Disciple (Christianity)

In Christianity, the disciples were the students of Jesus during his ministry. Though often restricted to the Twelve Apostles, the gospels refer to varying numbers of disciples. The most well-known disciple outside of the Twelve was Mary Magdalene. In the Book of Acts, the Apostles themselves have disciples. At the end of his ministry, Jesus instituted the Great Commission, commanding those present to "go therefore and make disciples of all nations..." (Matthew 28:19-20a).

The word disciple is used today as a way of self-identification for those who see themselves as followers of Jesus or adherents to Christianity. The term is also used in English as a general term to mean "pupil" or one under the discipline of a teacher.

The term is derived from the New Testament Greek word μαθἡτἡς, coming to English by way of the Latin discipulus. It is distinct from apostle, meaning "messenger, he that is sent." While a disciple is one who learns from a teacher, an apostle is sent to deliver those teachings to others. The word Christian appears only one time in Christian scripture. Disciple 232 times in the four gospels and the Book of Acts.

Disciples of Jesus of Nazareth

Major disciples

The number of major disciples of Jesus is sometimes given as three, and at other times four. Peter, John, on James accompany Jesus to the Mount of Transfiguration. Later, they are posted at the Garden of Gethsemane to keep watch while Jesus prays. There, they famously fall asleep three times, allowing Judas and the Temple guards to approach Jesus without warning. On the other hand, both the Gospel of Mark (1:16–20) and the Gospel of Matthew (4:18–22) include passages where Jesus initially calls four fishermen from among those at the Sea of Galilee. These are Simon (later called Peter) and his brother Andrew, and the brothers James and John. A very similar account in the Gospel of Luke {5:1–11) lacks a mention of Andrew, placing the number again at three. The Gospel of John (1:35-51}} also includes an initial calling of disciples, but those named a Andrew, Simon (Peter), Philip and Nathanael. Later passages of John's Gospel presents the two most prominent disciples Peter and "the disciple whom Jesus love," presumably John himself.

Simon Peter, James and John are called to meet with Jesus separately from the Twelve, they are commonly termed "the Three." Whether to think of "the Four" of "the Three" major disciples is a point which some Christians debate, but not a essential doctrinal point. However, the issue of Peter's chief discipleship is indeed an issue. In the Eastern churches, Peter is considered the "first among equals," while in the Western church, his authority is greater than that of any other disciple and his later position as supposed Bishop of Rome gives particular importance to that episcopal seat.

The Twelve

The gospels often refer to a specific group of disciples called by Jesus on the top of a mountain and commissioned by him as the Twelve Apostles. The lists of these disciples given in the gospels vary somewhat, but they may be generally reconstructed as follows:

Simon, called Peter
Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter
James (called the son of Zebedee by Mark and Matthew)
John (Mark and Matthew identify him as the brother of James, son of Zebedee)
Philip
Bartholomew, or Nathanael in the Gospel of John
Matthew, called Levi in Luke and Mark
Thomas
James, son of Alphaeus
Simon, called a zealot in Mark, Matthew, and Luke
Judas Iscariot
Jude, called Thaddaeus by Mark, Lebbaeus Thaddaeus by Matthew, and Judas, brother of James by Luke

The Gospel of John refers to a significant but unnamed disciple called the Disciple whom Jesus loved. Since the Apostle John, unlike the other Twelve, is not otherwise named in that John's Gospel, the "beloved disciple" is usually assumed to be he.

The "Seventy" and others

The number of or persons among Jesus' disciples is not always given in the gospel accounts. For example " large crowd" of his disciples is mentioned in the opening of the passage of the Sermon on the Plain, which begins in Luke Luke 6:17. Additionally, 70 (or 72, depending on which ancient manuscript is used) people are sent out in pairs to prepare the way for Jesus (Luke 10:1). They are sometimes referred to as "the Seventy," the number probably being related to the 70 elders who advised Moses (Exodus 24:1) in the Old Testament and the number of members of Jewish Sanhedrin, or governing council, in the time of Jesus. Their mission was to prepare the towns where Jesus was going for his coming, heal the sick, and spread the word that God's reign is at hand. The were to take no personal possession with them not even a purse or sandals. Jesus declared that whoever "heard" to these 70 also hearsd them hears Jesus, and whoever rejects them rejects Jesus as well as rejected God. In addition, they are granted great powers over Satan and their names are written in heaven. Luke reports that "The seventy-two returned with joy and said, 'Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.'" (Luke 10:17)

All of the above disciples are apparently males (see below for female disciples), and other male disciples are also mentioned in the gospels. One of particular interest is Joseph of Arimathea. Mark, Matthew, and John name his as a disciple. Luke identifies him as a good man, and a member of the Sanhedrin. John specifies that his discipleship was secret. Another probable disciple was Lazarus, the man whom Jesus reportedly raised from the dead. He is called "one you love" by Luke (11:3) and "our friend" in John (11:11). The Pharisee Nicodemus, another member of the Sanhedrin, though never named as a disciple, places himself in the position of a student of Jesus in John 3:1-10, later defends Jesus before the Sanhedrin (John 7:50), and finally accomanpanies Joseph of Arimathea to retrieve Jesus' body after his death, providing about 75 pounds of costly myrrh and aloes for Jesus' burial. (John 19:39). After the Resurrection, Cleopas is named one of the two disciples to whom the [[Resurrection appearances of the risen Jesus appeared on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:18).

