Bartholomaios (Batholomew)

Alleged Connection to Simon the Cananean

See Simon the Cananean and Nathanael

It must be mentioned that some commentators believe Nathanael to be Bartholomew instead, which has no corroboration.

The preponderance of the evidence, considering both Matthew and Mark, is that Simon was a Cananaean. Luke calls Simon “the zealot”, which many errant commentators take that as a meaning of the word “Canaanite”, however this is highly unlikely. The Hebrew word, according to Strong, comes from a verb meaning to humiliate. It is much more plausible that Simon was from the city Cana, where Yahshua attended the wedding described in the opening chapters of John's gospel, and was therefore a Cananaean, and that “zealot” was just a nickname.

In John's gospel at 21:2 there is a Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, who is also mentioned by John 5 times in chapter 1, at verses 45-49. But Nathanael is not mentioned at all in the other gospels, and this is that man of whom Christ had said “Look! An Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile!”. It is therefore certain that these two men were one and the same, Simon Nathanael, the zealot of Cana. (It must be mentioned that some commentators believe Nathanael to be Bartholomew instead, which has no corroboration.)