What is a disciple in Jesus?

After a night of prayer, Jesus called twelve men to follow Him. Over time, they’ve become known as His disciples. But they weren’t His only disciples. In fact, He’s still calling disciples today. But what is a “disciple in Jesus,” anyway? It’s a word we see in the Bible and hear in sermons, but we don’t use it much in everyday language. As a result, we never really stop to think of ourselves as disciples. And we don’t think about what it means to be one.

If we claim to be a follower of Christ, though, we need to know what being His disciple requires.

Defining a disciple

The term “disciple” comes from the Greek word mathetes, which refers to a pupil or student. In Jesus’s day, it described a young apprentice who sat at the feet of a recognized leader. If you were Jewish, that was probably a rabbi. If you were Greek, it was probably a philosopher. Sometimes, the religious side even got mixed up with politics. For example, the Pharisees and Sadducees were religious sects, but they also held a lot of political influence.

But one thing sticks out about the role of a first-century disciple: imitation. Discipleship wasn’t just “book learning.” Disciples had to live out what they were taught—and actively transmit those teachings to the next generation. Discipleship is heart knowledge rather than head knowledge.

That held particular significance when Jesus enlisted His disciples. He came to earth with a mission, and He called His followers to put His teachings into practice and mentor new generations of disciples to do the same. His disciples didn’t just pick up a part-time job that they could pursue at their convenience. They became lifelong learners in His school—and accepted His mission as their own.

Starting with Jesus

Ultimately, the answer to What is a disciple? starts with Jesus. After all, you really can’t understand what it means to be His disciple until you understand what He’s all about. You need to see Him as He really is if you’re going to embrace His authority.

Of course, the world has its opinions. Many think Jesus was a nice guy who got a raw deal from the Romans and Jews. Others believe He was a great ethical teacher, along the lines of Confucius, Muhammad, or even Moses. But those all fall short of Jesus’s true identity.

Rather being the nice guy next door, Jesus is God’s Son and the Savior of the world. He is the all-powerful Creator and is worthy of all worship. What’s more, He is the only way to God. No one can have a relationship with God apart from Christ.

Once Jesus’s followers got a handle on being a disciple, they were more concerned with worshiping Him and bringing Him glory than anything else. While they demonstrated love to everyone, they refused to compromise the truth that Jesus had shared. Obviously, that lack of “tolerance” created problems, but His disciples chose to suffer instead of backing down from their commitment to Him.

What being a disciple looks like

Internet searches provide a wealth of suggestions about what a disciple of Jesus should be. But it’s best to draw our conclusions from Scripture. God’s Word offers the most reliable picture of Christ and Christian discipleship. It’s a lifelong adventure, but here are three biblical qualities of Jesus’s disciples.

1. Disciples in Jesus are transformed.

   When an individual genuinely comes to Christ, everything changes: their hearts, minds, and affections. Their ultimate goal shifts toward obeying Jesus and bringing Him glory. It’s not they have to give up everything that’s important to them, but they start filtering everything through Him because He is more important.
   

2. Disciples in Jesus are servants.

   Jesus was a servant who put the needs of others before Himself (Mark 10:45). He also was a servant in the sense that He obeyed His heavenly Father’s wishes at every turn. He never got ahead of the Father, and He never operated outside the Father’s purpose. Jesus challenged His disciples to serve one another in love. In fact, that loving service would be how those outside the church would recognize His people (John 13:14-15).
   

3. Disciples in Jesus produce fruit.

   In John 15, Jesus said He is the Vine that provides life, while His disciples are branches that survive only by staying connected to Him. The ones who remain in the Vine produce fruit (John 15:5). They bring glory to Christ through their lives and draw others toward His kingdom. True disciples can’t help but point others to the Savior.

    

The Bottom Line

Each of Jesus’s disciples left something behind. For guys like Peter and John, it was their fishing boats and nets. For Matthew, it was his tollbooth. Eventually, all of them surrendered their idea of the Messiah as a conquering king in favor of Jesus, the Suffering Savior.

If we’re serious about becoming a disciple of Jesus, we will have to surrender something as well. It will be different for each person, but it will probably be a difficult choice. In the end, though, it will be the best decision we ever make because being His disciple is worth it.

Nothing else compares.