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Andrew the New Testament Apostle

Andrew was one of the first to be called as a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. His brother was Simon called Peter. He met Jesus through his association with John the Baptist because Andrew was a follower of John’s.

Jesus was walking along the sea one day when he saw the brothers fishing on their boats. He called out to them that if they would follow Him, He would make them fishers of men. Without hesitation, they left their boat and went with Jesus, setting an example for people everywhere.

Jesus sent the disciples out to preach the gospel, but restricted their preaching. They were not to teach the gospel to Gentiles or to Samarians. Instead, they were to focus on the lost sheep of Israel. (Later, after Jesus’ death, Peter would receive a revelation that opened the gospel to all people.) He instructed them to heal the sick, to cast out devils, and to work without pay—in fact, to travel with nothing, depending on God to take care of them. He warned them they would be persecuted, but that God would reward them.

Jesus fishermenAndrew had the privilege of witnessing some of the Savior’s miracles, including the healing of Simon’s mother-in-law.

Andrew was one of the four apostles who asked Jesus about the signs that the Second Coming was near. Jesus warned them of false Christs, persecution of the prophets, wars, famines, earthquakes, and families turning against one another. He explained that although the signs would tell us the Second Coming was close, no one would know the exact time it would happen, so we needed to always be alert and prepared.

Andrew took his brother to hear Jesus Christ preach, telling him they had found the Messiah. Jesus changed Peter’s name to Cephas, which means stone, at that time.

It was Andrew who sparked the miracle of the loaves and the fishes. When there was not enough food to feed the many people who had been listening to Jesus preach, Jesus asked Phillip where they could buy food. Phillip responded that it would be too expensive. What they could buy would not feed the crowds. Andrew found a boy with two fishes and a small loaf of bread and told Jesus of him, but pointed out that it was far too little to be of help. Jesus obtained the loaves from the child, blessed it, and had the disciples hand it out. There was enough and more to feed the five thousand.

When Jesus ascended to Heaven, Andrew was among those who gathered in the upper room to pray.

*This article was adapted from the LDS Bible Dictionary and Every Person in the New Testament by Lynn F. Price (Horizon Publishers, [2002], 25-26).

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