Charles Ellicott Commentary John 1:44

"Now Philip was from Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter." — John 1:44 (ASV)

Of (or rather, from) Bethsaida, is added as one of the minute touches of local knowledge which give this Gospel the colour and vividness that an eyewitness alone could impart.

This location explains the meeting. Philip was going home, and Bethsaida was on the way Jesus would naturally take from Bethany to Cana (John 2:1–2).

It also explains the process by which Philip passed from Messianic hope to a full belief in the Christ. He was a fellow townsman of Andrew and Peter. These two had talked together about ancient prophecy and future expectation. One had announced to the other in striking language, "We have found the Messias," and Philip uses the same word when he tells the good news to Nathanael.

This "Bethsaida of Galilee," as it is called when describing Philip in John 12:21, is thus distinguished from Bethsaida Julias, which was on the eastern side of the lake. (See Josephus, Ant. xviii. 2, § 1, and compare the note on Luke 9:10).