their fellow Jews by keeping a portion for themselves 36 00:03:26.399 --> 00:03:29.160 Exactly, they were seen as people who exploit their own people 37 00:03:29.160 --> 00:03:34.320 That's why the Jewish people despised tax collectors so intensely 38 00:03:34.320 --> 00:03:43.520 They were so despised that tax collectors were viewed the same as prostitutes 39 00:03:43.520 --> 00:03:47.279 Matthew was precisely one of those tax collectors 40 00:03:47.279 --> 00:03:49.960 But his life changed 41 00:03:49.960 --> 00:03:55.759 As I mentioned earlier in the introduction, 42 00:03:55.759 --> 00:04:03.679 when we open the New Testament, we meet Matthew first 43 00:04:03.679 --> 00:04:07.679 The first gospel in the New Testament, the Gospel of Matthew 44 00:04:07.679 --> 00:04:12.279 The author of the Gospel of Matthew is none other than Mattew himself 45 00:04:12.279 --> 00:04:16.320 And when we divide Christianity into three major branches 46 00:04:16.320 --> 00:04:19.839 Besides Protestant Christianity, there is also Catholicism 47 00:04:19.839 --> 00:04:22.119 Then there is the Eastern Orthodox Church 48 00:04:22.119 --> 00:04:31.200 But they don't just call him Matthew in Catholicism and the Orthodox Church 49 00:04:31.200 --> 00:04:36.279 Saint Matthew, or the Holy Apostle Matthew 50 00:04:36.279 --> 00:04:39.839 So, he once used to be despised 51 00:04:39.839 --> 00:04:47.119 How did he become a respected saint and how was his life transformed? 52 00:04:47.119 --> 00:04:49.799 How did he influenced others? 53 00:04:49.799 --> 00:04:53.519 Let's follow in the footsteps of Matthew and trace his journey 54 00:04:53.519 --> 00:04:58.000 First, we need to consider his name 55 00:04:58.000 --> 00:05:01.799 At first, we might quickly think that his name is Matthew 56 00:05:01.799 --> 00:05:04.160 Matthew's Matthew, so what? 57 00:05:04.160 --> 00:05:08.880 But his original name was actually not Matthew 58 00:05:08.880 --> 00:05:14.239 Although the Gospel of Matthew records his name as Matthew 59 00:05:14.239 --> 00:05:18.880 In the Gospel of Mark, which records the twelve apostles of Jesus, 60 00:05:18.880 --> 00:05:22.399 or Even the Gospel of Luke says 61 00:05:22.399 --> 00:05:27.239 that his name is recorded as Levi, not Matthew 62 00:05:27.239 --> 00:05:31.679 So, Levi was probably his original name 63 00:05:31.679 --> 00:05:37.640 Matthew was a new name given to him as a gift after meeting Jesus 64 00:05:37.640 --> 00:05:43.880 The name Matthew means 'God's gift', that his new self was a gift from God 65 00:05:43.880 --> 00:05:47.440 It's a beautiful meaning, 'God's gift' 66 00:05:47.440 --> 00:05:51.839 Now, his original name was Levi 67 00:05:51.839 --> 00:05:56.839 Isn't the name Levi a bit familiar? 68 00:05:56.839 --> 00:05:59.160 It doesn't sound unfamiliar at all 69 00:05:59.160 --> 00:06:03.839 Where do we hear the name Levi frequently? 70 00:06:03.839 --> 00:06:06.200 Is it in the New Testament or the Old Testament? 71 00:06:06.200 --> 00:06:07.119 It's the Old Testament 72 00:06:07.119 --> 00:06:11.320 Because there was the tribe of Levi in the Old Testament 73 00:06:11.320 --> 00:06:13.760 The priestly tribe 74 00:06:13.760 --> 00:06:16.660 The reason his name was likely Levi is because 75 00:06:16.660 --> 00:06:22.480 his family came from a priestly background, possibly the tribe of Levi 76 00:06:22.480 --> 00:06:29.200 In fact, priestly families are trained to become priests from a young age 77 00:06:29.200 --> 00:06:33.060 So, they had to be skilled in writing and record-keeping 78 00:06:33.060 --> 00:06:36.320 They also had to be good at keeping things carefully 79 00:06:36.320 --> 00:06:39.800 I think this may have had a significant influence 80 00:06:39.800 --> 00:06:43.340 on his ability to write the Gospel of Matthew later 81 00:06:43.340 --> 00:06:47.760 The background of training to become a priest 82 00:06:47.760 --> 00:06:52.160 likely formed an important foundation 83 00:06:52.160 --> 00:07:00.440 in shaping his role as the author of the Gospel of Matthew 84 00:07:00.440 --> 00:07:05.640 So, how did he meet Jesus, 85 00:07:05.640 --> 00:07:09.239 and come to believe in Him? 86 00:07:09.239 --> 00:07:20.040 Matthew was originally from Capernaum 87 00:07:20.040 --> 00:07:22.839 The town of Capernaum, 88 00:07:22.839 --> 00:07:25.880 in the region of Galilee, 89 00:07:25.880 --> 00:07:29.600 is referred to as 'Town of Jesus' 90 00:07:29.600 --> 00:07:31.559 Even today, for a pilgrimage, 91 00:07:31.559 --> 00:07:36.119 if you visit the town of Capernaum, where Jesus performed many miracles, 92 00:07:36.119 --> 00:07:40.600 you'll see a sign that says 'Town of Jesus' 93 00:07:40.600 --> 00:07:44.959 In fact, many of Jesus' famous disciples 94 