I have sometimes heard it said that Peter was a natural born leader, but this is not my view nor can that characterisation, in my opinion, be supported from the scriptures. So what was Peter like as a person.
His was a complex personality. He was both sincere and at times displayed some serious character flaws.
It is true that he was probably recognised as being the oldest of the disciples that Jesus called and in the Jewish culture of the time would have been deferred to by the others due to the simple fact of his age. If we put this aside and look at what we can read about him in the Gospels we can see something of his personality before the disciples received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.
Peter was a professional fisherman on the Sea of Galilee. It’s not really a sea but a large lake. It is shallow and when the wind blows from the west it funnels through a narrow valley between lines of hills. As the wind comes through this valley it can pick up quite considerable speed. Now, Galilee is fairly shallow at least when compared to an Ocean like the Atlantic. When the wind blows hard from the west it whips up the water into steep waves with only a short distance between the crests of the waves, with a steep drop into the troughs.
The boats these fishermen used had a high front but very low sides to make it easy to pull the nets into the boat. So in a storm it would fill up quickly with water and sink. Most pictures and photographs published of the lake are of a very calm day. It would look very different on a stormy day.
There is a superstition amongst trawler men and drift net fishermen, in England at least, that it is bad luck to learn to swim! Many fishermen do not know how to swim. That may seem amazing but it is true I believe.
Fishing on the sea is very hard and dangerous work. So these men were not weaklings nor were they easily scared; but they had a healthy respect for the waters from which they worked for their living. They would have been tough, uneducated men well versed in the ways of the lake and the weather. (Although not having had a formal education, this does not mean they were unintelligent.)
Let’s look first at his possible character flaws. Despite being the oldest of the disciples he often behaved impulsively and only later considered or thought about what he was doing. Most will know the story of Peter cutting of Malchus’ ear in the Garden of Gethsemane. A rash and violent act. Hardly what would be expected of a leader!
Other incidents come to mind as well. He quite strongly said that “This can not be” When Jesus told him of his impending death by crucifixion. So Peter was not always obedient to Christ’s teachings even when in His presence.
Peter often spoke without thinking on other occasions. “I will go where you go, suffer your fate” but then Peter denied even knowing Jesus three times!
Sometimes Peter could be quite childlike, at the transfiguration he said, “let us build three bowers” Something which Jesus would never have wanted.
Then again he lost heart after the crucifixion and was ready to go back to fishing. In fact that is exactly what he did! And Jesus met him there and then followed that incredible exchange between Jesus and Peter in which Jesus restored Peter.
How then did Peter become such a good leader of the early Christian church? The simple fact is that without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, Peter would have remained the same as he always had been. Only after receiving the Holy Spirit at Pentecost did the change occur. He became an eloquent speaker able to face down any audience.
He also received a strong gift of healing. So much so that even his shadow touching someone; that person received healing. Let us be clear, it was the Holy Spirit which was working through Peter and not Peter himself.
How gracious of God to use Peter in this way!
Even so he could still be a bit naiive from time to time and Paul had to confront him concerning double standards. He joined with the non-Jewish Christians for meals, until other Jewish Christians were present and then had his meals alone.
It is this presence of the Holy Spirit which can bring about dramatic changes in even the most despicable person.