Memory Verse Day 5: Is Cephas really Peter?

This is the third part of the ancient creedal statement that Paul quotes in 1 Corinthians.  Yesterday we finished by quoting what Peter had to say about the resurrection in the Old Testament.

The next part of the passage in Paul’s letter talks about some of the appearances of Jesus after His resurrection.

Cephas is the Aramaic name for Peter.  Once in a while it’s suggested that there is actually another Cephas, or another Simon, that is meant instead of the famous apostle (in this and other Bible passages).

Of course Simon was a very common name, and there are other Simons in the Bible (in fact, Simon Peter was one of two Simons among the 12 disciples).  But the name Cephas is a little more tricky.  Paul uses both names, in fact he uses both right together in Galatians 2.

It seems to me most likely that Paul is talking about Peter, but just using both common names according to his purpose.  If they are two different people, it doesn’t really change anything, except that it changes our biography of Peter a bit.

Here, however, in 1 Corinthians, we actually have a little more confidence that Paul is talking about Peter.  The fact that he says Cephas and then the twelve is not really a problem – he’s just saying that Jesus appeared to the disciples together.  The number is just another name for the core group of disciples.  We know, of course, that one of the 12 technically was dead – Judas Iscariot.

So Paul isn’t counting the disciples – he’s simply identifying them by name.

We do have a clue that this was indeed Peter.  In Luke 24 Jesus appeared to two people who were heading to Emmaus from Jerusalem.  The two disciples were so excited that they returned to Jerusalem – where the core group of disciples were gathered – to give them the big news.

But the disciples in Jerusalem had a surprise for the two – they had news that "The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!" (Luke 24:34)

This was surely one of the first if not the first appearances of Christ – to Simon.  Taking this together with 1 Corinthians 15:5, I think it’s almost certain to be Peter himself.

And, incidentally, this statement also has the ring of a creedal statement – have you ever used the first part on Resurrection Sunday?  I have.

So very early on, Peter and Jesus had a private meeting.  The Bible doesn’t tell us anything about it.  Maybe it will be their little secret forever, although I would love to know what happened!

Paul doesn’t actually say that this was Jesus’ first resurrection appearance, but just that Jesus appeared to Cephas.  (It could be that Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene first, depending on your take of Mark 16:9.)  Then He appeared to the 12.  These were simply early witnesses of the resurrection.

Paul is giving an account of eye witnesses that would be accessible to people at the time.  The disciples no doubt travelled all over the place preaching the Gospel and doing miracles – they would be the first people that you would want to go to in order to verify the resurrection story.

So in these three verses, Paul very clearly shares the truth about the Messiah.  Predicted from the dawn of time in the Scriptures, Christ entered the world and literally died for our sins.  He rose, and then appeared to His disciples (and a lot more than just the 12, as we see in verse 6).

So here are the three verses together, along with a little from later in the chapter as he develops his thought:

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received:
that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,
that he was buried,
that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.
Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time,
most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.

…

And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.
Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead,
the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

(1Corinthians 15:3-6; 17-20)