00:07:44.959 --> 00:07:51.359 such as Peter, Andrew, James, John, and Matthew were all from Capernaum 95 00:07:51.359 --> 00:07:58.359 So, the people who met Jesus before Matthew in Capernaum 96 00:07:58.359 --> 00:08:04.160 believed Him as the Messiah and Savior, and became His disciples 97 00:08:04.160 --> 00:08:06.720 Specifically, Peter and Andrew, 98 00:08:06.720 --> 00:08:09.359 who were from the same town 99 00:08:09.359 --> 00:08:15.119 Matthew likely heard the message about Jesus from them 100 00:08:15.119 --> 00:08:24.279 Originally, Matthew was a tax collector at the tax collector booth 101 00:08:24.279 --> 00:08:30.920 The tax booth in Capernaum was one of the most well-known among the several tax booths in Israel 102 00:08:30.920 --> 00:08:36.660 If you go on a pilgrimage, you will find that there is the Old City of Jerusalem 103 00:08:36.660 --> 00:08:40.400 Around the Old City of Jerusalem, there are about eight gates 104 00:08:40.400 --> 00:08:43.400 To the north is the Damascus Gate 105 00:08:43.400 --> 00:08:46.159 The gate is called Damascus Gate 106 00:08:46.159 --> 00:08:51.400 If you follow the Gate northward, you would eventually reach Damascus 107 00:08:51.400 --> 00:08:55.400 Damascus is located in Syria 108 00:08:55.400 --> 00:09:02.200 So, if you travel north, you would reach Damascus in Syria 109 00:09:02.200 --> 00:09:06.080 If you were to travel south from there, 110 00:09:06.080 --> 00:09:10.320 the town you encounter in the middle 111 00:09:10.320 --> 00:09:13.719 is an important town located in Galilee 112 00:09:13.719 --> 00:09:16.080 It is Capernaum 113 00:09:16.080 --> 00:09:18.679 That's where the tax booth was located 114 00:09:18.679 --> 00:09:23.359 As a central hub for transportation, there was a tax booth 115 00:09:23.359 --> 00:09:29.840 The tax collectors would collect taxes from those passing through this area 116 00:09:29.840 --> 00:09:32.559 So, Matthew was a tax collector working in Capernaum 117 00:09:32.559 --> 00:09:40.559 Matthew probably heard about Jesus from the Galilean fishermen, 118 00:09:40.559 --> 00:09:46.239 who were the first to meet Jesus in Capernaum 119 00:09:46.239 --> 00:09:50.000 and became His disciples 120 00:09:50.000 --> 00:09:55.239 But one day, as Jesus was passing by the tax booth 121 00:09:55.239 --> 00:09:57.000 He looked up, saw Matthew, 122 00:09:57.000 --> 00:09:59.400 and said to him, 123 00:09:59.400 --> 00:10:01.280 'Follow me' [Mat. 9:9] 124 00:10:01.280 --> 00:10:04.880 'Follow me' [Mt. 9:9] 125 00:10:04.880 --> 00:10:10.760 The Bible records that upon his command Matthew got up and followed Jesus 126 00:10:10.760 --> 00:10:17.239 It is likely that Matthew had already heard about Jesus before that moment 127 00:10:17.239 --> 00:10:22.960 He likely had some prior knowledge about the Messiah, 128 00:10:22.960 --> 00:10:25.840 through the fishermen in Capernaum 129 00:10:25.840 --> 00:10:31.320 When the One who was called the Messiah appeared and said to Matthew, 130 00:10:31.320 --> 00:10:33.880 and said, 'Follow me', 131 00:10:33.880 --> 00:10:37.559 The One called to be Messiah told Matthew to follow Him 132 00:10:37.559 --> 00:10:42.200 This was his turning point 133 00:10:42.200 --> 00:10:45.039 that would radically change his life 134 00:10:45.039 --> 00:10:48.880 So, Matthew became a disciple of Jesus 135 00:10:48.880 --> 00:10:53.239 As soon as he became a disciple, he held a party at his house 136 00:10:53.239 --> 00:10:58.119 because he felt so grateful 137 00:10:58.119 --> 00:11:00.960 that he was chosen as a disciple of Jesus 138 00:11:00.960 --> 00:11:06.679 Then, naturally, who would've attended his party the most? 139 00:11:06.679 --> 00:11:09.119 It would've been Matthew's friends 140 00:11:09.119 --> 00:11:10.960 Who would those friends be? 141 00:11:10.960 --> 00:11:12.679 They were tax collectors 142 00:11:12.679 --> 00:11:18.200 But when the Pharisees and others saw 143 00:11:18.200 --> 00:11:21.000 that the tax collectors and sinners were gathered together, 144 00:11:21.000 --> 00:11:24.840 Jesus talking with the tax collectors, 145 00:11:24.840 --> 00:11:28.400 they asked, 'Why does your teacher 146 00:11:28.400 --> 00:11:33.599 eat with tax collectors and sinners?' [Mt. 9:11] 147 00:11:33.599 --> 00:11:35.760 And Jesus famously says, 148 00:11:35.760 --> 00:11:41.440 'I came not to call the righteous, but sinners' [Mt. 9:13] 149 00:11:41.440 --> 00:11:49.039 'Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick' [Mt. 9:13] 150 00:11:49.039 --> 00:11:52.239 These are the people He came to this world for 151 00:11:52.239 --> 00:11:58.960 Matthew's life as a disciple began with this famous declaration of Jesus 152 00:11:58.960 --> 00:12:04.280 Afterwards, what kind