BEHOLD, THE LAMB OF GOD
From a commentary by St Basil of Seleucia1
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Spurred on by the testimony of John the Baptist, the glorious apostle
Andrew left his teacher and ran to the one pointed out by him. John’s words
were his signal, and, moving more swiftly than John could speak, he
approached the master with obvious longing, his companion, John the
Evangelist, running beside him. Both had left the lamp to come to the sun.
Andrew was the first to become an apostle. It was he who opened the gates
of Christ’s teaching. He was the first to gather the fruits cultivated by the
prophets, and he surpassed the hopes of all by being the first to embrace the
one awaited by all. He was the first to show that the precepts of the law were in
force only for a limited time. He was the first to restrain the tongue of Moses,
for he would not allow it to speak after Christ had come. Yet he was not rebuked
for this, because he did not dishonor the teacher of the Jews, but honored more
the sender than the one sent. In fact Andrew was seen to be the first to honor
Moses, because he was the first to recognize the one he foretold when he said:
The Lord God will raise up for you from among your kindred a prophet like
myself. Listen to him. Andrew set the law aside in obedience to the law. He
listened to Moses who said: Listen to him. He listened to John who cried out:
Behold the Lamb of God, and of his own accord went to the one pointed out to
him.
Having recognized the prophet foretold by the prophets, Andrew led his
brother to the one he had found. To Peter, who was still in ignorance, he
revealed the treasure: We have found the Messiah for whom we were longing.
How many sleepless nights we spent beside the waters of the Jordan, and now
we have found the one for whom we longed! Nor was Peter slow when he heard
these words, for he was Andrew’s brother. He listened attentively, then
hastened with great eagerness.
Taking Peter with him, Andrew brought his brother to the Lord, thus
making him his fellow-disciple. This was Andrew’s first achievement: he
increased the number of the apostles by bringing Peter to Christ, so that Christ
might find in him the disciples’ leader. When later on Peter won approval, it was
thanks to the seed sown by Andrew. But the commendation given to the one
redounded to the other, for the virtues of each belonged to both, and each was
proud of the other’s merits. Indeed, when Peter promptly answered the master’s
question, how much joy he gave to all the disciples by breaking their
embarrassed silence! Peter alone acted as the mouthpiece of those to whom the
question was addressed. As though all spoke through him, he replied clearly on
their behalf: You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. In one sentence he
acknowledged both the Savior and his saving plan.
Notice how these words echo Andrew’s. By prompting Peter the Father
endorsed from above the words Andrew used when he led Peter to Christ.
Andrew had said: We have found the Messiah. The Father said, prompting
Peter: You are the Christ, the Son of the living God, almost forcing these words
on Peter. “Peter,” he said, “when you are questioned, use Andrew’s words in
reply. Show yourself very prompt in answering your master. Andrew did not lie
to you when he said: We have found the Messiah. Turn the Hebrew words into
Greek and cry out: You are the Christ, the Son of the living God!”
1 Journey with the Fathers – Year B – New City Press – NY -1993 – pg 72-73.3