The Name-Change In The Bible

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The reason for the change from Simon to Peter can also be credited to the meanings behind the names. The name Simon means “he has heard” (Campbell). This meaning makes sense as Simon had heard about Jesus being the true Messiah from his brother Andrew but had not actually seen him until Andrew introduced them. Once he had been introduced to Jesus, the name Simon was not as fitting anymore since he had now seen Jesus. Now, the name Peter comes from the word “petra”, which means “rock” in Greek. The explanation for this is clearly seen in Matthew 16:18 when Jesus tells Peter that he is the rock on which Jesus will build the church. The importance of Peter’s presence in Jesus’ life and teachings cannot be understated.
Peter comes to be an instrumental character in the …show more content…

On top of these name-changes for the characters within the pages of the Bible, there is an additional name-change that affects the readers of the Bible and followers of Christianity. “Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches. To everyone who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give a white stone, and on the white stone is written a new name that no one knows except the one who receives it” (Revelation 2:17). This provides a name-change for all believers that listen to the Lord and overcome the false teachings of the world, which results in a stronger life of faith and a deeper relationship with God. Just when you thought names were supposed to be a permanent form of identification, the book of Revelation challenges this preconception and recognizes that a change in name is not as uncommon as we may have

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