of ministry did Matthew engage in? 153 00:12:04.280 --> 00:12:06.280 First, Matthew received a new name 154 00:12:06.280 --> 00:12:08.239 What was his new name? 155 00:12:08.239 --> 00:12:10.239 Matthew, Levi became Matthew 156 00:12:10.239 --> 00:12:12.520 'A gift from God' 157 00:12:12.520 --> 00:12:16.400 And true to his name, 158 00:12:16.400 --> 00:12:20.039 Matthew dedicated himself to the Lord who called him 159 00:12:20.039 --> 00:12:23.539 And his greatest legacy 160 00:12:23.539 --> 00:12:28.679 was writing the Gospel of Matthew, recording the life of the Messiah 161 00:12:28.679 --> 00:12:32.400 Because he was likely trained in a priestly family, 162 00:12:32.400 --> 00:12:36.039 he would have been skilled in writing and record-keeping 163 00:12:36.039 --> 00:12:39.679 So, with his gifts and talents, Matthew was able to 164 00:12:39.679 --> 00:12:44.599 document the life of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew 165 00:12:44.599 --> 00:12:46.280 It doesn't end there 166 00:12:46.280 --> 00:12:51.520 Not only did Matthew document the life of Jesus, 167 00:12:51.520 --> 00:12:54.280 but he also actively testified about Him 168 00:12:54.280 --> 00:12:57.880 He worked hard to share with others 169 00:12:57.880 --> 00:13:00.760 who Jesus was, 170 00:13:00.760 --> 00:13:05.200 It is known that Matthew primarily preached about Jesus 171 00:13:05.200 --> 00:13:10.799 to fellow Jews in the land of Israel, particularly within Palestine 172 00:13:10.799 --> 00:13:13.200 But he did not stop there 173 00:13:13.200 --> 00:13:17.679 Following the command to "be His witnesses to the ends of the earth", 174 00:13:17.679 --> 00:13:20.200 Matthew traveled as far as Ethiopia 175 00:13:20.200 --> 00:13:23.320 And it was in Ethiopia that Matthew was martyred 176 00:13:23.320 --> 00:13:28.200 Let's summarize the important lesson from Matthew's life 177 00:13:28.200 --> 00:13:30.760 First, his grate decision 178 00:13:30.760 --> 00:13:32.679 to follow Jesus 179 00:13:32.679 --> 00:13:37.960 He could no more earn money as a tax collector anymore 180 00:13:37.960 --> 00:13:40.960 That was a sacrificial decision 181 00:13:40.960 --> 00:13:44.200 At the same time, his life was transformed, 182 00:13:44.200 --> 00:13:46.359 from who takes from others 183 00:13:46.359 --> 00:13:52.080 to who serves others, testifying Jesus, as a witness of God 184 00:13:52.080 --> 00:13:57.000 Through experiencing this transformation in his life, 185 00:13:57.000 --> 00:14:01.840 Matthew became a person whom the Lord could use 186 00:14:01.840 --> 00:14:05.640 With the same hands that once recorded tax records, 187 00:14:05.640 --> 00:14:15.039 Matthew became the apostle who recorded the story of the Messiah 188 00:14:15.039 --> 00:14:19.640 Isn't Matthew's life fascinating, everyone? 189 00:14:19.640 --> 00:14:23.400 As we reflect on the life of Matthew, 190 00:14:23.400 --> 00:14:28.239 what can I learn through 191 00:14:28.239 --> 00:14:31.559 the life of this one disciple, an apostle? 192 00:14:31.559 --> 00:14:36.259 How should our lives, yours and mine, be transformed? 193 00:14:36.259 --> 00:14:43.880 I hope today serves as a time for us to seriously reflect on this 194 00:14:43.880 --> 00:14:49.599 Now, we will focus on someone who doesn't appear much in the Bible 195 00:14:49.599 --> 00:14:54.919 This disciple isn't as much talked about in sermons 196 00:14:54.919 --> 00:14:59.080 It's Simon, but not Simon Peter 197 00:14:59.080 --> 00:15:04.520 It's another disciple named Simon 198 00:15:04.520 --> 00:15:08.559 I would like to give this apostle a nickname 199 00:15:08.559 --> 00:15:13.520 The apostle who was led by true passion 200 00:15:13.520 --> 00:15:15.400 Simon 201 00:15:15.400 --> 00:15:24.000 There’s a passage in the Bible where Simon likely asks this question 202 00:15:24.000 --> 00:15:31.520 Let's listen carefully to the words from Acts 1:6-8 203 00:15:35.811 --> 00:15:39.719 'So when they had come together, they asked him, 204 00:15:39.719 --> 00:15:44.919 “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”' 205 00:15:44.919 --> 00:15:50.359 'He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that 206 00:15:50.359 --> 00:15:52.840 the Father has fixed by his own authority"' 207 00:15:52.840 --> 00:15:58.440 '"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, 208 00:15:58.440 --> 00:16:04.440 and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, 209 00:16:04.440 --> 00:16:10.720 and to the end of the earth"' [Acts 1:6-8] 210 00:16:25.080 --> 00:16:31.559 The passage we just listened to is from Acts 1:6 and onward where they asked 211 00:16:31.559 --> 00:16:36.719 '...will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?' 