μᾰθητ-ής G3101
Disciple, learner, pupil; a committed follower of a teacher, especially of Jesus
With 263 New Testament occurrences, mathetes is the signature term for those who follow Jesus. In classical Greek it denoted any student of a philosopher or rhetorician, but the Gospels and Acts concentrate it almost exclusively on Jesus' followers, both the Twelve and the wider circle of adherents. It implies not mere intellectual learning but personal attachment, obedience, and shared mission (Matt 5:1; 10:1). The term also appears for John the Baptist's followers and the Pharisees' students, preserving its older pedagogical sense. German Junger and French disciple both capture the master-apprentice bond at its core.
Senses
1. disciple, learner — A committed learner and follower personally attached to a teacher, used overwhelmingly of Jesus' followers in the Gospels and Acts (Matt 5:1; 8:21). Extends to disciples of John the Baptist (John 1:35) and the Pharisees (Matt 22:16), retaining the classical Greek sense of a student under a master. The rendering as German Junger and French disciple emphasizes the relational bond of discipleship beyond mere academic instruction. 263×
AR["التَّلاميذِ", "التَّلَامِيذُ", "التَّلَامِيذِ", "تَلاميذَهُ", "تَلاميذُ", "تَلاميذُكَ", "تَلاميذُهُ", "تَلاميذِهِ", "تَلَامِيذُ", "تَلَامِيذُكَ", "تَلَامِيذُهُ", "تَلَامِيذِهِ", "تِلميذَهُ"]·ben["শিষ্যদের", "শিষ্যরা", "শিষ্যেরা"]·DE["Jünger"]·EN["disciples"]·FR["disciple"]·heb["תַּלְמִידִים", "תַּלְמִידֶיךָ", "תַּלְמִידָיו"]·HI["चेले", "चेलों-के", "चेलों-को", "चेलों-में-से", "चेलों-से", "चेलोन", "चेलोन-कि", "चेलोन-को", "चेलोन-ने", "शिष्य"]·ID["murid-murid"]·IT["discepolo"]·jav["murid", "murid,", "para-siswa", "siswa"]·KO["제자들", "제자들에게", "제자들을", "제자들이"]·PT["discípulos"]·RU["ученикам", "учениками", "ученики", "учеников"]·ES["discípulos"]·SW["wanafunzi"]·TR["öğrenciler", "öğrencilere", "öğrencileri", "öğrencilerin", "öğrencilerinden", "öğrencilerine", "öğrencilerinin", "öğrencileriyle", "öğrencisine", "öğrencisini"]·urd["شاگرد", "شاگردوں", "شاگردوں-نے", "شاگردوں-کو", "شاگردوں-کی"]
Related Senses
H8104 1. Qal: keep, observe (law/covenant) (399×)H5826 1. Qal: to help, aid (53×)H8334 1. to minister, serve (52×)H8334 2. minister, servant, attendant (46×)G5083 1. observe or obey commands (41×)H8104 2. Niphal: beware, take heed (34×)G1247 1. to serve or minister to (32×)H3256 1. discipline, chastise (Piel active) (27×)H5833 1. help, aid, assistance (26×)H8104 3. Qal: watch, look out (26×)H5341 1. keep, observe (commandments) (24×)G5083 2. guard or protect someone (23×)H5647 2. serve, minister to (a person) (21×)H5826 2. Qal participle: helper (21×)G5219 1. obey, be obedient to (20×)H5341 2. guard, protect, preserve (a person) (20×)G1398 1. serve, render service to (19×)H5828 1. help, assistance (19×)H5411 1. Nethinim, temple servants (18×)G3936 1. present, offer, yield (17×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
μᾰθητ-ής, οῦ, ὁ, learner, pupil, τῆς Ἑλλάδος Refs 5th c.BC+; of dancing, Refs 4th c.BC+: frequently in Attic dialect of the pupils of philosophers and rhetoricians, οὐ θέμις πλὴν τοῖς μ. λέγειν Refs 5th c.BC+ with genitive _of things_, τούτου τοῦ μαθήματος μ. a studentofit, Refs; μ. ἰατρικῆς a student of medicine,Refs; apprentice, Refs 2nd c.AD+