Calling of disciples

Disciples learning from their master

Is 8:16; Am 7:14

See also 1 Ki 20:35; Ne 3:8; Is 19:11; Mt 10:24; Mk 2:18; Lk 6:40; Jn 1:35; Jn 9:28

Those referred to as disciples in the NT

The disciples as the apostles

Mt 10:1–2 The apostles were uniquely appointed as founding pillars of the church, but in some respects they were also representative disciples.

The disciples as believers in general

Mt 28:19; Ac 19:1–2 Christian believers, not fully mature.

See also Lk 6:13; Lk 6:17; Ac 6:2; Ac 11:26

The disciples as an intimate circle of believers

Mt 18:1; Mk 4:10

How disciples are called

It sometimes implies physically following Jesus Christ and leaving everything

Mt 4:19; Mt 8:18–22; Mt 9:9

Calling in a more general spiritual sense

John 21:19 ESV

(This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.”

See also Lk 9:23; Lk 14:25–27; Jn 8:12; Jn 12:26; Jn 21:22

How disciples learn from Jesus Christ the teacher

By repeating the words of Jesus Christ

Lk 11:1–4 The rhythmical form of much of Jesus Christ’s teaching suggests he intended his words to be remembered verbatim.

See also Mt 5:3–10

By signs

John 2:11 ESV

This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.

See also Mk 5:37; Mk 5:40

By understanding the OT Scriptures

John 1:45 ESV

Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

See also Lk 18:31–33; Lk 24:27; Lk 24:32; Lk 24:44–45

By understanding the parables

Mark 4:11–12 ESV

And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, so that “ ‘they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand, lest they should turn and be forgiven.’ ”

See also Mk 4:34

By practical experience of mission

Lk 10:23–24 These words follow the sending out of the seventy-two.

See also Mk 6:6–11; Lk 9:1–2

In periods of being alone with Jesus Christ

Mark 6:31 ESV

And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.

See also Mt 16:21

In spite of their faulty understanding

Luke 24:25 ESV

And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!

See also Mk 9:32; Lk 18:34