Zebedee, or Rather Zebedaeus

Zeb'edee, or rather Zebedae'us (Ζεβεδαῖος, the Greek form apparently of Zabdi or Zebediah), a fisherman of Galilee, the father of the apostles James the Great and John (Mt 4:21), and the husband of Salome (Mt 27:56; Mr 15:40). He probably lived either at Bethsaida or in its immediate neighborhoods It has been inferred from the mention of his "hired servants" (1, 20), and from the acquaintance between the apostle John and Annas the high-priest (Joh 18:15), that the family of Zebedee were in easy circumstances (comp; 19:27), although not above manual labor (Mt 4:21). While the name of Zebedee frequently occurs as a patronymic, for the sake of distinguishing his two sons from others who bore the same names, he appears only once in the Gospel narrative namely, in Mt 4:21-22; Mr 1:19-20 where he is seen in his boat with his two sons mending their nets. A.D. 26. On this occasion he allows his sons to leave him, at the bidding of the Savior, without raising any objection, although it does not appear that he was himself ever of the number of Christ's disciples. His wife, indeed, appears in the catalogue of the pious women who were in constant attendance on the Savior towards the close of his ministry, who watched him on the cross, and ministered to him even in the grave (Mt 27:55-56; Mr 15:40; Mr 16:1; comp. Mt 25:20; Lu 8:3). It is reasonable to infer that Zebedee was dead before this time. SEE JOHN (the Apostle).