Peter in the Bible Encyclopedia - ISBE

The data for this article are found chiefly in the four Gospels; in Acts 1 through 15; in Gal 1 and 2; and in the two Epistles of Peter. 1. Name and Early Career: Simon (or Simeon) was the original name of Peter, the son of Jonas (or John), and brother of Andrew, a disciple of John the Baptist, as Peter also may have been. A fisherman by occupation, he was an inhabitant of Bethsaida on the Sea of Galilee, though subsequently he dwelt with his family at Capernaum (Mt 4:18; 8:14; 10:2; 16:16,17; 17:25; Mk 1:16,29,30,36; Lk 5:3,4,5,8,10; 22:31; 24:34; Jn 1:40-44). 2. First Appearance in Gospel History: His first appearance in Gospel history is in Jn 1:35-42, when Andrew, having discovered Jesus to be the Messiah, "first findeth his own brother Simon," and "brought him unto Jesus"; on which occasion it was that the latter, beholding him, said, "Thou shalt be called Cephas," an Aramaic surname whose Greek synonym is Petros, or Peter, meaning "a rock" or "stone" At this time also he received his first call to the discipleship of Jesus, although, in common with that of others of the Twelve, this call was twice repeated. See Mt 4:19; Mk 1:17; Lk 5:3 for the second call, and Mt 10:2; Mk 3:14,16; Lk 6:13,14 for the third. Some interpret the second as that when he was chosen to be a constant companion of Jesus, and the third when he was at length selected as an apostle...