Answer: Christ gave him the name.
In Matthew 16:18, the dialogue between Christ and Peter indicates that Peter declared that Christ is the "Son of the living God", after which Christ gave Peter the new name. The name Peter is taken from "petros" in Greek and "petrus" in Latin, which means stone. Christ said, "On this rock I will build my church."
From Quiz: He Holds The Key
Answer: Fisherman
According to the Bible, Simon (as he was then called), was a fisherman in Galilee. The first disciple, he later came to be called Peter, from the Latin word for "rock".
From Quiz: Simon Peter
Answer: Bethsaida
According to John 1:44, Peter, Andrew, and Phillip were from Bethsaida, a town on Lake Genesareth, which is an extension of the Sea of Galilee. Peter was the son of Jona, also known as John, and was a fisherman. According to the gospel of Luke 5:8-10, Peter worked with James and John, the sons of Zebedee. While he and his brothers appear to have received religious training, which included an ardent belief in the coming of the Messiah, they were regarded by the Sanhedrin as "unlearned men" (Acts 4:13). Galileans were viewed as having a personality all their own - blunt and simple - and Peter was a typical Galilean.
From Quiz: He Holds The Key
Answer: Andrew
According to Matthew 4:18-20, Simon and Andrew were fishing and Jesus came up to them saying "Come follow me...and I will make you fishers of men." The brothers' response was to immediately leave their nets and follow Jesus.
From Quiz: Simon Peter
Answer: His brother, Andrew.
According to the Gospel of John 1:29-36, Andrew was with a friend, who most sources believe was John, the younger brother of James, when John the Baptist pointed to Jesus and said, "Behold the Lamb of God". They spent some time with Christ, and were convinced that he was the Messiah. Andrew found Simon and then took him to Jesus. That is when Simon was renamed by Christ.
From Quiz: He Holds The Key
Answer: 'To hear/to be heard'
The name 'Simon' had a dip in popularity in the early-mid 20th century but had a resurgence in the 1970s and 1980s and is still in the top 250 most common baby names in the USA.
The African girls' name 'Julisha' means 'To make known'; the Indian boys' name 'Vilok' means 'To see' and the Irish name 'Sheridan' means 'to seek', for your information!
From Quiz: Simon Peter
Answer: Andrew
Andrew and Peter seem to have a particularly close relationship, especially in the Gospel of John. In this account, Andrew actually brings Peter to Jesus in the first place. But in every Gospel their fraternal relationship is noted.
From Quiz: The Apostle Peter
Answer: Phillip
In John 6:1-13, Phillip was tested by Jesus regarding the feeding of 5,000 people; he was also approached by members of the Greek community and was a missionary to them. (John 12:20-21) At the Last Supper, Phillip was the one who asks Christ to show them the Father, presenting him the opportunity to teach about the Father and the Son. (John 14:8-11) Phillip is always listed fifth on the list of disciples.
From Quiz: He Holds The Key
Answer: Malchus
According to John 18:10, the man who was attacked by Peter was called Malchus and was a servant of the High Priest. Interestingly, only the gospel of Luke records that Jesus healed the man's ear after it had been chopped off, although all three other gospel writers record the attack.
John is the only gospel writer to record the name of the man who Peter attacked, and is also the only writer to name Peter specifically as being the actor (the other writers merely say it was one of Jesus's disciples).
From Quiz: Simon Peter
Answer: He doubted
Jesus Himself provides us with the answer in this account in Matthew 14:22-33. Jesus catches Peter and says to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" Even the honored apostle was lacking in faith at times.
From Quiz: The Apostle Peter
Answer: Mother-in-law
By the time Peter met Christ, he was living in Capernaum in a dwelling large enough to house his immediate family, brother Andrew, mother-in-law, and eventually Jesus (Mark 1:29, 2:1). Biblical accounts speak of Peter being married, however, little is known about his wife and family. In the Eastern Church his wife's name is Febronia. Some scholars believe that she may have traveled with Peter during his ministry. According to Matthew 8:14-17, Peter's mother-in-law was healed by Jesus.
From Quiz: He Holds The Key
Answer: Caesarea Philippi
Matthew 16:13.
From Quiz: The Apostle Peter
Answer: He preached the sermon that led to the replacement of Judas by Matthias.
