The preachers quoted here describe a disciple as someone committed to the Master to be trained by him, who has given up his own way. They speak of discipleship as casting one's whole life on Christ in continual dependence, and they deny that it is a higher grade of Christian.
The word is mathetes, a learner or pupil.1 It is the ordinary New Testament name for Christ's followers, used throughout the Gospels and Acts, while "Christian" occurs only three times. Luke records that "the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch" (Acts 11:26).
A disciple in the Gospels is not simply a student of ideas but someone who follows a person. The call was "Come ye after me" (Mark 1:17), and its terms were stated to all: "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me" (Luke 9:23).
Jesus did not soften those terms to gain numbers. To the crowds he said that whoever does not bear his cross cannot be his disciple, and "whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple" (Luke 14:27, 33). He told them to count the cost first.
John's Gospel gives three marks. Disciples continue in his word: "If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed" (John 8:31). They love one another: "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples" (13:35). And they bear fruit (15:8).
The church's commission is to make disciples of all nations, "teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:19-20). William MacDonald taught that "the life of discipleship is a supernatural life, and it can only be lived by the enablement of the Holy Spirit."2
A disciple, then, is a believer who has come under Christ's teaching and authority and is following him at cost. The New Testament does not know a class of Christians who are not disciples.
- Strong's Greek 3101, mathētḗs: "a learner, i.e. pupil".
- William MacDonald, "The True Discipleship Broadcast-1983-02 True Discipleship" (sermon).
In their own words
Each line below is quoted exactly from a sermon on this site. Follow the link to hear or read it where it was said.
A disciple is one who is committed to the Master, to be trained for a specific purpose.
Stephen Kaung
in Discipleship I
Listen at 23:40
A disciple is a man who has given up all desire to have his own way and seek his own will.
G.W. North
in Bethesda - the Sheep Market
Read in context
Discipleship is looking to the Christ and saying, I throw everything that is my life upon him.
Paul Washer
in Are You a True Disciple? (Faith Bible Church)
Listen at 24:53
Discipleship is nothing but the continual dependence upon God through Christ for all of life.
Art Katz
in K-484 Discipleship
Listen at 1:10:00
Discipleship is not some superior level of Christian living.
George Verwer
in Is Discipleship Possible Hong Kong Eng to Chinese
Listen at 37:41
And discipleship is having a disciplined life.
Jack Hibbs
in The Discipline of Decision - 5
Listen at 0:18
What Scripture says
- Luke 9:23 deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me
- Luke 14:33 whoever does not forsake all that he has cannot be my disciple
- John 8:31 if you continue in my word, you are my disciples indeed
- John 13:35 by this shall all men know that you are my disciples
- Matthew 28:19-20 go and make disciples of all nations
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