Untitled Sermon (58)

Disciple…….

A follower, pupil, or adherent of a teacher or religious leader. Jewish and Greco-Roman history and literature provide examples of respected figures who gather disciples in order to teach and lead them.

Luke indicates that in the early Church the term “disciple” came to refer to the growing band of believers in Jesus, i.e., to Christians (e.g., ; ; ; cf. 11:26). A similar notion of an expanding circle of disciples is suggested by the “Great Commission” (), in which the risen Jesus commands his closest followers to “make disciples” of people from all national/ethnic groups.

The life of Christian discipleship as presented in the NT calls for supreme devotion to Jesus through the acceptance of his lofty demands. Commitment to him must come before all other attachments (; ). Nevertheless, a dimension of Christian discipleship that is sometimes overlooked is the promise of joy and ultimate benefits for those who take up the cross to follow Jesus (; ).

Bibliography. R. N. Longenecker, ed., Patterns of Discipleship in the New Testament (Grand Rapids, 1996); M. J. Wilkins, The Concept of Disciple in Matthew’s Gospel. NovTSup 59 (Leiden, 1988).[1]

Discipleship

Discipleship is the process of devoting oneself to a teacher to learn from and become more like them. For the Christian, this refers to the process of learning the teachings of Jesus and following after his example in obedience through the power of the Holy Spirit. Discipleship not only involves the process of becoming a disciple but of making other disciples through teaching and evangelism.

Concept Summary

Discipleship in the ot is fundamentally about learning what is required from the Torah and submitting to it in obedience. The Hebrew terms יָסַר (yāsar, “to instruct”) and לָמַד (lāmad, “to teach”) fit the idea of discipleship well, as they both strongly imply a change in behavior as a result of the instruction. In the nt, the word μαθητής (mathētēs, “disciple”) and other words related to μανθάνω (manthanō, “to learn”) express the idea of discipleship more narrowly. The root meaning of manthanō is “to learn,” which again ties discipleship to the concept of learning and instruction. Like the Hebrew terms, however, these words also refer not only to the transfer of information but also to the transformation of one’s lifestyle in order to be more like one’s teacher.

Theological Overview

Discipleship fundamentally involves all of one’s being, not just the mind or intellect. All of the biblical terms used to convey the concept of discipleship involve more than just academic engagement. Moses made clear that the teaching of the law was meant to result in obedience to what it said rather than just intellectual acceptance (). The overlap between “instruction” and “discipline” in the Hebrew terms יָסַר (yāsar, “to instruct”) and מוּסָר (mûsār, “instruction”) illustrate this purpose well. Several terms that can be used to describe punishment or chastisement can also be used to describe the process of instruction. To be disciplined is to learn how to act properly (). The verb לָמַד (lāmad, “to teach”) and its relatives share an overlap in meaning with “training,” where the emphasis is a change in behavior as well as growth in knowledge (; ).

In the nt, the concept of discipleship frequently involves being disciples of a particular person. The term for disciple is μαθητής (mathētēs), which describes someone who is devoted to a particular teacher. Although we see disciples of John the Baptist and the Pharisees, nt is clearly more focused on describing the disciples of Jesus, who give up everything to follow him and devote themselves to his teachings (). In addition, Jesus also uses the term μαθητεύω (mathēteuō, “to make a disciple”) in his final mandate to go and make more disciples from all nations (). In this way, both being a disciple as well as making disciples is an integral part of what it means to be a Christian. In the Letters, the authors use terms such as παιδεύω (paideuō, “to instruct”) to convey concepts of both instruction and discipline, similar to Hebrew words like yāsar and mûsār. Paul uses the term to describe being trained to renounce ungodliness (), while the author of Revelation speaks of the Lord disciplining (paideuō) his church in order to foster obedience ().[2]

Discipline.

