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J. S. Howson wrote, Horae Petrinae (Studies in the Life of St. Peter) with the same goal as William Paley’s Horae Paulinae which emphasized undesigned coincidences in the life of Paul.  Howson’s work was written in 1883.  In chapter two, Howson develops the significance of the use of the phrase, “Simon, whose surname is Peter.”  This involves comparison of the two accounts given in Acts of the conversion of the first Gentile converts (Cornelius and his household).  In Acts 10, Luke gives the historical account and in Acts 11, Peter recounts these events in an apologetic before Jews in Jerusalem.  Howson states, “This existence of two narratives of the same great event gives occasion for critical inquiry as to whether the variations which we find in the two ways of telling the story are natural and in harmony with the circumstances of the case, so as to confirm our impression of consistency and truth” (p. 14). In Acts 10, we have Luke’s account of the vision of Cornelius and the trance of Peter and in Acts 11, we have Peter’s account of these things.  Intermediate to them is the relation of the vision of Cornelius by the messengers whom he sent to Peter, and likewise the relation given by the centurion himself to Peter when he arrived at Caesarea. This gives great opportunity to check the “artless reality and perfect truthfulness” (p. 15) of the accounts.
The Name of the Apostle
The utmost significance is given to the name of the apostle Peter.  In this sacred account of the first Gentile convert, the name by which Peter is called is made remarkably conspicuous.  Four times the phrase, “Simon, whose surname is Peter” occurs in this short history.  First, Cornelius, a devout man and a God-fearer, engaged in prayer about the ninth hour of the day (about 3:00 o’clock our time), saw a vision during which an angel of God directed him to send men to Joppa and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter” (Acts 10:5).  The designation is exact and the location is carefully described.  The person with whom Peter was lodged was also named Simon (Simon the tanner).  Second, the messengers proceed to Joppa and inquire as to the location of Simon the tanner’s house.  They stood before the gate and called and asked whether “Simon, which was surnamed Peter,” were lodged there (Acts 10:18).  Third, when Peter arrives at Caesarea and seeks to hear from Cornelius about the reason that he was summoned, the Centurion relates the story of the vision he had seen and is quite explicit in stating that he was directed to summon from Joppa one “Simon, whose surname is Peter” (Acts 10:32).  Fourth, once again, when Peter makes his apologetic before the Jews at Jerusalem, he tells his hearers that Cornelius instructed him that he was directed to call for “Simon, whose surname is Peter” (Acts 11:13).
The Significance of This Phrase
First, the exactness of the description given to Cornelius was meant to avert all possibility of mistake as to the identity of the person to whom was entrusted the duty of communicating the gospel to Cornelius (Howson, p. 16).  Simon Peter, and, no one else was to bring the first Gentile converts to Christ.
Second, Peter must be able to discern the divine intent involved in the request.  The request came immediately upon Peter’s own vision whereby God communicated to him that the distinctions regarding what is common or unclean that had been in force under the Law of Moses would no longer be applicable under the gospel of Christ.  While this applied to the eating of meats, it also applied to the distinctions between Jew and Gentile.  In addition, Peter was directed by an angel of the Lord to go with the messengers Cornelius sent “nothing doubting” (Acts 10:20) “for I have sent them.”  The name, Simon, surnamed Peter, was a specific designation received by the apostle from Jesus Christ upon the very first meeting between them.  The account of which is given by the apostle John in John 1:42, “And he brought him to Jesus.  And when Jesus beheld him, he said, “Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.”  Cephas is the Aramaic word for Peter (a stone) the Greek term.  Howson remarks, “The natural explanation surely is that the Lord saw in the young fisherman an expression of energy and force which marked him out as fit, under Divine grace, for a great destiny” (p. 19).  The second time that Peter’s name figures prominently in the gospels is found in Matthew 16:18.  In response to Jesus’ question, “But whom say ye that I am?” Peter declared, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” To which Jesus responded, “Blessed art thou, Simon, Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matt. 16:16-19).  The rock upon which the Lord would build His church was not Peter, either personally or officially, but the truth that Peter acknowledged–or rather Christ, who is the Truth.  This fact can be further ascertained by the Lord’s statement given in severity to the Jews, “Did ye never read in the Scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner?” (Matt. 21:42).  In saying this, Jesus spoke of Himself.  The event must have impressed Peter.  In an early part of the history which succeeded Pentecost, Peter, summoned before the High Priest and Council, to answer for his allegiance to Jesus Christ, employed the very words: “This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner” (Acs 4:11).  And once more, Peter references this statement in I Peter 2:4-7, “To Christ coming, as unto a living stone, ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house…Unto you which believe He is precious; but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner.”  The words of the 118th Psalm (118:22), become a link, which, through Peter’s use of them, bind together the Gospels, the Acts, and the Epistles.  In the apprehension of the apostle Peter, Jesus Christ, and no other, is the “chief corner-stone”.
The Keys of the Kingdom
Peter possessed the keys of the kingdom.  The keys of the kingdom is a phrase that denotes the central role of Peter in the proclamation of the gospel to the Jews first and then, to the Gentiles.  Peter uses these keys on two historical occasions.  The first is on the first Pentecost after the resurrection of Jesus from the dead (Acts 2).  Here, Peter preaches the gospel, along with the other apostles, and significantly, Peter’s sermon is recorded in Acts 2.  There was a great response to the preaching of Peter and the apostles in that city and three thousand obeyed the gospel (Acts 2:41).  The second significant historical occasion in which Peter used these keys was when he preached to Cornelius and his household and they obeyed the gospel (Acts 10:48).  Thus, when Peter was in Jerusalem at the Jerusalem Council, Luke could write, “And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe” (Acts 15:7).
Summary
The specific designation of Peter in the account by Luke in Acts 10 and in the apologetic given by Peter in Acts 11, fulfills the Lord’s words given in Matthew 16:16-19.  The Lord named Simon, Cephas, which by interpretation is, a stone (Peter). He promised Peter the keys of the kingdom.  On two historical occasions, Peter used those keys to open up the wonderful blessings of the gospel of Christ to Jews and Gentiles.  Thus, the gospel of Christ is the message of salvation for all of mankind.  All nations must hear it, believe it and obey it (Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16).