Background. John’s family seems to have been fairly well situated. The fishing business they owned was large enough to have partners and hired men. (Mr 1:19, 20; Lu 5:9, 10) Zebedee’s wife Salome was among the women who accompanied and ministered to Jesus when he was in Galilee (compare Mt 27:55, 56; Mr 15:40, 41), and she took part in bringing spices to prepare Jesus’ body for burial. (Mr 16:1)

Zebedee and Salome were faithful Hebrews, and the evidence indicates that they raised John in the teaching of the Scriptures.

While it is never stated that Zebedee became a disciple of either John the Baptizer or of Christ, it appears that he offered no resistance to his two sons’ becoming full-time preachers with Jesus.