Younger

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The term disciple (from old high dt . Jungiro "apprentice", from young ) describes someone who joins a religiously formative personality at the time of their work and teaching.

General

The leading figure is usually a founder or innovator of a religion ( Buddha , Confucius , Laotse , Mani , Zarathustra , Jesus Christ , Mohammed , Nanak Dev or others), whereby not all religious enthusiasts gathered disciples around them.

A disciple is a member (follower) of a group of disciples following in common . The disciples in the closest circle form a special elite with a special claim and emphasized authority in the religious community around the leading figure and their teachings and work.

A disciple is more than a disciple . If there can also be explicit teacher-student relationships in religious references, the relationship of the disciple to the master goes beyond that, as the disciple, before acquiring knowledge and skills, e.g. B. enjoys the experience of community, personal connection and trust.

After the death of the founder of the religion, the disciples continue to act as his representatives ("eyewitnesses") and administrators of the religious teachings of the leading figure. As a community of witnesses and administrators, they can form the prerequisite for the emergence of new sects within a religion or outside of a new religion. All members of the religious community around the leading figure and their teachings and work who are not disciples are called followers . After the death of the leading figure and her disciples, there are consequently only religious followers.

Christianity

→ Main article: Apostles

As disciples of the designated New Testament those people who follow Jesus ( Acts 11:26  EU ). The term translates from the Greek word μαθητάι mathētai , which literally means apprentices or students (this term is sometimes used in place of disciples , e.g. in the book title Jesus and his students ).

In addition to the first disciples whom Jesus called from among the Jews, the Gospels refer to other disciples; their number is put at 70 and 72 respectively ( Lk 10.1  EU ). Other passages allow the conclusion to be a larger number (e.g. Acts 6,7  EU and Joh 6,66  EU ). In contrast to the list of apostles , the group of disciples does not only include men; Among the disciples of Jesus are also Maria Magdalena , Johanna Chusa and Susanna ( Lk 8.2-3  EU ) as well as Maria and Martha , the sisters of Lazarus , Lydia ( Acts 16.14  EU ) and Tabita ( Acts 9.36  EU ). After his resurrection , Jesus commissioned his disciples to make disciples of other people ( mission command , Mt 28 : 18-20  EU ).

Islam

In Islam, too, the disciples of Jesus (Arabic الحواريون, DMG al-Ḥawārīyūn) are considered to be those people who believed in him, followed him and believed in the uniqueness of Allah. It says in the Koran:

“And when I told the disciples,“ Believe in me and in my Messenger! ”They said,“ We ​​believe. Testify that we are devoted to you! ”. (5: 111, Bubenheim) "

In sura 61 verse 14:

"O you who believe, are Allaah's helpers, just as sā, the son of Maryam, said to the disciples:“ Who are my helpers (on the way) to Allaah? " “So part of the children of Isrāʾīl believed, while (another) part disbelieved. We strengthened those who believed against their enemies, and so they got the upper hand. (after Bubenheim) "

See also

Individual evidence

  1. On the subject of masters / teachers-disciples / pupils see Almut-Barbara Renger (ed.): Masters and pupils in past and present: From religions of antiquity to modern esotericism V&R unipress, Göttingen 2012.
  2. ^ Franz Stuhlhofer : Jesus and his students. How reliably were Jesus' words delivered? Brunnen, Giessen 1991.