From: lawrences@aol.com   
      
   Thanks.  I was aware of that etymology, but I'd still like to know if   
   anyone knows anything about the Egyptian deity Petra or Petar.   
      
   On Thu, 4 Aug 2005 13:25:47 +0100, Romauld   
    wrote:   
      
   >Recently, a script from Bob Lawrence arrived, in which they said:   
   >   
   >: I recently read something alleging that the apostle Peter was a   
   >: Hellenized Christian adoption of an Egyptian deity named Petra or   
   >: Petar, derived from the verb to open pt, because he 'opened' the gates   
   >: to Heaven   
   >   
   >The origin of the name Peter given to Simon the Apostle is a pun   
   >on the greek word 'petras', meaning "the rock"; there's a famous   
   >NT passage in which Jesus tells him that "upon /this rock/ I shall   
   >build my church".   
   >   
   >~R   
      
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