Andrew 

Andrew was the first of six apostles chosen by Jesus on February 23, 26 CE. That same day his brother, Simon Peter, was selected as the second. Andrew was in Jesus’ inner circle along with Simon Peter, and two others, John and James Zebedee, for more than four years. Philip and Nathaniel were the fifth and sixth apostles to be chosen by Jesus. When Jesus asked each of these original six apostles to select another, Andrew chose Matthew Levi, after whom the Gospel of Matthew is named.

After all twelve apostles had been chosen, Jesus appointed Andrew, the oldest, as their director. Working together with Abner—director of John the Baptist’s disciples—Andrew played an important role in harmonizing the two groups. Very often it was Andrew who decided which pair of apostles would go on preaching tours and where they should go. He was also responsible for authorizing the distribution of the group’s funds. Andrew was a good administrator and calming influence on the other apostles, especially his emotional brother Peter. And he was the only apostle who suspected that Judas Iscariot was going to betray Jesus.

After Jesus died, Andrew traveled widely and brought many thousands into the kingdom. When Christian persecutions finally caught up to Andrew, he was in Patras, Greece where he was hung on a cross and continued to proclaim the gospel message until his death two days later. Andrew was martyred sometime between 60-70 CE.

Andrew was born and grew up in Capernaum, a town on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. He was the oldest child in a family of five. He had one brother, Simon Peter, and three sisters. His eldest sister, Martha, became a member of the Women's Evangelistic Corps. Before becoming an apostle, Andrew was unmarried and living with Peter and his family. For their livelihood, both men were employed by Zebedee of Bethsaida, the fishing harbor of Capernaum. Zebedee was a fisherman, boatbuilder, and partner of Andrew and Peter’s deceased father. That is how two other apostles and sons of Zebedee, John and James Zebedee, came to know Andrew and Peter. Before their appointment as apostles, Andrew and Peter were disciples of John the Baptist.

Andrew was an all-round, even-tempered, self-made, and successful man of modest affairs. Though not a great preacher like his brother, he was a good personal worker. And Andrew had a gift for discovering the hidden resources and latent talents of young people. He came from an excellent line of ancestors and was the ablest man of the twelve apostles. Excepting oratory, he was the peer of the other apostles in almost every imaginable ability. And of all the apostles, Andrew was the best judge of men. He knew that trouble was brewing in the heart of Judas Iscariot even when none of the other apostles suspected that anything was wrong. Andrew’s great service to the kingdom after Jesus’ death was in advising Peter, James, and John concerning the choice of the first missionaries who were sent out to proclaim the gospel, and also in counseling these early leaders about the organization of the administrative affairs of the kingdom.

Andrew was a man of clear insight, logical thought, and firm decision, whose great strength of character consisted in his superb stability. His temperamental handicap was his lack of enthusiasm; he many times failed to encourage his associates by judicious commendation. And this reluctance to praise the worthy accomplishments of his friends grew out of his hatred for flattery and insincerity.

Every one of the apostles loved Jesus, but each of the twelve was drawn toward him because of some certain trait which made a special appeal. Andrew admired Jesus because of his consistent sincerity, and his unaffected dignity. Jesus never gave Andrew a nickname but even as the apostles soon began to call Jesus Master, so they also designated Andrew by a term the equivalent of Chief.

Although Andrew was never an effective preacher, his brother Simon Peter became one of the greatest preachers of the kingdom. The brothers got along well but Peter was an impulsive optimist, a man of strong feelings who spoke before thinking. After Jesus repeatedly rebuked Peter for this, he learned to talk things over with Andrew first. Andrew knew Peter’s abilities and shortcomings well. Because of their harmonious relationship, they became an effective team in the work of spreading the gospel message. Jealousy and sibling rivalry never impeded or hindered their work.

