John 1:44

44 Philip was of Bethsaida the cite of Andrew and Peter.

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 and brought him to Iesus. And Iesus behelde him and sayde: thou arte Simon the sonne of Ionas thou shalt be called Cephas: which is by interpretacion a stone.

43 The daye folowynge Iesus wolde goo into Galile and founde Philip and sayde vnto him folowe me.

44 Philip was of Bethsaida the cite of Andrew and Peter.

45 And Philip founde Nathanael and sayde vnto him. We have founde him of whom Moses in the lawe and the prophetes dyd wryte. Iesus the sonne of Ioseph of Nazareth.

46 And Nathanael sayde vnto him: can ther eny good thinge come out of Nazareth? Philip sayde to him: come and se.