212 00:16:36.719 --> 00:16:41.200 The Bible does not record that Simon asked this question 213 00:16:41.200 --> 00:16:46.400 However, I will explain the reasons why it is likely 214 00:16:46.400 --> 00:16:52.719 that Simon asked this question as I go through his life story 215 00:16:52.719 --> 00:16:59.319 When the list of Jesus' twelve apostles is mentioned, Simon is included 216 00:16:59.319 --> 00:17:04.060 In the Synoptic Gospels and Acts 1, 217 00:17:04.060 --> 00:17:10.379 when the list of the twelve apostles is given, Simon is always included 218 00:17:10.379 --> 00:17:14.439 But aside from that, there isn't a record 219 00:17:14.439 --> 00:17:16.800 About his actions or conversations 220 00:17:16.800 --> 00:17:18.560 There are no records at all 221 00:17:18.560 --> 00:17:22.710 It is just a hypothesis that the question in Acts 1:6-8 222 00:17:22.710 --> 00:17:29.839 Was likely asked by the disciple Simon 223 00:17:29.839 --> 00:17:31.560 The reason for that is, 224 00:17:31.560 --> 00:17:35.319 now, regarding the disciple Simon, 225 00:17:35.319 --> 00:17:39.479 when the Bible records the list of the twelve apostles, 226 00:17:39.479 --> 00:17:44.000 it is written in Matthew 10:4 227 00:17:44.000 --> 00:17:49.839 as 'Simon the Zealot', 228 00:17:49.839 --> 00:17:53.160 originally 'kananaios' 229 00:17:53.160 --> 00:17:56.319 In the Gospel of Luke, 230 00:17:56.319 --> 00:17:59.199 in Luke 6:15, Simon is referred to 231 00:17:59.199 --> 00:18:07.560 as 'Simon who was called the Zealot' 232 00:18:07.560 --> 00:18:13.479 Zealot in English 233 00:18:13.479 --> 00:18:19.920 means enthusiasm, or zeal 234 00:18:19.920 --> 00:18:25.719 Therefore, Zealot is commonly translated as a hard working member, 235 00:18:25.719 --> 00:18:27.640 or an enthusiastic member 236 00:18:27.640 --> 00:18:31.880 A hard working member or enthusiastic member Simon 237 00:18:31.880 --> 00:18:38.280 So, he was someone who belonged to the Zealot group, that makes sense 238 00:18:38.280 --> 00:18:44.160 But what does kananaios mean? 239 00:18:44.160 --> 00:18:48.640 Does it have to do with him being a Cananaean? 240 00:18:48.640 --> 00:18:51.479 There are scholars who think this way as well 241 00:18:51.479 --> 00:18:55.319 as in, a typo for Canaan 242 00:18:55.319 --> 00:19:01.520 Or 'Canaanite’ because he had lived as a native for a long time in that area? 243 00:19:01.520 --> 00:19:04.040 We could make such a guess 244 00:19:04.040 --> 00:19:05.920 But that's not it 245 00:19:05.920 --> 00:19:09.880 'Canaan' in Hebrew 246 00:19:09.880 --> 00:19:12.319 is called 'Kena'an' 247 00:19:12.319 --> 00:19:14.920 This originally means zeal, 248 00:19:14.920 --> 00:19:16.920 or putting one's passion 249 00:19:16.920 --> 00:19:18.839 So it means the same thing as Zealot 250 00:19:18.839 --> 00:19:22.239 So we can understand through the Bible 251 00:19:22.239 --> 00:19:28.760 that this person's identity is a Zealot 252 00:19:28.760 --> 00:19:33.439 Now, to understand the background of the Zealots 253 00:19:33.439 --> 00:19:38.640 during Jesus' time, we can divide 254 00:19:38.640 --> 00:19:44.760 religious individuals into four main groups 255 00:19:44.760 --> 00:19:50.719 Without understanding these four groups It's hard to grasp the New Testament 256 00:19:50.719 --> 00:19:52.719 You've probably heard of the first group 257 00:19:52.719 --> 00:19:55.480 The Pharisees, sounds familiar? 258 00:19:55.480 --> 00:19:57.110 The Pharisees 259 00:19:57.110 --> 00:20:05.360 The Pharisees were known for copying God’s law, also called the Torah 260 00:20:05.360 --> 00:20:09.120 They interpreted it 261 00:20:09.120 --> 00:20:12.720 and taught it to others 262 00:20:12.720 --> 00:20:17.420 They were zealous in keeping the law, 263 00:20:17.420 --> 00:20:23.210 making them a kind of religious fundamentalists 264 00:20:23.210 --> 00:20:27.080 That was the Pharisee sect 265 00:20:27.080 --> 00:20:34.180 Another group that frequently appears in the New Testament is the Sadducees 266 00:20:34.180 --> 00:20:35.480 The Sadducees 267 00:20:35.480 --> 00:20:38.480 Who are the Sadducees? 