The Disciples And Discipleship

Discipleship Terms

μαθητής — “disciple, learner”
1. Meaning: A student, apprentice, or adherent; one who learns by following a teacher.
2. Occurrences: ~260 times in the Gospels and Acts, but not in Paul’s letters.
3. Matthew 5:1 – “His disciples came to him.”
4. John 8:31 – “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples.”
5. In the Gospels, a μαθητής is not a casual learner but someone committed personally to Jesus as Master.
μαθητεύω — “to make/be a disciple”
1. Meaning: To enroll as a disciple or to instruct in discipleship.
2. Matthew 28:19 – “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…”
3. Matthew 13:52 – “Every scribe who has been trained (made a disciple) for the kingdom of heaven…”
ἀκολουθέω — “to follow”
1. Meaning: To go along with, accompany, or follow as a disciple.
2. Occurrences: ~90 times, often in the Gospels.
3. Matthew 4:19–20 – “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
4. John 10:27 – “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”
5. Literal physical following, but with metaphorical sense of obedience and commitment.
“Coming After” Christ (ἔρχομαι ὀπίσω + gen.)
1. Following in the footsteps of Christ.
2. Mt 16:24 / Mk 8:34 / Lk 9:23 – “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”
3. Lk 14:27: “Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.”
Being “with” (μετά + gen.) Jesus
1. Mk 3:14: “And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him.” (cp. Acts 4:13 – The rulers recognize Peter and John as “uneducated, common men” but note that “they had been with Jesus.”)
2. Jn 6:66: “After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.”
3. Luke 22:28: “You are those who have stayed with me in my trials.”
δοῦλος — “slave/servant”
1. One who belongs to a master.
2. John 13:16 – “A servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.”
“Remaining / Abiding in Him” (μένω ἐν + dat.)
1. John 8:31 – “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples.”
2. John 15:4–5 – “Abide in me, and I in you… whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit.”
3. John 15:9–10 – Abiding in his love by keeping his commandments.
“Learning from” (μανθάνω ἀπό + gen.)
1. Matthew 11:28–29 – “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me…”
“Bearing Fruit” (καρπὸν φέρω)
1. John 15:8 – “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.
Imitating Jesus: “Just as I … you also” (καθὼς ἐγώ … καὶ ὑμεῖς)
1. John 13:13–15 – “You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.”
2. John 13:34 – “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another” (cp. John 15:12).
Together, these terms show that discipleship is:
1. Relational (being attached to Christ as Teacher and Lord).
2. Active (following, imitating, walking with him).
3. Transformative (becoming like Christ).

Jesus’s Call and Commission

First Disciples Called by the Sea of Galilee
1. Matthew 4:18–22 – Jesus calls Simon (Peter) and Andrew while they are casting nets, and then James and John, sons of Zebedee, while they are mending nets.
2. Mark 1:16–20 – Parallel to Matthew’s account: Simon and Andrew are called, then James and John leave their father in the boat.
3. Luke 5:1–11 – Expanded narrative: miraculous catch of fish precedes Peter, James, and John leaving everything to follow Jesus.
4. John 1:35–51 – Different perspective: John the Baptist points Andrew (and another disciple, likely John) to Jesus; Andrew brings Simon (Peter). Philip is also called and brings Nathanael.
The Twelve Disciples (Apostles)
1. Matthew 10:1–4 – Jesus calls His twelve disciples and lists them by name, giving them authority over unclean spirits and to heal diseases.
2. Mark 3:13–19 – Jesus goes up on the mountain, calls those He desired, appoints twelve to be with Him, to preach, and to have authority to cast out demons; names are listed.
3. Luke 6:12–16 – After a night of prayer, Jesus calls His disciples and chooses twelve, naming them apostles.
4. John, as usual, assumes knowledge of the Twelve from the Synoptics, but in Jn 6:67–71 he mentions the Twelve, including Judas Iscariot as the one who would betray Him.
Reaffirmation and Mission Sending of the Twelve
1. These passages show Jesus commissioning the Twelve with authority to preach, heal, and cast out demons.
2. Matthew 10:5–15 – The Twelve sent out with specific instructions: preach the kingdom, heal, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons.
3. Mark 6:7–13 – Jesus sends the Twelve out two by two, giving them authority over unclean spirits.
4. Luke 9:1–6 – Jesus gives the Twelve power and authority over demons and to cure diseases, sending them to proclaim the kingdom of God and heal.
Right before the passion
1. Matthew 19:28 – Jesus promises the Twelve that they will sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
2. Luke 22:28–30 – Jesus affirms at the Last Supper that the disciples who stayed with Him in His trials will eat and drink at His table in His kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes.
After the resurrection
1. John 20:21–23 – After the resurrection, Jesus re-commissions the disciples: “As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” He breathes on them and says, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”
2. Matthew 28:16–20 (The Great Commission) – The Eleven (after Judas’s betrayal and death) are sent to make disciples of all nations, baptizing and teaching.
3. Mark 16:14–20 (longer ending) – The Eleven are commissioned to proclaim the gospel to all creation.
4. Luke 24:44–49 – Jesus opens their minds to understand the Scriptures and promises they will be “clothed with power from on high.”

