In addition to the info below, see the post at this site Peter and the Rock as an Interpolation.
From ChatGPT 10/13/2025. Scroll down to see Claude’s response.
Prompt: In the Bible, Jesus renamed Simon to Peter. After that how many times did Jesus call him Simon and how many times Peter?
How Jesus addresses Simon/Peter often signals shifts in tone or emphasis in the Gospels. Below is a practical breakdown based on the Greek text of the Synoptic Gospels and John, focusing on Jesus’ own speech (not what others call him).
1. The Renaming Event
Matthew 16:17–18 (NRSV):
“Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! … And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church.”
That’s the formal renaming moment. After this, the use of “Simon” or “Peter” varies depending on Gospel and context. Also note paassges below where he is cited as Simon son of John.
2. How Many Times Jesus Calls Him “Simon”
(a) Matthew
After the renaming, Jesus calls him “Simon” only once:
- Matthew 17:25 – “What do you think, Simon?”
(b) Mark
After the renaming, only one time:
- Mark 14:37 – “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep awake one hour?”
(c) Luke
Jesus calls him “Simon” twice after the renaming:
- Luke 22:31–32 – “Simon, Simon, listen! Satan has demanded to sift all of you like wheat, but I have prayed for you…”
- (Earlier, at the miraculous catch, Luke 5:4–10, the name “Simon” is used before the formal renaming.)
(d) John
In John’s Gospel, Jesus uses “Simon son of John” (Greek: Simōn Iōannou) several times, even after calling him Cephas/Peter (John 1:42):
- John 21:15–17 – Three times in the resurrection dialogue:
“Simon son of John, do you love me?” (vv. 15, 16, 17) - That’s three times in one passage.
So across all four Gospels, after the renaming:
- Jesus calls him “Simon” (or “Simon son of John”) 7 times total.
3. How Many Times Jesus Calls Him “Peter”
Jesus directly calls him “Peter” (Greek Petros) fewer times than the narrative uses the name.
- Matthew 16:18 – “You are Peter…” (the renaming itself)
- Luke 22:34 – “I tell you, Peter, the cock will not crow this day…”
- Possibly implied address in Mark 8:33 (“Get behind me, Satan!”) though the text calls him Peter in narration, not in direct address.
So Jesus directly calls him “Peter” only 2 times (Matthew 16:18 and Luke 22:34).
4. Summary Table
| Gospel | “Simon” Used by Jesus After Renaming | “Peter” Used by Jesus |
|---|---|---|
| Matthew | 1 (17:25) | 1 (16:18) |
| Mark | 1 (14:37) | 0 (narrative only) |
| Luke | 2 (22:31–32) | 1 (22:34) |
| John | 3 (21:15–17) | 0 (Jesus never calls him Peter directly) |
| Total | 7 times “Simon” | 2 times “Peter” |
5. Scholarly Observation
Critical scholars (e.g., Raymond Brown, Anchor Bible: John, vol. II, p. 1105; and E.P. Sanders, The Historical Figure of Jesus, p. 121) note that Jesus’ use of “Simon” even after renaming likely reflects:
- Intimacy or seriousness (as in “Simon, Simon…”),
- Or a reversion to his original name to underscore human weakness (e.g., when he falls asleep or denies Jesus).
In summary:
After renaming Simon as Peter, Jesus calls him “Simon” seven times and “Peter” only twice in the canonical Gospels. One of those two is when he is renamed.
Claude’s Response to the same prompt.
Let me go through the Gospels more carefully and actually count the instances where Jesus is speaking and uses either name. I need to identify every instance where Jesus is directly speaking and uses either “Peter” or “Simon” to address or refer to him.
Jesus calls him “SIMON”:
- Matthew 16:17 – “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah!”
- Matthew 17:25 – “What do you think, Simon?”
- Mark 14:37 – “Simon, are you asleep?”
- Luke 22:31 – “Simon, Simon, listen! Satan has demanded…” (that’s 2 uses)
- John 21:15 – “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
- John 21:16 – “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
- John 21:17 – “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Count for “Simon”: 8 times if you count Luke 22:31 as two. [Otherwise, 7 times i.e., the same as ChatGPT responded.]
Jesus calls him “PETER”:
- Luke 22:34 – “I tell you, Peter, the cock will not crow this day…”
- John 13:36 – Jesus answered him, “Where I am going, you cannot follow me now…” (responding to Simon Peter’s question – though some debate if he says “Peter” directly here)
Let me recount more carefully – Jesus directly addressing him as “Peter” is actually quite rare. In most Gospel passages, “Peter” appears in narrative descriptions, but Jesus himself typically uses “Simon” when directly addressing him.
Most accurate count:
- “Simon”: 8 times
- “Peter”: 1-2 times (Luke 22:34 being the clearest example)
The striking pattern is that Jesus predominantly used “Simon” when directly addressing him, even after giving him the name Peter!
