Tag Archives: Andrew

The Further Adventures of Simon Peter’s Brother

Otherwise known as: Andrew According to Tradition

Eusebius reports that Andrew’s area of work was Scythia,1 which is north of the Black Sea in part of modern-day Russia.  It is because of this tradition that the Roman Catholic Church lists him as the patron saint of Russia.  An early Christian writing titled “The Martyrdom of Andrew” records that he was stoned to death while working in this area. 2

The Acts of Andrew and Matthias in the City of Man-Eaters3

This ancient work describes Matthias as a prisoner in an Ethiopian4 city of cannibals, who is then rescued by Andrew, but then they are both captured until Andrew causes a statue to gush acidic water throughout the city, killing cattle and children, and causing the adults of the city to writhe in pain as their skin was being eaten into by the acid that was now up to their necks.  When the people finally began to pray to the “God of the stranger [Andrew],” Andrew told the statue to “Stop the water, for they have repented.”5

The Acts and Martyrdom of the Holy Apostle Andrew

Another ancient work entitled “Acts and Martyrdom of the Holy Apostle Andrew,”6 supposed to have been written by the “bishops and deacons of the churches of Achaia,”7 records a conversation between Aegates, the proconsul, and Andrew which came about because Aegeates’ wife would not follow the pagan gods after hearing Andrew’s preaching.  After proclaiming the “mystery of the cross,” and telling the proconsul that the only way he could learn the truth was to “take the form of a disciple,” Aegeates threw Andrew into prison.  This only served to make the Christians incredibly angry, for they came together from the whole province with the mission of killing Aegeates and freeing Andrew.  The apostle, however, calmed them down and they left.  The next day, Aegeates brought him back and commanded him to offer a “libation” offering to the gods, since it was Andrew’s fault that “not even one city has remained in which their temples have not been forsaken and deserted.”  After Andrew called him “O son of death, and chaff made ready for eternal burnings,” the proconsul, enraged, said “[I]f thou wilt not hearken to me, I shall cause thee to perish on the tree of the cross.”

According to this work, the command was given “that he should be bound hand and foot, as if he were stretched on the rack, and not pierced with nails, that he might not die soon, but be tormented with long-continuing torture.”8  But Andrew wasn’t tortured; instead smiling and happy, he preached to nearly 20,000 people who gathered around to hear from him for four days.  On the fourth day, many came to Aegeates and demanded that Andrew be released, and through fear of the mob, the proconsul went to free him.  However, Andrew prayed that he not be released, and the arms of those who tried to release him from the cross were numbed until finally, after a bright light shone on him from heaven for half an hour, Andrew gave up the ghost.

Other Traditions

Tradition holds that this cross was turned to resemble an “X,” and has for centuries been known as “St. Andrew’s Cross.”9

One final note of interest comes from the Muratorian Fragment.  This early writing (some date it as early as AD 170) is one of the primary sources for the study of which books belong in the New Testament.10  It says:

The fourth Gospel [was written by] John, one of the disciples. When his fellow-disciples and bishops urgently pressed him, he said, “Fast with me today, for three days, and let us tell one another any revelation which may be made to us, either for or against [the plan of writing].” On the same night it was revealed to Andrew, one of the Apostles, that John should relate all in his own name, and that all should review [his writing].11

-Bradley S. Cobb

1 Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, Book 3, Chapter 1, Paragraph 1.

2 International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, “Andrew” (II. In Apocryphal Literature).

3 “The oldest MS. Has Matthias; the four or five others have Matthew” (footnote 1, Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 8, page 517).

4 See Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 8, page 356.

5 Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 8, pages 517-526.

6 Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume 8, pages 511-516.

7 Achaia is the southern half of Greece, including the cities of Corinth and Athens.

8 The Bodleian Manuscript of this work includes the words quoted.  It appears as a footnote in the Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 8, page 513.

