And Simon and they that were with him followed after Him. Mark 1:36
We know his name was Simon Peter, and sometimes known as Cephas. In the other Gospels, he is mostly referred to as Peter. But in the early chapters of Mark, he is called Simon. When we consider that much of Mark’s Gospel is from material Mark gathered from Peter, we can surmise that it was probably Peter’s idea to be referred to as Simon. We can only guess as to why, but if we look at the meaning of the names, we might get a better idea. The name Peter means stone. The name Simon means listener, or one who hears. We should agree with Peter that it is better to be a listener than a stone.
Our text tells us that Simon followed Jesus to the place where He was praying. Surely he heard some of the prayer, and it must have been worth listening to. He also heard Jesus preach and debate, and in later years, it was obvious that he had indeed listened and learned. We often think of Peter as the impulsive person who was always leaping into situations, always ready to act and do and go. But Peter actually prefers that we remember him as one who listened to the Lord Jesus. He is Simon the listener, Simon who took time to pay attention to what the Lord Jesus was saying, Simon who had all those wonderful memories on which to draw his apostleship.
We remember the old saying about the wise old owl who sat on an oak, the more he heard, the less he spoke, the less he spoke, the more he heard, we all should be like that wise old bird. Some young men long for the time when they can stand on the platform and display their spiritual progress before the Assembly. It’s good to be exercised to participate, but it’s better to be prepared to listen and learn. The need to listen to godly leaders, to the Word of God, and to those around us is a lesson that sometimes is slow in sinking in. But if impetuous Peter needed to acknowledge that he was also Simon the listener, we need to learn that too.
Before you speak today, practice listening for the Lord’s voice first. You will be surprised at what how much more you can learn. – Jim MacIntosh