Andrew was a fisherman. We only know the occupations of five of the
apostles; Andrew, Peter, James, and John were all fisherman, and Matthew was a
tax collector. With God leaving the
occupations of the other apostles unknown to all later generations, may we be
reminded God uses people of all different occupations to be a witness for him!
Shields, or "emblems," of the twelve
apostles are not of ancient origin! Found as art in some churches today, such as in stain glass windows, I have not read documentation on their origin, but the origin is apparently from the denomination of the Church of England, though Anglicans may have utilized some symbols originating in the Roman Catholic denomination.
Andrew was crucified on a cross which had an X shape, thus his emblem usually depicts this X cross with two fish below it. The two fish are said to symbolize both the fact that Andrew answered the call to be a ‘fishers of people,’ just as his brother Peter did, and the fact it was he who “spoke up” and pointed out the boy with five loaves and two fish as recorded in John 6:8-9.
Andrew was crucified on a cross which had an X shape, thus his emblem usually depicts this X cross with two fish below it. The two fish are said to symbolize both the fact that Andrew answered the call to be a ‘fishers of people,’ just as his brother Peter did, and the fact it was he who “spoke up” and pointed out the boy with five loaves and two fish as recorded in John 6:8-9.
And though the shields do not have a long
history, some of the emblems may. Andrew’s
cross is on Scotland’s official flag, and he has long been their patron
apostle. Encyclopaedia Britannica
states: “The first corroborated use of the symbol dates from 1286, when it
appeared in the government seal of the “guardians” of Scotland.”[1]
John 1:40
“Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John
had said and who had followed Jesus. The
first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, ‘We have
found the Messiah’ (that is, the Christ)” (NIV).
I think it is cool the first thing Andrew did after hearing Jesus for the
first time was to go and tell his brother.
This illustrates to me brotherly love.
The writing I mentioned in the last post which is disputed as to whether actually from Hippolytus, which Eusebius most likely used, stated Andrew preached to the Scythians.[2]
Like many ancient countries, Scythia was
different sizes at different times, yet the area north of the Black Sea where
Ukraine is today was part of the country, and it probably went into modern
Russia.
In later years Andrew went to Achaia
(Greece), and that is where he was martyred in Patras, crucified on the X
shaped cross as I said above.
I close by examining why Scotland has adopted
the apostle Andrew when most scholars claim he was never there? Apparently there are no early writings which tell he ministered in Scotland. Yet there is a tradition he was there. I think he could have been! Traveling in the Mediterranean Sea vicinity, and beyond, was common. For example, Paul states he was going to Spain in his letter to the Romans, recorded in Romans 15:24 and Romans 15:28.
And though his plan to go straight to Spain after his trip to Jerusalem at the conclusion of his "third missionary journey" was thwarted, since he ended up being arrested in Jerusalem and put in prison in Caesarea for two years, Paul did get to visit Spain for a year in the midst of his time in Rome.[3]
What definitely did happen was someone in the 4th or 5th century brought some bones reported to be Andrew’s to Scotland, which were buried at a place which would later become the famous St. Andrews.[4]
Hunter Irvine
And though his plan to go straight to Spain after his trip to Jerusalem at the conclusion of his "third missionary journey" was thwarted, since he ended up being arrested in Jerusalem and put in prison in Caesarea for two years, Paul did get to visit Spain for a year in the midst of his time in Rome.[3]
What definitely did happen was someone in the 4th or 5th century brought some bones reported to be Andrew’s to Scotland, which were buried at a place which would later become the famous St. Andrews.[4]
Hunter Irvine
I am proud
to have seen Phil Keaggy in concert six times in Colorado. Phil gave his heart to Jesus in February of
1970. He has been following Jesus for
forty-five years. Wow. He is a humble Christian man. This is my favorite Phil Keaggy song:
[1] Encyclopaedia Britannica (http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1355495/flag-of-Scotland)
(Accessed 2/19/15).
[2] Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson, eds., The Ante-Nicene Fathers: The Writings of the Fathers Down to A.D. 325 (1867; digital repr., Albany, Oregon: SAGE Software, 1996), 5:535.
[2] Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson, eds., The Ante-Nicene Fathers: The Writings of the Fathers Down to A.D. 325 (1867; digital repr., Albany, Oregon: SAGE Software, 1996), 5:535.
[3] J. Daniel Hays and J. Scott Duvall, The Baker Illustrated Guide to the Bible (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2016), 102.
[4] William McBirnie, The Search for the Twelve Apostles
[4] William McBirnie, The Search for the Twelve Apostles
(Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, 1973), 82.
