On Saint Andrew · §6 · Hesychius of Jerusalem

Raised Above Kings and Stars

…perceiving that his word held some hidden meaning, they followed him (Matthew 4:20). At once they rose above the earth and were seen to be more glorious than kings: like angels, ministers of God, heralds of salvation, servants of immortality, more radiant than sun, moon, and stars. For their glory is not, as it were, beneath the heavens, but above the…

Greek

τὸν λόγον ἔχειν τι νενοηκότες ἀπόκρυφον, ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ· καὶ παραχρῆμα τῆς γῆς ἄνω γεγόνασι καὶ βασιλέων ὤφθησαν ἐνδοξότεροι, ἀγγέλων ὅμοιοι, λειτουργοὶ θεοῦ, σωτηρίας κήρυκες, ἀθανασίας διάκονοι, ἡλίου καὶ σελήνης καὶ ἀστέρων ἐκλαμπρότεροι· τούτων γὰρ ἡ δόξα οὐχ ὡς ὑπὸ τῶν οὐρανῶν ἀλλ' ὑπὲρ τῶν

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A fresh English translation of Hesychius of Jerusalem’s sermon in praise of the apostle Andrew, the first to be called, who brought his brother Peter to Christ.

Hesychius of Jerusalem (fl. c. 412–450), a priest of the church of Jerusalem, preached this homily in praise of the apostle Andrew. It opens with a call to sound the trumpet for the feast. Andrew, called before all the others, is the apostolic trumpet who gives all a share in grace.

Andrew told Peter, "We have found the Messiah" (John 1:41), though he had heard John say only "Behold the Lamb of God." Hesychius asks where the one found had been lost, and answers from the prophets. David took pride in seeking God, and Hosea foretold healing after two days and rising on the third day, fulfilled when Christ rose and the women found him at dawn.

Hesychius then turns to Christ's first preaching, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near" (Matthew 4:17), and to the call of Simon and Andrew by the Sea of Galilee. The fishermen left their nets without doubting the promise to make them fishers of men. The homily closes with a prayer that the apostles' light may shine into our minds, so that we may become fish in their heavenly net, choice fare for the Master's table.

Fresh English translation of Hesychius of Jerusalem's In sanctum Andream, made from the Greek of PG 93, the base text. No English version was used as wording.

Printed text used

Translated from PG 93 (Greek)

We have not yet re-checked this work against its source. We made this study translation with AI help. No scholar has yet certified it as faithful and complete. Open Greek on any section to see the source text. It is not a critical edition.

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