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.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
upon which He saith to his disciples, The harvest indeed is plentiful, but the laborers few:
And He called unto Him his twelve disciples, and gave them power over impure spirits, even to cast them out; and to cure all diseases and every malady whatsoever.
And He called unto Him his twelve disciples, and gave them power over impure spirits, even to cast them out; and to cure all diseases and every malady whatsoever.
These twelve did Jesus send forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not among the gentiles, neither enter into any city of the Samaritans:
About this time as Jesus passed through the cornfields on the sabbath-day, his disciples being hungry began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat them.
and stretching out his hand towards his disciples, He said, "Behold my mother and my brethren:"
and his disciples came and took up the body and buried it, and then went and told Jesus.
But he answered her not a word: and his disciples came and intreated Him, saying, Send her away, for she crieth importunately after us.
Then Jesus called his disciples to Him and said, I am moved with compassion to the multitude, for they have been with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: I will not let them go away fasting, least they faint in the way.
And as the disciples of John, and of the pharisees used to fast, they came to Him, saying, Why do the disciples of John and of the pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not?
Then Jesus and his disciples went out into the towns of Cesarea Philippi: and by the way He asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I am?
And when it was day, He called his disciples to Him: and chose out twelve from among them, whom He also named his apostles:
And his disciples asked Him, what might be the meaning of this parable.
And when He was now come near to the foot of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples rejoicing began to praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works which they had seen,
Ye have continued with me in my temptations;
The day following John was standing, (and two of his disciples,)
Therefore when the Lord knew, the pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John,
Many therefore of his disciples, when they heard Him, said, This discourse is hard to be understood, who can take it in?
From this time many of his disciples went away, and walked no more with Him. Jesus therefore said to the twelve, Have ye also a mind to go away?
and after that He saith to his disciples, Let us go again into Judea.
Therefore said one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, who was about to betray Him,
Some of his disciples therefore said one to another, What is the meaning of 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 am going to the Father?
His disciples said unto Him, Now indeed Thou speakest plainly, and usest no parable.