268 00:20:38.480 --> 00:20:43.400 Sadducees, are they to do with seduction or what? 269 00:20:43.400 --> 00:20:54.339 They were the priestly class involved in the temple’s sacrificial duties 270 00:20:54.339 --> 00:20:57.400 The priestly class 271 00:20:57.400 --> 00:21:04.200 However, while managing the temple, they were also close to the Romans 272 00:21:04.200 --> 00:21:06.500 Because they were under Roman rule at the time, 273 00:21:06.500 --> 00:21:12.059 they couldn't benefit from the temple without being close to the Romans 274 00:21:12.059 --> 00:21:18.368 So they maintained a close relationship with the Romans 275 00:21:18.368 --> 00:21:21.568 However, unlike the Pharisees, 276 00:21:21.568 --> 00:21:26.394 their faith wasn't as strict in terms of believing in the Bible 277 00:21:26.394 --> 00:21:30.294 They interpreted the Scriptures freely according to their own views, 278 00:21:30.294 --> 00:21:36.094 rather than emphasizing the literal meaning of the Bible 279 00:21:36.094 --> 00:21:41.700 The Sadducees could be seen as religious liberals, 280 00:21:41.700 --> 00:21:45.840 Theologians in this line of thought are also called religious liberals, 281 00:21:45.840 --> 00:21:52.860 as the Sadducees were religious liberals 282 00:21:52.860 --> 00:21:55.360 Therefore, they did not believe in miracles 283 00:21:55.360 --> 00:21:59.700 Being liberals, they didn't believe in the miracles of the Bible 284 00:21:59.700 --> 00:22:02.740 They also did not believe in the resurrection of Jesus 285 00:22:02.740 --> 00:22:05.240 So, when Jesus was talking to the Sadducees, He said, 286 00:22:05.240 --> 00:22:16.559 '"...you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God"' [Mk. 12:24] 287 00:22:16.559 --> 00:22:19.359 They were indifferent to doctrine 288 00:22:19.359 --> 00:22:24.860 and more interested in benefits from befriending the Romans 289 00:22:24.860 --> 00:22:34.140 The Sadducees were the high-class with significant social influence 290 00:22:34.140 --> 00:22:36.480 Then there is another group 291 00:22:36.480 --> 00:22:40.180 The third group is the Essenes 292 00:22:40.180 --> 00:22:43.559 You may have heard of them 293 00:22:43.559 --> 00:22:49.809 They left the city and lived in the wilderness 294 00:22:49.809 --> 00:22:55.117 In the wilderness, they formed a community 295 00:22:55.117 --> 00:23:02.580 And sought a holy life there on their own 296 00:23:02.580 --> 00:23:06.880 They formed a community similar to a wilderness monastery, 297 00:23:06.880 --> 00:23:10.580 practicing purification rituals and striving for a holy life 298 00:23:10.580 --> 00:23:14.320 The most important aspect of their life 299 00:23:14.320 --> 00:23:19.620 was living a clean and pure life 300 00:23:19.620 --> 00:23:25.300 They focused on purifying themselves by distancing the material world 301 00:23:25.300 --> 00:23:30.480 Therefore, they can be considered religious ascetics 302 00:23:30.480 --> 00:23:35.480 If you ever have the chance to visit the holy sites of Israel, 303 00:23:35.480 --> 00:23:41.951 you'll see the Qumran community, located not far south of Jerusalem 304 00:23:41.951 --> 00:23:47.101 where the Dead Sea Scrolls, including Old Testament copies and Jewish texts, 305 00:23:47.101 --> 00:23:51.559 were discovered and became a big news 306 00:23:51.559 --> 00:23:58.559 The traces of the Essenes' way of life are still preserved there 307 00:23:58.559 --> 00:24:07.780 Some scholars speculate that John the Baptist may have come from this sect 308 00:24:07.780 --> 00:24:16.680 They withdrew from everyday life to wilderness, in their own community, 309 00:24:16.680 --> 00:24:24.240 where they lived holy lives in anticipation of the coming Messiah 310 00:24:24.240 --> 00:24:28.109 Those were the Essenes sect 311 00:24:28.109 --> 00:24:30.909 Now, there is a fourth group 312 00:24:30.909 --> 00:24:38.659 We have Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, and finally, the Zealots 313 00:24:38.659 --> 00:24:41.809 Who were the Zealots? 314 00:24:41.809 --> 00:24:43.639 The anti-Romans 315 00:24:43.639 --> 00:24:52.679 Politically, they were nationalists who resisted the Roman rule at the time 316 00:24:52.679 --> 00:25:00.079 They were people like those involved in the independence movement 317 00:25:00.079 --> 00:25:06.198 But they expressed their patriotism aggressively 318 00:25:06.198 --> 00:25:09.998 And hated those who sided with the Romans 319 00:25:09.998 --> 00:25:12.298 They hated people like Matthew 320 00:25:12.298 --> 00:25:13.838 They really did 321 00:25:13.838 --> 00:25:23.318 They would carry knives, stab people who they recognize as pro-Roman 322 00:25:23.318 --> 00:25:29.418 They thought that those who cling to Rome and commit 323 00:25:29.418 --> 00:25:35.849 acts of treason against their own people must be punished 324 00:25:35.849 --> 00:25:43.258 The most aggressive among the Zealots were the Sicarii 325 00:25:43.258 --> 00:25:46.108 The Sicarii were people with daggers 326 00:25:46.108 --> 00:25:51.499 They would carry sharp daggers, 327 00:25:51.499 --> 00:25:57.359 Stab passing people they considered allies of Rome 328 00:25:57.359 --> 00:26:01.559 The disciple Simon was one of them 329 00:26:01.559 --> 00:26:07.198 Simon the Zealot had a Zealot background 330 00:26:07.198 --> 00:26:13.998 How did this person become a disciple of Jesus? 