9 Holman Bible Dictionary: “Andrew”

10 Practically all books dealing with the issue of canonicity will mention this document.  However, it must be noted that the only surviving copy of it is a 7th-century Latin translation.  The early date is suggested due to some historical references as being recent to the author.

11 This quotation was given in James Hastings’ Dictionary of Christ in the Gospels, “Andrew.”

Andrew, the Lesser-Known Son of Jonah (Part 4)

Andrew the Apostle (Great Commission)

The first day of the week, seven days after the resurrection of Jesus, Andrew was gathered with the disciples with the doors shut because there were afraid of what the Jews might do to them.  During this meeting, Jesus appeared in the room, and Andrew looked with joy at the wounds in hands and side which proved that this was His Lord, risen from the dead.1

Andrew is last specifically named in the Bible in Acts 1:13, while he was with the rest of the apostles in Jerusalem awaiting the power of the Holy Spirit that Jesus had promised would happen just prior to His ascension.2  On the Day of Pentecost, Andrew heard a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and he was filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak about the “wonderful works of God” in other languages as directed by the Spirit.3  Andrew spent much of that day standing in water, baptizing many of the 3,000 souls who were “pricked in the heart” and wanted their sins forgiven.4

Over the next several months, Andrew continued to preach and heal the sick, until finally the high priest and the Sadducees couldn’t take it anymore.  Andrew and the other eleven were arrested and thrown into the common prison.  But that night, an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison and released them, with a command to go to the temple and preach “the words of life.”  That day, the captain of the officers asked them to come with him and brought them before the council.  When the high priest asked Andrew and the others, “Didn’t we command you not to teach in this name?” they all answered, “We ought to obey God rather than man.”  Instead of being put to death, however, the high priest commanded that Andrew and the other apostles were to be beaten—probably with 39 severe lashes—and then released with another stern warning not to preach about Jesus anymore.  They all rejoiced that there were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name, and went on teaching and preaching Jesus Christ.5

Biblically speaking, the only other things we know about Andrew is that he remained in Jerusalem during the persecution instituted by Saul of Tarsus, that he was again (or still) in Jerusalem when the former persecutor, now a Christian, came back with Barnabas, and that he was again (or still) in Jerusalem when those two men returned to settle a dispute over whether Gentile Christians were to keep the Law of Moses.6

Thanks be to God for this wonderful man who continually brought people to Jesus!

-Bradley S. Cobb

1 John 20:19-20

2 Acts 1:8-9.

3 See Acts 2:1-4, 11.

4 See Acts 2:37-38, 41.

5 These events are recorded in Acts 5.

6 These can be seen in Luke’s use of the phrase “the apostles” in Acts 8:1; 9:26-27; and chapter 15.

Andrew, the Lesser-Known Son of Jonah (Part 3)

Andrew During the Passion Week

The twelve apostles came with Jesus to Jerusalem before the Passover, and stayed in the house of Mary and Martha.  The next day, Sunday, Andrew watched as Jesus mounted a young donkey and entered Jerusalem with the people crying out “Hosannah!  Blessed is the King of Israel that comes in the name of the Lord!”1  Amidst the commotion of the day, some Gentiles who were there for the upcoming feast approached Philip, who brought them to Andrew.2  They said, “We want to see Jesus.”3  So Andrew, for the third time in the biblical record, brought people to the Lord.4  Andrew must have watched and listened as Jesus spoke to these Gentiles.

The hour is come that the Son of man should be glorified.  Verily, verily I say to you, “Except a grain of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abides alone: but if it dies, it brings forth much fruit.  He that loves His life shall lose it; and he that hates his life in this world shall keep it to life eternal.  If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honor.  Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say?  Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I to this hour.  Father, glorify Your name.”

Then came a voice from heaven, “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.”

The people therefore who stood by and heard it said that it thundered: others said, “An angel spoke to Him” (John 12:23-39).

