Κανανίτης, Καναναῖος

From the study of Mark 3:18

Range of meaning

This is not a native Greek word. It is the Aramaic qan'an / qan'ana (from the root q-n-', 'to be zealous, jealous, ardent') given a Greek ending. The Hebrew relative qanna' describes God himself as 'jealous' or 'zealous' (Exodus 20:5; 34:14). In Jesus' day 'zealous one' was an honour title for someone fiercely devoted to God's honour and the Torah. Depending on context, that zeal could include readiness to act violently against lawbreakers or foreign oppressors.

Against the English

The KJV has 'Canaanite' and YLT 'Cananite'. Most modern versions have 'the Zealot'. NRSV and NABRE simply transliterate, giving 'the Cananaean / Cananean'. 'Canaanite' is a straightforward error: the people of Canaan are Χαναναῖοι (Chananaioi), spelled with a different first letter (chi, not kappa), and Mark's word has nothing to do with them. 'Cananite' leaves the reader guessing at a place called Cana. 'Zealot' gets the meaning right but can suggest a later political party (see drift).

How it drifted

The Byzantine text read Κανανίτην, which looks like a place-adjective ('man of Kana'). Latin and then English readers took it as 'Canaanite'. Because the Aramaic root was no longer recognised, the word turned into an ethnic or geographic label.

Used elsewhere in the period

Luke translates this very title with Greek ζηλωτής, 'zealot' (Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13). That settles what Mark's word means. The zeal tradition behind it runs from Phinehas, 'zealous for his God' (Numbers 25:11–13), through Elijah ('I have been very zealous for the LORD', 1 Kings 19:10, 14), to Mattathias, who killed an apostate and cried 'Let everyone who is zealous for the law… follow me' (1 Maccabees 2:24–27, 50). Paul calls himself 'extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers' (Galatians 1:14; compare Philippians 3:6; Acts 22:3). Acts 21:20 describes thousands of Jerusalem believers as 'zealous for the law'. Josephus first uses 'the Zealots' as the name of an organised faction during the revolt in Jerusalem, around 66–68 CE (Jewish War 4.160–161), decades after Jesus' ministry.

From the study of Matthew 10:4

Range of meaning

A Greek transliteration of an Aramaic word from the root qnʾ, 'to be jealous, zealous'. Hebrew qannaʾ is the word used of God as 'jealous' in Exodus 20:5. As a personal label it means 'the zealous one, the enthusiast': someone known for burning, possessive devotion to God's honour and God's Law. The -aios ending is the same one seen in Pharisaios ('Pharisee'). It marks membership or character, not a place of origin. BDAG glosses it 'enthusiast, zealot' and treats it as Aramaic in origin.

Against the English

BSB, WEB, NIV, ESV and NASB give 'Zealot', usually with a capital Z. KJV has 'Canaanite' and YLT 'Cananite'. NRSV writes 'Cananaean', a transliteration that hides the meaning but at least avoids a false one.

How it drifted

Two separate drifts. (1) 'Canaanite' comes from mistaking a word from the Aramaic root qnʾ for the place-name Canaan. The Greek for 'Canaanite' starts with chi (Χαναναῖος, Matthew 15:22), not kappa. The Latin tradition's 'Cananaeus/Chananaeus' and the Textus Receptus spelling Kananitēs fed this confusion. (2) A capital-Z 'Zealot' makes modern readers think of a defined political party of armed revolutionaries. Josephus does not describe such a party under that name until the war against Rome (AD 66–70).

Used elsewhere in the period

Luke translates the same title into Greek: 'Simon who was called zēlōtēs' (Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13), which confirms the meaning. The model for 'zeal' was Phinehas, who killed an Israelite man and a Midianite woman, and God praised him for being 'zealous with my zeal' (Numbers 25:11–13). Others were Elijah, 'I have been very zealous for the LORD' (1 Kings 19:10, 14), and Mattathias, who began the Maccabean revolt 'zealous for the Law, as Phinehas did' (1 Maccabees 2:24–27, 50, 54). Paul calls himself 'extremely zealous' (zēlōtēs) for ancestral traditions (Galatians 1:14; compare Philippians 3:6). Acts 21:20 describes thousands of believing Jews as 'all zealots for the Law', clearly not guerrillas. The Mishnah (Sanhedrin 9:6) speaks of qannaʾim, 'zealots', who may strike down certain flagrant offenders. Josephus first uses 'Zealots' for a named faction in Jerusalem in 67–68 (Jewish War 4.160–161).