Learning that molds character and enforces correct behavior; from a Latin word meaning “instruction” or “training.” To discipline a person or a group means to put them in a state of good order so that they function in the way intended. Discipline, in spite of a popular misconception, is not inherently stern or harsh. Bible translators chose “disciple” as an appropriate term for one who learns by following.

Biblical Teaching. Although used only once in the kjv (), the word “discipline,” in various noun and verb forms, occurs frequently in modern versions of the Bible. The Hebrew and Greek words commonly rendered “discipline” are sometimes translated as “reproof,” “warning,” “restraint,” “correction,” or (especially in kjv) “chastisement.” More positive synonyms include “upbringing,” “training,” “instruction,” and “education.”

OT usage of “discipline” is noticeably more negative than in the NT, principally because of the legal aspect of God’s approach to Israel under the old (Mosaic) covenant. The “new covenant” approach to the church leads to a more positive language of discipline in the NT. Yet both covenants had the same goal: righteousness. Considered in that light, even the OT emphasis on punishment proceeds from a positive motive toward a constructive goal. Where the OT emphasized retaliation, it was to teach offenders the nature of their offense by showing them an effect like the one they had caused. Vindication of a wronged person’s rights also vindicated God’s righteousness. Vindication was an important way of upholding God’s justice. Retribution was also important. Covenant-breaking brought on the covenant curse () in the form of punitive discipline. Retribution reestablished the authority of God’s law and taught respect for his standards of righteousness.

Complementary to punitive discipline, positive discipline can be thought of as reinforcive discipline. God always disciplines; he does so punitively when necessary, but reinforcingly when possible.

Self-discipline.

Parental Discipline.

Church Discipline.

In addition to affirming the necessity for discipline within the church, the NT delineates a procedure for carrying out disciplinary action (; ; ). Offenders are first to be approached and admonished privately. If they refuse to repent or mend their ways, the case is to be presented before the leadership of the church and then, if necessary, before the whole congregation. Should offenders persist in their error, they are to be ostracized, not out of vindictiveness but with the hope of bringing them to repentance and restoration (, ).

[3]

[1] Nelson, P. K. (2000). Disciple. In D. N. Freedman, A. C. Myers, & A. B. Beck (Eds.), Eerdmans dictionary of the Bible (pp. 348–349). Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans.

[2] Byrley, C. (2014). Discipleship. D. Mangum, D. R. Brown, R. Klippenstein, & R. Hurst (Eds.), Lexham Theological Wordbook. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

kjv The King James Version

kjv The King James Version

OT Old Testament

NT New Testament

NT New Testament

OT Old Testament

OT Old Testament

NT New Testament

[3] Elwell, W. A., & Beitzel, B. J. (1988). Discipline. In Baker encyclopedia of the Bible (Vol. 1, pp. 631–633). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.

, ; ;

Mark 1:35 LEB

And getting up early in the morning while it was very dark, he departed and went to a deserted place, and there he was praying.

Mark 1:

Mark 6:46 LEB

And after he had said farewell to them, he went away to the mountain to pray.

Matthew 14:22–23a LEB

And immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side, while he sent away the crowds. And after he sent away the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. So when evening came, he was there alone.

Matthew 14:22-23

Luke 6:12 LEB

Now it happened that in these days he went away to the mountain to pray, and was spending the whole night in prayer to God.

Luke 6:12

Ma

Mark 1:35 LEB

And getting up early in the morning while it was very dark, he departed and went to a deserted place, and there he was praying.

GRASP THE TEXT IN THEIR TOWN**** What does the text mean to the original audience.

OBSERVATION

2. MEASURE THE WIDTH OF THE RIVER TO CROSS***What is the differences between the Biblical audience and us?

OBSERVATION

3. CROSSING THE PRINCIPLIZING BRIDGE***What is the theological principle in the text?

OBSERVATION / INTERPRETATION

4. CONSULT THE BIBLICAL MAP***How does the principle fir with the rest of the Bible

INTERPRETATION

5. GRASPING THE TEXT IN OUR TOWN*** How do we live out the theological principle/

APPLICATION