Who was this Andrew?
He was part of a decent fishing business up there in the north. He and his brother Simon, working alongside Zebedee and his young sons James and John, were doing well on the Galilee lake. John would take the fish as far as Jerusalem to sell, numbering the high and mighty Sadducee Chief Priests among his customers. Andrew and his brother, indeed the whole family, were working Jews, living out their lives faithful to their God as well as possible. However, Galilee was also a conduit for outsiders passing through and open to many non Hebrew influences. Andrew's name reveals one such influence, it is Greek, not Hebrew.
However, the arrival of a Prophet at the Jordan was newsworthy enough for Andrew and the rest to head south to hear what this man had to say. No prophet had appeared for amny years, this was a world shaking event and the people all wanted to see what it was all about. Crowds gathered from all regions while day after day this man, called John, dressed in his quaint outfit, one of camels hair and held together with a leather belt, preached his word warning of 'One' who was to come and demanding repentance from the people.
This John demanded the crowds returned to Gods rule, he offered a Baptism in water for those who repented of their sins and returned to their God. He also indicated answers to the many questions regarding how to do this all in line with the scriptures held in the synagogues everywhere.
John demanded soldiers did not abuse their position, and held little back in his contempt of the Jewish authorities with regards to what he considered their hypocrisy. His position was therefore a dangerous one, as authorities do not like being exposed. They were also always on the lookout for religious troublemakers, and there were plenty in 1st century Judea and Galilee, Andrew, by becoming one of Johns disciples risked all by his adherence.
John referring to himself as a forerunner of "One who is to come" was likely to create many different images of this 'one.' Many differing ideas were in the heads of Johns disciples, did he mean a warrior perhaps, or a new King?
It is clear Andrew was looking for something and he found an answer with John the Baptist. Many of the soon to be Jesus disciples were also in attendance and it is unlikely Simon his brother became a disciple of John, I suspect he would mention this in later years. He was however still in the vicinity. When one man from Nazareth came to John, underwent Baptism, and then disappeared into the crowd, it is likely Andrew never noticed him from among the others going through the water. John however, had declared him to be the 'One' yet Jesus remained almost unnoticed in the crowd.
It was when Andrew and another of John's disciples heard John say "Look, the Lamb of God," that they went up to Jesus. What do you say to a man a Prophet has proclaimed as 'The One?' The two were dumbfounded as Jesus turned and asked "What do you want?" A bit stunned they merely asked "Where are you staying?" I think this a brilliant question when you meet someone considered more important than a prophet of God!
Clearly impressed after an evening with Jesus we see Andrews reaction, he seeks out his brother Simon claiming "We have found the Messiah!" Some statement as many were to be found at that time in the land. No hesitation here, solid assurance that this man, here at the Jordan, was the Messiah, the Anointed One, the Christ! Simon must have been a wee bit astonished himself when he meets this unknown man, he will at least the Galilean accent. Jesus soon informsehim that he would change his name from Simon to 'Kephas,' the Aramaic for 'Rock.' (Written in Greek the New Testament uses the Latin term 'Petras' for 'Rock' as this would be better known to the readers. Hence 'Peter.').
The action speeds up here, Jesus returns to Galilee but first picks up Phillip, also from Bethsaida, Andrew and Simons home, with the words "Follow me."
A simple but life changing request.
Phillip is impressed and seeks out Nathanael who appears unimpressed by a saviour from Nazareth, indicating its lowly position. Only when Jesus reveals his knowledge of Nathanael's inner spiritual life does he then fall in.
All these men were seeking something from John the Prophet. I suspect all were baptised by him but this is never stated, all were Hebrews from the north, all faithful to their God as much as possible, all, like the rest of the society in which they lived, looking for the Messiah. Now Jesus had his first four men and yet they did not understand him or really know who he was.
The timeline is not clear but it appears back home they return to their work, they may well have been away for sometime. As I read it Jesus speaks to a crowd while standing in Simon's fishing boat, the crowd being too deep and close for him to be heard. He teaches from the boat and afterwards tells Simon to go out and fish, even though Simon is doubtful. He goes but he has been out all night and caught nothing, yet he goes at Jesus request. An enormous number of fish are caught and when they return to shore Simon, with Andrew in attendance, falls at Jesus feet, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!" For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Andrew and the rest had met with Jesus, talked with him and now had a glimpse of the supernatural reality of this world. Simon Peter understood this and had only one choice and that was to admit his natural sinful nature, the others will have been undergoing a similar experience.
It looks like Jesus let them go back to work to consider what had occurred then comes to the shore and calls them, along with James and John to 'Follow.' Andrew the fisherman joins with the three and follows Jesus not knowing what lies ahead, leaving behind a good business and facing possible death.
The reality of life had hit Andrew and his fellow fishermen. No matter how good the business a new reality forced them to face up to life.
There now follows three tough years of discipling.
