CHAPTER 7 Defining Evangelizing - Evangelism Unlimited

Thomas P. Johnston 449
Other interesting uses of “believed,” John 2:23-25; 8:31f.; 12:42; 20:28-29; Acts 8:13; 15:5; cf. Acts
21:20
2) maqhteu,w (4 total NT uses) – win disciples, make disciples, or teach—Hence, disciples are
won to Christ (cf. “fishers of men”)
a) “To become a disciple” (NAS; aorist passive of maqhteu,w):
Indicating past completed action, which was at the beginning of becoming a disciple!
Matt 13:52, “And Jesus said to them, ‘Therefore every scribe who has become a disciple of
[into] the kingdom of heaven [Dia. tou/to pa/j grammateu.j maqhteuqei.j eivj th.n basilei,an
tw/n ouvranw/n] is like a head of a household, who brings out of his treasure things new and
old.’”
Matt 27:57, “And when it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph,
who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus [o]j kai. auvto.j evmaqh,teusen tw/| VIhsou/]”
b) To win a disciples (NIV, aorist active of maqhteu,w):
Acts 14:21 (NIV), “They preached the good news in that city and won a large number of
disciples”
Compare with Acts 6:7, “and the number of disciples continued to increased greatly in
Jerusalem”
Matt 28:19 (mine), “Go therefore and win disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name
of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit”
Views of Discipleship (impacted by or impacting the translation of maqhteu,sate in Matthew 28:19) 527
Impacting Others
(the outer life)
Personalistic/Individualistic
(the inner life)
Win disciples Multiply disciples Mentor leaders Follow Christ Follow the Apostles
Win souls,
Acts 14:
21 [NIV]
Teach
others to
win
disciples
Vita evangelica
(Wanderprediger?)
Teach
others to
win
disciples
and live
the
Christian
life
Teach
others to
live the
Christian
life and
win
disciples
Teach
others to
live the
Christian
life
regula evangelica
(vir evangelicus?)
Teach
Teach
others to
others to
teach and
lead others
lead others
Identification
with
Christ
Identificati
o Christi
Imitate
Christ
Imitatio
Christ
Live as a
sequel to
the life of
Christ
Sequela
Christi
Live as the
apostles
Vita
apostolica
Imitate the
apostles
Imitatio
apostolorum
3) Received:
a) paralaba,nw (49 NT uses) “received” [or learned; took]:
John 1:11-12, “He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as
many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those
who believe in His name”
1 Cor 15:1-2, “Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which
also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the
word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain”
1 Thess 2:13, “And for this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received from us
the word of God's message, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is,
the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe”
b) de,comai (58 NT uses), meaning “take, receive; welcome; accept, approve; put up with”:
Matt 10:40, “He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent
Me” (cf. Mark 9:37)
Luke 10:8, “And whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat what is set before you” (see
also the negative response, Matt 10:15; Luke 10:10)
Acts 8:14, “Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of
God, they sent them Peter and John”
527 Note the various translations of this term over the history of English (and French) Bible translation in
Chapter 26, “Follow-up Is Important.”