John 1:44

44 Philip was from the town of Bethsaida, where Andrew and Peter lived.

John 1:44 Meaning and Commentary

John 1:44

Now Philip was of Bethsaida
A town on the lake of Gennesaret, afterwards made a city by Philip the tetrarch, and called Julias, after the name of Caesar's daughter ^F13: it was a fishing town, and had its name from thence; and the disciples that were of it, were of this business:

the city of Andrew and Peter;
or "Simon", as read the Syriac and Persic versions: three apostles were called out of this place, as mean, and wicked, as it was; see ( Matthew 11:21 ) ; which was no small honour to it: it is a saying of the Jews ^F14, that

``a man's place (his native place) does not honour him, but a man honours his place.''

This was the case here.

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FOOTNOTES:

F13 Joseph. Antiqu. l. 18. c. 3.
F14 T. Bab. Taanith, fol. 21. 2.

John 1:44 In-Context

42 Then Andrew took Simon to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas." ("Cephas" means "Peter."n)

43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, "Follow me."

44 Philip was from the town of Bethsaida, where Andrew and Peter lived.

45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the man that Moses wrote about in the law, and the prophets also wrote about him. He is Jesus, the son of Joseph, from Nazareth."

46 But Nathanael said to Philip, "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" Philip answered, "Come and see."