Peter, Saint (?-A.D. 64?), was a leading apostle of Jesus Christ. He was a leader of the early Christian community in Jerusalem and is a prominent figure in the New Testament. Peter’s original name was Simon. Jesus gave him the name Peter, which means rock in Greek. Peter is sometimes called Simon Peter in the New Testament.
In a passage from the New Testament, Jesus is portrayed as saying to Peter:
“And I say unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16:18-19).
Loading the player...Matthew 16:18
Traditionally, Roman Catholics regard the above passage as evidence that Jesus chose Peter to be the first head of his church. They believe Jesus established the position of pope through Peter. Protestant scholars interpret the passage to mean that Jesus meant his church to be founded on Peter’s faith in him. But both groups agree that Peter led the early Christian community.
Early life.
Peter, a Jew by birth, was born in Bethsaida, a town in Palestine on the east bank of the Jordan River. The apostle Andrew was his brother, and the apostle Philip also came from Bethsaida. Peter later moved to the nearby town of Capernaum on the bank of the Sea of Galilee, where he became a fisherman. The New Testament portrays him as warm, generous, stubborn, and impulsive. He was married and may have had children.
Peter and Andrew met Jesus while they were fishermen. Jesus said to the brothers, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Mark 1:17). Peter and Andrew left their homes and joined Jesus on His travels.
Life as an apostle.
Stories in the New Testament reflect Peter’s importance in the Christian community as a close friend of Jesus and his followers. Peter, along with the apostles James and John, is said to have witnessed the Transfiguration (see Transfiguration ). Jesus also talked with Peter about religious matters. When Jesus asked the apostles about his identity, Peter replied, “Thou art the Christ” (Mark 8:29).
The Gospels suggest that Peter understood Jesus and his significance only after the Resurrection. Before the Crucifixion, Peter denied three times that he knew Jesus. Peter later wept in repentance (Mark 14:72). Peter was one of the first witnesses of the Resurrection listed by Saint Paul (1 Corinthians 15:5). After the Resurrection, Jesus appeared to Peter in a vision. This vision and the faith in Jesus that it produced is the foundation of Christianity.
After the Resurrection, Peter became an authority among the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem. He probably served as a peacemaker between conservative Aramaic-speaking Jews led by James and the more liberal Greek-speaking Jews led by Paul. Peter is sometimes called the “Apostle to the Jews.”
Later years.
Peter apparently left Jerusalem with his wife and became a wandering missionary. According to Christian tradition, Peter became the first bishop of Antioch in Syria, and the first bishop of Rome. He may have died a martyr in Rome during the persecution of Christians by the Emperor Nero from A.D. 64 to 68. According to Christian tradition, Peter was buried under what is now St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. There is no conclusive evidence for any event related to his death.
No undisputed writings by Peter have been preserved. Writings by Paul describe Peter as a source of oral stories about Jesus. The New Testament includes two essays called Epistles of Peter. The First Epistle, which urges a group of Christian converts to remain faithful in times of persecution, may have been written by Peter. However, the Second Epistle was written by an unknown author sometime during the 100’s.
Monuments
to Peter, in addition to stories about him, honor him as a missionary and an organizer of the Christian church. By the 100’s, a shrine that many believed contained Peter’s remains had been built in Rome. The shrine attracted many Christian pilgrims. St. Peter’s Basilica stands on the site today. Early Christians honored Peter in art and literature, where he was called the Fisherman, the Rock, and the Shepherd.
By about 450, many Christians believed that the pope was the successor of Peter. They also believed Peter was a saint. June 29 is the feast day of Saint Peter.
