Peter

Name and Meaning

Peter was one of the twelve disciples of Jesus Christ. His original name was Simon. Jesus gave him the Aramaic name "Cephas" (John 1:42). Both Cephas and the Greek name "Peter" (Petros) mean "stone" or "rock." He is always named first in the Gospel lists of the disciples.

Biblical and Historical Background

Peter was fishing on the Sea of Galilee with his brother Andrew when Jesus called him (Mark 1:16-18). At Caesarea Philippi he confessed, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:16). On the night Jesus was arrested, however, Peter denied knowing him three times (Luke 22:54-62). The risen Jesus later charged him three times to feed his sheep (John 21:15-17).

In the Acts of the Apostles, Peter appears as a leader of the Jerusalem church, preaching at Pentecost (chapter 2) and visiting the house of the Gentile Cornelius (chapter 10). On one occasion Paul rebuked his conduct at Antioch (Galatians 2:11-14). Scholars are divided over whether Peter actually wrote 1 Peter and 2 Peter. The Bible does not record his death, but a widely known tradition holds that he was martyred in Rome under the Emperor Nero.

Interpretation of the "Rock"

Christian traditions interpret Matthew 16:18, "Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church," in different ways.

• The Catholic Church identifies the rock with Peter himself and regards him as the first pope. It teaches that the bishop of Rome (the pope) succeeds to his office.
• The Eastern Orthodox Church honors Peter as first among the apostles but does not accept the interpretation that the bishop of Rome governs the whole church.
• Protestantism generally interprets the rock as Peter's confession of faith or as Christ himself. Even where the rock is understood to refer to Peter, Protestants do not accept the papacy, which holds that his authority passes to successors.

Practice in Korean Churches

In Korean Protestant churches, Peter frequently appears in sermons as a figure of failure and restoration. His threefold denial and the account of his restoration in John 21 are commonly cited in sermons on repentance and grace. The phrase "a royal priesthood" in 1 Peter 2:9 is used as a proof text for the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers (the teaching that every believer may approach God directly). The Catholic Church observes June 29 as the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles, and the Anglican Church of Korea also commemorates the apostle Peter on that day. Most Korean Protestant denominations do not observe saints' feast days.