Father of James and John (Matt 4:21) and the husband of Salome (Matt 27:56; Mk 15:40). Though mention ten times as the father of the two disciples, Zebedee appears only once in the gospel narrative: he was in the boat when Jesus came along and called his two sons to after him (Matt 4:21; Mk 1:20). Apart from the fact that he a Galilean and lived in or near Bethsaida, we know nothing concrete about him. Mk 1:20 reports him being in his boat with his servants suggesting that he was well enough off to have hired servants. John lets on in Jn18:14 that he was "known to the high priest" Annas, suggesting that his family and, therefore, his father Zebedee, were socially connected as well.
CONCORDANCE (NIV)
Matt 4:21 — Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them . . .
Matt 10:2 — These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; . . .
Matt 26:37 — He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled.
Mk 1:19 — When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets.
Mk 1:20 — Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.
Mk 3:17 — James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means Sons of Thunder);
Mk 10:35 — Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. "Teacher," they said, "we want you to do for us whatever we ask."
Lk 5:10 — and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men."
Jn 21:2 — Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together.
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