Ζεβεδαῖος
Zebedaios
Zebedee
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
ExploredZebedaios, found in the Greek New Testament 12 times, refers to Zebedee, a man in the Bible. The name Zebedee is likely meant to evoke a connection to a father or patriarch, possibly Zebedeus, whose identity is not clearly stated. This repetition of the same name, with some variation, highlights the importance and possible reverence associated with this individual. Zebedee appears primarily in the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Mark, and often in conjunction with his son, John, and another disciple, James. This suggests that Zebedee played a significant role in the lives and missionary activities of these early Jesus followers. The context and frequency of Zebedaios' occurrences in the Bible indicate his position as a key figure in the early Christian community. The repeated mentions of Zebedaios serve to emphasize his relationship with his son, often referred to as the "sons of Zebedee" (Matthew 10:2-4, Mark 3:17, Acts 4:36, Luke 5:10, Acts 1:13). This highlights the family dynamics of early Jesus followers and underscores the significance of familial relationships in early Christianity.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
12 total occurrences across the text
Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them.
Matthew 4:21Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them.
Matthew 10:2Now the names of the twelve apostles are these. The first, Simon, who is called Peter; Andrew, his brother; James the son of Zebedee; John, his brother;
Matthew 27:56Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.
Matthew 20:20Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, kneeling and asking a certain thing of him.
Matthew 26:37He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and severely troubled.
Mark 1:19Going on a little further from there, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John, his brother, who were also in the boat mending the nets.
Mark 1:20Immediately he called them, and they left their father, Zebedee, in the boat with the hired servants, and went after him.
Mark 3:17James the son of Zebedee; and John, the brother of James, (whom he called Boanerges, which means, Sons of Thunder);
Luke 5:10and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid. From now on you will be catching people alive.”
Mark 10:35James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came near to him, saying, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we will ask.”
John 21:2Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together.