Other Disciples Outside the Twelve

“Disciples” is a larger circle. It includes “the twelve” but there are other disciples as well. This invites us in to the story so that we can see ourselves in the twelve.

Matthew 8:21 – “Another of the disciples said to him, ‘Lord, let me first go and bury my father.’”
Matthew 27:55–56 – “Many women were there… who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him.”
Matthew 27:57 – Joseph of Arimathea, “who was also a disciple of Jesus.”
Luke 8:1–3 – Mary Magdalene, Joanna (wife of Chuza), Susanna, and “many others” who supported Jesus’ ministry from their resources.
Luke 10:1–20 – 70 (or 6x12=72) disciples sent out in pairs to heal and announce the kingdom.
1. 70/72 Elders of Israel endowed with Spirit (Num 11:16)
2. 70/72 Nations that descended from Noah (Gen 10)
3. Spirit-empowered leadership going out and extending Christ’s kingdom to the nations of the earth.
Luke 10:38-42 – Mary and Martha
Luke 19:37 – A whole multitude of disciples rejoices and praises God at the triumphal entry.
Luke 24:13: Two disciples on the Road to Emmaus, one of whom is named Cleopas (v 18), distinct from the eleven (v 33).
John 6:60–66 – “Many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.”
John 11:1–44 – Mary, Martha, and Lazarus of Bethany.
John 18:15–16 – An unnamed disciple known to the high priest, who helps Peter gain access to the courtyard.
John 19:25–27 – Women at the cross: Mary the mother of Jesus, her sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, Mary Magdalene.
John 19:38–39 – Joseph of Arimathea (a disciple secretly, because of fear of the Jews) and Nicodemus who had earlier come to Jesus by night.
John 20:1–18 – Mary Magdalene
John 21:2 – “two others of his disciples.”
Acts 1:13–15 – After the ascension, about 120 disciples gathered, including Mary the mother of Jesus and His brothers.

