Was of Bethsaida. The name of the city appears to have been mentioned on purpose, that the goodness of God to the three Apostles may be more illustriously displayed. We know how severely, on other occasions, Christ threatens and curses that city, (Matthew 11:21; Luke 10:13.) Accordingly, when God brought into favor with him some out of a nation so ungodly and wicked, we ought to view it in the same light as if they had been brought out of the lowest hell. And when Christ, after having drawn them out of that deep gulf, honors them so highly as to make them Apostles, it is a distinguished favor and worthy of being recorded.

Of Bethsaida - See the notes at Matthew 11:21.
The city of - The place where Andrew and Peter dwelt.

Now Philip was of Bethsaida,.... A town on the lake of Gennesaret, afterwards made a city by Philip the tetrarch, and called Julias, after the name of Caesar's daughter (m): it was a fishing town, and had its name from thence; and the disciples that were of it, were of this business:
the city of Andrew and Peter; or "Simon", as read the Syriac and Persic versions: three apostles were called out of this place, as mean, and wicked, as it was; see Matthew 11:21; which was no small honour to it: it is a saying of the Jews (n), that
"a man's place (his native place) does not honour him, but a man honours his place.''
This was the case here.
(m) Joseph. Antiqu. l. 18. c. 3. (n) T. Bab. Taanith, fol. 21. 2.

the city of Andrew and Peter--of their birth probably, for they seem to have lived at Capernaum (Mark 1:29).