A disciple is
a learner, follower, and committed student
of a teacher.
In the New Testament,
the term most often refers to
those who followed Jesus
during His earthly ministry
and, more broadly, to
all who believe in Him
and seek to live under His lordship.
The word emphasizes
relationship, learning, and obedience.
The Greek word for disciple, mathētēs, means “learner” or “pupil.” In the ancient world, a disciple did not merely study a teacher’s ideas but often lived with the teacher, adopted his way of life, and sought to become like him. When Jesus called people to be His disciples, He was calling them to a whole-life commitment of following Him.
During Jesus’ earthly ministry, the term “disciple” was used in several ways:
Jesus’ call to discipleship was radical. He required His disciples to deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Him (Mark 8:34).
After Jesus’ death and resurrection, the term “disciple” continued to be used for believers in Jesus. The Great Commission includes the command to “make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). In the book of Acts, the followers of Jesus are frequently called disciples (Acts 6:1-2, 7; 9:1, 19, 26; 11:26).
In this broader sense, every true believer in Jesus is a disciple. Discipleship is not a second-stage Christian experience but the essence of what it means to belong to Christ.
According to Jesus and the New Testament, true disciples:
Disciple is one of the most important words for describing the Christian life. It reminds us that following Jesus involves more than believing certain truths — it means learning from Him, obeying Him, and becoming like Him. Every believer is called to be a disciple and also to participate in making disciples of others. The goal of discipleship is that Jesus would be formed in His people for the glory of God.
Entry compiled for the JESUSaves.com Bible Glossary. Optimized for wiki.js Visual Editor.