Andrew, mentioned among the disciples of Jesus was first a disciple of John the Baptizer. John the Baptizer was baptizing at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan. He had two of his disciples with him, one was Andrew, the other unnamed is believed to have been John the Gospel writer. When the Baptizer identifies Jesus as God’s Lamb, Andrew and the unnamed disciple begin to follow Jesus. They are Jesus’ first disciples. You can read about it in John 1:35-42a.
“The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus.” [Vs 41-42a NIV]
That’s the thing Andrew was good at—bringing people to Jesus. Whenever Andrew is mentioned as an individual, he’s bringing someone to Jesus. He brought his brother first, then he brought the boy with the fish and loaves to feed the 5000. When Greeks came to Philip seeking an audience with Jesus, it was Andrew who took them to Him.
There is no mention of his death in the NT, but tradition has it that he was crucified at Patrae in Achaea on an X-shaped cross. He had protested that he was unworthy to be executed on a cross that was the same shape on which Jesus died. It is said he took two agonizing days to die.
Andrew’s legacy is that he was probably the first to follow Christ and that he simply “brought people to Jesus.” Not a bad legacy to have.
