While Peter was a fisherman, he was also a follower of John the Baptist, which ultimately created the opportunity for Jesus to choose him as an early disciple, or follower, of Jesus.
Being a witness to the rebirth of Christ was enough for Peter to be a criterion of apostleship. Despite his weaknesses and doubts, Peter was the most important apostle from the beginning, and that is why Jesus designated him to be head of the apostles. He saw his potential for leadership and he acted on it.
Peter was the first Apostle to recognize that Jesus was the Messiah, the one promised by God to save his people. He gave up his life as a fisherman to lead others to Jesus, by being a fisher of men (Matthew 4:19) for Christ.
According to the Christian tradition, Peter was the first disciple to whom Jesus appeared, balancing Peter's denial and restoring his position. Peter is regarded as the first leader of the early Church, though he was soon eclipsed in this leadership by James the Just, "the brother of the Lord".
Peter was one of the Twelve Apostles, all chosen by Jesus to be the foundation of his Church. At the head of the Twelve, Jesus placed Peter. From Jesus, the Twelve received the mandate to preach the Gospel to all nations. Peter ultimately made his way to Rome, where he died as a martyr.
Now he knew: God hadn't just sent his people a savior. He sent them his son. On the night he knew he would be captured, Jesus took his disciples into Gethsemane, as he often did (John 18:2). He told them to keep watch while he prayed, and then he took Peter, James, and John with him.
John tells us that Peter was called by Christ through the preaching of John the Baptist, who bore witness that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah.
Instead, tradition, supported by references in Restoration scripture, 14 has identified John as being the anonymous “disciple whom Jesus loved” who was present at the Last Supper, the Crucifixion, the empty tomb, and in Jesus's final Sea of Galilee appearance.
Peter taught that followers of Jesus Christ should cease from sin and that those who are worldly think the Saints are strange for not joining them in sin. The gospel is preached to the dead so that they can be judged fairly.
However, the Gospel of Peter was condemned as heretical by c. 200 AD for its alleged docetic elements.
Why did Jesus call an unstable person “rock”? SIMON was his name. So, it was a strange meet-and-greet to be told by Jesus that his new name would be Peter (I'm sorry, what?), especially considering the name Peter means “rock.” Simon Peter was too emotional and impulsive to be worthy of such a name.
The rock upon which Jesus would build his church could refer to Peter, since Jesus changed Peter's name to "petros" meaning "rock." This would make Peter the foundation of the church.
Peter appointed as shepherd
In response to Peter's three affirmations of love for him, Jesus gives Peter three commands: "Feed my lambs" / "Take care of my sheep" / "Feed my sheep". Jesus is re-commissioning Peter as an apostle and leader in the church.
A voice from heaven told Peter to kill and eat, but since the vessel (or sheet, ὀθόνη, othonē) contained unclean animals, Peter declined.
After awkward introductions, Peter begins by telling them about the meaning of the vision God gave to him while on the roof praying in Joppa. Peter tells those listening the true meaning of his divine vision – “God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean.”
Since the end of the first century, the beloved disciple has been commonly identified with John the Evangelist. Scholars have debated the authorship of Johannine literature (the Gospel of John, Epistles of John, and the Book of Revelation) since at least the third century, but especially since the Enlightenment.
In the lists of the twelve apostles in the synoptic Gospels, there are two apostles called James, who are differentiated there by their fathers: James, son of Zebedee, and James, son of Alphaeus. Long-standing tradition identifies James, the son of Alphaeus, as James the Less.
In Roman Catholicism he is regarded as the first in the unbroken succession of popes. Jesus' promise to give him the “keys of the kingdom” led to the popular perception of Peter as the gatekeeper of heaven.
The stories of Peter's mistakes often are in the forefront: when he lost faith and sank when walking on water toward Jesus in Matthew 14:22-33; and when Peter denies knowing Christ three times in John 18:15-27. Yet the high points of Peter's leadership also are known.
Simon Peter is a fisherman before he joins Jesus' ministry. He witnesses Jesus' miracles and becomes the leader of the Apostles, despite his occasional displays of doubt about Jesus.
After Jesus' death, he served as the head of the Apostles and was the first to perform a miracle after Pentecost (Acts 3:1–11). The two Letters of Peter in the Bible are attributed to his authorship, though some scholars dispute this.
2) He was one of Jesus' closest disciples.
For instance, you can read from Luke 9:28 that Peter, James, and John were there during Jesus' transfiguration. Also, they were the only ones He chose to come with Him into the house of the synagogue ruler (Mark 5:37).
The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my sheep.
Throughout the Gospels, Peter's interactions with Jesus and the disciples reflect a leader who is impulsive, ambitious, self-assertive, and quick to commit without fully understanding the meaning of Jesus' words or actions.
The church operated under a head priest known as a patriarch. When Peter the Great came to power, he fundamentally changed how the church was run. He built several new churches. He also removed the patriarch as head of the church bringing it under state control.