History states that immediately after the death of King Aeglippus, who was attached to the Christians, his successor Hytacus, an unbelieving heathen, persecuted this apostle, and that at a certain time, when this pious apostle of Christ was teaching the church of God, he caused him to be apprehended and, as some write, nailed to the ground, and beheaded, in Naddavar, the capital of Ethiopia, where he is also buried, according to Venantius Fortunatus, who wrote, over a thousand years ago, “For the great city Naddavar shall restore to us at the last day the eminent Apostle Matthew.” J. Gys. in Hist. Mart., fol. 12, col. 2. Also, Konst-tooneel van veertig, in the life of Matthew. Also, P. J. Twisck, Bybelsch Næmbœck, fol. 65, col. 2, letter M. This writer states that he was fastened to the ground with darts, whereupon death ensued. Joh. Gys., from Venantius Fortunatus, de Gaud. Vitæ, lib. 7.
SIMON ZELOTES AND HIS BROTHER JUDAS THADDEUS, BOTH SLAIN FOR THE TRUTH OF CHRIST; THE ONE CRUCIFIED, AND THE OTHER BEATEN TO DEATH WITH STICKS, ABOUT A. D. 70.
MARTYRDOM OF SIMON ZELOTES, AND JUDAS THADDEUS.
Simon the Canaanite, surnamed Zelotes, that is, Zealot, the son of Alpheus, the brother of James, Joses, and Juda, and a relative of Christ, was constituted by Christ one of his twelve apostles, to preach the Gospel, first among the Jews, and afterwards among the heathen; to which end he, together with the others who were in like ministry with him, received the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost. Matt. 10:4; Acts 1:13; Matt. 13:55; Mark 6:3.
He traveled in Egypt, Cyrene, Africa, Mauritania, throughout Lybia, and in the islands of Great Britain, where he preached the Gospel, Isid. de Vita et Mort. 5, 5. Niceph., lib. 2, cap. 40.
Afterwards, having preached everywhere, writes N. D. C., he came to the Western Sea, also into England, and their neighboring places.
Finally, it is stated by others, he went to Persia, where he found his brother Judas. Continuing together steadfastly in the duties of their apostleship, they sealed the divine truth with their blood.
Concerning Simon Zelotes in particular, it is stated that he was crucified in a very painful way by a certain governor in Syria. Bybelsch Næmbœck, letter S. on the name Simon, fol. 570, col. 1, from Eus. and Niceph., and Hist. Andræ, fol. 18, Konst-tooneel van veertig, in the life of Simon Zelotes.
As regards his brother Judas, surnamed Lebbeus, and also, Thaddeus, who was likewise an apostle of Jesus Christ, nothing is said of him in Evangelical history; only there is mention made of a question which he asked the Lord Jesus, saying, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? Matt. 10:3; Mark 3:18; John 14:22.