Even though they were different in character and temperament, they got along very well. Andrew was never envious of Peter’s talent for preaching. The brothers never seemed to be in the least jealous of each other’s abilities or achievements. Late on the evening of the day of Pentecost, when largely through the energetic and inspiring preaching of Peter, two thousand souls were added to the kingdom, Andrew said to his brother: “I could not do that, but I am glad I have a brother who could.” To which Peter replied: “And but for your bringing me to the Master and by your steadfastness keeping me with him, I should not have been here to do this.” Andrew and Peter were the exceptions to the rule, proving that even brothers can live together peacefully and work together effectively. After Pentecost, Peter was famous, but it never irritated the older Andrew to spend the rest of his life being introduced as “Simon Peter’s brother.”

On February 23, 26 CE, Andrew was chosen as an apostle of Jesus. He was a disciple of John the Baptist before joining Jesus’ group. He had observed Jesus for some time and been attracted by his manner and what he taught. Earlier that day he told Jesus how impressed he was with his teachings and that he wished to follow him. Jesus heartily welcomed Andrew as his first apostle. At the time, Andrew was thirty-three years old, a year older than Jesus. That same day, his brother Peter and their working associates, John and James Zebedee were appointed as the second, third, and fourth apostles. The next two to be chosen were Philip and Nathaniel.

The first event these original six apostles attended together with Jesus was the wedding at Cana. There they beheld an apparent miracle, Jesus turning water into wine. This was the first of many miracles that Andrew and others witnessed, and just one of many in which Jesus told them to “tell no man.” Even though Andrew did not always understand Jesus’ reasons, it was his duty to ensure the other apostles knew about the Master’s requests. And Andrew was always faithful in his duties.

After the wedding incident, Jesus decided to send the six apostles on a two-week teaching mission in pairs. Before they departed, Jesus instructed each one to choose one other from the early converts to be an apostle. Andrew and Peter went to Capernaum. While there, Andrew found Matthew Levi and decided to nominate him as the seventh apostle. When the six that Jesus had selected—and the six they themselves had chosen—were confirmed, Jesus appointed Andrew as their director. Jesus then asked Andrew to select three of them to be his personal aides. He chose Peter and the two Zebedee brothers, James and John. Andrew would have liked to be one of Jesus’ aides, but that would conflict with his role as chief of the apostles. Andrew was a good organizer but a better administrator. He was one of the inner circle of four apostles, but his appointment by Jesus as the head of the apostolic group made it necessary for him to remain on duty with his brethren while the other three (John and James Zebedee, and Simon Peter) enjoyed very close communion with the Master.

As chief, Andrew became the leading supporter of Jesus’ policy of utilizing the program of personal work as a means of training the apostles as messengers of the kingdom. Whether they were out on a mission or at camp hearing Jesus teach the multitudes, Andrew was usually conversant with what was going on; he was an understanding executive and an efficient administrator. He rendered a prompt decision on every matter brought to his notice unless he deemed the problem beyond his authority, in which case he would take it straight to Jesus.

Being director of the apostles was seldom an easy task for Andrew. Thanks to his talent for organization and remarkable ability to lead, even in troubling situations, the apostles became a well-coordinated and effective team in which disagreements did not disrupt their unity or their work.

On January 17th of 28 CE, Jesus unintentionally performed a mass healing at sundown. That night he was troubled that his mission could be derailed by miracles such as this. Andrew and the others were thrilled about the healing and the demonstration of power but saw that Jesus did not share their enthusiasm. When Andrew asked why he was perturbed, Jesus tried to explain but he and the others simply could not understand, as was so often the case. Many other miracles, intentional ones, occurred before Jesus’ life ended but never again on the scale of the healing at sundown. Andrew was often perplexed by Jesus’ actions and teachings, but he never entertained the idea of quitting or betraying him.

Between January, 28 CE and March, 29 CE, Andrew and his fellow apostles were sent on three preaching tours. All three were to cities and villages in Galilee. The first was to the western and southern regions and lasted almost two months. On the second tour, they were sent to northern and eastern regions for about three months. The third tour lasted seven weeks and was in central and southern Galilee. On these tours, they encountered both acceptance and rejection of the gospel and were thereby prepared for the tribulations of the final stages of Jesus’ life and their mission after his death. In all this, Andrew learned a great deal about directing and managing this diverse group of men and coordinating their work with John the Baptist’s former disciples.

