Zebedee was a fisherman living near the Sea of Galilee during the first century. He is identified in the synoptic gospels as the father of two apostles, James and John, and the husband of Salome. While he is mentioned several times in the biblical accounts, he only appears directly in the narratives when Jesus calls his sons to follow him, leaving Zebedee working in a boat alongside hired laborers. This detail suggests that his family may have possessed some level of wealth.