Andrew stood as the Father spoke from heaven, and heard Jesus say that God spoke for the benefit of those around Him (including Andrew).  Then, even though Andrew had heard it before, he couldn’t help but feel sadness when he heard Jesus announce once more that He was going to die.5

Andrew certainly accompanied Jesus (as did the other apostles) during His visits into Jerusalem on Monday, when Jesus again overturned the tables of the money-changers, and Tuesday, watching the Master teach in the temple, confronting Pharisees, Sadducees, chief priests, scribes, elders, and Herodians as they tried to trip Him up in front of the people.6  It was on this Tuesday, the final Tuesday before Jesus’ cruel death, that Jesus and His disciples left the temple, and one of them pointed out the immense beauty of the temple complex.7  This building project began fifty years earlier, and included tearing down the temple build by Zerubabbel,8  completely removing the foundation, creating an entirely new foundation 30 feet higher than it had been, and carted in massive marble slabs that were white and strong, 37.5 feet long, 18 feet wide, and 12 feet tall to build the temple.9  The temple was raised up to such a height and prominence in Jesus’ day that Josephus says

[T]he middle [the temple itself] was much higher, till they were visible to those that dwelt in the country for a great many furlongs. 


The temple had doors also at the entrance, and lintels over them, of the same height as the temple itself.  They were adorned with embroidered veils, with their flowers of purple, and pillars interwoven: and over these, but under the crownwork, was spread out a golden vine, with its branches hanging down from a great height, the largeness and fine workmanship of which was a surprising sight to the spectators, to see what vast materials there were, and with what great skill the workmanship was done.10

But as Andrew and the other apostles stood with Jesus, looking at the temple, the Master said, “You see these great buildings?  There shall not be left one stone upon another, which shall not be thrown down.”11  Given the immensity of these marble slabs (stones), such a statement shocked Jesus’ disciples.  It was such a shock that Andrew and Peter, James and John, came to Jesus privately as He sat on the Mount of Olives to ask Him “When shall these things be?  And what shall be the sign when all these things are fulfilled?”12  Andrew then listened intently as he heard Jesus detail for them the events leading up to the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in accordance with Old Testament prophecy, adding the words “This generation shall not pass until all these things are done.”13

Wednesday evening (which to the Jews would have been the beginning of Thursday),14 Jesus gathered with Andrew and the other apostles in an upper room to eat the Passover.  During the meal, Andrew watched as Jesus stood up and wrapped a towel around Himself, and then came and washed Andrew’s feet.15 and it was at this time that Jesus told them that He was going to be betrayed by one of them.  Shocked and worried, Andrew asks Jesus, “Is it I?”  But he isn’t given a direct answer.

Jesus, with the apostles (minus Judas, who had left),16 after singing a hymn, went to the Mount of Olives, where He told Andrew and the others, “All of you shall be offended because of me this night.”  Andrew watched his brother Peter argue with Jesus over this, saying “Although all [of them] shall be offended, yet I will not.”  Then after Jesus foretold that Peter would deny Him three times, Peter said, “If I should die with You, I will not deny You in any way,” and Andrew said the same thing.17

Of course, it was just a short time later that Judas arrived with soldiers, who took hold of Jesus, and scared Andrew and the others to the point that they “forsook Him and fled”18

-Bradley S. Cobb

1 John 12:12-14, Mark 11:1-10, Matthew 21:1-9, Luke 19:29-38

2 John’s record of these events appears to place them on the same day as the “Triumphal Entry,” on what has come to be known as “Palm Sunday” (though neither phrases appear in the inspired text).  However, J.W. McGarvey take the position that this incident with Andrew and the Greeks took place on the Tuesday following, though he does not give an explanation for his reasoning in his Fourfold Gospel.

3 John 12:20-22

4 Andrew brought his brother, Simon [Peter], to Jesus; he brought the lad with the loaves and fishes to Jesus; and he brought these Gentiles to Jesus.

