The concept of discipleship was a Mediterranean world, Roman Empire concept, not just a Jewish concept. It was a concept known in both the religions and philosophies throughout the world of the Roman Empire, particularly Greece. It was common for a recognized teacher who was renowned for his accomplishments/knowledge in his area of thought/insight to allow a group of pupils to gather about him. The pupils would learn from what this teacher said and how this teacher behaved. The combination of teachings and behavior trained his pupils.
If the man was widely respected for his knowledge and insights, it was not unusual for him to have "disciples" after his death. These would be men who devoted themselves to the teacher's values and concepts. They submitted to a lifestyle based on the study of the teachers' teachings and behavior even though he was not alive.
Remember there were no electronic means of spreading/sharing information. There was no print of any kind, so there were no textbooks. Producing copies was a slow, labor intensive, expensive process that involved copying by hand and was beyond the economic means of most pupils then. Consequently, the best means for training men who could live as you lived and could continue to share your ideas was discipleship.
Jesus did what was common to do: he taught the twelve as his disciples. These men observed him on a daily basis. They watched as he handled demanding situations. They observed his value system as he applied his teachings to life.
These men heard his teachings. They witnessed his application of his teachings. His twelve knew because they saw as well as heard. Jesus frequently tried to deepen the twelve's understanding. Their understanding increased after Jesus' resurrection (see Luke 18:34; John 13:19; 16:4; Acts 10 especially verse 34, 35; and Galatians 3:29 for examples).
Therefore, Jesus taught the twelve so he could continue to teach through them. Jesus sent them out after instructing them (Matthew 10:5). They, at that time, were to go exclusively to Israelites (Matthew 10:5, 6). They were to preach, heal, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, and cast out demons (Matthew 10:7, 8). They were to make no physical preparations (Matthew 10:9-15), they were not to study (Matthew 10:19), they were to anticipate opposition (Matthew 10:21-39), and they were to expect to be rewarded for their efforts (Matthew 10:40-42).
The Matthew 10 scripture is often known as the limited commission. The commission that occurred in Matthew 28:19-20 after Jesus' resurrection is a universal (whole world) commission.
The term "disciple" not only applied to the twelve men in Matthew 10 and the last of 28, but also to others who were influenced to follow Jesus and his teachings (see Luke 19:37-40 and John 6:66-71). Later, in Acts, the term "disciples" was also used to denote the people who were the ekklasie or church after the crucified Jesus was resurrected from the dead.
Your attention is focused on this truth: a discipleship relationship is a teaching relationship. It is a relationship between a pupil (student) and his teacher. The pupil (student) looks to his teacher to teach him values and share with him (or her) the examples of (a) how to live and (b) for what to live. The teacher teaches more than facts. The teacher teaches life to his students as the teacher focuses the students' attention on the purpose of human existence.
A person becomes a student of a teacher because he (or she) is convinced that the teacher teaches the key to life and existence. With the resurrected Jesus, men and women become his students for a lifetime (consider John 10:9 and 14:6). People do not grasp a few facts, commit to Jesus, and live as they wish. They enter a quest for understanding that continues as long as they live. Everyone who follows Jesus is a student, no matter what the person's position or role happens to be. Learning how to live from Jesus never ends for any follower. Every level of maturing only opens more opportunities for increased understanding.
Being Jesus' disciples means we enter a teaching relationship with Jesus. To be a disciple means: (a) we accept through faith that Jesus has the key to life because of his relationship with God and his resurrection; (b) we understand that we do not know how to use our lives; (c) we need to learn, or we need a teacher; (d) our lives are an investment, and we need a teacher to show us how to invest life.
The concept of being Jesus' disciple is striking. Discipleship is basically an unending process of learning. It is not a membership relationship based on a few induction facts. It is a learning relationship based on our confidence that Jesus came from God, and that he can show us life that is stronger than death because he is the resurrected one. Discipleship is as big as life itself. It is much bigger than going to a church building a few hours a week. It literally encompasses all of life from entering Jesus Christ to death. It involves learning how to live, how to die, and expectations after death.
For Thought and Discussion
Link to Teacher's Guide
Lesson 2