David Zebedee 

The Zebedees played a prominent role in Jesus’ life story. Father Zebedee, his wife Salome, and his apostle sons John and James are all referred to in the Biblical record. However, father Zebedee’s son, David, does not appear in the Bible.

For their livelihood, the Zebedee family ran a fishing and boatbuilding business on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee, based in the village of Bethsaida. The boys, David, James, and John, worked with their father until they grew to manhood and then decided to follow Jesus.

Father Zebedee and Jesus’ father, Joseph, were both businessmen of northern Galilee, and they became friends before Joseph died in a construction accident. That is how the Zebedees connected to Jesus who, before beginning his public ministry, lived at the Zebedee home for a year. While living there, he went fishing with David, James, and John and worked with Zebedee building boats in the family’s shop. David and the others all but adopted Jesus. He was loved by them as a cherished family member would be.

When David created the messenger service, he did so without the expectation of praise or reward. It was no small service that David provided – he had fifty runners in the corps at its peak. David did this without being asked, but he had the approval of Andrew, the chief of the apostles.

Jesus used the messenger corps on many occasions between January, 28 CE and April, 30 CE. Sometimes, Jesus sent for his family; sometimes, he received warnings that his enemies were approaching, and other times, he summoned his apostles and disciples to a meeting.

On May 22, 29 CE, when one of David’s messengers reported that Herod had granted Sanhedrin officers the authority to arrest Jesus, David sent out an emergency call for a meeting. After his apostles, the evangelists, and the disciples arrived, Jesus told them where to go and what to do. As Jesus was bidding David farewell before the Sanhedrin arrived, David asked whether to continue the messenger service, and Jesus consented to him continuing. When this was decided, David assured Jesus of his continued support and said, "I am neither a teacher nor a preacher, but it is in my heart to do this, and none can stop me."

David’s messengers traveled on foot, taking or bringing news and personal communications from as far as Alexandria, Damascus, and Philadelphia. He also provided an overnight relay messenger service between Jerusalem and Bethsaida at the north end of the Sea of Galilee, a distance of over seventy miles (110 kilometers). This overnight service was used to summon David’s mother and Jesus’ family to Jerusalem after David became convinced that Jesus was soon to be arrested. The return messenger reported that Salome and Jesus’ entire family would arrive the next day.

A week before the arrest, David established temporary messenger headquarters at the garden of Gethsemane. From there, one of the last messages Jesus sent was to Abner in Philadelphia. When he asked David to summon his most trustworthy messenger, David called on a runner named Jacob. Jesus instructed Jacob to tell Abner in Philadelphia about his imminent death and resurrection, promising guidance until the Spirit of Truth arrived.

Few of Jesus’ followers fully appreciated the great value of the services of the messenger corps. Not only did David’s runners keep the believers throughout Palestine in touch with each other and with Jesus and the apostles, but they also served as collectors of funds. These funds were for the sustenance of Jesus and his associates, and the support of the families of the twelve apostles and the twelve evangelists.

Until the final week of Jesus’ life, David’s messenger corps was headquartered at his father’s home at Bethsaida. The Zebedee residence became a clearinghouse for Jesus’ work on earth and a relay station for the messengers who carried the news to Jesus’ team working in various parts of Palestine and adjacent regions. He disbanded the messenger corps the day Jesus resurrected, Sunday, April 9th, 30 CE, after sending runners in every direction with this one final message: "Jesus has risen from the dead; the tomb is empty."

After the messenger service ended, the apostles realized just how much they depended on David and his loyal band of messengers for reliable news and fresh information.

Another service provided by David was shelter for Jesus, his apostles, his disciples, and his followers, that sometimes numbered more than a thousand. The tent cities David and his helpers erected went up and came down in accordance with the need. David was a man of foresight and practicality, one who worked well without supervision. He would anticipate and have the men in his service move the tents in order to be up and secure when the need arose. David was the manager of these tent cities that he and his men set up, and no one was ever turned away.

During December 29 CE, David and his men loaded the tents that were stored at the Zebedee home onto pack animals and took them to Pella, where Jesus and the apostles planned to camp. It was the rainy season, and David knew there were pilgrims coming from near and far. He and his men set up enough tents to accommodate 1,500 visitors. David did all this without being asked. Near the end of December, almost 800 visitors were gathered about the Master, and they found lodging in David’s camp.

On March 15, 30 CE, three weeks before Jesus died, Andrew, chief of the apostles, instructed David to close the camp at Pella and to sell all the tents and cooking equipment. Although he was reluctant, David did as Andrew asked.

David was a man of many skills and abilities. Besides oversight of the messenger service and management of the tent cities, he took on the work of finding buyers for the fish that the apostles netted. Whenever the apostles’ treasury ran low, these Galilean fishermen would return to their nets and sell their catch to David, who would then find buyers at local markets. Yet more funds came from runners who David charged with the task of collecting donations as they went about their duty carrying messages across Palestine.

On one occasion, when Jesus’ family arrived at the Zebedee home where Jesus was staying, David took it upon himself to post twenty-five sentinels around the residence. He did this because one of his messengers reported the Sanhedrin was coming to arrest the Master. Jesus and his group escaped in boats just before the arresting authorities arrived and searched the house and nearby Capernaum for almost a week.

After Jesus died, his friends Mary and Martha, sisters of Lazarus, decided to join their brother in Philadelphia. The sisters were quite wealthy and needed help disposing of their many possessions before leaving their home in Bethany. David provided them with help and then escorted them to Philadelphia.