5 John 12:30-32 records Jesus repeating His death announcement.  The listeners, according to the verses that follow, understood that Jesus was saying that He must die, and thought that meant He wasn’t the Christ, about whom they had heard “out of the Law” that He should “abide forever” (John 12:34).  Some may think that the death announcement was not understood when Jesus stated it, but the Gentiles that Andrew brought to Jesus understood Him pretty well.

6 These incidents are recorded in Mark 11:27-33; 13:13, 18-27, as well as in Matthew and Luke’s accounts.

7 None of the biblical writers disclose the name of the disciple in question.  Therefore, any guess would be nothing more than a supposition.  However, given how frequently certain disciples are mentioned by name, it seems logical to assume that it was not Peter, Andrew, James, or John (who are mentioned by name just two verses later in Mark’s account), nor Judas (for if it was him, it would seem worth noting to point out because of his materialistic mind).

8 Josephus places it during the 18th year of the reign of Herod the Great, which would be approximately 20 BC.

9 This information is recorded for us in Josephus’ Antiquities of the Jews, book 15, chapter 11, paragraphs 1-3.

10 Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, 15.11.3

11 Mark 13:2, Matthew 24:1-2.

12 Mark 13:3-4.  The questions, as recorded in Matthew 24, are worded differently: “When shall these things be?  And what shall be the sign of your coming and of the end of the world?  We have chosen to use the questions as Mark records them, for he is the only one who identifies the specific questioners (Andrew in particular).

13 Mark 13:5-37, but especially verse 30.  Matthew 24:34 and Luke 21:32 also record this saying.

14 To the Jew, a new day began at 6pm.  Thus, this Passover meal, in Jewish reckoning, was eaten on Thursday, though to us, it would be Wednesday evening.  Space forbids an extended discussion of the day in which Jesus was crucified, but perhaps this will suffice: In order for Jesus to be the fulfillment of the Passover Lamb type, He would need to be killed on the same day prescribed by God in Exodus 12.  In the years 29-33 (where most estimates of Jesus’ death are placed), the day in question never happened on a Friday.  However, in AD 30, it fell on a Thursday.  It is the belief of this writer, after much study, that Jesus died on the 14th of Nisan, AD 30, which was a Thursday, and that He was buried on the 15th (remember that to the Jews, the day changed at 6 pm), and was raised on the following Sunday.

15 John 13:1-5

16 John 13:21-30

17 Mark 14:26-31.

18 Matthew 26:56

Andrew, the Lesser-Known Son of Jonah (part 2)

Andrew is Called by Jesus

While Jesus traveled through Galilee preaching, Andrew and his brother Peter had apparently gone back to work as fishermen with James and John.  After a couple months or more had passed, Jesus came back to Capernaum, possibly staying at Andrew’s house.(1)  Andrew and his brother Peter were at the synagogue in Capernaum on the Sabbath when Jesus spoke with authority and cast out a demon,(2) and afterwards, they went back to their house with Jesus, James, and John.  It was there that Peter’s mother-in-law was horribly sick with a “great fever,” but was healed by Jesus.(3)

According to Luke, who explicitly stated that his gospel account was “in order” (KJV) or “in consecutive order” (NASB),(4) Andrew and Peter’s official call came after the events on the Sabbath.(5)  Jesus had gone near the Sea of Galilee, and a crowd of people found Him.  So he climbed aboard one of the two ships there, the one that belonged to Andrew and Peter, and the boat was shoved off a bit so Jesus could sit down and teach the crowds on the shore without being mobbed by them.  Andrew and Peter were both on the ship with Jesus when the Lord said, “Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets.”(6)  Andrew heard his brother explain that they’d worked all night, but caught nothing, but they still did as Jesus asked.(7)

Andrew was shocked by what happened next.(8)  The nets started to break, so they called James and John to come over in their ship as well, and the massive amount of fish filled both of the ships to the point of almost sinking.  The four men were amazed, and Jesus said to them, “from this point forward, you will catch men,”(9) “follow me.”(10)  As a result, Andrew (and the others) left his ship and the fishing business behind to follow the “Lamb of God.”