The Disciples’ Growing Understanding

Initial Calling and Limited Understanding
1. In the early stages of Jesus’ ministry, the disciples see His authority in teaching and miracles but struggle to grasp His identity and mission.
2. Calling and Initial Following
  1. John 1:41, 49 – Andrew tells Simon, “We have found the Messiah.”
3. Witnessing Authority in Miracles
  1. Mark 4:41 – After Jesus stills the storm, the disciples ask: “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
  2. Mark 6:51–52 – After walking on water, “they were utterly astounded, for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.”
4. Misunderstanding His Mission
  1. John 6:15 – After feeding the 5,000, the crowd wants to make Him king; the disciples seem caught up in this misunderstanding.
  2. John 6:66–69 – Many disciples leave, but Peter confesses: “You have the words of eternal life… you are the Holy One of God.” A step forward, but not yet full clarity.
5. Summary: Before Peter’s confession, the disciples recognize Jesus as great, perhaps even messianic, but their expectations are tinged with nationalistic hopes and confusion about His divine mission.
Peter’s Climactic Confession of Faith
1. Matthew 16:13–20 // Mark 8:27–30 // Luke 9:18–21
2. Peter declares: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew); “You are the Christ” (Mark, Luke).
3. Jesus affirms the divine source of this recognition.
4. Peter is spokesman for the twelve.
5. This is the turning point in the Synoptic Gospels.
6. The disciples at last articulate Jesus’ messianic identity, but still lack clarity on the mission of the Messiah — suffering and death.
Understanding the Messiah’s Mission
1. Right after Peter’s confession, Jesus begins to reveal the suffering path of His mission.
2. Matthew 16:21–23 // Mark 8:31–33 // Luke 9:22 – Jesus predicts His suffering, death, and resurrection.
3. Peter rebukes Him, showing that while the disciples grasp His identity as the Messiah, they still do not grasp that His mission is one of suffering.
4. Matthew 17:22–23 // Mark 9:30–32 // Luke 9:43–45 – Second passion prediction; the disciples “did not understand the saying, and were afraid to ask.”
5. Matthew 20:17–19 // Mark 10:32–34 // Luke 18:31–34 – Third passion prediction, met with incomprehension and self-centered ambition (e.g., James and John asking for seats of honor).
The Transfiguration: Divine Confirmation of Jesus’ Identity
1. Matthew 17:1–8 // Mark 9:2–8 // Luke 9:28–36
2. Jesus is transfigured before Peter, James, and John.
3. The divine voice declares: “This is my beloved Son… listen to Him,” that is, about what he is saying regarding his suffering.
4. Moses and Elijah appear, underscoring Jesus’ fulfillment of the Law and Prophets.
5. The Transfiguration shows His divine glory but immediately points to His impending death.
On the Way to Jerusalem: Continued Misunderstanding but Continued Growth
1. Luke 9:51 – Jesus sets His face toward Jerusalem; the disciples misunderstand the nature of His mission, expecting immediate triumph.
2. Mark 9:33–37 // Matthew 18:1–4 – They argue about who is greatest; Jesus teaches humility and servanthood.
3. Mark 10:35–45 // Matthew 20:20–28 – James and John request positions of honor; Jesus teaches that greatness comes through servanthood and that the Son of Man came to give His life as a ransom for many.
Climax in the Passion and Resurrection
1. When Jesus is arrested, tried, and crucified, the disciples scatter (Mark 14:50), showing their failure to grasp His mission.
2. At the Resurrection: Confusion at the empty tomb (John 20:9 – “they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead”).
3. Post-Resurrection Encounters: Their understanding deepens as Jesus explains the Scriptures (Luke 24:25–27, 44–47).
4. Pentecost (Acts 2): Only after receiving the Spirit do the disciples fully grasp and boldly proclaim the crucified and risen Jesus as Lord and Christ.

Discipleship as Response to Grace, Not Means of Salvation

The Call of the Disciples Begins with Jesus’ Initiative
1. Matthew 4:18–22; Mark 1:16–20; Luke 5:1–11 – Jesus calls Simon, Andrew, James, and John while they are fishing. The initiative is entirely His; they respond by leaving everything.
2. John 15:16 – “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit.”
3. Point: Discipleship begins not with human merit, but with divine calling.
Faith in Jesus’ Identity Is the Starting Point
1. Matthew 11:28–30 – “Come to me, all who labor… and I will give you rest.” The invitation is to rest in His grace, not to earn salvation through toil.
2. John 6:28–29 – When asked what works God requires, Jesus replies: “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”
3. Point: The essence of discipleship is believing in Christ, not performing meritorious works.
The Cost of Discipleship Flows from Grace Already Received
1. Luke 9:23–24 – “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”
2. Luke 14:26–27, 33 – Jesus calls for renunciation of all that competes with Him.
3. These hard sayings follow Jesus’ proclamation of the kingdom as a gift (Luke 4:18–19; 12:32 – “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom”).
4. Point: The radical demands are not conditions to buy entry into the kingdom, but the shape of life lived by those who have already received it.
Discipleship Is Expressed in Gratitude and Service
1. Luke 7:36–50 – The sinful woman loves much because she has been forgiven much. Love and devotion to Jesus spring from grace received.
2. John 13:14–15 – Jesus washes His disciples’ feet, then calls them to do likewise. Their service imitates His prior grace toward them.
3. Point: Discipleship is thanksgiving in action, patterned after Christ’s self-giving.
Salvation Is a Gift; Discipleship Is the Fruit
1. John 15:4–5 – “Apart from me you can do nothing.” Fruit-bearing comes from abiding in Christ’s saving union, not human effort.
2. Matthew 5:16 – “Let your light shine… that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” Works do not merit salvation but glorify God as the fruit of grace.
3. Luke 12:32 – The kingdom is given freely by the Father; discipleship is living in response to that gift.
Summary:
1. Obedience to Christ is not meritorious: Jesus never presents discipleship as earning salvation — faith in Him is always the starting point.
2. Flowing from grace: The demands of discipleship are radical because they reflect the reality of belonging to Christ, who has already given rest, forgiveness, and the kingdom.
3. Thankful response: Forsaking all, bearing the cross, serving others, and persevering to the end are ways disciples respond to God’s grace in Christ with gratitude and loyalty.

