John 1:40 tells us that Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two men who first heard John the Baptist point to Jesus and then chose to follow him. The verse identifies Andrew by name and by family link, and it sets up the chain of invitations that runs through the rest of the first chapter of John’s Gospel.
One of the two who heard John, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.
John 1:40 (WEB)
What John 1:40 Means
The verse begins by saying that one of the two was Andrew. The other, left unnamed here, is generally understood to be the author of the Gospel, though the text itself does not say so. Both men had been listening to John the Baptist, who had just called Jesus the Lamb of God. The phrase “who heard John, and followed him” describes more than hearing a message. It means they took the message seriously enough to leave John and go after the one he was pointing to.
The verse then gives Andrew’s relationship to Simon Peter, who will become one of the closest followers of Jesus. The detail matters because the Gospel is about to show how Andrew’s discovery leads directly to his brother’s encounter with Jesus. The verse does not promise any particular outcome for the reader, but it shows that faith often moves from one person to the next through ordinary connections such as family and friendship.
The Context of John 1:40
The Gospel of John was written, according to long-standing church tradition, by the apostle John, and it was likely addressed to a community of believers who needed to understand who Jesus was. Unlike the Synoptic Gospels, John opens with a theological introduction about the Word becoming flesh, and then moves quickly into a series of testimonies. Verse 40 sits inside a passage where people repeatedly point to Jesus and then go and bring others to him.
Just before the verse, John the Baptist calls Jesus the Lamb of God, and two disciples follow Jesus after hearing this. Jesus asks them what they are looking for and invites them to come and see. Right after the verse, Andrew finds his brother and tells him, “We have found the Messiah.” Read in this setting, John 1:40 is the hinge of the story: it names the first follower in the sequence, and it shows that his response to Jesus quickly becomes a witness to others.
Key Phrases in John 1:40
John 1:41
He first found his own brother, Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah!” (which is, being interpreted, Christ).
(WEB)
This verse continues directly from John 1:40 and shows Andrew bringing the news to his brother Simon. Reading the two together makes clear that Andrew’s following leads immediately to witness, which is the pattern that Jesus invites all his disciples to share.
Matthew 4:18-20
18 Walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers: Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew, his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19 He said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers for men.” 20 They immediately left their nets and followed him.
(WEB)
In Matthew’s account, Andrew and Simon are called to follow Jesus as fishermen by the Sea of Galilee. Comparing the two accounts helps you see how the first meeting in John develops into a lasting call to discipleship in the other Gospels.
A Short Prayer From John 1:40
Lord Jesus, thank you for the people who first pointed me to you and for the example of those who followed you when you called. Help me to listen closely to your voice and to follow you with a willing heart, even when the path is unclear. Give me the courage to tell someone I love what I have found in you, and let my invitation be simple and honest. Make me faithful in the small steps of following you each day. Amen.