Traveling with Jesus, Andrew was present to see Him cleanse a leper, forgive the sins of a paralyzed man and then heal him, cast out demons, teach parables, and perform many other miracles.(11)  Andrew ate with the Lord and His disciples in the house of Matthew, the tax collector, and learned straight from the lips of our Savior that His mission was to “call sinners to repentance.”(12)

Andrew the Apostle (Limited Commission)

One morning, Andrew was called by Jesus, along with the other disciples, to a mountain.  This was one of the most momentous days in Andrew’s life, because it was on this day that Jesus chose him to be one of the twelve apostles.  From that point onward, Andrew was forever to be connected with the mission of Jesus.  He followed Jesus throughout Galilee, listening to His sermons, watching His miracles, and perhaps even being overwhelmed by what Jesus said on a one particular occasion:

While [Jesus] yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and brothers stood outside, desiring to speak with Him.  Then one said to Him, “Behold, your mother and your brothers stand outside, desiring to speak with you.”  But [Jesus] answered and said to him who told Him, “Who is my mother?  And who are my brothers?”  And He stretched forth His hand toward His disciples, and said, “Behold, my mother and my brothers!” (Matthew 12:46-49).

After some more travel with Jesus, Andrew and the other eleven apostles were called to meet privately with Him.  They had seen Him perform many miracles, but now Jesus did something that they probably weren’t expecting:

He
gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases.  And He sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick (Luke 9:1-2).

Jesus sent them out “two by two,”(13) and it is probable that Andrew went with Peter.(14)  Andrew took this mission seriously, preaching the gospel,(15) preaching that the hearers should repent, and confirming the message by “cast[ing] out many demons and anoint[ing] with oil many who were sick, and heal[ing] them.”(16)

Once the mission, often called the “Limited Commission,” was finished, Andrew met up with Jesus again in a deserted place near Bethsaida and gave a report of all that he had done in Jesus’ name (as did the other apostles).(17)

Late on that same day, after crowds had been following Jesus, Andrew and the apostles all asked Jesus to send them away to the cities because they didn’t have food to feed them with.  Jesus’ response was, “You give them [food] to eat.”(18)  Andrew found a young boy and brought him to Jesus, and told Him “There is a lad here who had five barley loaves and two fishes.  But what is that among so many?”  Andrew had to be amazed as Jesus blessed the food and fed five thousand people with it, especially after he went around with the other apostles gathering up the leftovers—which filled twelve baskets!(19)

-Bradley S. Cobb

(1) Matthew 4:13.

(2) Mark 1:21-28

(3) Mark 1:29-31

(4) Luke 1:3.  The word means in chronological order.

(5) Matthew and Mark place the call before those events.  There are some who argue that Jesus called them twice: once before the Sabbath in Capernaum, and again after a preaching tour of Galilee (aka, Luke’s account), however, Luke 4:43-44 may be Luke’s explanation that Jesus did indeed do what He planned on doing, but Luke 5:1 appears to be a continuation of the crowd scene from 4:42.  So, the preaching tour of Galilee may have come after the call of Peter and Andrew in Luke’s account.

(6) Luke 5:4.  It is the position of this writer, as well as McGarvey, that this is the same calling as described in Matthew and Mark, both of which place Andrew and Peter in the boat together at the time of their call.

(7) Luke 5:5.

(8) Luke has a habit of not mentioning people by name unless they are either (1) well-known to his original reader or (2) someone who will be an important player later on in his writings (including the book of Acts).  Luke only mentions Andrew by name when he is listing the apostles—which he does once in Luke 6:13-16 and once in Acts 1:13.

(9) Luke 5:10.

(10) Matthew 4:19

(11) See Mark 2 and Luke 5.  If we were to detail everything seen by Andrew, we would almost need to type out every part of the four gospel accounts.  Not only that, we would need to do it for each chapter.  As such, we will be summarizing, and only going into detail when the individuals are specifically named.