Seeing ourselves in the disciples

Faith in Christ: Knowing His Identity and Trusting Him
1. The decisive question: “Who do you say that I am?” (Matt 16:15).
2. Discipleship begins not with our strength but with recognizing Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God.
3. True discipleship is rooted in faith — not full understanding at once, but trust in Him as Lord.
Discipleship is a Lifelong Process
1. The disciples show us that disciples are not made in a day.
2. They stumble, misunderstand, argue about greatness, yet continue walking with Christ.
3. Our journey of faith is one of progressive illumination: the Spirit leads us into deeper truth (John 16:13).
The Essence of Discipleship: Taking up Cross
1. Jesus’ repeated call: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Mark 8:34).
2. True discipleship involves forsaking all for Christ.
3. To follow Jesus means to embrace suffering, but with eyes fixed on the eschatological reward: “great is your reward in heaven” (Matt 5:12).
4. “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Mark 8:34).
  1. The three passion predictions (8:31; 9:31; 10:32–34) mark an escalation of the apocalyptic conflict already visible in Jesus’ ministry.
  2. The summons to “take up one’s cross” (8:34) and “become a servant of all” (9:35; 10:44) arises directly from Jesus’ impending self-sacrifice, which climaxes in the rending of the heavens at the crucifixion (15:38).
  3. Mark presents the disciples’ destiny as a continuation and imitation of Jesus’ own path of suffering and obedience, assuring them of final vindication.
  4. We as disciples must view our suffering as imitation of Jesus’ suffering. Why? So that we might be assured that just as we have shared in Christ’s suffering so we will also share in his vindication.
  5. This assurance gives us the strength to endure and suffer well, knowing that God is accomplishing his kingdom purpose through it.
  6. Discipleship means active participation in this divine victory through the same self-giving obedience that characterized Jesus’ own mission.
Following Imperfectly: Peter’s Failure and Restoration
1. Peter’s denial (Luke 22:54–62) shows how weak even the boldest disciple can be.
2. Yet the risen Lord restores him (John 21:15–19), showing that failure is not the end.
3. We falter, but Christ remains faithful (2 Tim 2:13).
The Warning of Judas: False Discipleship
1. Judas walked with Jesus, heard His teaching, and saw His miracles — yet betrayed Him (Matt 26:14–16; John 13:27).
2. A sober reminder: some who profess to be followers of Christ demonstrate that they never really were.
Conclusion: Following Christ Today
1. The disciples’ story mirrors our own: misunderstanding, faltering, growing, restored.
2. The call remains the same: Believe in Christ (recognize His identity and trust in his saving work).
3. Be patient and expect it to be a lifelong process with many ups and downs.
4. Take up your cross, embrace suffering now, but look to the glory to come, when he vindicates us and grants us a share in His resurrection and a place in his kingdom.

