I am a Jesus pusher!!! The Greek word (akoloutheo) translated followed does not apply to the disciples after the Gospel accounts. It is extremely important to notice the use of the Greek word (matheteuo) translated disciple. As a noun it appears two hundred and sixty-one times in the New Testament, however, it is only found in the Gospels and the Book of Acts. The verb form as used in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19) only appears four times (Matthew 13:52; 27:57; 28:19; Acts 14:21). This amazed me! You would think the idea of discipleship as proposed by Jesus in the Great Commission would echo throughout the epistles. It is never mentioned in that form.
The idea of “following” or “discipleship” seems to disappear in the epistles. The Gospel approach of attachment to a physical Jesus with its external emphasis is swallowed up in the New Covenant approach of the indwelling of the Spirit of Christ. The shift from the external Jesus to the internal Jesus demands a shift in language as well. All of the old structure and language becomes old wineskins into which the new wine is poured. It cannot contain it! Jesus comes to indwell us! This takes us beyond just physically attending worship services in a physical building. We become the temple of the indwelling Jesus who transforms our lives. I am an indwelt Jesus pusher!!!