Salam
Here are my thoughts about this.
One Elyas (a) became the Imam/leader of light after Jesus (a) and this is why he returned with Jesus (a) along with Moses (a) while he was emphasized to return, and this is why Quran has him mentioned after Jesus (a) in a verse in 6th chapter, but also Shamoon (Simon) (a) according to Shiite hadiths, is a successor.
This means when Jesus (a) was raised, there was the Ghayba (hiddenness) of leaders appointed by God and no Messenger in the open, however disciples played a role in representing the message.
Simon (a) is of the disciples, and the way Quran addresses disciples, while they are highly praised, they are still volatile and can go astray.
However, it seemed out of all disciples, Simon (a) was emphasized on and there was need of (religious) leadership/authority with Jesus (a) ascending to heaven and Elyas (a) being hidden.
In the same way, when son of Hassan Alaskari (a) disappeared, there was need to fill the void. While the reputation of the first one like Simon (a) was high and people trusted him, eventually, this type of speaking on behalf of Imam Mahdi (a) would end with the 4th safeer.
Imam Mahdi (a) said to refer to his narrators of ahadith for the occurring events. Now in ahadith there is two type of narrators, there is those who just narrate, then those who know the truth and narrate the truth and prove it. It can be argued that the latter is who is meant not just one who narrates hadith.
This is just my thoughts, about Simon (a) succeeding. Simon (a) was not chosen by God like Moses (a) but he was a successor of Jesus (a) in a different sense, while the one who took on the position of the holy spirit was Elyas (a) and the pole of the time was Elyas (a).
I make an analogy, that in Ghayba, like wise, we can have none-appointed by God leaders like disciples were and particularly like Simon (a) was.
Here are my thoughts about this.
One Elyas (a) became the Imam/leader of light after Jesus (a) and this is why he returned with Jesus (a) along with Moses (a) while he was emphasized to return, and this is why Quran has him mentioned after Jesus (a) in a verse in 6th chapter, but also Shamoon (Simon) (a) according to Shiite hadiths, is a successor.
This means when Jesus (a) was raised, there was the Ghayba (hiddenness) of leaders appointed by God and no Messenger in the open, however disciples played a role in representing the message.
Simon (a) is of the disciples, and the way Quran addresses disciples, while they are highly praised, they are still volatile and can go astray.
However, it seemed out of all disciples, Simon (a) was emphasized on and there was need of (religious) leadership/authority with Jesus (a) ascending to heaven and Elyas (a) being hidden.
In the same way, when son of Hassan Alaskari (a) disappeared, there was need to fill the void. While the reputation of the first one like Simon (a) was high and people trusted him, eventually, this type of speaking on behalf of Imam Mahdi (a) would end with the 4th safeer.
Imam Mahdi (a) said to refer to his narrators of ahadith for the occurring events. Now in ahadith there is two type of narrators, there is those who just narrate, then those who know the truth and narrate the truth and prove it. It can be argued that the latter is who is meant not just one who narrates hadith.
This is just my thoughts, about Simon (a) succeeding. Simon (a) was not chosen by God like Moses (a) but he was a successor of Jesus (a) in a different sense, while the one who took on the position of the holy spirit was Elyas (a) and the pole of the time was Elyas (a).
I make an analogy, that in Ghayba, like wise, we can have none-appointed by God leaders like disciples were and particularly like Simon (a) was.