Peter's sermon discussed the need to replace Judas with another witness of the life, death, and resurrection of Christ (Acts 1:15-26). Peter also gave the first public sermon to proclaim the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus (Acts 2:14-41). He worked a public miracle by curing a lame man at the temple, converted numerous followers, and defended Christ's teaching before the Sanhedrin (Acts 4:5-21).
From Quiz: He Holds The Key
Answer: Aeneas
According to Acts 9:32-34, Peter went to visit the members of the church in Lydda and met a paralytic named Aeneas there. Peter said to him "Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and take care of your mat." and the man got up and walked.
Lydda is the Greco-Latin name for the town of Lod, which still survives today in spite of having been burnt down by the Romans. It is situated very close to the administrative centre of Israel, Tel Aviv. Israel's main airport, the Ben Gurion International Airport, is situated in Lod.
Interestingly, tradition states that the patron saint of England, St George, was born in Lod. As a result, 11th and 12th Century crusaders regarded Lod as a place of great significance and King Richard the Lionheart was at great pains to ensure that the town remained under English control.
From Quiz: Simon Peter
Answer: 195
This is actually astoundingly high. The next most-mentioned apostle in the New Testament is John, with a mere 29 mentions. Again, we realize that there's something special about this gruff fisherman.
From Quiz: The Apostle Peter
Answer: Vatican City
The Vatican City is officially a city state in its own right, and is situated in the city of Rome, Italy. It is a mere 0.44km squared and has one of the highest population densities in the world as over 800 people live in the city at any one time. However, it is the smallest independent state in the world both by population and area (not including the micronation 'Sealand'!).
From Quiz: Simon Peter
Answer: He goes fishing
Peter's odd action in John 21:3 shows clearly that even though he acknowledged Jesus as Messiah and believed totally in the resurrection, he erred nonetheless. Peter should have been beginning his mission, but instead falls back upon the life he knew before he met Jesus.
From Quiz: The Apostle Peter
Answer: He was crucified upside down.
Nero targeted Christians for persecution, blaming them for the Great Fire, to draw attention away from accusations that he had the fire set. Peter's crucifixion is believed to have taken place during the tenth year of Nero's rule in A.D. 64. According to Christian tradition, Peter believed he was unworthy to die the same way Jesus did and was "crucified at Rome with his head downwards, as he himself had desired to suffer." In John 21:18-19, Christ seems to hint at Peter's death by saying, "...when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and take you where you do not want to go."
From Quiz: He Holds The Key
Answer: Peter withdrew from the Gentiles when there were Jews around
According to Galatians 2:11-12, Paul opposed Peter when he arrived in Antioch as he "began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group." This group had come to Antioch from Jerusalem at the behest of James (Jesus's brother who, at the time, was the head of the church in Jerusalem) and still insisted on the necessity of circumcision, which Paul had vehemently spoken out against. Paul wanted to rebuke Peter and re-emphasise the fact that Christians have "died to the law" because of the new covenant established by the death of Jesus Christ.
Barnabas was a close companion of both Paul and Peter, and did in fact go to Cyprus to establish the church there. He is believed to have been martyred there in the city of Salamis in AD 61.
From Quiz: Simon Peter
Answer: Three thousand
Acts 2:41
From Quiz: The Apostle Peter
Answer: St. Peter's Basilica
It is said that for a time, Peter and Paul were buried in a vault along the Appian Way where the Church of St. Sebastian now stands, but were removed in 258. To provide better protection for the remains, the emperor Constantine had a magnificent church built over the grave, which was replaced during the Renaissance by the present St. Peter's Basilica. It is considered to be the most highly venerated martyr's shrine in the West.
From Quiz: He Holds The Key
Answer: Cephas
Cephas means 'Rock' in Aramaic, and it is the word used in John's gospel when the author retells the story of Jesus renaming Simon (in John 1:42). Peter is the name as it would be translated into Greek, and as Peter and the other residents of Galilee would have been more likely to speak Aramaic, it is this language that Jesus would most likely have used when renaming Simon.
Interestingly, the word used in Matthew's gospel when referring to the same situation is actually the Greek word Petros (Peter) rather than the Aramaic word Cephas. This has led some commentators to hypothesise that there were in fact two Cephases - Simon Peter and another Cephas whom Jesus appeared to just after his resurrection. However, the prevailing theory appears to be that these were one and the same person - the disciple Simon Peter.
