Andrew in the Bible Encyclopedia - ISBE

an'-droo (Andreas, i.e. "manly." The name has also been interpreted as "the mighty one, or conqueror"): Andrew was the first called of the Twelve Apostles. I. In New Testament. 1. Early History and First Call: Andrew belonged to Bethsaida of Galilee (compare Jn 1:44). He was the brother of Simon Peter and his father's name was John (compare Jn 1:42; 21:15,16,17). He occupies a more prominent place in the Gospel of Jn than in the synoptical writings, and this is explicable at least in part from the fact that Andrew was Greek both in language and sympathies (compare infra), and that his subsequent labors were intimately connected with the people for whom Jn was immediately writing. There are three stages in the call of Andrew to the apostleship. The first is described in Jn 1:35-40. Andrew had spent his earlier years as a fisherman on the Sea of Galilee, but on learning of the fame of John the Baptist, he departed along with a band of his countrymen to Bethabara (the Revised Version (British and American) "Bethany") beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing (Jn 1:28). Possibly Jesus was of their number, or had preceded them in their pilgrimage. There Andrew learned for the first time of the greatness of the "Lamb of God" and "followed him" (Jn 1:40). He was the means at this time of bringing his brother Simon Peter also to Christ (Jn 1:41). Andrew was probably a companion of Jesus on his return journey to Galilee, and was thus present at the marriage in Cana of Galilee (Jn 2:2), in Capernaum (Jn 2:12), at the Passover in Jerusalem (Jn 2:13), at the baptizing in Judea (Jn 3:22), where he himself may have taken part (compare Jn 4:2), and in Samaria (Jn 4:5)...