Following Jesus was no picnic, for a start there were 12 Jesus had called 'apostles' and among the crowds were many equally close to Jesus, let alone the women who provided for him as he spread his message. Andrew, though Simons brother, was not given the privileged acess to Jesus that his brother shared with James and John, I wonder if was jealous? He did see the 5000 fed, Jesus walk on water, provision at wedding and the raising of the dead along with all sorts of healing. The hardest job was the attempt to control the crowds, just imagine a Middle Eastern crowd! along with the others Andrew was sent out to proclaim the message, heal the sick, cast out demons and call the nation to repent. He had seen the power, but like the others he all too often did not comprehend what Jesus was talking about.
Andrew was in Jerusalem at the end, partook of the 'last supper' and was in Gethsemane when Jesus was arrested. Like the rest he ran and hid while his Messiah died on a cross. Only young John and the women stood near.
Andrew was with the 12, now 11, when news of Jesus resurrection came through. What did he make of it all? Whatever he thought he was heartened when Jesus appeared amongst them, though they as loyal believers naturally thought he was a ghost! Andrew also received the Holy Spirit and the commission to 'go and make disciples.' He was there on the day of Pentecost when full of the Holy Spirit the disciples spoke to Jerusalem and the world of Jesus rising from the dead and announced the one way of salvation as open to all.
As often happens in scripture what matters is Jesus, God is important and honour must go to him. Therefore few details of the end of the apostles can be discovered, indeed many would honour them and pray to them rather than Jesus more willingly if they could indeed discover their burial place.
Andrew, some claim, went to Sythia and Thrace proclaiming Jesus and his death and resurrection. Others believe he went to Ukraine. All this is possible but little evidence can be found. Churches in some places often determine who founded them according to how many visitors this would bring to the church or monastery.
It is claimed by some that Andrew died on a cross at Patras in the northern Peloponnese. The story goes he felt unfit to be crucified on a cross similar to Jesus and chose a 'saltire' cross instead. It was not unusual for Roman soldiers to play with those condemned to death and often used various crosses and means of death. Sympathy was often lacking. If he died in AD 60 as some claim he would have been a mere 50 years old at most.
So, how come Andrew became patron saint of Scotland?
Wiki tells us this.
Several legends state that the relics of Andrew were brought by divine guidance from Constantinople to the place where the modern Scottish town of St Andrews stands today (Gaelic, Cill Rìmhinn). The oldest surviving manuscripts are two: one is among the manuscripts collected by Jean-Baptiste Colbert and willed to Louis XIV of France, now in the Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris; the other is the Harleian Mss in the British Library, London.
They state that the relics of Andrew were brought by one Regulus to the Pictish king Óengus mac Fergusa (729–761). The only historical Regulus (Riagail or Rule) whose name is preserved in the tower of St Rule was an Irish monk expelled from Ireland with Saint Columba; his dates, however, are c. 573 – 600.
There are good reasons for supposing that the relics were originally in the collection of Acca, bishop of Hexham, who took them into Pictish country when he was driven from Hexham (c. 732), and founded a see, not, according to tradition, in Galloway, but on the site of St Andrews.
or...
According legendary accounts given in 16th-century historiography, Óengus II in AD 832 led an army of Picts and Scots into battle against the Angles, led by Æthelstan, near modern-day Athelstaneford, East Lothian. The legend states that he was heavily outnumbered and hence whilst engaged in prayer on the eve of battle, Óengus vowed that if granted victory he would appoint Saint Andrew as the Patron Saint of Scotland.
On the morning of battle white clouds forming an X shape in the sky were said to have appeared. Óengus and his combined force, emboldened by this apparent divine intervention, took to the field and despite being inferior in numbers were victorious. Having interpreted the cloud phenomenon as representing the crux decussata upon which Saint Andrew was crucified, Óengus honoured his pre-battle pledge and duly appointed Saint Andrew as the Patron Saint of Scotland.
The white saltire set against a celestial blue background is said to have been adopted as the design of the flag of Scotland on the basis of this legend. However, there is evidence that Andrew was venerated in Scotland before this.
Personally I prefer the story of the monk in a wee boat who landed, co-incidentally at St Andrews, with a bag of bones he claimed were Andrew's bones and the local Pict King welcomed him and thus Andrew became a Scots saint. Hmmm...
(All persons who become Christians become 'saints.' There is no special role as a 'saint,' all believers are 'sanctified,' that is 'set apart,' for Gods use, therefore 'saints.' Andrew, like all other 'Saints' who are prayed to are in fact dead and as such unable, and I suspect, unwilling to answer prayers. We pray to God through Jesus the Messiah only. That way brings us to God.)
2 comments:
I remember a vicar who was with the platform party at a revivalist meeting.
The preacher demanded of all who were sinners to raise their hand. Vicar did not.
Afterwards the preacher asked him what the blazes he was doing not to raise his hand, to which the reply came,
Like all the followers of Jesus I am a saint...but sometimes I sin.
Fly, If only all vicars were like him!
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