331 00:26:13.998 --> 00:26:15.198 We cannot know for sure in detail 332 00:26:15.198 --> 00:26:19.947 However, we can divide the disciples into three main groups 333 00:26:19.947 --> 00:26:21.947 in three groups of four 334 00:26:21.947 --> 00:26:28.919 The first group consists of Peter, Andrew, James, and John 335 00:26:28.919 --> 00:26:31.969 Who are the most well-known to us among the Twelve Disciples 336 00:26:31.969 --> 00:26:39.807 The second group includes Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, and Matthew 337 00:26:39.807 --> 00:26:42.857 This is the the second group 338 00:26:42.857 --> 00:26:49.118 The remaining disciples belong to the third group 339 00:26:49.118 --> 00:26:59.268 Which includes Simon, Thaddaeus, James the Less, and Judas Iscariot 340 00:26:59.268 --> 00:27:02.799 James the Less, Thaddaeus or Jude, Simon, and Judas Iscariot 341 00:27:02.799 --> 00:27:05.399 They are in the third group 342 00:27:05.399 --> 00:27:08.879 So, the people in the third group were likely close to each other 343 00:27:08.879 --> 00:27:16.958 Some scholars suggest that the third group had Zealots 344 00:27:16.958 --> 00:27:23.159 So, Judas Iscariot included, all of them had Zealot tendencies 345 00:27:23.159 --> 00:27:31.079 When Simon is mentioned, the disciple who appears alongside him is Judas 346 00:27:31.079 --> 00:27:34.372 Simon is mentioned alongside Judas Iscariot 347 00:27:34.372 --> 00:27:39.467 When Jesus sent out His disciples, if they were paired up, 348 00:27:39.467 --> 00:27:45.467 they likely preached together, heard His teachings, and witnessed miracles 349 00:27:45.467 --> 00:27:47.887 However, their lives turned out completely differently 350 00:27:47.887 --> 00:27:50.987 Judas betrayed Jesus, 351 00:27:50.987 --> 00:27:59.086 but Simon became an apostle of Jesus, giving all of his life for the Lord 352 00:27:59.086 --> 00:28:02.536 Let's conclude on Simon's life 353 00:28:02.536 --> 00:28:05.663 He started as a nationalist 354 00:28:05.663 --> 00:28:07.872 However, later he became an evangelical 355 00:28:07.872 --> 00:28:11.912 So, a nationalist became an evangelical 356 00:28:11.912 --> 00:28:15.842 When missionaries go to foreign nations 357 00:28:15.842 --> 00:28:19.592 to spread the gospel, 358 00:28:19.592 --> 00:28:24.432 one of the biggest obstacles they often mention is this 359 00:28:24.432 --> 00:28:28.472 Mission scholars refer to this as ethnocentrism 360 00:28:28.472 --> 00:28:33.092 It's a mindset where one only thinks about their own nation 361 00:28:33.092 --> 00:28:38.998 In God’s perspective of loving all nations, this becomes an obstacle 362 00:28:38.998 --> 00:28:44.192 Therefore, patriotism can actually be an obstacle in following Jesus 363 00:28:44.192 --> 00:28:48.048 The Bible verse from Acts 1 that I mentioned earlier is 364 00:28:48.048 --> 00:28:54.029 after Jesus' resurrection, when He stayed for 40 days before His ascension 365 00:28:54.029 --> 00:28:55.852 One of the disciples came forward and asked, 366 00:28:55.852 --> 00:28:59.252 '...will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?' 367 00:28:59.252 --> 00:29:05.509 After His resurrection, perhaps He'd restore the nation’s independence 368 00:29:05.509 --> 00:29:11.999 Who would have been the disciple most likely to ask this question? 369 00:29:11.999 --> 00:29:15.918 It would be Simon, right? Of course, it was Simon, 370 00:29:15.918 --> 00:29:19.319 since he was a nationalist 371 00:29:19.319 --> 00:29:21.078 And what did Jesus say? 372 00:29:21.078 --> 00:29:22.632 In Acts 1:8, Jesus says, 373 00:29:22.632 --> 00:29:25.838 'But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, 374 00:29:25.838 --> 00:29:30.559 and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth' [Acts 1:8] 375 00:29:30.559 --> 00:29:35.627 Finally, they laid down their nationalistic ambitions before the Lord 376 00:29:35.627 --> 00:29:38.072 and later became witnesses of the gospel 377 00:29:38.072 --> 00:29:45.352 To be a witness is to be a martyr, willing to lay down one's life 378 00:29:45.352 --> 00:29:48.118 Although this is not mentioned in the Bible, 379 00:29:48.118 --> 00:29:53.611 According to church traditions, Simon later went as far as Persia 380 00:29:53.611 --> 00:30:02.511 In Persia, Simon met his end, martyred by being sawed in half 381 00:30:02.511 --> 00:30:11.011 We reflected on the life of the disciple and Zealot, Simon 382 00:30:11.011 --> 00:30:17.551 As we're living in Korea, what can we learn from his life? 383 00:30:17.551 --> 00:30:19.191 What is the biggest challenge facing our country right now? 384 00:30:19.191 --> 00:30:21.191 What will be the national challenges in the future? 385 00:30:21.191 --> 00:30:27.368 North and South Korea should peacefully reunify 386 00:30:27.368 --> 00:30:30.031 We can't achieve unification through war, right? 