Who was Peter in the Bible?

He was born at Bethsaida in Galilee, from which Philip also came. His name was Simon (or Simeon, Acts 15:14) and his father's name was Jonas. He had a brother named Andrew, and the three — the father, Simon and Andrew — were fishermen at Capernaum. Peter had his home there, as he was a married man (Matthew 8:14; 1 Cor. 9:5). His brother Andrew was a disciple of John the Baptist, and when John pointed out the Lord Jesus as the Lamb of God, Andrew followed Him. Andrew brought Peter to the Lord (John 1:35-43).

The son of Jonas and one of the twelve apostles. His name was originally Simon, and apparently at his first meeting with the Lord he received from Him the surname CEPHAS. This is an Aramaic word, the same as Peter in Greek, both meaning 'a stone.' John 1:42. The next mention of Peter is in Luke 5 when he was called to be an apostle. Overwhelmed at the catch of fish, he cried out, "Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord;" but at the bidding of Christ he left everything and followed Him.

There is a charm and intensity about Simon Peter's character which have in every age made his life and letters especially attractive to his fellow believers in Christ. No doubt it is because he is in so many ways like ourselves that we feel so drawn to him. Although an apostle, he "was a man subject to like passions as we are," and we have learned much from his mistakes, while we may well imitate his fervour.

His zeal, his energy, his real devotedness of heart, no one can question for a moment; but these very qualities — beautiful as they surely are — often led him into such a prominent position that his weak points became all the more obvious. A man of less zeal, less energy, would have stayed on board the ship, and so avoided Peter's failure and breakdown.

On Peter, then, was laid the trust of admitting, not into the Church, but into the kingdom. How he used it we see in the Acts. He it was who authoritatively proclaimed Jesus as "both Lord and Christ," calling on the Jews to own His rights and to be baptized in His name. Thus the Jewish door was opened, and through it, in one day, three thousand souls entered the kingdom... Afterwards another door to the kingdom was opened. Cornelius's prayers were heard.

An eminent place may be fully allowed him in this way, while yet we deny him an exclusive place; and, in fact, we cannot exclude others on the day of Pentecost... One act surely did not exhaust the service of the key, nor did opening the door twice require two keys.

He had never done it before. He had never entrusted His sheep to Peter before. Oh, what grace! The very moment when men would have said, "Never trust Peter again! A man who has so denied the Lord — he may be a saint! I hope he will get to heaven — but never trust that man!"

There is scarcely a verse in either of his letters that does not refer back to his fall, while "Kept by the power of God through faith" (1 Peter 1:5) seems to be his motto ever afterwards... His self-confidence was utterly broken up, and in its place there sprang up a simple confidence in Christ.

They saw that Paul had been entrusted with the gospel of the uncircumcision, even as Peter with that of the circumcision. So God had worked; and they bowed. And Peter's letters, written not long before his death as the second one plainly indicates, fit this divinely ordered arrangement. For both are addressed to believers from among the circumcision. Peter left the work among the Gentiles to the far mightier hand of Paul.

At the beginning of Acts, Peter's boldness in testimony stands out. He was leaning on One stronger than himself and was carried along by the power of the Holy Spirit. He was miraculously delivered out of prison. The Lord had indicated to him that he would die a martyr's death (John 21:19), and historians say he was crucified... He was the writer of the two letters that bear his name.