From Quiz: Simon Peter
Answer: A large sheet covered with animals
This odd vision indicates to Peter that his mission is indeed meant to go to the ends of the earth, and not just among the people of the Jewish nation.
From Quiz: The Apostle Peter
Answer: Peter
"After much debate had taken place, Peter got up and said to them, 'My brothers...'" (Acts 15:7). Not only does Peter get the final word in this dispute, but he's widely acknowledged among his peers to have the authority to do so. After he's finished speaking, the Council switches gears and goes on to discuss other issues.
From Quiz: The Apostle Peter
Answer: Gentle and quiet
Peter writes about the marriage relationship in 1 Peter 3, and parts of the passage are often quoted at Christian marriage ceremonies (although perhaps not as much as the similar passage from Ephesians 5). He says of wives that "Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewellery and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight."
For all those women out there distressed about being forbidden to braid your hair, I should mention that the hairstyles that were worn by women in Peter and Paul's day were quite different to what we might call braids today. They often contained complex metal frames which the hair was woven around and took hours to prepare. Richer women also placed jewels in their hair, and the combination of these extravagant styles would clearly have been a distraction to the 1st century man!
From Quiz: Simon Peter
Answer: Rhoda
Rhoda was a servant girl living in the house of Mary, mother of John Mark, one of the apostles who travelled extensively with Peter and Paul. According to Acts 12:13-15, when Rhoda saw Peter at the door she rushed back inside to tell Mary and the others in the house that he had arrived, but they did not believe her. It was only when they came to see him themselves that they realised she was telling the truth.
Priscilla was one of the early apostles in Corinth and was the wife of a man from Pontus, one of the provinces in Asia Minor, called Aquila. The pair had been exiled from Italy because Emperor Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome, and were in the same trade as Paul as they were also tentmakers. According to Acts, they also travelled with Paul on some of his missionary journies, including to Ephesus and Syria. In fact, according to Acts 18:26, Priscilla and Aquila were instrumental in the life of Apollos, one of Paul's closest friends and colleagues. When they heard him preaching, they invited him back to their house and "explained to him the way of God more adequately". Many scholars believe that this means although Apollos was probably a passionate speaker and follower of the stories of Jesus, he did not know at that time the full meaning of grace and how salvation came not from works but only through Jesus's sacrifice. This showed their strength as Christian elders in the early church and, according to Romans 16:3-5, they also risked their lives for Paul and ran a church in their house.
Lydia was a businesswoman from Thyatira (in modern day Turkey) who traded in purple cloth according to Acts 16:14. When she heard Paul's message and became a Christian, she was baptized along with all of her household! She also invited Paul and Silas to stay in her house when they were in Philippi.
Martha was the sister of Mary and Lazarus, who were all very close to Jesus during the time of his ministry. She is mentioned both in Luke and John's gospel as being a friend and follower of Jesus, and in John 11 is mentioned as being beloved to Jesus. In fact, when her brother Lazarus died, Jesus showed how close he was to the man as he returned to the place where Lazarus was and wept with grief at his death. When Jesus came back to raise Lazarus from the dead, he asked Martha if she believed that Jesus was the "resurrection and the life", to which she replied "Yes, Lord. I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world."
From Quiz: Simon Peter
Answer: Matthias
According to Acts 1, Peter spoke at a meeting of around 120 believers, reminding them of King David's words in Psalm 109:8 prophesying that another should take the place of leadership, interpreting this by deciding to choose a replacement for Judas Iscariot. There were two believers proposed: Joseph called Barsabbas, also known as Justus, and Matthias. After praying and asking God to show them which of the two should become the new disciple, they drew lots and the lot fell on Matthias.
Had the disciples waited longer before deciding who the replacement for Judas should be, it is likely that they would have proposed Paul, the great missionary to the Gentiles. However, at the time when they made the decision, Paul was not a believer and was actually a persecutor of the early church. In fact, he was an observer at the stoning of Stephen, the first recorded Christian martyr (in Acts 7), watching the cloaks of the witnesses as they stoned him outside the city.
Matthias himself is believed to have been a missionary to regions of Armenia, travelling there with his fellow apostles Thaddaeus, Bartholomew, Simon the Zealot and Andrew. Armenian tradition states that he suffered persecution while spreading the gospel there, including in the great city of Sebastopol, a port on the Black Sea.
From Quiz: Simon Peter
