Disciple (Christianity)

==Background of the term==
The term "disciple" represents the [[Koine Greek]] word {{grc-tr|μαθητής}} ({{lang|grc|μαθητής}}),<ref>{{cite web   
| url = http://www.htmlbible.com/sacrednamebiblecom/kjvstrongs/STRGRK31.htm#S3101
| title = μαθητής}}</ref> which generally means "one who engages in learning through instruction from another, ''pupil, apprentice"'' <ref name=":0">{{Cite book|title=A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian literature (3rd ed)|last=Danker|first=Arndt, W., W., Bauer, W., & Gingrich, F. W.|publisher=Chicago: University of Chicago Press.|year=2000|pages=609}}</ref> or in religious contexts such as the [[Bible]], "one who is rather constantly associated with someone who has a pedagogical reputation or a particular set of views, ''disciple, adherent."''<ref>''Ibid.''</ref> The word "disciple" comes into [[English language|English]] usage by way of the [[Latin]] ''discipulus'' meaning a learner, but given its biblical background, should not be confused with the more common English word "student."

A disciple is different from an [[apostle]], which instead means a messenger, more specifically "messengers with extraordinary status, especially of God’s ''messenger, envoy."''<ref>''A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian literature''., p. 122.</ref> But predominately in the New Testament it is used of ''"a group of highly honored [[Christians|believers]] with a special function as God’s envoys."''<ref>''Ibid.''</ref><ref name="Christianity.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.christianity.com/11536381/|title=Christian History: The Twelve Apostles|access-date=2007-11-19}}</ref> While a disciple is one who learns and apprentices under a teacher or [[rabbi]], an apostle is one sent as a missionary to proclaim the good news and to establish new communities of believers.

The meaning of the word "disciple" is not derived primarily from its root meaning or etymology but from its widespread usage in the [[Ancient history|ancient world]]. Disciples are found in the world outside of the Bible. For example among the ancient [[Ancient Greek philosophy|Greek philosophers]], disciples learned by imitating the teacher’s entire way of life and not just by remembering the spoken words of the teacher.

The first-century philosopher [[Seneca the Younger|Seneca]] appeals to the "living voice and intimacy of common life" of the disciple{{endash}}teacher relationship of many different philosophers:

{{blockquote|[[Cleanthes]] could not have been the express image of [[Zeno of Elea|Zeno]], if he had merely heard his lectures; he also shared in his life, saw into his hidden purposes, and watched him to see whether he lived according to his own rules. [[Plato]], [[Aristotle]], and the whole throng of sages who were destined to go each his different way, derived more benefit from the character than from the words of [[Socrates]].<ref>{{Cite book|title=Epistles 1-65|last=Seneca|publisher=Trans Richard M Gummere, Loeb Classical Library 75|pages=Epist. 6.5–6.6, p. 27–28}}</ref>}}

In the world of the Bible, ''a disciple'' was a person who followed a teacher, or rabbi, or master, or philosopher.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Talbert|first=Charles H. and Perry L. Stepp|title="Succession in Mediterranean Antiquity, Part I: The Lukan Milieu" Society of Biblical Literature 1998 Seminar Papers: and "Succession in Mediterranean Antiquity, Part 2: Luke-Acts"|journal=Society of Biblical Literature 1998 Seminar Papers|pages=148–168 and 169–179}}</ref> The disciple desired to learn not only the teaching of the rabbi, but to imitate the practical details of their life.<ref name=":1" /> A disciple did not merely attend lectures or read books, they were required to interact with and imitate a real living person. A disciple would literally follow someone in hopes of eventually becoming what they are.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=McKellar|first=Scott|date=2014|title=Taking on the "Smell of the Sheep": The Rabbinic Understanding of Discipleship|url=https://review.catechetics.com/taking-%E2%80%9Csmell-sheep%E2%80%9D-rabbinic-understanding-discipleship|journal=The Sower|issue=#35.2, April–June|pages=8–9}}</ref>

A Christian disciple is a believer who follows Christ and then offers his own [[imitation of Christ]] as model for others to follow (1 Corinthians 11:1).  A disciple is first a believer who has exercised faith (Acts 2:38).<ref>[[Born again#Catholicism]]</ref> This means they have experienced conversion and put Jesus at the center of their life and participated in rites of Christian imitation. A fully developed disciple is also a leader of others who attempts to pass on this faith to his followers, with the goal of repeating this process.(1 Corinthians 4:16–17; 2 Timothy 2:2). A special form of passing on leadership through discipleship is called [[apostolic succession]].