PETER (pe'ter), (Gr. 11/rpos, Pet' ros, a rock), originally SIMEON Or SIMON.
1. Name and Family. He wasa native of Beth saida, in Galilee, and was son of a certain Jonas, or John ; whence he .g named on one oc casion in the Gospel history Simon Barjona, that is, son of Jona (Matt. xvi :17).
2. Personal History. Along with his brother Andrew, he followed the occupation of a fisher man on the sea of Galilee. It is probable that, before they became known to Christ, they were both disciples of John the Baptist. That Andrew was such we are expressly informed by the Evangelist John ; and as his brother seems to have been much of the same mind with him on religious matters, it is extremely likely that he was so likewise. Their becoming known to Christ was owing to John's pointing him out on the day after his baptism to Andrew and another digciple (probably the evangelist John), as 'the Lamb of God ;' on which they immediately fol lowed Christ, and spent some time in receiving his instructions.
(1) Meets Jesus. Shortly after this, Andrew finding Simon, carried hint to Christ, who, oa receiving him as his disciple, bestowed upon him that surname by which he has since that time been most commonly designated : 'When Jesus beheld him he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona ; thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation a stone, Pet ros (r1rpos).
(2) The Call. After this interview the two brothers seem to have returned to their usual occupation for a season, as we have an account in Matthew (iv :18-2o) of their being summoned from that occupation by Christ on a subsequent occasion, posterior to his temptation in the wil derness, and to the commencement of his public ministry as a religious teacher. From this time forward they were his devoted and admiring fol lowers. In the course of the evangelical history several anecdotes of Peter are incidentally re corded, for the purpose, doubtless, principally of illustrating the character and teaching of our Lord. but which tend also to throw light upon the history and character of his attached disciple.
(3) Chief Incidents in the Gospels. Such are the accounts furnished by the Evangelists of his walking upon the agitated waters of the sea of Galileeto meet his master (Matt. xiv :22, sq.; Mark vi :45, sq.); of his bold and intelligent avowals of the undoubted Messiahship of Jesus, notwith standing the difficulties which he, along with the rest of the disciples, felt in reconciling what they saw in him with what they had fondly expected the Christ to be Matt. xvi :13-2o) ; of his rash but affectionate rebuke of his Lord for speaking of suffering and death as in prospect for him, and as forming a necessary part of his mediatorial work (Matt. xvi :21-23) ; of his conduct in first rejecting, with an earnestness bordering on hor ror, the offer of Christ to wash his feet, and then, when the symbolical nature of that act had been explained to hitn, his over-ardent zeal that not his feet only, but also his hands and his head, might be washed (John xiii :9, sq.); his bold and somewhat vaunting avowal of attach ment to his Master, and his determination never to forsake him, followed by his disgraceful de nial of Jesus in the hour of trial (John xiii :36, 37; Mark .xiv :29, etc.) ; of his deep and poign ant contrition for this sin (Matt. xxvi:75) ; and of his Lord's ample forgiveness for his offense, after he had received from him a profession of attachment as strong and as frequently repeated as his former denial of him (John xxi :15-18). These are all indicative of his impulsive nature.
(4) Subsequent History. In the subsequent Scripture history he is presented to us as the courageous herald of the kingdom of Christ, by whose mouth the first public declaration of salva tion through the crucified Jesus was made to the people; by whose advice and counsel the early churches were planted and governed ; and by whom the prejudices of Judaism were first fairly surmounted, and the Gospel preached in all its universal freeness to the Gentile world.