Becoming A Disciple

In our day when someone wants to become a pastor they go to seminary, take classes, earn a degree, work in a church, get ordained. In Jesus’ day, this process was much different.

Around the age of fourteen or fifteen most kids had moved on from studying Torah and talmud, to learning the family business and starting families of their own. But there were a few who showed great promise and continued to study with the village elders and rabbis. These few would apply with a well-known rabbi to become that rabbi's talmidim, his disciple.

Being a disciple was far more than being a student. The goal of the disciple was not just to know what the rabbi knew, but to be just like the rabbi.

So a student of Torah would approach a rabbi and say, "Rabbi, I want to become your disciple." I want to take up your yoke.

The rabbi would then put the hopeful young student through a series of interviews to discover if this young teen had what it took to become like the rabbi and one day spread his yoke. Then he would make his decision.

* If no, he would send the student home to learn the family business.
* If yes, he would say, "Come, follow me." After that it was expected that the student would leave his home and family, his synagogue, his friends, his village and devote his life to learning how to be like his rabbi.

These first five disciples probably did not really know what following Jesus would mean for them. But the Lord was no ordinary rabbi. Jesus was going to develop their faith by showing them Who He is, and what would be in store them as they put their faith in Him.

Jesus wanted His disciples to really know Him, because then they would be able to trust Him. And John will be showing you and me what it will mean for us to follow Jesus.

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