April 30, 2023 Who was Andrew, the first chosen apostle?

Today, we will go to discover the twelve Jesus’ apostles. Who were they?

 

 “Were they “old, poor, ignorant and unlearned”?

 Do not make that mistake.

Except for the Alpheus twins, all of them graduated from synagogue schools. They were trained in Hebrew Scriptures and current knowledge of their times.

Seven of them graduated from  Capernaum synagogue, the best Jewish school of Galilee.

Were they old men with long beards and gray hair as pictured we often see? Not at all. They were at their peak strength and stamina. The oldest, was Andrew 33, and the youngest, was John  24, at the time they were chosen.

 

FIRST, WHO WAS ANDREW?

Andrew was born in Capernaum, the oldest child of a family of five. Simon (Peter) was his brother. His father was a  partner of the Zebedee’s family in the fish drying business at Bethsaida , fishing city of  Capernaum. Zebedee’ s family with two sons John and James, later will be chosen by Jesus. They were all connected and  friends.

He was single when chosen.

Talented, good organizer, best administrator, excepting oratory, he was first chosen and became chairman of the apostolic corps of twelve.

He was the one who introduced his brother Simon to Jesus. Simon was  one of the greatest preachers of the Gospel of the heavenly kingdom.

Both of them had worked together and  got along very well.

He was the best judge of men. 

He knew what happened to the mind of Judas Iscariot when other disciples were all unaware.

After Jesus ‘ ascension on high, he  began the writing of the sayings and doings of his Master. Copies of that Gospel were edited,  altered , added, circulated in the first  and early teachers of the Christian church. Unfortunately, that Gospel of Andrew, so precious to us, was destroyed by the fire of Alexandria about one hundred  years after the original  was written by the first chosen apostle.

 

After the Last Supper, Jesus told Andrew to dedicate the remainder of his life to promote  the brotherly love among men, devotion to the Greeks believers  in the West, and Abner ‘s disciples in the East, to proclaim the  Good News  of the salvation  of sonship with God, to hold the  disciples together in  the trying time.

 

Andrew was clear, logical, and had a firm decision. He admired his Master because of his Master's constant sincerity and dignity. He really wanted the world to know Him.

 

The persecutions scattered the apostles from Jerusalem.

He then travelled and spread the Gospel of the heavenly kingdom to Armenia, Asia Minor, and Macedonia. Finally he was arrested and crucified  in Patrae, in Achaia. Robust man, he continued to preach when on the cross, and he expired only two days after crucifixion.

(Armenia is bounded by Georgia and Azerbaijan in the North and East, while to the south and west by Iran and Turkey.

 Macedonia now is considered to include six Balkan countries: North of Macedonia, parts of Greece, Bulgaria, part of Albania, Serbia and Kosovo.

Achaia now is part of Greece).

Dear Jesus,

Andrew followed your path to the end.

 

“Greater love has no one than this, that a person  will lay down his life for his friend.”

"Dear Jesus, let me know You, and let me know myself. Knowing You, please help me to listen to You and practice what you command. Knowing me, to change my way into your righteous one, to have Heaven right in my heart and let You be with me forever.

AMEN".