387 00:30:30.031 --> 00:30:31.251 It must be peaceful without a war 388 00:30:31.251 --> 00:30:37.875 To peacefully unify, we must learn to embrace the people of the North, 389 00:30:37.875 --> 00:30:42.580 support and love them in any way we can, 390 00:30:42.580 --> 00:30:44.632 just like what the Germans did 391 00:30:44.632 --> 00:30:55.966 Just like the support during German unification, we must prepare the same way 392 00:30:55.966 --> 00:30:58.798 But there is something more 393 00:30:58.798 --> 00:31:02.398 We need a vision that goes beyond just this national vision 394 00:31:02.398 --> 00:31:10.451 Simon started with patriotism but later saw a greater vision for God’s Kingdom 395 00:31:10.451 --> 00:31:12.551 In Acts 1, it says 396 00:31:12.551 --> 00:31:18.638 that Jesus taught about the Kingdom during the 40 days after His resurrection 397 00:31:18.638 --> 00:31:21.388 Learning the vision of God's Kingdom, 398 00:31:21.388 --> 00:31:27.251 Simon let go of his patriotism and became a witness of Christ 399 00:31:27.251 --> 00:31:33.038 If we can have the great vision of God's Kingdom, 400 00:31:33.038 --> 00:31:35.788 we will be able to embrace North Korea 401 00:31:35.788 --> 00:31:39.726 and move toward the day of unification 402 00:31:39.726 --> 00:31:45.711 The lesson that the disciple Simon teaches us is important 403 00:31:51.711 --> 00:31:53.651 You mentioned that Simon was a Zealot 404 00:31:53.651 --> 00:31:59.701 A Zealot would be someone who is always passionate and proactive 405 00:31:59.701 --> 00:32:06.117 But why wouldn't the Bible say much about him? 406 00:32:06.117 --> 00:32:10.791 The Bible selectively includes events, as it cannot record everything 407 00:32:10.791 --> 00:32:16.271 Theologians refer to the biblical history as the history of salvation 408 00:32:16.271 --> 00:32:19.151 The history of salvation 409 00:32:19.151 --> 00:32:23.083 Jesus came to us to save us 410 00:32:23.083 --> 00:32:28.068 It records only what is necessary from the perspective of salvation history 411 00:32:28.068 --> 00:32:31.868 Therefore, from the perspective of salvation history, 412 00:32:31.868 --> 00:32:35.668 Events that may have seemed important to people of the time 413 00:32:35.668 --> 00:32:41.968 were left out by the biblical writers if they were not essential to 414 00:32:41.968 --> 00:32:46.771 teaching future generations of Christians 415 00:32:46.771 --> 00:32:51.231 We could view it from that perspective 416 00:32:51.231 --> 00:32:55.051 Matthew was a tax collector 417 00:32:55.051 --> 00:33:03.131 I believe that tax collector was an important job at that time 418 00:33:03.131 --> 00:33:09.690 Without tax collectors or customs, trade and movement would be disrupted 419 00:33:09.690 --> 00:33:19.610 Does sacrifice for Jesus always have to mean a change in one’s profession 420 00:33:19.610 --> 00:33:23.830 or letting go of one’s own things? 421 00:33:23.830 --> 00:33:29.751 In the Bible, it seems that doctors continued their professions, 422 00:33:29.751 --> 00:33:33.401 but others, like Peter the fisherman 423 00:33:33.401 --> 00:33:35.611 and the tax collectors, left everything behind 424 00:33:35.611 --> 00:33:40.761 I’m curious about your perspective on career choices 425 00:33:40.761 --> 00:33:45.711 Do you think there are particular professions we should have? 426 00:33:45.711 --> 00:33:53.051 The Twelve Disciples are well-known representatives among Jesus’ followers 427 00:33:53.051 --> 00:34:00.051 There were likely many more disciples of Jesus beyond the Twelve 428 00:34:00.051 --> 00:34:04.491 When Jesus sent out followers to spread His message, 429 00:34:04.491 --> 00:34:08.051 it is recorded that He sent out seventy people 430 00:34:08.051 --> 00:34:13.503 The twelve disciples, in fact, gave up their professions 431 00:34:13.503 --> 00:34:18.641 and devoted all their time to spreading the message of Jesus 432 00:34:18.641 --> 00:34:21.083 Basically, they were full-time workers, as we would say today 433 00:34:21.083 --> 00:34:30.561 People like pastors or missionaries, who worked full-time as ministers 434 00:34:30.561 --> 00:34:36.731 Many others continued to maintain their professions, living as Christians 435 00:34:36.731 --> 00:34:40.463 I believe they also participated in spreading the gospel 436 00:34:40.463 --> 00:34:44.124 Therefore, the Twelve Apostles are a special case 437 00:34:44.124 --> 00:34:51.163 Chosen as representatives of Jesus, they were called to work as his apostles 438 00:34:51.163 --> 00:34:56.302 You don’t all need to give up your jobs to become disciples of Jesus 439 00:34:56.302 --> 00:34:59.963 To be one of the Twelve Apostles, you