| Peter
Originally called Simon (=Simeon , i.e., "hearing"), a
very common Jewish name in the New Testament.
He was the son of Jona #Mt 16:17 His mother
is nowhere named in Scripture. He had a younger
brother called Andrew, who first brought him to Jesus #Joh
1:40-42 His native town was Bethsaida, on the western coast of
the Sea of Galilee, to which also Philip belonged. Here he was brought
up by the shores of the Sea of Galilee, and was trained to the
occupation of a fisher.
His father had probably died while he was still young, and he and his
brother were brought up under the care of Zebedee and his wife Salome #Mt
27:56 Mr 15:40 16:1 There the four youths, Simon,
Andrew, James, and John, spent their boyhood and early manhood in
constant fellowship.
Simon and his brother doubtless enjoyed all the advantages of a
religious training, and were early instructed in an acquaintance with
the Scriptures and with the great prophecies regarding the coming of the
Messiah. They did not probably enjoy, however, any special training in
the study of the law under any of the rabbis. When Peter appeared before
the Sanhedrin, he looked like an "unlearned man" #Ac
4:13 "Simon was a Galilean, and he was that out and out...
The Galileans had a marked character of their own. They had a reputation
for an independence and energy which often ran out into turbulence. They
were at the same time of a franker and more transparent disposition than
their brethren in the south. In all these respects, in bluntness,
impetuosity, headiness, and simplicity, Simon was a genuine Galilean.
They spoke a peculiar dialect. They had a difficulty with the guttural
sounds and some others, and their pronunciation was reckoned harsh in
Judea.
The Galilean accent stuck to Simon all through his career. It betrayed
him as a follower of Christ when he stood within the judgment-hall #Mr
14:70 It betrayed his own nationality and that of those conjoined
with him on the day of Pentecost #Ac 2:7
It would seem that Simon was married before he
became an apostle. His wife’s mother is referred to #Mt
8:14 Mr 1:30 #Lu 4:38 He was in all
probability accompanied by his wife on his missionary journeys #1Co
9:5 comp. #1Pe 5:13
He appears to have been settled at Capernaum when Christ entered on his
public ministry, and may have reached beyond the
age of thirty. His house was large enough to give a home to his
brother Andrew, his wife’s mother, and also to Christ, who seems to
have lived with him #Mr 1:29,36 2:1 as well
as to his own family. It was apparently two stories high #Mr
2:4 At Bethabara (R.V., #Joh 1:28
"Bethany"), beyond Jordan, John the Baptist had borne
testimony concerning Jesus as the "Lamb of God" #Joh
1:29-36 Andrew and John hearing it, followed Jesus, and abode
with him where he was.
They were convinced, by his gracious words and by the authority with
which he spoke, that he was the Messiah #Lu 4:22
Mt 7:29 and Andrew went forth and found
Simon and brought him to Jesus #Joh 1:41
Jesus at once recognized Simon, and declared that hereafter he would be
called Cephas, an Aramaic name
corresponding to the Greek Petros, which means "a
mass of rock detached from the living rock." The Aramaic
name does not occur again, but the name Peter gradually displaces the
old name Simon, though our Lord himself always uses the name Simon when
addressing him #Mt 17:25 Mr 14:37 Lu 22:31
comp. #Lu 21:15-17 We are not told what
impression the first interview with Jesus produced on the mind of
Simon.
When we next meet him it is by the Sea of Galilee #Mt
4:18-22 There the four (Simon and Andrew, James and John) had had
an unsuccessful night’s fishing. Jesus appeared suddenly, and entering
into Simon’s boat, bade him launch forth and let down the nets. He did
so, and enclosed a great multitude of fishes. This was plainly a miracle
wrought before Simon’s eyes. The awe-stricken disciple cast himself at
the feet of Jesus, crying, "Depart from me; for I am a sinful man,
O Lord" #Lu 5:8 Jesus addressed him
with the assuring words, "Fear not," and announced to him his
life’s work. Simon responded at once to the call to become a disciple,
and after this we find him in constant attendance on our Lord.
He is next called into the rank of the
apostleship, and becomes a "fisher of men" #Mt
4:19 in the stormy seas of the world of human life #Mt
10:2-4 Mr 3:13-19 #Lu 6:13-16 and
takes a more and more prominent part in all the leading events of our
Lord’s life. It is he who utters that notable profession of faith at
Capernaum #Joh 6:66-69 and again at
Caesarea Philippi #Mt 16:13-20 Mr 8:27-30 Lu
9:18-20
This profession at Caesarea was one of supreme
importance, and our Lord in response used these memorable words: "Thou
art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church." Matthew 16:18
"And I tell you that you are Peter, {18 <Peter> means <rock.>} and on this
rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades {18 Or <hell>} will not overcome it. {18 Or <not prove stronger than it>}"
"From that time forth" Jesus began to speak of his sufferings.