Women

In Luke (10:38–42), Mary, sister of Lazarus and her sister Martha both appear to be disciples of a sort. While Martha serves, Mary had chosen "the better part," that of listening to the master's discourse. John names her as the "one who had anointed the Lord with perfumed oil and dried his feet with her hair" (11:2). However, in Luke, an unidentified "sinner" in the house of a Pharisee named Simon anoints Jesus' feet In some traditions, Mary, the sister of Lazarus, is seen as the same as Mary Madgalene, as well as being the sinful woman at the house of Simon the Pharisee. Others see these women as two, or even three, separate persons.

Luke names a number of women as supporting Jesus and his disciples financially. He names three: "Mary, called Magdalene, ...Joanna the wife of Herod's steward Chuza, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their resources" (Luke 8:2-3). Mary Magdalene and Joanna are among the women who went to prepare Jesus' body in Luke's account of the resurrection, and who later told the apostles and other disciples about the empty tomb and words of the "two men in dazzling clothes." Mary Magdalene is the most well-known of the disciples outside of the Twelve. More is written in the gospels about her than the other female followers. There is also a large body of lore and literature covering her.

The gospel writers differ as to which women witnessed the crucifixion and witness to the resurrection. Mark includes Mary, the mother of James and Salome (not to be confused with Salome the daughter of Herodias) at the crucifixion, and Salome again at the tomb. John includes Mary the wife of Clopas at the crucifixion.

Discipleship

Perhaps the most widely used guide for who is a true disciple is Jesus' self-referential example from the Gospel of John 13:34-35: "I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." (NRSV)

Further definition by Jesus can be found in the Luke 14, which is a veritable treatise on the topic. Here Jesus give several "hard" sayings as to the standards for true disicipleship:

Luke 14:26 — "Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple."
Luke 14:27 — "Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple."
Luke 14:33 — "So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions."

These standards, obviously, could not remain as long-term qualifications in a stable Christian society. Rather, they evolved to become standards for true saints or martyrs, while discipleship took on a more practical meaning. Generally in Christian theology, discipleship is a term used to refer to a Christian's transformation from some other worldview and practice of life into that of Jesus Christ, and so, by way of later Trinitarian theology, of God himself. The Apostle Paul described this process as being: "not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect." (Romans 12:2)

Therefore, a disciple is not simply an accumulator of information or one who merely changes moral behavior in regards to the teachings of Jesus, but seeks a fundamental shift toward the ethics of Jesus Christ in every way, including complete devotion to God. In several Christian traditions, the process of becoming a disciple is called the Imitation of Christ, after the famous book of that title by Thomas à Kempis.

Ubiquitous throughout Christianity is the practice of making new disciples. At the beginning of Jesus' ministry, when calling his earliest disciples, he reportedly said to them, "Follow me and I will make you fish for people" (Matthew 4:19). Then, at the very end of his ministry Jesus instituted the Great Commission, commanding all present to "go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:19-20a). Matthew thus presented Jesus as incorporating this practice into the very definition of being a disciple and experiencing discipleship.

The same process of transformation is also evident in the recorded experiences of the original 12 disciples of Jesus. Though regarded highly throughout Church history, the biblical texts themselves do not attempt to show the Twelve as faultless or even having a solid grasp of Jesus' own ministry, including a recognition of their part in it. All four gospel texts are not reluctant to convey the confusion and foibles of the Twelve in their attempt to internalize and live out the ministry of Jesus within their own discipleship.

Perhaps the greatest shock Jesus' for disciples came when he announced that he will be put to death. Peter at that point boldly argued with Jesus saying, "God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you." Apparently, Jesus's disciples did not suspect that it was part of God's plan for Jesus to be crucified. Later, when he posts his three major disciples to stand watch at the Garden of Gethsemane, they all fall asleep.

On the other hand, according to the Book of Acts, at Pentecost with the coming of the Holy Spirit, the disciples take on a new boldness and determination in their discipleship. It is from this point where we see the often confused band of disciples (not limited to the Twelve) mature into what is known as the Church (ekklesia εκκλησια), the forefathers and foremothers of the faith of all modern Christians worldwide.

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

Bruce, A.B. The Training of the Twelve, Kregel Classics, 2000. ISBN 978-0825420887
Henreichson, Walter A. Disciples are Made, Not Born, Victor, 2002. ISBN 978-0781438834
More, Beth. Beloved Disciple: The Life and Ministry of John, Lifeway Christian Resources, 2002. ISBN 978-0633018511
Rainer, Thom, & Geiger, Eric. Simple Church: Returning to God's Process of Making Disciples, B&H Publishing Group, 2006. ISBN 978-0805443905

External links

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