Saint Peter

Saint Peter (traditional date of death: June 29, 67, other scholarship points to October 13, 64) was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus in the New Testament and considered by Roman Catholics to be the first Pope. His original name was Simon (שמעון "Hearkening; listening", Standard Hebrew Šimʿon, Tiberian Hebrew Šimʿôn), but he was given the name of Peter. He is sometimes referred to using both names as Simon Peter, and Saint Paul called him Cephas or Kephas, which is the Aramaic equivalent of the nickname.

The name Peter is given to Simon when, as it is narrated, Peter first declares that Jesus is the promised Messiah and son of God. Jesus replied that "flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter (Πετρος "pebble; piece of rock" m., Greek Petros), and on this rock (πετρα "rock" f., Greek petra) I will build My church." (in this context "church" is taken as meaning the community of faith rather than a building) (Matthew 16:17–19).

This passage is found in all of the synoptic gospels (Mark 8:29; Luke 9:20), but only Matthew adds that Peter will receive "the keys to the kingdom of Heaven". This addition explains why Saint Peter is often portrayed in popular tales and jokes as the guardian one meets at the gates or "pearly gates" of heaven. In art and sculpture Peter is often recognizable through his possession of a pair of large keys which symbolize the keys to heaven, and with his full, gray beard.

Peter's life

Most details of Peter's life depend primarily on the New Testament; there are no other contemporary accounts of his life or death. Before becoming a disciple of Jesus, Simon (i.e., Peter) was a fisherman. The synoptic gospels all recount how his mother-in-law was healed by Jesus at their home in Capernaum (Matt. 8:14–17; Mark 1:29–31; Luke 4:38f), so we know he was married, but the name of his wife is not known. A number of later legends mention that he had a daughter.

While fishing in the Lake of Gennesaret, Simon was called by Jesus to be his follower (Matt. 4:18–22; Mark 1:16–20; Luke 5:1–10; John 1:40–42), along with his brother Andrew. Seeing them cast a net for fish, He told them "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."

The gospels also state that Jesus foretold that Peter would deny him three times after Jesus' arrest. Again according to the Gospel of Matthew, on the evening before the Feast of Unleavened Bread (which is called the Passover), Jesus predicted to his disciples that they would "fall away" from him that night. Peter replied, "Even if all desert you, I will never desert you." Jesus answered, "In truth I tell you, this very night, before the cock crows, you will have denied me three times." Confronted after Jesus had been arrested, Peter did deny knowing Jesus to avoid being arrested himself. When he heard a cock crow, he remembered what Jesus had said, and wept. (Matt. 26:31–35, 69–75; Mark 14: 26–31, 66–72; Luke 22:31–34,54–62; John 18:15–18, 25–27).

The author of Acts portrays Peter as an extremely important figure of the early Christian community, second only to Paul. Peter takes the lead in selecting a replacement for Judas (1:15); he is twice examined, with John, by the Sanhedrin (4:7–22; 5:18–42); he undertakes a missionary journey of Lydda, Joppa and Caesarea (9:32–10:2); and is present at the Council of Jerusalem, where Paul argued his case for converting the non-Jews, or gentiles, to the Gospel.

From the early Christian writings, it is clear that Peter was considered one of the principal members, if not leaders of the early community. Most of the gospels suggest that he was favored by Jesus. Since Peter does not reappear in Matthew’s gospel after his denial of Jesus, some scholars have suggested that for Matthew, Peter was an apostate.

After the author of Acts turns his attention away from Peter and to the activities of Paul, we lose sight of Peter's movements. It is clear that he lived in Antioch for a while, for not only did Paul confront him there (Galatians 2:11f), but tradition makes him the first bishop of that city, and thus the first Patriarch of Antioch. Some scholars interpret Paul's mention of Peter in 1 Corinthians 1:12 as evidence that Peter had visited Corinth. A far more insistent tradition, at least as early as the first century, is that he came to Rome, where he was martyred. The Gospel of John may be interpreted as suggesting that Peter was martyred by crucifixion ("when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and take you where you do not want to go" John 21:18), and Clement of Rome in his Letter to the Corinthians placed his death in the time of Nero. Later traditions hold that the Romans crucified him upside-down by his request; he did not want to equate himself with Jesus. On the way to his execution, it is said, he encountered Jesus and asked: "Domine, Quo Vadis?" ("Lord, where are you going?"). Other versions of this story claim that this occurred as Peter was fleeing Rome to avoid his execution; Jesus' response, "I am going to Rome, to be crucified again," caused him to turn back. The Church of Quo Vadis, near the Catacombs of Saint Callistus, contains a stone in which Jesus' footprints from this event are supposedly preserved, though this was actually apparently an ex-voto from a pilgrim, and indeed a copy of the original, housed in the Basilica of St. Sebastian.

