What is a disciple?

The Greek word usually translated disciple simply means a student or one who learns. But it was a particular kind of student in Jesus’ day.

In Jesus’ culture, teachers or rabbis gathered students about them who wanted to learn the rabbi’s particular theological perspective. Jesus was a rabbi in this sense. He had a group of students who followed him around and made it their mission to understand everything he taught.

In addition to the twelve apostles who had a unique and personal relationship with Jesus, many others (both male and female) followed Jesus and sought to learn everything he taught. These student-followers are called his disciples.

After Jesus left the earth, his apostles were given the assignment to go out and make disciples. The striking thing about the apostles is they did not go out and make disciples of themselves – as would be expected in their culture. Instead, they made disciples of Jesus.

You can be a disciple without ultimately becoming a believer (John 6:66; John 8:31-32). But it you are a believer, you are also a disciple.

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Use of the word disciple in the New Testament

disciple = μαθητής; mathētēs; from G3129; a disciple: – disciple (26), disciples (233), disciples’ (1), pupil (1) – Strong’s G3101

disciple (26x) – Mat 10:24; Mat 10:25; Mat 10:42; Mat 13:52; Mat 27:57; Luk 14:26; Luk 14:27; Luk 14:33; Joh 9:28; Joh 18:15; Joh 18:16; Joh 19:26; Joh 19:27; Joh 19:38; Joh 20:2; Joh 20:3; Joh 20:4; Joh 20:8; Joh 21:7; Joh 21:20; Joh 21:23; Joh 21:24; Act 9:10; Act 9:26; Act 9:36; Act 16:1; Act 21:16.

disciples (229v/233x) – Mat 5:1; Mat 8:21; Mat 8:23; Mat 9:10; Mat 9:11; Mat 9:14; Mat 9:19; Mat 9:37; Mat 10:1; Mat 11:1; Mat 11:2; Mat 12:1; Mat 12:2; Mat 12:49; Mat 13:10; Mat 13:36; Mat 14:12; Mat 14:15; Mat 14:19; Mat 14:22; Mat 14:26; Mat 15:2; Mat 15:12; Mat 15:23; Mat 15:32; Mat 15:33; Mat 15:36; Mat 16:5; Mat 16:13; Mat 16:20; Mat 16:21; Mat 16:24; Mat 17:6; Mat 17:10; Mat 17:13; Mat 17:16; Mat 17:19; Mat 18:1; Mat 19:10; Mat 19:13; Mat 19:23; Mat 19:25; Mat 20:17; Mat 21:1; Mat 21:6; Mat 21:20; Mat 22:16; Mat 23:1; Mat 24:1; Mat 24:3; Mat 26:1; Mat 26:8; Mat 26:17; Mat 26:18; Mat 26:19; Mat 26:20; Mat 26:26; Mat 26:35; Mat 26:36; Mat 26:40; Mat 26:45; Mat 26:56; Mat 27:64; Mat 28:7; Mat 28:8; Mat 28:13; Mat 28:16; Mat 28:19; Mar 2:15; Mar 2:16; Mar 2:18; Mar 2:23; Mar 3:7; Mar 3:9; Mar 4:34; Mar 5:31; Mar 6:1; Mar 6:29; Mar 6:35; Mar 6:41; Mar 6:45; Mar 7:2; Mar 7:5; Mar 7:17; Mar 8:1; Mar 8:4; Mar 8:6; Mar 8:10; Mar 8:27; Mar 8:33; Mar 8:34; Mar 9:14; Mar 9:18; Mar 9:28; Mar 9:31; Mar 10:10; Mar 10:13; Mar 10:23; Mar 10:24; Mar 10:46; Mar 11:1; Mar 11:14; Mar 12:43; Mar 13:1; Mar 14:12; Mar 14:13; Mar 14:14; Mar 14:16; Mar 14:32; Mar 16:7; Luk 5:30; Luk 5:33; Luk 6:1; Luk 6:13; Luk 6:17; Luk 6:20; Luk 7:11; Luk 7:18; Luk 7:19; Luk 8:9; Luk 8:22; Luk 9:14; Luk 9:16; Luk 9:18; Luk 9:40; Luk 9:43; Luk 9:54; Luk 10:23; Luk 11:1; Luk 12:1; Luk 12:22; Luk 16:1; Luk 17:1; Luk 17:22; Luk 18:15; Luk 18:34; Luk 19:29; Luk 19:37; Luk 19:39; Luk 20:45; Luk 22:11; Luk 22:39; Luk 22:45; Joh 1:35; Joh 1:37; Joh 2:2; Joh 2:11; Joh 2:12; Joh 2:17; Joh 2:22; Joh 3:22; Joh 3:25; Joh 4:1; Joh 4:2; Joh 4:8; Joh 4:27; Joh 4:31; Joh 4:33; Joh 6:3; Joh 6:8; Joh 6:12; Joh 6:16; Joh 6:22; Joh 6:24; Joh 6:60; Joh 6:61; Joh 6:66; Joh 7:3; Joh 8:31; Joh 9:2; Joh 9:27; Joh 9:28; Joh 11:7; Joh 11:8; Joh 11:12; Joh 11:16; Joh 11:54; Joh 12:4; Joh 12:16; Joh 13:5; Joh 13:22; Joh 13:23; Joh 13:35; Joh 15:8; Joh 16:17; Joh 16:29; Joh 18:1; Joh 18:2; Joh 18:17; Joh 18:19; Joh 18:25; Joh 20:10; Joh 20:18; Joh 20:19; Joh 20:20; Joh 20:25; Joh 20:26; Joh 20:30; Joh 21:1; Joh 21:2; Joh 21:4; Joh 21:8; Joh 21:12; Joh 21:14; Act 6:1; Act 6:2; Act 6:7; Act 9:1; Act 9:19; Act 9:25; Act 9:26; Act 9:38; Act 11:26; Act 11:29; Act 13:52; Act 14:20; Act 14:21; Act 14:22; Act 14:28; Act 15:10; Act 18:23; Act 18:27; Act 19:1; Act 19:9; Act 19:30; Act 20:1; Act 20:30; Act 21:4; Act 21:16.

pupil (1x) – Luk 6:40

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Resources on Disciple:

Nave’s Topical Bible: Disciple
Nave’s Topical Bible: Discipleship
Bridgeway Bible Dictionary: Disciple
American Tract Society Bible Dictionary: Disciple
Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology: Disciple, Discipleship
Holman Bible Dictionary: Disciples
Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible: Disciples
Hastings’ Dictionary of the New Testament: Disciple
Hastings’ Dictionary of the New Testament: Disciple (2)
Hastings’ Dictionary of the New Testament: Discipleship
Watson’s Biblical & Theological Dictionary: Disciple
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia: Disciple
The 1901 Jewish Encyclopedia:
Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature: Disciple: Disciple
Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature: Disciple: Disciples of Christ
Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature: Disciple: Disciples of John