If you are new to reading the Bible you might be a little confused by a guy who seems to go by three or four different names. In Galatians 2 we read of a man named Peter who was the apostle to the Jews. And a couple verses later the author of Galatians (Paul) talks about opposing a guy named Cephas to his face. It’s the same guy. There is also a guy who James (the Lord’s brother) refers to as Simeon. This is the same guy who is also called Simon at various places in the gospels.
Cephas. Simon. Simeon. Peter. Simon Peter. Simon bar-Jonah.
Same dude.
So why does he have so many nicknames? The truth is that he really only has one nickname but the Bible (and those living in biblical times) spoke multiple languages.
Simon (or Simeon) was the given name of the apostle who would later be called Peter. Consider John 1:42,
“Jesus looked at him and said, ‘You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas’ which means Peter.”
Simon was his given name. But Jesus gave him a new name; Cephas. Cephas is Aramaic for ‘rock’. So where do we get the name Peter? That is the Greek form of ‘rock’. So Cephas and Peter are a bit like “Juan” being the Spanish form of “John”.
Simon and Simeon is the birth name given to Peter. Simon bar Jonah simply means that Simon was the son of John (or Jonah). Peter is the Greek form of the nickname given to Simon by Jesus. Cephas is the Aramaic form of the nickname given to Simon by Jesus.
So Simon, Simeon, and Simon bar-Jonah are all interchangeable. And Peter and Cephas are interchangeable. Clear as mud? There really isn’t much theological significance to the names and when they are used. It is significant that Jesus calls Peter “rock” and that his profession of faith is the rock on which the church is built. Some have also pointed out that Jesus frequently calls him Simon when the apostle does something boneheaded. That’ll preach but I’m not sure that this is the point the author is attempting to make.
Another interesting note is that John 1:42 is the only time that someone other than the apostle Paul refers to Peter by the Aramaic form ‘Cephas’. And Paul actually refers to him as Cephas every single time except for two times in Galatians 2 when he calls him Peter. So what of the one time that Paul calls him Peter? It’s likely that Paul is somewhat quoting the Jerusalem Council. Paul always referred to Peter by his Jewish name. I don’t this is a significant theological point, but it helps us to see its authenticity. It shows that Paul, the apostle to the non-Jews, was still thoroughly Jewish in his natural thought.
So there you have it. Peter really only has two names. Simon and Peter. But the multiple languages which the Bible is written in, causes a bit of confusion.
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**There are some who believe that Cephas and Peter are actually two separate people. Clement of Alexandria referred to a separate disciple of Jesus named Cephas. But this is almost certainly not the case. It’s likely a needless defense of the apostle. It would have been important during Clement’s time to not have two pillars (Peter and Paul) arguing with one another. The context of Galatians 2 would make little since if this is referring to one who isn’t the apostle Peter.
