Then Andrew brought him to Jesus

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/010420.cfm
1 John 3:7-10
John 1:35-42

Following last year’s mens retreat in August, Steve Hall suggested that our 2020 retreat focus should zero in on saints and sainthood. His desire to study saints has had quite an effect on my writing since then. The first thing I thought of when studying the readings from Saturday, January 4, was that very issue.

The gospel reading (John 1:35-42) introduces us to the apostle Andrew, the first of Jesus’ disciple recruits. We don’t get much information on the apostles outside of the circle of Peter, James, and John. We get insights into Judas and Thomas. Scripture provides very little on the others. Andrew, however, stands out in this reading, and in two more (John 6:8-9) where he recruits the boy with the loaves and fishes, and (John 12:20) when he takes the Greek pilgrims to meet Jesus. All three reveal his natural evangelistic style of introducing the curious and hopeful to Jesus.

Andrew and “another disciple,” surely John because he doesn’t name himself in his own writings, were both disciples of John the Baptist. The desert evangelist made a point to direct them toward Jesus, calling his cousin the “Lamb of God.” The inference couldn’t be more clear.

John and Andrew had already heard of Jesus. They also witnessed the events at Jesus' remarkable baptism the day before this reading takes place. We can imagine the young fishermen’s attraction to the Nazarene. He was the One, according to John the Baptist. Jesus just might be the expected Messiah. With some hesitation, at John the Baptist's urging, they walked a ways behind Jesus. They figured they could find out where he was bunking up, hoping for an opportunity to engage him.

“The two disciples heard what [John the Baptist] said and followed Jesus.”

Their interest in Jesus was understandable. Since the two disciples of John the Baptist had already attached themselves to a prophet, both a holy man and a teacher, they were “prepared” for Jesus.

“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. He is the one of whom I said, ‘A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’ I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel.”
(John 1:29-30)

This is an obvious, though subtle, offshoot of John’s ministry. Scripture tells us not just of the Baptist’s awareness of who Jesus is. His followers had also been prepared to meet and see and know Jesus. John’s identification of Jesus as one who “existed before me,” is not lost on those who know the two men. Jesus is John the Baptist’s younger cousin. This holy and charismatic Son of Man, then, is also inferred by John as the Son of God.

Another aspect of the young Andrew and John’s interest in Jesus is John the Baptist’s explanation of the “baptism of the Spirit” that Jesus would bring. John baptized with water. An angel had told John the Baptist that, “the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the holy Spirit.’” The two disciples knew this prophecy.

This step-by-step building of Jesus’ relationships with John the Baptist’s followers into his own followers continues throughout the gospels as Jesus slowly embraces his disciples as students, then friends, and then ordained foundations for a Church to last many millennia. Eventually, over the next three years, Jesus would explain that not only would he win over the hearts of his disciples, he would send his Holy Spirit to reside in them; and most radically, he would physically enter into their bodies in the Eucharist. This growing relationship — an intimacy never imagined in anyone’s minds, and impossible to ingest in one sitting or teaching — begins with a simple question. Jesus then takes the two men on a spiritual adventure that would change history.

Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them,
“What are you looking for?”
They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher),
“where are you staying?”
He said to them, “Come, and you will see.”
So they went and saw where he was staying,
and they stayed with him that day.
(John 1:38-39)

In their time "seeing" with Jesus, Andrew is convinced that Jesus is the Messiah. In just a few hours he is not simply “educated.” That education has been taking place over many years of hearing Jewish scriptures, and long sessions as disciples of John the Baptist. Andrew’s preparations, accepted by his heart and mind, are now confirmed in Jesus’ presence.

Here is where Andrew’s gifting, his transparent character and socially tuned nature, reveal the missionary zeal that would mark the rest of his life.

Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who heard John and followed Jesus. He first found his own brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated Anointed). Then he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at [Simon] and said, “You are Simon the son of John; you will be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter).
(John 1:40-42)

An important detail about both Andrew and John should be addressed. The two men are younger brothers of two other future disciples. Peter is Andrew’s older brother. James is the older brother of John. We know John and James, the “Sons of Thunder,” and sons of Zebedee, were much like Andrew and Peter. Both of the older brothers were brash, outspoken, and often corrected by Jesus. The younger brothers looked up to, and even venerated, their brothers.

Unlike John, who was a member of the apostolic inner circle (James, Peter, and John), Andrew takes a back seat to the others in scripture. Yet, Andrew is the one who recruited Peter into following Jesus, and likely dozens of others. John doesn’t, nor does any other writer, explain how his older brother James was recruited. The recruitment pattern of Andrew uniquely reported on by John. John marks Andrew’s missionary evangelical gifting. He is not just Andrew’s friend. He is also Andrew’s proponent, and eager biographer.

He first found his own brother Simon and told him,
“We have found the Messiah,” which is translated Christ.
Then he brought him to Jesus.
Jesus looked at him and said,
“You are Simon the son of John;
you will be called Cephas,” which is translated Peter.
(John 1:38-39)

The “first found” reference implies that Andrew found others to recruit also. His attending role is also highlighted in the Garden scene (John 12:20) where Andrew took Philip to tell Jesus that some Greeks wanted to speak with Jesus. Andrew initiates their meeting with the Messiah, just hours before his arrest.

Andrew doesn’t just go get folks and bring them to Jesus. He is the one whom others bring to introduce to Jesus. Under the cloak of fear, the Greek’s become last minute disciples of Jesus. Andrew is the first to recruit Jesus’ disciples in Peter, and the last to recruit in bringing forward the Greeks. Andrew’s evangelical role is completed, when Jesus then says his famous statement of submission to his crucifixion.

“The hour has come for the Son of man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If any one serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there shall my servant be also; if any one serves me, the Father will honor him.”

Andrew isn’t commonly raised up as the servant saint to Jesus in most of our minds. We know he has been named as the saint of many sea-based occupations — invoked by fishermen and sailors. He is also called upon to intercede for cures of gout and throat infections. Yet, his apparent approachability and access to Jesus inspires those of us who may have a similar gift.

Jesus might well have been looking at Andrew when he made that statement. “If any one serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there shall my servant be also.”

Saint and Apostle Andrew can be called upon still, I believe, to invite those looking for Jesus, to be brought to him. In doing so we join Andrew in this invitation.

Saint Andrew, we have someone who wants to know about the Christ. “Then [Andrew] brought him to Jesus.”