First Century Discipleship

God calls those who seek him to continue with discipleship that has been established and taught by Jesus Christ

Introduction

Discipleship in the near eastern part of the world during the first century was understood very differently than that of the western part of the world today. Learning how discipleship was perceived within the early Hebrew culture, as well as, how Jesus fulfilled the calling, helps today's believers better understand the manner of discipleship that God has called them to.

In Hebrew Culture

In Hebrew culture, rabbis are teachers and students of a rabbi's are disciples. Rabbi means, "my master" and the only Rabbi mankind should have is Christ.

Matthew 23:8 KJV - "But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren."

The Role, Reputation, & Authority of a Rabbi

• Held in very high regard and were elevated in societies' social class

• Taught the law publicly but taught disciples to emulate them

• Given authority in interpreting and teaching interpretation of scripture

• Teachings were as absolute and authoritative in a disciple's life as scripture was

• Determined what was acceptable or sinful behavior based on their private interpretation

• Perpetually question their disciple's actions to teach discernment and mold behavior

The Common Education For Hebrew Men

• At a very young age, boys are reared up to reverence the Torah

• Young Boys are taught to read the scriptures

• Young men had much of the scriptures memorized

• Young men highly desired and sought after becoming a disciple of a rabbi

• Men sought rabbi's to learn the meaning of scripture and how to follow ordinances correctly

The Role, & Identity of A Disciple

• Fully trusted their rabbi's guidance; mostly without questioning

• Followed every detail of their rabbi's instruction

• Believed their rabbi's interpretations

• Mimicked their rabbi's behavior, and even adopted their personal preferences

• Continued discipleship until they became rabbis themselves

Becoming A Disciple

Men who sought out to be a disciple of a rabbi would ask the rabbi if they could "follow" them. It was very rare for a rabbi to ask someone to be a disciple. The rabbi would decide whether or not to approve the request and the determination was heavily based on the attitude of the person and the likelihood that they would learn to emulate him.

In New Testament Scripture

During the first century, Jesus shifted man's tradition of rabbinical practices and the recruitment of disciples.

Jesus Recruits Disciples

• Jesus was a rabbi during the time he called upon certain individuals.

• The soon to be disciples were hard at work earning their daily income.

• Jesus used the phrase, "follow me"; which was fully understood to be a formal invite to become a rabbi's disciple.

• Simon Peter, Andrew, Matthew, Levi, James, and John  straightway left everything they were doing; leaving their careers behind.

• For a rabbi to invite someone to be a disciple was an opportunity of a lifetime; thus the reason for the immediate response.

Matthew 4:18-20 KJV - "And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him."

Matthew 4:21-22 KJV - "And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him."

Matthew 9:9 KJV - "And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him."

Luke 5:27-28 KJV - "And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me. And he left all, rose up, and followed him."

John 1:43 KJV - "The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me."

Jesus' Standards for Disciples

1. Disciples must have faith and a desire to seek God.

2. Disciples must love God more than anything else of this world.

3. Disciples must be servants and professing servants must follow Christ.

4. Disciples are to hear and heed to Christ's instructions.

5. Disciples must not be busybodies: concerned with the personalized calling of other disciples.

6. Disciples must focus on spiritual matters over worldly matters.

7. Disciples shall bear fruit.

8. Disciples are to live sacrificially: denying self and emulating Christ daily.

9. Disciples must be willing to follow even unto death. 

10. Disciples will learn to make disciples.

Hebrews 11:6 KJV - "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."

Luke 14:26, 33 KJV - "If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. ... So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple."

John 12:26 KJV - "If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour."

John 10:27 KJV - "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:"

John 21:22 KJV - "Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me."

Matthew 8:22 KJV - "But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead."

John 15:8 KJV - "Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples."

Matthew 16:24 KJV - "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." (also Mark 8:34 and Luke 9:23)

Luke 14:27 KJV - "And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple."

John 21:19 KJV - " This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me."

Matthew 4:19 KJV - "And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."

Jesus' disciples started their discipleship understudy having familiarity of Old Testament scripture and an entry level understanding of how to apply it. They learned the standards of discipleship over the years they followed Christ.

Disciples in the First Century Church

To distinguish between a disciple of a traditional Judaic rabbi and a disciple of the Jewish rabbi, Jesus, a new name was given: Christianós; a Greek term meaning follower of Christ. The Hebraic meaning is follower of the Messiah. Christianós is transliterated in English as "Christian". To profess to be a Christian is to call oneself a disciple of Christ.

Act 11:26 KJV - "And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch."

Continuing in Discipleship

Unlike the Judaic first century rabbis, Jesus reached out to give everyone the opportunity to be his disciple. He knew that whosoever was worthy of being called a disciple would hear his hard sayings and continue to follow. Additionally, he knew that those who did not trust that he was the son of God and came from God would also turn away from following.

John 6:65-69 KJV -"And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father. From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God."

A true disciple was someone who continued to follow what they were taught, who studied, who sought understanding, and who worked at learning how to emulate Jesus Christ. This was also referred to as reaching forth and pressing towards the mark.

Philippians 3:13-14 KJV - "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

A true disciple will have moral convictions and a desire to obey. Not everyone who appeared to follow Jesus was a true disciple.

John 6:70 KJV - "Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?"

When a disciple reaches spiritual maturity through discipleship training they will be blameless and qualified to hold a ministering position in the church.

1 Timothy 3:10 KJV - "And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless."

Strengthening Faith through Discipleship

Scripture shows how disciples' of Christ had "little faith" during the beginning stages of their understudy.

Matthew 6:30 KJV - "Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?" (also Luke 12:28)

Matthew 8:26 KJV - "And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm."

Matthew 14:31 KJV - "And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?"

Matthew 16:8 KJV - "Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?"

Simon, Peter believed he had the faith of a mature disciple. After his denial, his faith was strengthened and he followed Christ willing and ready to give his life.

Luke 22:31-34 KJV - "31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: 32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. 33 And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death. 34 And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me."

John 21:17-19 KJV - "17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. 18 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. 19 This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me."