Bible Lexicons

Πέτρος, Πέτρου, ὁ (an appellative proper name, signifying 'a stone,' 'a rock,' 'a ledge' or 'cliff'; used metaphorically of a soul hard and unyielding, and so resembling a rock, Sophocles O. R. 334; Euripides, Med. 28; Herc. fur. 1397; answering to the Chaldean Κηφᾶς, which see, John 1:42 (43)), Peter, the surname of the apostle Simon. He was a native of Bethsaida, a town of Galilee, the son of a fisherman (see Ἰωάννης, 3, and Ἰωνᾶς, 2), and dwelt with his wife at Capernaum, Matthew 8:14; Mark 1:30; Luke 4:38, cf. 1 Corinthians 9:5. He had a brother Andrew, with whom he followed the occupation of a fisherman, Matthew 4:18; Mark 1:16; Luke 5:3. Both were received by Jesus as his companions, Matthew 4:19; Mark 1:17; Luke 5:10; John 1:40-42 (41-43); and Simon, whose pre-eminent courage and firmness he discerned and especially relied on for the future establishment of the kingdom of God, he honored with the name of Peter, John 1:42 (43); Matthew 16:18; Mark 3:16. Excelling in vigor of mind, eagerness to learn, and love for Jesus, he enjoyed, together with James and John the sons of Zebedee, the special favor and intimacy of his divine Master. After having for some time presided, in connection with John and James the brother of our Lord (see Ἰάκωβος, 3), over the affairs of the Christians at Jerusalem, he seems to have gone abroad to preach the gospel especially to Jews (Galatians 2:9; 1 Corinthians 9:5; 1 Peter 5:13; Papias in Eusebius 3, 39, 15; for Papias states that Peter employed Mark as 'interpreter' (ἑρμηνευτής), an aid of which he had no need except beyond the borders of Palestine, especially among those who spoke Latin (but on the disputed meaning: of the word 'interpreter' here, see Morison, Commentary on Mark, edition 2, Introduction, p. xxix)). But just as, on the night of the betrayal, Peter proved so far faithless to himself as thrice to deny that he was a follower of Jesus, so also some time afterward at Antioch he made greater concessions to the rigorous Jewish Christians than Christian liberty permitted; accordingly he was rebuked by Paul for his weakness and 'dissimulation' (ὑπόκρισις), Galatians 2:11ff. Nevertheless, in the patristic age Jewish Christians did not hesitate to claim the authority of Peter and of James the brother of the Lord in defense of their narrow views and practices. This is not the place to relate and refute the ecclesiastical traditions concerning Peter's being the founder of the church at Rome and bishop of it for twenty-five years and more; the discussion of them may be found in Hase, Protestant. Polemik gegen die röm.-kathol. Kirche, edition 4, p. 123ff; (cf. Schaff, Church History, 1882, vol. i. §§ 25, 26; Sieffert in Herzog edition 2, vol. xi., p. 524ff, and (for references), p. 537f). This one thing seems to be evident from John 21:18ff, that Peter suffered death by crucifixion (cf. Keil ad loc.; others doubt whether Christ's words contain anything more than a general prediction of martyrdom). If he was crucified at Rome, it must have been several years after the death of Paul. (Cf. BB. DD. and references as above) He is called in the N. T., at one time, simply Σίμων (once Συμεών, Acts 15:14), and (and that, too, most frequently (see B. D. under the word , under the end (p. 2459 American edition))), Πέτρος and Κηφᾶς (which see), then again Σίμων Πέτρος, Matthew 16:16; Luke 5:8; John (John 1:42 ()); 6:(),; ,(); ; once Συμεών Πέτρος (2 Peter 1:1 where L WH text Σίμων); Σίμων ὁ λεγόμενος Πέτρος, Matthew 4:18; Matthew 10:2; Σίμων ὁ ἐπικαλούμενος Πέτρος, Acts 10:18; Acts 11:13; Σίμων ὅς ἐπικαλεῖται Πέτρος, Acts 10:5, 32.