Who Was Andrew in the Bible?
Quick Summary
Andrew was one of the first disciples called by Jesus and the brother of Simon Peter. Introduced in the Gospels as a former disciple of John the Baptist, Andrew consistently appears as someone who notices others and brings them to Jesus. Though he never occupies the spotlight, Andrew stands at several decisive moments in the Gospel story, embodying a form of discipleship rooted in attentiveness, trust, and quiet faithfulness.
Introduction
Andrew rarely commands attention in the Gospels. He is not remembered for a sermon, a miracle, or a confrontation with authorities. His name does not dominate the book of Acts, nor is it attached to a major theological argument in the New Testament letters.
And yet Andrew appears at the very beginning of Jesus’s ministry and at several of its most revealing moments. He is present when the first disciples are gathered. He recognizes Jesus before many others do. He facilitates encounters between Jesus and those who would otherwise remain unseen.
Andrew’s significance lies precisely in this pattern. He represents a form of discipleship that does not depend on prominence. His faith is steady rather than spectacular, relational rather than performative. In a tradition that often celebrates leaders and preachers, Andrew reminds readers that the movement of the Gospel often advances through people whose names fade quickly from memory.
Andrew’s Origins and Background
Andrew was a fisherman from Bethsaida, a town near the Sea of Galilee (John 1:44). Like many in that region, he worked in a family trade alongside his brother Simon Peter. Fishing in Galilee was physically demanding and economically uncertain. It required cooperation, patience, and resilience.
The Gospels give no indication that Andrew came from religious leadership or social privilege. He is shaped by ordinary labor and daily survival. This context matters. When Andrew responds to spiritual calling, he does so as someone already accustomed to risk and dependence.
Andrew’s background places him among the many unnamed workers who populate the Gospel world. His life reflects the social fabric from which Jesus draws his earliest followers.
Scholarly support: Jonathan Reed, Archaeology and the Galilean Jesus.
Andrew as a Disciple of John the Baptist
Andrew first appears in the Gospel of John not as a disciple of Jesus, but as a disciple of John the Baptist (John 1:35–40). This detail situates Andrew within a broader movement of expectation and repentance that predates Jesus’s public ministry.
When John points to Jesus and names him as the Lamb of God, Andrew responds immediately. He follows Jesus, spends time with him, and then seeks out his brother. Andrew’s transition from one teacher to another is not portrayed as betrayal, but as discernment.
This moment reveals Andrew’s openness. He is willing to move when he recognizes truth, even if it means leaving behind a trusted guide.
Scholarly support: Raymond Brown, The Gospel According to John.
Bringing Peter to Jesus
Andrew’s first recorded action after meeting Jesus is to bring Simon to him. “We have found the Messiah,” Andrew says (John 1:41). This declaration precedes Peter’s confession and leadership.
The Gospels never allow readers to forget this sequence. Peter’s prominence begins with Andrew’s initiative. Without Andrew’s quiet witness, the story of Peter might never begin in the same way.
Andrew does not attempt to manage the encounter. He does not explain Jesus or interpret him. He simply brings his brother and steps aside. This pattern will repeat throughout Andrew’s story.
Scholarly support: Richard Bauckham, Jesus and the Eyewitnesses.
Andrew in the Call by the Sea
The Synoptic Gospels recount Jesus calling Andrew and Peter while they are fishing (Matthew 4:18–20; Mark 1:16–18). Jesus calls them together, promising to make them fishers of people.
Andrew’s response mirrors Peter’s. Both leave their nets and follow. Yet the narrative momentum soon shifts toward Peter, James, and John. Andrew remains present but less visible.
This narrative choice does not diminish Andrew’s role. Instead, it clarifies it. Andrew’s discipleship is not measured by narrative space, but by consistency.
Scholarly support: Joel Marcus, Mark 1–8.
Andrew and the Feeding of the Five Thousand
Andrew emerges again in the feeding of the five thousand (John 6:8–9). While others focus on scarcity, Andrew notices a boy with five barley loaves and two fish.
Andrew names the insufficiency of the resources. He does not exaggerate their potential. Yet he brings them to Jesus anyway. This act embodies Andrew’s characteristic faith. He does not create solutions. He offers what is present.
The miracle unfolds not from abundance, but from attentiveness and trust.
Scholarly support: Craig Keener, The Gospel of John: A Commentary.
Andrew and the Greeks Who Seek Jesus
Near the end of Jesus’s ministry, Greeks approach Philip asking to see Jesus (John 12:20–22). Philip turns to Andrew, and together they bring the request forward.
This moment carries symbolic weight. The Gospel signals that Jesus’s mission is reaching beyond Israel. Andrew again functions as a bridge, facilitating access rather than controlling it.
Andrew’s repeated role as intermediary suggests a discipleship oriented toward openness rather than boundary-keeping.
Scholarly support: N. T. Wright, John for Everyone.
Andrew in the Inner Circle
Though Andrew is not always highlighted, Mark includes him among the four disciples who ask Jesus privately about the destruction of the Temple (Mark 13:3–4). This placement indicates trust and proximity.
Andrew is present for teaching that interprets history, judgment, and hope. His quiet presence does not exclude depth of understanding.
Scholarly support: Adela Yarbro Collins, Mark: A Commentary.
Andrew After the Resurrection
After the resurrection, Andrew appears among the apostles gathered in prayer (Acts 1:13–14). Luke does not single him out, but his continued presence suggests perseverance.
The book of Acts shifts attention toward Peter and Paul. Andrew recedes further into the background. Scripture resists filling in details it does not possess.
Later Christian traditions describe Andrew’s missionary work and death, but the New Testament remains restrained. Andrew’s biblical legacy rests on participation rather than achievement.
What Andrew Teaches About Discipleship
Andrew embodies a discipleship that notices people others overlook. He brings what he sees to Jesus without demanding recognition or control.
His story challenges assumptions about significance. Faithfulness does not require visibility. Leadership does not always speak loudly. Andrew’s life suggests that the Gospel often advances through small acts of trust repeated over time.
FAQs
Who was Andrew in the Bible?
Andrew was one of the twelve apostles, a former disciple of John the Baptist, and the brother of Simon Peter.
What is Andrew known for?
Andrew is known for bringing others to Jesus, including Peter, the boy with the loaves and fish, and the Greeks who wished to see Jesus.
Was Andrew one of the first disciples?
Yes. According to the Gospel of John, Andrew was among the first to follow Jesus.
Does Andrew play a major role in Acts?
No. Andrew remains present among the apostles, but Acts focuses primarily on Peter and Paul.
Works Consulted
Brown, Raymond E. The Gospel According to John.
Bauckham, Richard. Jesus and the Eyewitnesses.
Keener, Craig S. The Gospel of John: A Commentary.
Wright, N. T. John for Everyone.
Marcus, Joel. Mark 1–8.
Collins, Adela Yarbro. Mark: A Commentary.
