Yochanan 1:44

44 Now Philippos was from Beit Tzaidah, the shtetl of Andrew and Kefa.

Yochanan 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.

---

FOOTNOTES:

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

Yochanan 1:44 In-Context

42 Andrew led Shimon to Yehoshua. When Yehoshua gazed at Shimon, he said, You are Shimon Bar Yonah. You will be called Kefa, which is translated Petros [Rock]. [BERESHIS 17:5,15; 32:28; 35:10]

43 On the next day he wanted to go out into the Galil, and he finds Philippos, and says to Philippos, Follow me [as my talmid]. [MELACHIM ALEF 19:19]

44 Now Philippos was from Beit Tzaidah, the shtetl of Andrew and Kefa.

45 Philippos finds Natan’el and says to him, He whom Moshe [Rabbeinu] wrote of in the Sefer Torah, he whom the Nevi’im also wrote of—Yehoshua ben Yosef [ben Dovid], from Natzeret we have found! [DEVARIM 18:18; YESHAYAH 7:14; 9:5[6]; YECHEZKEL 34:23]

46 And Natan’el said to Philippos, Can anything good come out of Natzeret? [7:41; YESHAYAH 11:1; ZECHARYAH 6:11 12] Philippos says to Natan’el, Bo’u u’re’u! (Come and see!) [MELACHIM BAIS 6:13]