The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Week 2: The Call to Discipleship
Read Chapter 2 of The Cost of Discipleship ("The Call to Discipleship"). Key passages: Mark 2:14; Matthew 9:9; Matthew 4:18-22
Previewing Week 2 of The Cost of Discipleship
Read 3 of 7 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 13-week guide when you’re ready.
Bonhoeffer insists that discipleship begins with a concrete, external word from Jesus — not an inner spiritual experience — so pay attention to how he describes the mechanics of the call.
Discussion Questions
7 questions1.Bonhoeffer draws attention to the sheer immediacy of the disciples' response in the Gospels: they left their nets and their tax booth "at once," without theological deliberation. Why does he think this immediacy is theologically significant, rather than merely dramatic?
2.He argues that the call of Jesus creates an "either/or" — there is no middle ground between following and not following. How does this challenge the way discipleship is often presented today as a gradual process of spiritual growth that doesn't require decisive breaks?
3.Bonhoeffer makes a famous distinction: obedience must come before understanding. He says that if Levi had stayed at his tax booth to "think it over" spiritually, he would never have come to faith at all. Do you agree? Can you think of a situation where acting in obedience preceded and produced understanding?