Peter

Etymology

Jesus renamed him: his birth name was Simon (Shimon, 'hearing'). Jesus said, 'You are Peter (Petros), and on this rock (petra) I will build my church.' The Aramaic equivalent is Cephas (Kepha). The name was unprecedented — no one before Peter was called 'Rock' as a personal name.

Who they were

Peter is the most human of the apostles — impulsive, devoted, flawed, and restored. A fisherman from Bethsaida, he was brought to Jesus by his brother Andrew and renamed Rock. He walked on water — and sank when he took his eyes off Jesus. He made the great confession: 'You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.' Minutes later, Jesus rebuked him: 'Get behind me, Satan!' He swore he would die for Jesus. Hours later, he denied knowing Jesus three times — then went outside and wept bitterly. After the resurrection, Jesus restored him beside a charcoal fire (the same kind of fire by which he'd denied him), asking three times: 'Simon, do you love me?' Three denials, three restorations. At Pentecost, Peter preached the first Christian sermon and three thousand people believed. He healed the lame man at the temple gate. He received the vision that opened the church to Gentiles. He was imprisoned, chained between two guards, and freed by an angel. His two epistles are written to suffering Christians, and they carry the tenderness of someone who knows what failure and restoration feel like. Tradition says he was crucified in Rome under Nero, upside down at his own request because he felt unworthy to die in the same manner as Jesus. The rock cracked many times, but it held.

Family

Spouse

Named (Mark 1:30 mentions her mother)

Character qualities

• Impulsive devotion
• Capacity for spectacular failure
• Willingness to be restored
• Bold preaching
• Tenderness toward the suffering

Key verse

Matthew 16:18

Where they appear

Themes

Variants & related forms

Pete · Pierre · Pedro · Pietro · Piotr · Petar · Cephas

Related names