Reference: Disciples
Hastings
In the ancient world every teacher had his company of disciples or learners. The Greek philosophers and the Jewish Rabbis had theirs, and John the Baptist had his (Mr 2:18 'the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees'; cf. Joh 1:35; Mt 14:12). In like manner Jesus had His disciples. The term had two applications, a wider and a narrower. It denoted (1) all who believed in Him, though they remained where He had found them, pursuing their former avocations, yet rendering no small service to His cause by confessing their allegiance and testifying to His grace (cf. Lu 6:13; 19:37; Joh 4:1; 6:60,66-67). (2) The inner circle of the Twelve, whom He called 'Apostles,' and whom He required to forsake their old lives and follow Him whithersoever He went, not merely that they might strengthen Him by their sympathy (cf. Lu 22:28), but that they might aid Him in His ministry (Mt 9:37; 10:1,5), and, above all, that they might be trained by dally intercourse and discipline to carry forward the work after He was gone. These were 'the disciples' par excellence (Mt 10:1; 12:1,49; 15:23,32; Mr 8:27; Lu 8:9; Joh 11:7; 12:4; 16:17,29). See also Apostles.
David Smith.
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Then saith he to his disciples, The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.
And when he had called to him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness, and all manner of disease.
And when he had called to him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness, and all manner of disease.
These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and enter ye not into any city of the Samaritans.
At that time Jesus went on the sabbath through the corn, and his disciples were hungry, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat.
And he stretched forth his hand towards his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!
And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus.
But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.
Then Jesus called his disciples to him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.
And the disciples of John, and of the Pharisees, used to fast: and they come, and say to him, Why do the disciples of John, and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not?
And Jesus went out, and his disciples, into the towns of Cesarea Philippi: and by the way he asked his disciples, saying to them, Who do men say that I am?
And when it was day, he called to him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named Apostles;
And his disciples asked him, saying, What doth this parable mean?
And when he had come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice, for all the mighty works that they had seen.
Ye are they who have continued with me in my temptations.
Again the next day after, John stood, and two of his disciples;
When therefore the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John,
Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is a hard saying; who can hear it?
From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus to the twelve, Will ye also go away?
Then after that he saith to his disciples, Let us ho into Judea again.
Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, who was to betray him,
Then said some of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he saith to us, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father?
His disciples said to him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb.