Bede: Homily 1: 16

 

It is no great thing for the Lord to say the name of any man or of his father, since he holds the names of all the saints inscribed in heaven.  But since he was about to bestow upon the disciple a name more sublime in merit, and since he was about to give him an identifying name which would be fitting for the head of the whole Church, he first wished to show that even the [name] which he had received from his parents did not lack signification regarding virtue. Simon means 'obedient,' and John means 'the grace of God'. You are Simon, son of John' — 'You are the obedient son of God's grace'. And rightly is he called by a name [meaning] obedience, since first he took care to [come to] see the Lord as soon as Andrew invited him; and later, when the Lord himself called him to discipleship together with Andrew, whom [the Lord] called at the same time, he did not put off following him immediately, but left behind the nets which he made his living by using. Andrew's name too carries with it a true image of his mind. For the Greek 'Andrew' means 'manly' in Latin. By willingly following the Lord, either at John's preaching

or at the order of the Lord himself, he shows that he belonged to the heritage  of those who boldly despise temporal possessions out of love for eternal things an who believe that they will see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.