(12) Luke 5:29-32

(13) Mark 6:7

(14) In most of the listings of the apostles, Peter and Andrew are mentioned together.

(15) Luke 9:6

(16) Mark 6:12-13

(17) Luke 9:10

(18) Luke 9:12-13

(19) John 6:8-13

Andrew, The Lesser-Known Son of Jonah (Part One)

Andrew’s First Journey with Jesus

The Orthodox tradition calls Andrew Protokletos, which means “first-called.”  Andrew was a Jew who lived in Capernaum,*[1] a fishing village off the coast of the Sea of Galilee, though he was a native of Bethsaida.*[2]  A fisherman by trade,*[3] whose father was named “Jonas” or “Jonah,”*[4] Andrew was also religiously-minded.  He was standing on the east coast of the Jordan River with two men, one of whom was John the Baptist (and the other was most likely the future apostle John),* [5] a short time after Jesus returned from His 40-day temptation in the wilderness.*[6]  Being a disciple of John, Andrew was determined to be pleasing to God.  So, when John pointed out that Jesus was “the Lamb of God,” Andrew and John followed Jesus.*[7]

Then Jesus turned and saw them following [Him], and says to them, “What are you seeking?”  They said to Him, “Rabbi (which is to say, being interpreted ‘Master’), where are you staying?”  He says to them, “Come and see.”  They came and saw where he was staying, and stayed with Him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.*[8]

First, Andrew went and found his brother, Simon,*[9] and told him “We’ve found the Messiah!”  He brought Simon to Jesus, and it is there that Jesus gives Simon the name “Cephas, which is by interpretation, Peter [a stone].”* [10]

Two days later, Andrew accompanied Jesus to a wedding in Cana, a town west of Capernaum.  At this wedding, Jesus miraculously turned water into wine, and as a result, Andrew’s belief in Him was confirmed.*[11]  After that, Andrew accompanied Jesus to Capernaum.  In that short period of time—not even a week—Andrew was in intimate company with men who would go on to become some of the most important men in the history of Christianity: Jesus Himself, Peter (Andrew’s brother), Philip and Nathanael (two of the apostles), James and Jude (brothers of the Lord),*[12] and possibly James and John (sons of Zebedee).*[13]

Andrew accompanied Jesus to Jerusalem for the Passover, and witnessed first-hand Jesus using a whip to drive out all the sheep and oxen from the temple, overthrowing the tables, and dumping out the money that the exchangers had gathered.  He heard Jesus tell the ones who sold doves to take those things out of His Father’s house.*[14]

It was while in Jerusalem with Jesus that Andrew saw Jesus perform miracles,*[15] and also heard the Lord utter something strange: “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”  When Jesus rose from the dead after three days, Andrew remembered this saying of Jesus, and his belief was once again strengthened.*[16]

Leaving Jerusalem, Andrew accompanied Jesus into Judea, where they stayed for a while (possibly up to seven months*[17]), baptizing people.*[18]  We aren’t given the names of the individuals who were baptized, but it is possible that this is the time in which Mary, Martha, and Lazarus became disciples of Jesus.  It is also possible that it was during this ministry that Judas Iscariot became a disciple of our Lord.  If this is the case, then it’s not out of the realm of possibility that Andrew himself is the one who baptized some of them, because Jesus didn’t do the baptizing personally.*[19]

Jesus discovered that the Pharisees had heard about His work, making and baptizing more disciples than even John was, He left Judea and went towards Galilee.  But doing that required traveling through Samaria.  Andrew walked with Jesus, and while Jesus stopped at Jacob’s well outside of Sychar because He was worn out from the journey, Andrew and the other disciples went into the city to buy some food.  Coming back to bring Jesus some food, Andrew was shocked, because Jesus was speaking with a Samaritan woman, but he kept his thoughts to himself, as did the other disciples.  After the woman got up and went into the city, Andrew and company urged Jesus to eat.*[20]   It is here that Andrew learned a valuable lesson.

