How did Jesus call Simon Peter to become a disciple?

The Gospels agree that Jesus called Simon Peter to be a disciple at the beginning of his ministry, though the accounts differ regarding the timing and location of this event.1

The Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) generally record that the call occurred in Galilee as Jesus began his work there. In these accounts, Peter and his brother St. Andrew were fishermen who were called by Jesus to become "fishers of men". While Matthew and Mark describe the call of the two brothers alongside others, Luke focuses specifically on the call of Peter.12

In contrast, the Gospel According to John places the initial meeting in Judaea. According to this narrative, Andrew—who had been a follower of St. John the Baptist—introduced Peter to Jesus, whom he identified as the Messiah. During this first encounter, Jesus granted Simon the name Cephas, or Peter, meaning "rock". Scholars generally consider the Synoptic account of the call in Galilee to be more historically grounded, while the Johannine version is often viewed as being more theologically motivated.13