Aside from the three preaching tours, in the summer of 28 CE, Andrew, Peter, and James were put in charge of admissions to a school of evangelists where all twelve apostles were employed as teachers. From May until October, the twelve taught visitors at this temporary school. These truth-seekers came from all the nations of the Roman empire and from India in the East.

During his years of following Jesus, Andrew was kept busy settling misunderstandings and minor disagreements between the disciples of John and his fellow apostles. These two groups merged after John was executed. When Andrew took these disputes to Jesus, he would always say: “It is not wise for the host to participate in the family troubles of his guests; a wise parent never takes sides in the petty quarrels of his own children.” This caused Andrew to enlist the help of the other apostles in finding solutions acceptable to both sides. And always were solutions found, even if sometimes temporary.

Andrew was tremendously impressed with the human naturalness of Jesus. He never grew tired of contemplating how one who could live so near God could be so friendly and considerate. He remained loyal to Jesus and worked tirelessly to help with his mission until the last breath.

One of the first events (February 26 CE) in which Andrew as part of the original six apostles participated was the wedding at Cana. These new apostles were hoping Jesus would announce he was the expected messiah at this wedding, and when the water was turned into wine, their hopes soared. But Jesus dashed their hopes the next day at one of the most important conferences of his life. At this conference, he told the six who he was and what his mission was to be, and how it might end. They did not understand and held on to the messiah idea no matter how many times Jesus tried to make plain his true mission.

March to June of 26 CE was an initial period of training for the six apostles. This period was a strain on Peter’s patience and Andrew’s maturity helped calm and guide his brother. In fact, the training period was a test for each apostle, one which they all passed thanks in part to Andrew’s steadfastness. They learned a great deal about Jesus and began whole-heartedly trusting this man to whom they had devoted their lives. In later years after seasons of intense public work, the apostles looked back on these four months as the most precious and profitable of all their association with the Master.

Andrew, as one who worked closely with Jesus, had a role in many other important events, particularly the selection of Peter and Matthew Levi as apostles. Peter became one of the founders of Christianity and Matthew’s gospel is the first book of the Bible’s New Testament. When Jesus fed the five thousand with loaves and fishes after which they wanted to make Jesus their king, Andrew wisely opposed it.

One day, when Jesus was away, the apostles were approached by a father who wanted Jesus to “cast out a demon” from his epileptic boy. Simon Zelotes and Judas Iscariot stepped up and said they could do it, that Jesus need not be called. They quickly discovered they could not. Andrew then tried but he too was unsuccessful and had to admit failure to the boy’s father and asked him to wait for Jesus to return. Jesus healed the boy then explained to Andrew and the others why their attempt failed, a lack of faith and secret doubt. Such were the lessons Andrew and the others learned as Jesus’ apostles.

On another occasion, when the apostles had not been together very long, and after a trying experience preaching and teaching in Samaria, Andrew went to Jesus saying the group was nervous, tense, and disharmonious. Jesus responded by leading them up Mount Sartaba for a three-day rest. Atop the mountain, he explained to his apostles the importance of relaxation. Andrew’s worries were forgotten, and he learned an important lesson about the value of leisure and reflection.

Andrew witnessed, or knew about, many of Jesus’ miracles and cures, including the resurrection of Lazarus, the healing of lepers, and the restoration of the sight of a blind beggar. He heard and learned from Jesus’ many parables. He was present when Jesus cleansed the temple at Jerusalem, and he had his feet washed by Jesus at the Last Supper.

In the upper room, on Thursday evening April 6, 30 CE, at the home of John Mark where the Last Supper took place, Jesus spoke to each apostle before the meal and he commended Andrew for his fair and just leadership as head of the apostles, acknowledging his doubts and timidity but praising his sincerity. He released Andrew from administrative duties, emphasizing that his authority now stemmed solely from his spiritual leadership and the recognition of his peers. Jesus charged Andrew with promoting peace and brotherly love among his brethren and all gospel believers, preparing him for a future of guiding the apostles in unity and faith through the challenging times to follow after Jesus' departure and until the arrival of the Spirit of Truth.

