John 1:44

44 (Now Philip came from Bethsaida, the same town as 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 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon, son of John: you shall be called Cephas" --that is to say, Peter (or `Rock').

43 The next day, having decided to leave Bethany and go into Galilee, Jesus found Philip, and invited him to follow Him.

44 (Now Philip came from Bethsaida, the same town as Andrew and Peter.)

45 Then Philip found Nathanael, and said to him, "We have found him about whom Moses in the Law wrote, as well as the Prophets--Jesus, the son of Joseph, a man of Nazareth."

46 "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" replied Nathanael. "Come and see," said Philip.