I am not be able to identify the cause of fear that is found in families when somebody gets hurt or is being too sick, or maybe when a member of the family is absent and does not come back home early enough.

In some environments it’s maybe because of ethnic reasons. A tribe in conflict with another tribe may cause a sensitive feeling towards brothers and sisters or mothers with their children. For sure in the days of Christ’s incarnation, things were different than nowadays where we have phones and mobiles, What-app and messenger. There was a very slow communication among regions and countries. During the Roman Empire, messengers took the written letters on horses from one place to another which took quite a time traveling and it was quite expensive.

Coming back to our story, if Andrew and John were in Judea, and that was true according to John Chapter1: 25 – 42 where we find Andrew mentioned as being a disciple of John the Baptist with another disciple who’s name is not mentioned as usual when the apostle John writes about himself.

Andrew was the brother of Simon and John was the brother of James, both being the sons of Zebedee. They were all fishermen and they were partners in the business, as mentioned in Luke5: 10 and in Mark1: 16-20, and as it seems clear in many other places mentioned in the gospels that they had two boats, one of Simon the other of the sons of Zebedee.

It is mentioned in Matthew3: 5 Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins, which shows that John and Andrew were there to be baptized, and later became followers of John the Baptist. This should have taken quite a time: from Capernaum in Galilee to Judea three walking days, then to be baptized among the multitude of people should have taken more days; becoming disciples of John also took some time, then following Jesus  much more time (John1: 38-40).

Why do we think they left alone without their brothers?

Simply because they were partners in fishing and they would not leave the crew alone with Zebedee and go to Judea the four together.

So my assumption was that they decided that the two go first, and when they will come back, the other two in their turn could leave.

Another lighting point was what John mentioned in his gospel chapter 1 and verse 40 and 41: Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.

If this was the case, then the long period that made the two absent from their home, would not have been so easy for the family to bare without worrying. They could not communicate and tell them: “sorry, we are late”.

It was this point that made me think they were heading towards an adventure, worth writing a story about.