Who is Peter and how does he come to follow Jesus?

• A. Peter is a fisherman from Capernaum who becomes a disciple after a miracle on the Sea
• B. Peter, born Simon, is a fisherman from Bethsaida who becomes the leader of the Twelve Apostles, called by Jesus while fishing
• C. Peter is a tax collector who follows Jesus after a debate
• D. Peter, a fisherman from Bethsaida who is not yet called by Jesus

Answer: (B)

Peter is Simon, a fisherman whose home town in the biblical narrative is Bethsaida. He is called to follow Jesus while he is actively fishing, and this moment marks his transition from ordinary work to becoming a disciple. Jesus even gives him a new name, Peter, meaning “rock,” signaling his future role as a foundational leader among the Twelve Apostles. This sequence—Simon’s fishing life, the call from Jesus, and his subsequent leadership among the Twelve—is consistent across the gospel accounts and explains why this is the best description of who Peter is and how he begins to follow Jesus. The other descriptions clash with the biblical record: a tax-collector background, or being not yet called, or being from a different hometown, don’t fit the core details of Peter’s identity and call.