Lives of Scripture

Andrew, a fisherman from Bethsaida, was originally a disciple of John the Baptist. When John identified Jesus as "the Lamb of God," Andrew followed Jesus and spent the day with Him -- then immediately found his brother Simon and told him, "We have found the Messiah," bringing him to Jesus (John 1:35-42). Later, by the Sea of Galilee, Jesus called both brothers directly from their nets to "follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men," and they left everything at once (Matthew 4:18-20; Mark 1:16-18). Andrew was numbered among the Twelve (Matthew 10:2; Luke 6:14) and was present with Peter, James, and John when they privately asked Jesus about the signs of the end times (Mark 13:3-4). His characteristic role in the Gospels is connecting people to Jesus: before the feeding of the five thousand, Andrew points out a boy with five barley loaves and two fish, though he doubts it can feed the crowd (John 6:8-9); when Greeks at the Passover feast asked to see Jesus, they approached Philip, who told Andrew, and together the two brought the request to Jesus (John 12:20-22). Andrew is last named in Scripture among the disciples gathered in prayer in Jerusalem after the ascension, awaiting the promised Holy Spirit (Acts 1:13-14). Church tradition holds he was later martyred, though Scripture does not record his death.