Jesus said, “And I....... will draw all men to myself.” (Jn. 12:32).   . . . learning from the men, women and children of Bible times             Andrew,  an apostle of Jesus Christ                                        This is a true story! Andrew, the apostle   The name Andrew is a Greek name which means “manly” or “of valor.”   Andrew was the brother of Simon Peter and son of Jonah.  He was born in Bethsaida in the province of Galilee and was a fisherman like his brother Peter.  Before he met Jesus, Andrew was a disciple of John the Baptist. However, when John pointed to Jesus as the Lamb of God he realized that Jesus was greater and immediately left John, found his brother Peter and became a disciple of Jesus (John 1:25-42).  After this Andrew and Peter continued to be fishermen and lived at home until being called permanently by Jesus to be “fishers of men.” (Mt. 4:18f).   Most of what we know about Andrew comes from the Gospel of John.   John reveals Andrew as one who was constantly bringing people to Jesus.  He began by bringing his brother Peter to Jesus.    Later Jesus is teaching the multitudes on the mountainside and he asks Philip where they could find food to feed the crowd and Philip says “Eight months wages could not buy enough bread” to feed them. It was Andrew who brought the boy with five barley loaves and two fish to Jesus which Jesus miraculously multiplies into enough food to feed everyone.  And it was Andrew who during the Passover Feast brought a group of Greeks (Gentiles) to meet Jesus which prompts Jesus to remark “when I am lifted up from the earth I will draw all men to myself.”    Andrew knew that Jesus came not only to save Israel but everyone on the earth. The last time Andrew is mentioned in the Bible is in Acts chapter one where he is listed as one of the witnesses of Jesus’ resurrection and His ascension into Heaven. Concentration Game Andrew said, "There is a lad here who has 5 barley loaves and 2 fish...."  John 6:9     The writings of the early church fathers such as Eusebius, Origen and Jerome tell us that Andrew traveled extensively preaching the Gospel.   The places where he was supposed to have preached included Achaia, Galatia, Cappadocia, Bithynia and even Scythia (modern day Russia) which was a land inhabited by barbarians (Col. 3:11).  And like his brother Peter, Andrew was crucified during the reign of Nero in Achaia.   It is said he was crucified on a saltire cross which is a cross in the shape of an X and that he was tied (instead of nailed) and that he was on the cross for 2 days before dying.  During those two days he preached the Gospel to everyone who passed by.  Later (in 345 AD) the Roman Emperor Constantine (who was a Christian) had Andrew’s bones carried to the far northwest to modern day Scotland which is why the X shaped cross on which Andrew died became Scotland’s national flag in the year 1385. Copyright © 2008, 2009, Woodruff & Woodruff

These Bible Stories and Bible Quizzes are in honor and glory of my Lord Jesus Christ.
This I do in praise of my God.