After Jesus was arrested on Thursday night, Andrew and the apostles went into hiding to avoid being arrested, except for John, who stayed with Jesus until his crucifixion and burial, and Judas who killed himself. They stayed hidden in the upper room unsure what to do until they began receiving reports on Sunday morning declaring that Jesus was resurrected, alive, and appearing before a group of women, then two brothers, and later, Peter. Andrew was present in this same upper room at nine o’clock Sunday evening when Jesus appeared before him and the others and spoke briefly. At another post-resurrection appearance, when Jesus walked and talked with the apostles on the shores of Galilee, two and two.

In his walk, Jesus encouraged Andrew to deepen his trust in his fellow apostles, especially Peter, reminding him of the trust Jesus had placed in him as a leader. He advised Andrew to be a supportive counselor to James, Jesus' brother, as the apostles faced persecution and challenges after Jesus' departure. Jesus assured Andrew of his continued support and promised him a reunion after his earthly duties were completed.

In all, Andrew was present at seven of Jesus’ nineteen post-resurrection appearances. At his last appearance, on the morning of May 18th, 30 CE, Jesus led his apostles out to Mount Olivet where he spoke final words telling them his Spirit of Truth would soon come. After saying farewell and vanishing, they returned to the upper room. At one o’clock that afternoon during a prayer, Andrew and 119 other believers felt the coming of the Spirit of Truth. Peter, Andrew, James Zebedee, John, Matthew Levi, and Philip were so moved that they went to the Jerusalem temple where Peter preached a powerful sermon that brought two thousand more into the kingdom of believers. After the sermon, Andrew, Peter, James, and John took these converts to the pool of Siloam to be baptized.

Andrew’s great service, after Jesus’ death, was counseling the early leaders about the establishment and organization of the Christian church. And very soon after Jesus’ ascension, Andrew began the writing of a personal record of many of the sayings and doings of Jesus. After Andrew’s death, copies of this private record were made and circulated freely among the early teachers of the church. These informal notes of Andrew’s were subsequently edited, amended, altered, and added to until they made up a fairly consecutive narrative of the Master’s life on earth. The last of these few altered and amended copies was destroyed by fire at Alexandria about one hundred years after the original was written. These writings, along with notes from Mark and Matthew Levi, became the basis for all four Gospels.

When Jesus was no longer present and the religious authorities began persecuting his believers, the apostles were forced to leave Jerusalem and its surrounding towns. Andrew went alone journeying through Armenia, Asia Minor, and Macedonia, teaching and bringing many thousands more into the kingdom. This he did until he was arrested in Greece.

Andrew was martyred by crucifixion at Patras, Greece sometime between 60-70 CE. Early texts, such as the Acts of Andrew describe Andrew as bound, not nailed, to a Latin cross of the kind on which Jesus is said to have been crucified; yet a tradition developed that Andrew had been crucified on a cross of the form called crux decussata (X-shaped cross, or "saltire"), now commonly known as a "Saint Andrew's Cross" — supposedly at his own request, as he deemed himself unworthy to be crucified on the same type of cross as Jesus had been. The iconography of the martyrdom of Andrew — showing him bound to an X-shaped cross — does not appear to have been standardized until the later Middle Ages.

It was two full days before this robust man expired on the cross, and throughout these tragic hours, he continued effectively to proclaim the glad tidings of the salvation of the kingdom of heaven.

Andrew was sainted in the Catholic tradition in the fourteenth century. He is the patron saint of several countries and cities, including Barbados, Romania, Russia, Scotland, Ukraine, Sarzana, Pienza and Amalfi in Italy, Esgueira in Portugal, Luqa in Malta, Parañaque in the Philippines ,and Patras in Greece. He was also the patron saint of Prussia and of the Order of the Golden Fleece. He is considered the founder and the first bishop of the Church of Byzantium and is consequently the patron saint of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.

The feast of St. Andrew is observed on November 30th in both the Eastern and Western churches and is a bank holiday in Scotland. There are week-long celebrations in the town of St. Andrews and in some other Scottish cities.