The narrative is generally understood to have no historical value, and is closer to a heroic romance than anything based on actual Christian missionary work.
Some scholars such as Richard Adelbert Lipsius suggest an early date of the 2nd century CE on the basis that was when the main Acts of Andrew appear to have been written.
This is largely considered an older view, however, and more recent scholarly analyses such as that of Anthony Hilhorst and Pieter Lalleman suggest that the episode was an independent tradition.
Andrew and his disciples fall asleep; when they awaken, they are already at the gate of the city of cannibals, and Jesus and his angelic crew have returned to heaven.
Andrew stealthily approaches the prison and prays; seven men guarding it instantly die, and the doors miraculously fling open.
Andrew is promptly dragged through the city streets at the end of a rope and then thrown in prison, where he is mocked by the devil and seven demons.
While Andrew wants to return to his disciples and his mission, Jesus insists he stay a time, and spends a week in the city of cannibals instructing them of Christianity before departing.
Among the Latin texts of the Acta Andreae et Mattiae, F. Blatt notes how the manuscript in Codex Casanatensis 1104 particularly expands upon the horror to describe the instruments and vessels the cannibals use for the slaughter.