A Book on Discipleship in the Gospel of Matthew

Ben Cooper, Incorporated Servanthood: Commitment and Discipleship in the Gospel of Matthew (Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 2013).
Cooper’s thesis is that Matthew seeks to form readers into a community of disciples embodying “incorporated Servanthood”—a mode of commitment patterned on Jesus’ own servanthood, which fulfills the Isaianic Servant’s mission.
1. Matt presents Jesus as the Servant who brings forgiveness and inaugurates the mission to the nations.
2. Compliant readers are incorporated into this Servant’s program, being served by him for forgiveness and then commissioned to serve and teach others in a derivative and dependent pattern.
3. Through narrative empathy with the disciples, readers are drawn into Jesus’ salvific vocation, participating in his mission as servants within the eschatological people of God.
4. Matt seeks to form a community whose identity and vocation mirror the Servant’s own—faithful obedience to God expressed in sacrificial service to others, culminating in the worldwide extension of salvation.
Incorporated Servanthood as the Key Motif
1. Christological Foundation
  1. Jesus is portrayed as the obedient Servant-Son, whose life, death, and resurrection fulfill Isaiah’s Servant prophecy.
  2. His mission establishes the paradigm of theocentric commitment—obedience to God’s will unto death and vindication.
  3. The pattern (obedience → suffering → vindication) is mirrored in the disciple’s own vocation.
2. Discipleship as Incorporation
  1. Discipleship is defined as participatory servanthood—the disciple enters into the Servant’s mission, enabled by his redemptive work.
  2. This relationship is not imitation alone but ontological participation: disciples are dependent on Jesus’ prior obedience and empowered to continue his mission.
3. Mission and Presence
  1. The risen Christ’s declaration (“All authority… I am with you always”) ensures that disciples live within the Servant’s continuing presence.
  2. The Church, therefore, becomes the corporate extension of the Servant, engaged in the ongoing mission of God.
Narrative and Eschatological Resolution
1. Temporal and Thematic Resolution
  1. Matthew distinguishes between Jesus’ vindication (already fulfilled) and the final vindication/judgment (still future).
  2. This inaugurated eschatology structures the disciples’ commitment: faithfulness amid delay, obedience during mission.
2. Matthew’s Narrative Logic
  1. The narrative moves from proclamation to misunderstanding to resolution—culminating in resurrection and commission.
  2. The disciples’ transformation parallels that of the implied reader: misunderstanding gives way to recognition and obedient participation.
Integration of Major Themes
1. Commitment as a Composite Concept
  1. It includes faith, repentance, obedience, love, righteousness, humility, and service.
  2. The diversity of Matthean vocabulary serves the single communicative goal: evoking long-term relational fidelity to God through Christ.
2. Righteousness and Relationship
  1. “Righteousness” in Matthew is not mere ethical performance but living faithfully within the Servant’s covenantal mission.
3. Faith and Obedience
  1. Faith is trust in the Servant’s word and person.
  2. Obedience manifests that trust in action.
  3. They are inseparable.
4. The Role of the Disciples
  1. The disciples represent in-process commitment—their growth, failure, and restoration mirror the believer’s journey.
  2. Through their narrative arc, readers are taught what it means to move from fear to faithful servanthood.
Rhetorical and Hermeneutical Conclusions
1. Matthew’s Gospel as Divine Rhetoric
  1. The Gospel is designed to transform its readers.
  2. It employs narrative empathy, contrast, and commissioning speech acts to align readers’ identity with Jesus.
2. From Reading to Participation
  1. To “understand” Matthew rightly is to enter into his world of commitment—to move from spectator to participant.
  2. The Gospel is a performative text: it does something to its audience.
3. Theological Implications
  1. Cooper’s synthesis presents Matthew as a text that is both historically grounded and rhetorically active.
  2. Its goal is to create a community of readers whose obedience, humility, and mission flow from union with the Servant’s commitment to the Father.
Final Summary
1. The aim of Matthew is the formation of a servant community through narrative communication.
2. Jesus’ obedience to the Father is the archetype of commitment; discipleship is incorporation into that obedience.
3. The rhetoric of Matthew transforms theological truth into communicative action.