Who was the Apostle Peter?
Who was the Apostle Peter? Peter was a fisherman called by Jesus to be one of the twelve apostles, who became the leading spokesman of the early church despite famously denying Jesus three times.
Key verse: Matthew 16:18 (KJV)
Peter was a fisherman called by Jesus to be one of the twelve apostles, who became the leading spokesman of the early church despite famously denying Jesus three times.
Peter was a fisherman called by Jesus to be one of the twelve apostles, who became the leading spokesman of the early church despite famously denying Jesus three times.
"And I say also 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." — Matthew 16:18 (KJV)
Meaning
Plain-language explanation
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The Biblical Answer
Originally named Simon, Jesus renamed him Peter (Petros, meaning 'rock'). Along with James and John, Peter was part of Jesus' inner circle, witnessing the Transfiguration and the agony in Gethsemane. He was bold and impulsive — walking on water, confessing Jesus as the Christ, cutting off a soldier's ear, yet also denying Jesus three times on the night of His arrest. After the resurrection, Jesus restored Peter with a threefold commission to 'feed my sheep.' Peter preached the first Christian sermon at Pentecost, led the early Jerusalem church, opened the gospel to Gentiles at Cornelius's house, and wrote two New Testament epistles. Tradition holds he was martyred in Rome by crucifixion, requesting to be crucified upside down because he felt unworthy to die as Jesus did.
Key Scripture References
"And I say also 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."
"He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep."
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions
Related Questions
Who Was the Apostle Paul?
Paul was a Pharisee who persecuted the early church until a dramatic encounter with the risen Christ on the road to Damascus transformed him into Christianity's greatest missionary.
Who Were the Twelve Apostles?
The twelve apostles were the men Jesus chose as His closest followers and commissioned to spread the gospel: Peter, Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot (later replaced by Matthias).
Who Was Melchizedek in the Bible?
Melchizedek was a mysterious king of Salem and priest of the Most High God who blessed Abraham and received tithes from him.
Who Was Abraham in the Bible?
Abraham was the father of the Jewish nation, called by God from Ur of the Chaldees, and known as the 'father of faith.'
Who Was Moses?
Moses was the great deliverer and lawgiver of Israel who led the Exodus from Egypt and received the Ten Commandments from God.
Deep Dive Commentary
For a more in-depth study, read our verse-by-verse commentary:
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The answer above sits inside Matthew. The 365-day chronological plan reads it in the order the events happened.
Read Matthew on day 284 of the chronological Bible reading planKeep the verses to hand
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