The ancient historian Josephus describes how Roman soldiers would amuse themselves by crucifying criminals in different positions. This is consistent with the ancient traditions about Peter’s crucifixion.

His writings

The New Testament includes two letters (or epistles) ascribed to Peter. While neither demonstrates the quality of Greek expected from an Aramaic fisherman who learned it as a second or third language, a number of scholars argued that if his first epistle was not at least written by him with the help of a secretary or amanuensis, then its author was a close associate of Peter who not only knew his opinions well, but felt comfortable speaking in Peter's name.

The Second Epistle of Peter is another possible case. This letter demonstrates a dependence on the Epistle of Jude, and some modern scholars date its composition as late as AD 250. However, this epistle is included in numerous early Bibles of around that time and before, such as Papyrus 72 (3rd century) and the Bible of Clement of Alexandria (ca. 200). See the following section for more detail.

The Gospel of Mark is generally attributed as being the teachings of Peter, recorded by Mark.

Further Detail on the Authenticity of 2 Peter

There was controversy over the book in the Western Church until the early 4th century over the authenticity of 2 Peter (that is, that Peter was the author). In the East as well, the work was not accepted universally for an even longer period; the Syriac Church only admitted it into the canon in the 6th century.

It is to be noted, however, that the church historian Eusebius remarks on Origin's reference to the epistle before 250. In the collection of Cyprian's letters, the Bishop Firmilian speaks in favor of authenticity. Many scholars have noted the similiarities between the pseudo-2 Clement (1st century – Clement of Rome) and 2 Peter. Several early church writers, the author of the Epistle of Barnabas and the Shepherd of Hermas among others, make allusions to the letter. It must thus, be given an earlier priority.

Pseudepigrapha

There are also a number of apocryphal writings that have been either attributed or written about Peter. They were from antiquity regarded as pseudepigrapha. These include:

• Gospel of Peter, a Docetic narrative that has survived in part
• Acts of Peter
• A Letter of Peter to Philip, which was preserved in the Nag Hammadi Library
• Apocalypse of Peter, which was considered as genuine by many Christians as late as the fourth century
• The Epistula Petri, the introductory letter ascribed to Peter that appears at the beginning of at least one version of the Clementine literature

Roman Catholic view of Peter

In Roman Catholic tradition, Peter is considered the first bishop of Antioch, and later bishop of Rome and therefore the first Pope. The first epistle ends with "The church that is in Babylon, chosen together with you, salutes you, and so does my son, Mark." (1 Peter 5:13), but Babylon has sometimes been taken figuratively to mean Rome.

The Roman Catholic Church makes use of his position as first bishop of Rome and Jesus' statement that Peter was the rock upon which he would build his community as the case for papal primacy. The popes are thus the successors of Peter and as a result, retain his privileges, given by Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew (Mt 16:18–19). (Protestants argue against this.) In honor of Peter's occupation before becoming an Apostle, the popes wear the Fisherman's Ring, which bears an image of the Saint casting his nets from a fishing boat. The so-called "Keys of Heaven" or Papal Keys were, according to tradition, received by Peter from Jesus, marking Peter's role as head of the Christian faith on earth. Thus, the Keys are a symbol of the Pope's authority still to this day.

St. Peter's Basilica is built at the site of Peter's alleged crucifixion, and beneath the main altar there is an altar dedicated to St. Peter. Recent excavations have discovered a burial chamber even deeper beneath this altar where one skeleton, which was missing its feet, was interred with special honor. Some archeologists propose that these are the actual remains of Saint Peter, supposing that after dying by crucifixion (upside-down according to tradition), his feet were cut off to remove him from the cross. They also cite, among other things, the age of the deceased (60–70, which would be consistent with Peter's age), and the fact that a piece of plaster which had come off the marble-lined repository in which the bones were supposedly buried bore the Greek inscription PETROS ENI – "Peter is within".

Pope John Paul II would always visit the altar of Saint Peter before leaving Rome on an apostolic journey.

See also

• St. Peter's Basilica
• St. Peter's Square
• Quo vadis
• The Big Fisherman
• San Pietro in Vincoli
• Saint Peter's tomb
• Saint Peter Parish

External links

• 1 Peter at Bible Gateway (various versions)
• 2 Peter at Bible Gateway (various versions)
• stpetersbasilica.org Books on Peter in Rome