For this Peter rebuked him. But our Lord in return rebuked Peter,
speaking to him in sterner words than he ever used to any other of his
disciples #Mt 16:21-23 Mr 8:31-33
At the close of his brief sojourn at Caesarea our Lord took Peter and
James and John with him into "an high mountain apart," and was
transfigured before them. Peter on that
occasion, under the impression the scene produced on his mind,
exclaimed, "Lord, it is good for us to be here: let us make three
tabernacles" #Mt 17:1-9
On his return to Capernaum the collectors of the temple
tax (a didrachma, half a sacred shekel), which every Israelite of
twenty years old and upwards had to pay #Ex 30:15
came to Peter and reminded him that Jesus had not paid it #Mt
17:24-27 Our Lord instructed Peter to go and catch a fish in the
lake and take from its mouth the exact amount needed for the tax,
viz., a stater, or two half-shekels. "That take," said our
Lord, "and give unto them for me and thee."
As the end was drawing nigh, our Lord sent Peter and John #Lu
22:7-13 into the city to prepare a place where he should keep the
feast with his disciples. There he was forewarned of the fearful sin
into which he afterwards fell #Lu 22:31-34 He
accompanied our Lord from the guest-chamber to the garden of Gethsemane #Lu
22:39-46 which he and the other two who had been witnesses of the
transfiguration were permitted to enter
with our Lord, while the rest were left without.
Here (Gethsemane) he passed through a strange experience. Under a sudden
impulse he cut off the ear of Malchus #Lu 22:47-51
one of the band that had come forth to take Jesus. Then follow the
scenes of the judgment-hall #Lu 22:54-61
and his bitter grief #Lu 22:62
He is found in John’s company early on the morning of the
resurrection. He boldly entered into the empty grave #John
20:1-10 and saw the "linen clothes laid by themselves" #Lu
24:9-12 To him, the first of the apostles, our risen Lord
revealed himself, thus conferring on him a signal honor, and showing how
fully he was restored to his favor #Lu 24:34 1Co
15:5
We next read of our Lord’s singular interview with Peter on the shores
of the Sea of Galilee, where he thrice asked him, "Simon,
son of Jonas, do you love Me?" #John
21:1-19 After this scene at the lake we hear nothing of
Peter till he again appears with the others at the ascension #Ac
1:15-26
It was he who proposed that the vacancy caused by the apostasy of Judas
should be filled up.
He is prominent on the day of Pentecost #Ac
2:14-40 The events of that day "completed the change in
Peter himself which the painful discipline of his fall and all the
lengthened process of previous training had been slowly making. He is
now no more the unreliable, changeful, self-confident man, ever swaying
between rash courage and weak timidity, but the stead-fast, trusted
guide and director of the fellowship of believers, the intrepid preacher
of Christ in Jerusalem and abroad. And now that he is
become Cephas indeed, we hear almost nothing of the name Simon (only in)
#Ac 10:5,32 15:14 and he is known to us
finally as Peter."
After the miracle at the temple gate #Ac 3:1
persecution arose against the Christians, and Peter was cast into
prison. He boldly defended himself and his companions at the bar of the
council #Ac 4:19,20 A fresh outburst of
violence against the Christians #Ac 5:17-21
led to the whole body of the apostles being cast into prison; but during
the night they were wonderfully delivered, and were found in the morning
teaching in the temple.
A second time Peter defended them before the council #Ac
5:29-32 who, "when they had called the apostles and beaten
them, let them go."
The time had come for Peter to leave Jerusalem. After laboring for some
time in Samaria, he returned to Jerusalem, and reported to the church
there the results of his work #Ac 8:14-25
Here he remained for a period, during which he met Paul for the first
time since his conversion #Ac 9:26-30 Ga 1:18
Leaving Jerusalem again, he went forth on a missionary journey to Lydda
and Joppa #Ac 9:32-43 He is next called on
to open the door of the Christian church to the Gentiles by the
admission of Cornelius of Caesarea #Ac 10:1ff.
After remaining for some time at Caesarea, he returned to Jerusalem #Ac
11:1-18 where he defended his conduct with reference to the
Gentiles.
Next we hear of his being cast into prison by Herod Agrippa #Ac
12:1-19 but in the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison
gates, and he went forth and found refuge in the house of Mary.
He took part in the deliberations of the council in Jerusalem #Ac
15:1-31 Ga 2:1-10 regarding the relation of the Gentiles to the
church. This subject had awakened new interest at Antioch, and for its
settlement was referred to the council of the apostles and elders at
Jerusalem. Here Paul and Peter met again. We have no further
mention of Peter in the Acts of the Apostles.
He seems to have gone down to Antioch after the council at Jerusalem,
and there to have been guilty of dissembling, for which he was severely
reprimanded by Paul #Ga 2:11-16 who
"rebuked him to his face."
After this he appears to have carried the gospel to the east, and to
have labored for a while at Babylon, on the Euphrates #1Pe
5:13
There is no satisfactory evidence that he was ever at Rome. Where or
when he died is not certainly known. Probably he died between A.D. 64
and 67
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