[Jesus] said to them, “I have food to eat that you don’t know of.”  Therefore the disciples said to one another, “Has someone brought Him something to eat?”  Jesus said, “My food is to do the will of Him that sent me, and to finish His work.  Don’t you say ‘There are yet four months and then comes the harvest?’  Behold, I say to you, ‘Lift up your eyes and look on the fields: for they are white already to harvest.’  And he that reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit into life eternal: that both he that sows and he that reaps may rejoice together.  Herein is that saying true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’  I sent you to reap that upon which you have put no labor: other men labored, and you have entered into their labor.”

By saying this, Jesus was teaching Andrew that He had work for him to do.  He also hinted at something that would take place later—Andrew was going to be an apostle of Jesus Christ.  When Jesus said, “I sent you
” the word He used was the verb form of apostle.  He literally told Andrew, Peter, Philip, Nathanael, and probably James and John, “I apostled you.”

After a couple days in Samaria, they went back to Galilee.  It is apparently at this point that Andrew goes back to his home in Capernaum and resumes his fishing trade with Peter, James, and John.*[21]

-Bradley Cobb

[1] *Mark 1:21 places Jesus in the synagogue at Capernaum.  Verse 29 says that when He left the synagogue, he immediately went to Andrew’s house.  Verse 33 says “all the city” came to the door [of the house].  The only city mentioned in the context is Capernaum.  Jesus, in verse 38, says that He wants to go to “the next towns.”  Mark 2:1 says “He entered into Capernaum
and it was reported that He was in the house.”  The only house mentioned in the book up to this point was Andrew’s house, thus Andrew lived in Capernaum.

[2] *John 1:44 says that Andrew was “of Bethsaida.”

[3] *Mark 1:16

[4] *His brother is called “Simon, son of Jonas [or Jonah]” in John 1:42, therefore, Andrew is also the “son of Jonas [or Jonah].”  Different translations render his father’s name differently.  This name is also very similar to “John.”

[5] *John, in his gospel account, makes no mention of his own name, but refers to himself always as “the disciple” or “the disciple whom Jesus loved.”  If it is not John speaking of himself, it is strange that he would not mention the name of the other disciple who became one of the first followers of Jesus.

[6] *Matthew, Mark, and Luke are all clear that Jesus was taken to the wilderness to be tempted immediately after He was baptized.  Thus, when Jesus came to John the Immerser in John 1:29, and John spoke of what he had already seen at Jesus’ baptism, it must have been after the temptations had ended.  Thus, when Andrew first met Jesus, it was after the temptations.

[7] *This is recorded in John 1:35-37.

[8] *John 1:38-39.

[9] *There’s a bit of difficulty with the word “first” in John 1:41.  Does it mean before going with Jesus, Andrew went and found his brother?  Or does it mean that Andrew was the first of the two disciples to go find their brothers (the other being John, who would have gone and told his brother James).

[10] *John 1:41-42.

[11]* John 2:1-11, especially note verse 11.

[12]* John 1:12.

[13]* If we are correct in identifying the unnamed disciple in John 1:35-40 as John, then he almost certainly would have told his brother, and they would have been among “His disciples” who were called to the wedding (John 2:1-2).

[14] *John 2:13-17.  Verse 17 is the evidence that Andrew (as well as the rest of Jesus’ disciples up to that point) were in attendance.

[15] *John 2:23.

[16] *John 2:19-22.

[17] *McGarvey suggests that this sojourn in Judea could have lasted from April (the time of the Passover) until December, since Jesus states in the next chapter that the harvest was “four months” away.  Fourfold Gospel, page 132.

[18] *John 3:22.

[19] *John 4:2.

[20] *John 4:3-40.

[21] *For the chronology of events in the life of Andrew and the other apostles, we have leaned heavily on the outstanding work of Professor J.W. McGarvey and his chronological harmony of the gospels, The Fourfold Gospel, which he wrote with Philip Y. Pendleton.