Andrew of Bethsaida
- James Collazo
- Jun 5, 2020
- 2 min read
Updated: 1 hour ago
Introduction
Andrew of Bethsaida (Greek: Andreas apo Bēthsaida) was born around AD 1 in the Roman district of Gaulanitis. He was Peter's brother, and together they ran a fishing business on the Sea of Galilee. Their hometown was Bethsaida (John 1:44). Bethsaida was later enlarged and renamed "Julias" by Philip the Tetrarch, reflecting the region's mixed Jewish and Hellenistic culture. According to John's gospel, Andrew became the first apostle Jesus called. His name (G406) comes from the Greek noun andros (G435), meaning "manly" or "masculine." Before Jesus called him, Andrew followed John the Baptist (John 1:35–40).
Andrew played a key role in the opening stages of Jesus' ministry. As the first disciple called according to John's gospel, he immediately introduced his brother Simon to Jesus. This encounter eventually led Peter to become one of the foremost leaders of the early church, whose confession—and the apostolic witness it represented—became foundational to the church (Matt. 16:13–20). Andrew's readiness to introduce others to Jesus shows his deep faith and passion for spreading the life-changing message he had discovered. Throughout the gospels, Andrew acts as a bridge, connecting people to Jesus and facilitating encounters that shaped history. His humble yet powerful ministry reminds us how ordinary individuals can make a lasting impact when they respond faithfully to Christ's call.
Andrew: Bringing People to Jesus
The four gospel writers do not give many details about Andrew. Whenever they do mention him, he brings people to Jesus. This habit continues the "fishing for people" theme from when Jesus first called him (Matt. 4:17–19; Mark 1:15–17). When Jesus fed the crowd of five thousand, Andrew pointed out the boy with the fish and loaves of bread (John 6:5–9). Later, he introduced some Greek visitors to Jesus during the Passover festival, which helped set the stage for Jesus' crucifixion (John 12:20–22). Mark uniquely includes Andrew among the four disciples who privately questioned Jesus on the Mount of Olives. However, the other three gospel writers do not mention Andrew in their Olivet Discourse passages (Matt. 24:1–25:46; Mark 13:1–37; Luke 21:5–36). Just as Andrew helped others grasp Jesus' teaching about the kingdom of heaven through the example of a grain of wheat (John 12:23–24), he also witnessed Jesus explain it with vivid, memorable images (Mark 13:3–8). Andrew models for us how to guide others to encounter Christ.
Bibliography
Commentaries
Bock, Darrell L. Luke. 2 vols. Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 1994–1996.
Evans, Craig A. Mark 8:27–16:20. Word Biblical Commentary. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2001.
Keener, Craig S. The Gospel of John: A Commentary. 2 vols. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 2003.
Scholarly Monographs
Bauckham, Richard. Jesus and the Eyewitnesses. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2017.
Sermons and Essays
Hogue, Wayne A. "Andrew: The Disciple Who Brought People to Jesus."↗ Wesley Center for Applied Theology, Northwest Nazarene University. PDF.
Online Resources
Nelson, Ryan. "Who Was Andrew the Apostle? The Beginner's Guide."↗ OverviewBible. June 17, 2019.
