First, a disciple is just a student. It’s neither a magic nor an unusual word, but a simple one. We rightly distinguish between the twelve before the ascension of Christ and the twelve after, referring to the former as disciples and the latter as apostles. While a disciple is a student, an apostle is a messenger, sent by and with the authority of the Master. (Which is one important reason we must never fall into that temptation of pitting Jesus’ teaching against that of the apostles. “Oh, Jesus never talked about THAT. Only Paul did” is grievous error, and a denial of the authority of Jesus.) The disciple learns what the Master says. The apostle proclaims it.
Students have teachers, as do disciples. These, teachers, are among the gifts Christ gives to the church (Ephesians 4:11-13). Disciples also, however, have curricula. Jesus calls us in the Great Commission not just to make disciples, but defines for us what our students are to be taught, “teaching them to observe all things I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:20). A disciple, in the context of the Great Commission is one who is being taught to observe all that Christ commanded.
Who are these disciples? They are the nations. The Greek word translated nations in Matthew 28 is ethnos, from which we get our word ethnic. Some argue that Jesus is here commanding and affirming the catholicity of the church. That is, the disciples are charged to disciple men all over the planet, from every tongue and tribe. Others would argue, however, that, without excluding the call to disciple individuals from across the world, the text includes a call to disciple the “nations.” That is, we are to instruct and see to it that the institutions of the world, governments, cultures, educational institutions, that these all be taught to observe all that Christ commands.
Either way, when we divide the Great Commission, when we push apart soul winning from discipleship, when we find the latter to be beside the point, a distraction, we are failing as students of all that He commanded. Jesus is bringing all things under subjection, including every bit of ignorance and rebellion that still resides in me. Jesus is seeing to it that every knee will bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord.
As His students, then, we should be learning His commands. As His students we should be obeying His commands, that we teach others to obey His commands. As His students we should be learning to become teachers. As His students we should be learning to speak His Words, to become apostles, sent messengers from the One who is the Word. As His students we should eschew that lie from the serpent that doctrine divides, that a faith unsullied by study is more holy and pure than one marked by study. As His students we need to learn that He has commanded us to not just be hearers of His Word, but doers. As His students we need to hunger and thirst for His righteousness. As His students we need to seek first His kingdom.