The friendship between David and Jesus began when Jesus lived with the Zebedee family and worked at father Zebedee’s fishing and boatbuilding business. Although David had little interest in Jesus’ teachings, he deeply respected Jesus as a man of intelligence, skill, and wisdom. One morning, after a night without catching any fish, David and his helper Simon came to shore. While they were repairing their nets, Jesus approached and asked them to go out again and drop their nets in a certain place. After doing so, they netted so many fish that they had to summon help. From that day, in January 28 CE, until Jesus’ death, David and Simon became devoted volunteers in service to Jesus’ mission. David gave all his energies to this cause.

Jesus used David’s messenger service on many occasions. He, his apostles, and his followers depended on David’s messengers for accurate information and quick, reliable communication. More than once, David’s runners informed Jesus of the plans and movements of his enemies. When Jesus wanted his apostles and evangelists to gather for a meeting, or when he wished to meet with his family, he summoned David to send runners to the ones needed. And David always had two or three of his men watching Jesus for the purposes of safety and early warning.

David was always able and willing to do whatever Jesus and his followers needed, whether it involved dispatching one or more of his messengers with communication to Jesus’ relatives, erecting a tent city, or replenishing the apostles’ funds. David never failed, and his services were always available to Jesus, the apostles, and Jesus’ family and friends until the day Jesus rose from his tomb.

In their last talk before Jesus was arrested, tried, and crucified, David said to Jesus: "Master, I have had great joy in my service with you. My brothers are your apostles, but I have delighted to do the lesser things as they should be done, and I shall miss you with all my heart when you are gone." And then said Jesus to David: "David, my son, others have done that which they were directed to do, but this service you have done of your own heart, and I have not been unmindful of your devotion. You, too, shall someday serve with me in the eternal kingdom."

Jesus never found the need to reprimand David for laziness, pride, or lack of loyalty. But there was an incident at an encampment near Bethsaida, where David and others repeatedly plunged a disruptive individual into the waters of Galilee before Jesus could stop them. That individual left with a few other unstable souls and established a camp elsewhere.

One other incident occurred the day before Jesus was arrested. Realizing Jesus was going to be killed if no one intervened, David decided he should provide the Master with defenders. He armed three rugged men and offered them to Jesus after Jesus announced he was going into the hills to prepare for the final act of his life in the flesh. David said: "You well know, Master, that the Pharisees and rulers seek to destroy you, and yet you make ready to go alone into the hills. To do this is folly; I will therefore send three men with you well prepared to see that no harm befalls you."

Jesus looked over the three well-armed and stalwart Galileans and said to David: "You mean well, but you err in that you fail to understand that the Son of Man needs no one to defend him. No man will lay hands on me until that hour when I am ready to lay down my life in conformity to my Father’s will. These men may not accompany me. I desire to go alone, that I may commune with the Father."

David had the armed guards put down their swords and he did not again attempt to defend Jesus.

David’s messengers had contacts in Jerusalem, and he was kept fully informed about the plans and preparations to arrest Jesus. During the hours before he was arrested, David also heard about Judas’ plan to betray Jesus. When David asked Jesus if he knew about this, Jesus said to David: "Yes, David, I know all about it, and I know that you know, but see to it that you tell no man. Only doubt not in your own heart that the will of God will prevail in the end."

And David told no one. But later that day, he asked Judas, the apostles’ treasurer, for operating funds. Judas then decided to turn over all the monies held in reserve to David. Later, David gave these funds to Matthew Levi, the apostles’ finance officer.

David believed Jesus’ when he said he would rise on the third day and instructed his messengers to gather where he planned to stay (the home of Nicodemus) on Sunday morning, April 9, 30 CE. After hearing reports of the resurrection from reliable sources, David disbanded his messenger corps, affirming their integrity and declaring the completion of their mission with the news that Jesus had risen, as evidenced by the empty tomb and testimonies from those who saw Jesus. He released them from their oaths, sending them to announce Jesus' resurrection to believers.

Before sending that message, David met with the apostles. They tried to dissuade him and his messengers from sending it, but David would not listen and neither would his loyal messengers. They trusted David and had great confidence in him and his word.

When the apostles refused to believe that Jesus had risen from the dead, David scolded them for doubting:"You are the apostles, and you ought to understand these things. I will not contend with you; nevertheless, I now go back to the home of Nicodemus, where I have ordered the messengers to assemble this morning, and when they have gathered together, I will send them forth on their last mission, as heralds of the Master’s resurrection. I heard the Master say that, after he should die, he would rise on the third day, and I believe him."

The reports were confirmed later that same day, around two o’clock, at the home of Jesus’ friends, Mary and Martha, in Bethany. The risen Jesus appeared and spoke to David and nineteen others, including Jesus’ mother and his siblings. In all, Jesus appeared nineteen times in resurrected form. When David’s final message – that Jesus had risen from the tomb – reached one of the Greek believers in Alexandria, he decided to call a meeting and have the message delivered by the runner. No sooner had the runner recited it to the assembled believers than Jesus appeared to them, eighty in all.

After Jesus’ appearance at Bethany, David and Jesus’ sister Ruth stayed there until Mary and Martha had, with David’s help, disposed of their belongings. David and Ruth were married the day before he escorted Mary and Martha to Philadelphia to join their brother Lazarus.

Thus ended David’s service as Jesus’ loyal assistant and stalwart supporter. Though obscured by the mists of time and the omissions of history, David’s heroic story can now be told.