would have to give things up 440 00:34:59.963 --> 00:35:05.643 Being a pastor may mean giving things up, but not for everyone 441 00:35:05.643 --> 00:35:11.823 Working at Duranno, you can serve the Lord and work for God’s Kingdom 442 00:35:11.823 --> 00:35:19.070 The Twelve Apostles were a unique, representative case, like an exception 443 00:35:19.070 --> 00:35:23.903 You said Simon was a Zealot 444 00:35:23.903 --> 00:35:28.623 and that he strongly disliked those who collaborated with Rome 445 00:35:28.623 --> 00:35:32.223 Matthew seems to be one of those people 446 00:35:32.223 --> 00:35:35.563 I imagine the two people staying together for a long time 447 00:35:35.563 --> 00:35:41.410 I think there must have been conflicts along the way 448 00:35:41.410 --> 00:35:47.202 Though not mentioned in the Bible, in any church or community 449 00:35:47.202 --> 00:35:51.083 there are likely people with different values and perspectives 450 00:35:51.083 --> 00:35:59.203 -I'm curious how we should biblically view and treat such people -That's a very important question 451 00:35:59.203 --> 00:36:02.396 You've asked a great question 452 00:36:02.396 --> 00:36:09.410 Right now, in our country, there are many ideological conflicts 453 00:36:09.410 --> 00:36:11.410 The conflict between conservatives and progressives 454 00:36:11.410 --> 00:36:15.915 Therefore, Matthew and Simon must've experienced a lot of conflict 455 00:36:15.915 --> 00:36:21.410 One was pro-Rome, the other was anti-Rome 456 00:36:21.410 --> 00:36:33.160 If it were up to me, I wouldn't choose these two opposing disciples 457 00:36:33.160 --> 00:36:36.410 These two disciples could cause problems day and night 458 00:36:36.410 --> 00:36:42.732 Yet, Jesus is great for choosing these two disciples as His followers 459 00:36:42.732 --> 00:36:49.083 Jesus placed two disciples before Him, with different thoughts and ideologies 460 00:36:49.083 --> 00:36:52.383 and said, 'Love one another' 461 00:36:52.383 --> 00:36:56.143 'A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another' [Jhn. 13:34] 462 00:36:56.143 --> 00:36:58.987 How great is Jesus, who gave us that command 463 00:36:58.987 --> 00:37:01.423 There must've been many conflicts in the beginning 464 00:37:01.423 --> 00:37:05.423 However, as they gradually received Jesus' training 465 00:37:05.423 --> 00:37:08.225 and when the Holy Spirit came upon them, 466 00:37:08.225 --> 00:37:11.925 all disciples eventually became ones 467 00:37:11.925 --> 00:37:16.925 who gave everything for the gospel 468 00:37:16.925 --> 00:37:25.160 So, people with different political views can coexist within the same church 469 00:37:25.160 --> 00:37:27.260 Of course they can 470 00:37:27.260 --> 00:37:34.629 If they are dedicated to God, I believe they can become one 471 00:37:34.629 --> 00:37:38.410 You've asked very good questions today 472 00:37:38.410 --> 00:37:41.994 Also, two very contrasting disciples were 473 00:37:41.994 --> 00:37:45.794 Pro-Roman Matthew 474 00:37:45.794 --> 00:37:48.094 and Anti-Roman Simon, 475 00:37:48.094 --> 00:37:50.543 The Zealot and the tax collector 476 00:37:50.543 --> 00:38:00.129 However, these two disciples, through the process of evangelism, 477 00:38:00.129 --> 00:38:02.879 eventually offered their lives to God 478 00:38:02.879 --> 00:38:04.283 Disciples and apostles are different 479 00:38:04.283 --> 00:38:08.410 A disciple is one who learns and an apostle is one who is sent 480 00:38:08.410 --> 00:38:13.215 By learning well and being sent out they were able to change the world 481 00:38:13.215 --> 00:38:18.663 And dedicate their lives to the Lord 482 00:38:18.663 --> 00:38:22.463 I hope that this secret becomes God's inspiration 483 00:38:22.463 --> 00:38:26.693 And grace for you and me today 484 00:38:26.693 --> 00:38:30.003 Let's pray together and wrap it up. Let's pray 485 00:38:30.003 --> 00:38:32.662 Heavenly Father, thank You 486 00:38:32.662 --> 00:38:43.946 As we shared the stories of Matthew and Simon, two disciples and apostles 487 00:38:43.946 --> 00:38:48.703 Despite differences, we can unite as Your disciples and follow You together 488 00:38:48.703 --> 00:38:52.998 and dedicate ourselves to God's kingdom 489 00:38:52.998 --> 00:38:57.836 Use us, and through us, reveal Your glory 490 00:38:57.836 --> 00:39:00.410 So that Your kingdom may come on earth 491 00:39:00.410 --> 00:39:04.410 May Your will be done on this land as it is in heaven 492 00:39:04.410 --> 00:39:11.410 And may the day of a unified and peaceful Korea come soon 493 00:39:11.410 --> 00:39:14.910 We pray in the precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ 494 00:39:14.910 --> 00:39:16.703 Amen 495 00:39:16.703 --> 00:39:21.664 Thank you very much