Kephas

Kephas is a Greek form of the Aramaic name Cephas, which means "rock." In the New Testament, the apostle Simon (son of Jonah) was called Cephas by Jesus, signifying that he would be the foundational stone upon which the Christian church would be built (Matthew 16:18). While the Greek translation Petros (and English Peter) are more commonly used, Kephas appears in some Greek manuscripts as a direct transliteration of the Aramaic.

Biblical Context

The name Kephas (Κηφᾶς) occurs in several New Testament epistles, such as 1 Corinthians and Galatians, where Paul refers to the apostle Peter as Cephas. This usage highlights the original Aramaic name before it was translated. In the Gospel of John (1:42), Jesus explicitly says, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which is translated as Peter). The authenticity of the Aramaic term underscores the historical Semitic setting of Jesus and his earliest followers.

Cultural and Religious Significance

Saint Peter (c. 1 BC – AD 64/68), also known as Simon Peter and Cephas, is one of the Twelve Apostles and a prominent leader of the early Christian Church. According to Catholic and Orthodox tradition, he was the first bishop of Rome (pope) and also the first bishop of Antioch. He is venerated as a major saint in Christianity, and his role as the rock of the church has had profound theological implications regarding papal authority. The use of Kephas in the original Greek New Testament reflects the linguistic diversity of the early Christian world, where Aramaic, Hebrew, and Greek intertwined.

Linguistic Origin

As the Greek form of the root name Cephas, Kephas derives from the common Semitic word for "rock" or "stone." The same stem appears in the Hebrew Old Testament (kef) and in Aramaic. This etymological connection reinforces Peter’s symbolic significance as a bedrock of faith. In some Eastern Christian traditions, the name is rendered as Kepa (Basque) or Cephas (Biblical Latin).

• Meaning: "rock" (Aramaic)
• Origin: Greek form of Cephas
• Usage: Greek Bible, early Christian literature
• Type: Biblical name, transliteration