What is a “disciple”?
And here’s where we mess up. We can’t even define “disciple.” We aren’t even sure what it means to “follow Jesus.” We keep wanting to define these terms in terms of rule keeping, obedience to certain specific laws. And it just can’t be done.
In the First Century, rabbis had disciples. And a disciple wanted — more than anything — to be like his rabbi. A student became a “disciple” as soon as he decided to follow the rabbi — not when he finally mastered the rabbi’s teachings and life.
A disciple was covered in the dust of the rabbi’s feet — because he followed him so closely wherever he went. Being a disciple is far more about who you follow and how closely you follow than how well you follow.
Read the Gospels. They’re filled with stories of disciples — called “disciples” — asking foolish questions and making foolish mistakes. But —
(Joh 6:67-69 ESV) 67 So Jesus said to the Twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, 69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”
(Luk 18:28-30 ESV) 28 And Peter said, “See, we have left our homes and followed you.” 29 And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30 who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.”
They were far from perfect. They misunderstood much of what Jesus taught. They certainly weren’t great theologians — not yet. But they were already disciples because they were fiercely loyal, willing to give up whatever it cost to be with Jesus — so they could learn to be like Jesus.
And theology means nothing and sound doctrine means nothing and a life filled with church attendance, weekly giving, and perfect adherence to the rules about worship and church organization, whatever they may be, mean nothing at all if those who exegete your life find someone other than a serving, submitting, sacrificing servant, hung on a cross.
When we follow Jesus, we live the gospel, and only then can we really understand the gospel well enough to teach the gospel. We might not even need words.
A surprising conclusion
We need heroes. We don’t need idols. We don’t need superhuman heroes. Just humans who are heroes.
The Spirit knows this, and so the scriptures are filled with stories of great men and women for us to emulate — Abraham, Sarah, Moses, Miriam, David, Isaiah, Huldah — but heroes who are flawed. None is perfect, and yet we study their lives because doing so can make us better people.
God did not stop giving us heroes in 100 AD. In the last 2000 years, there have been missionaries and martyrs, scholars and students, who were true disciples. And we can learn from their lives and become closer to Christ in so doing. We can imitate them as they imitate Christ.
A few days ago, I received this email in response to my suggestion that middle school students study the biographies of Restoration Movement leaders such as Barton W. Stone:
I would tell them to teach JESUS and not the history of the denomination of the church of Christ!!!!
Obviously enough, we don’t have choose one or the other. We really can study both. And yet, properly handled, it is, as we lawyers like to say, a distinction without a difference. In the hands of a capable teacher, a study of the life of Barton W. Stone becomes a study of how well he followed Jesus. He becomes an example to follow — and he would make quite a good one.
We should not beatify or romanticize our heroes — just as the Bible does not shy away from describing the character flaws and bad decisions of a Moses or a David. And so, when we study the lives of such men, we can see how the cross could be lived out in contemporary times. And we can see how even great men sometimes make mistakes.
(Phi 3:17 ESV) 17 Brothers, … keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.
Call me crazy, but I think we really should do that.
So, readers, in the Comments, please recommend biographies of disciples that you’d recommend for study.
One of our own, now in his 90’s, living in an assisted living facility, but still “soldiering on”, speaking, writing, consulting with great grace and wit and intelligence; this would be Dr. Leroy Garrett, whose life is a study in discipleship. Autobiography: A Lovers Quarrel
I love teaching Middle School students and seeing them become disciples in real time is a great joy.
Jay, why not just bring in 6 men and 6 women who imitate Jesus in our own communities to interview in front of the kids on how they live as a disciple of Him?
David,
I’ve read that suggestion in other places and believe we’ve had youth ministers do just that. Sounds like a great idea to me.