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Acts 11:

26b So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.

Were disciples the same as Christians? Were all Christians disciples and vice versa?

Note that I'm not asking about modern usage of the word "Christians". I'm asking about the biblical definition of the word "Christians".

Related question:

What does "Christian" mean (Acts 11:26)?
My question is more precisely about at the times of Acts, after the cross: was disciples = Christians?

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  • Everywhere else, at the time, there were (unnamed) disciples. At Antioch, these unnamed disciples (all of them, apparently) were referred to as 'Christians'. I don't see any ambiguity with the statement, myself.
    – Nigel J
    Commented Nov 5, 2021 at 14:37

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Technically, the word Χριστιανός (Christianos) means, "one who is like Christ". It was a term of ridicule but taken by early Christians as a title of honor.

Acts 11:26 means that disciples of Christ were known as "Christians" - there was good reason for this - Jesus' final instruction to the disciples was this:

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you ...

Thus, the distinguishing characteristic of all disciples of Christ, their defining values, their motivation, the sum and substance of their being and existence, is the imitation of Christ. Hence the title, "Christian". See the appendix below.

Appendix - The Imitation of Christ

  • Walk as Jesus walked. 1 John 2:6.
  • Jesus was led by the Spirit Matt 4:1. The Christian must be born of the Spirit (John 3:5) by receiving the gift of the Spirit (Acts 2:38) and walk by the Spirit (Gal 5:25, John 6:63, Phil 3:3, John 4:24). In fact, the whole life of Christian is to put aside the “psychical” mind and live by the Spirit (1 Cor 2:14, 1 Cor 15:44-46, Gal 5:17, Jude 19, John 6:63, 1 Peter 3:18).
  • Love as Jesus loved. John 13:34, 35, 15:12, 1 John 4:8, 11, 19, Eph 5:1, 2.
  • Lay down life for friends. John 15:13, Eph 5:2.
  • Jesus’ suffering leaves us an example. John 16:33, 1 Cor 7:28, 2 Tim 1:4, Heb 13:12, 13, 1 Peter 2:21.
  • Because Jesus was persecuted, so are His followers. John 15:20, 21. • Conformed to the likeness of the Son. Rom 8:29.
  • Transforming our will and bodies to conform to God’s will. Rom 12:1, 2.
  • Jesus was baptised (Matt 3:13-17, Mark 1:9-11, Luke 3:21, 22) and so should we be baptised, Matt 28:19, Acts 2:38, 10:48, 16:31, 22:16, Rom 6:1-9, etc. See “Baptism”.
  • Forgive as Jesus forgave. Matt 6:12, 14, 15, 18:35, Eph 4:32, Col 3:13.
  • Be imitators of God. Eph 5:1.
  • Be holy as Jesus is holy. Lev 11:44, 45, 1 Peter 1:15, 16.
  • Be pure as He is pure. 1 John 3:3.
  • Partakers of the divine nature. 2 Peter 1:4.
  • We are being changed into Christ’s glory (= reputation). 2 Cor 3:18.
  • Pray as Jesus prayed. Luke 11:1.
  • We are to have the mind of Christ. Phil 2:5, 1 Cor 2:16.
  • Be kind because God is kind. Luke 6:34, 35.
  • Be merciful because God is merciful. Luke 6:36.
  • Be servants to others as Jesus was. John 13:15-17, 1 Peter 4:11b, Matt 20:24-28.
  • Be patient as Jesus was patient. 1 Tim 1:16.
  • Talk/speak as Jesus speaks. 1 Peter 4:11a.
  • Be “perfect” (= mature and generous to enemies) as the Father is. Matt 5:48.
  • Husbands should love their wives as Christ loved His people and gave Himself for her. Eph 5:25.
  • Keep the commandments as Jesus kept the commandments. John 15:10.
  • Abide in Christ as Christ abides in us. John 15:4.
  • Jesus is the “beginning and the end” (Rev 22:13) and Jesus is the beginning and end of our faith (Heb 12:2).
  • We are co-heirs with Christ of glory. Rom 8:17.
  • Jesus gave his all and we must give up all things for Him. Rom 8:32.
  • Jesus is called the “Lamb of God” (John 1:29, 1 Cor 5:7, 1 Peter 1:19) and so are His followers (John 10:1-18, 21:15-17)
  • Jesus washed the disciples’ feet (John 13:1-17) and so should we (John 13:14-17)
  • Jesus is the light of the world (John 1:4, 9, 8:12, 9:5) and so are we (Matt 5:14-16)
  • Jesus is the “firstborn” Luke 2:7, Rom 8:29, Col 1:15, 18, Heb 1:6, Rev 1:5, and we are to compose the church/assembly of the firstborn, Heb 12:23; see also Rom 8:23 & Rev 14:4 where we are also called first-fruits to God and the Lamb.
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The word “Christian” comes from the Greek word “CHRISTIANOS,” and it means “follower of Christ” (Strong’s Concordance). It is only used three times in the New Testament (here, Acts 26:28, and 1 Peter 4:16). This name did not originate with the followers of Christ but was a term of scorn used by the opponents of Christianity to criticize the followers of Jesus as acting just like that Jesus of Nazareth who claimed to be the Christ.

Although the unbelievers did not intend this name to be flattering, it was actually one of the highest compliments that a believer could be paid. The church adopted this name for themselves and used it to describe themselves as early as the second century A.D.

Disciple - mathētēs - a learner, pupil. The term applied to students of a Rabbi. (Teacher). The ‘disciples’ were not strictly ‘Christian’s’. To become a ‘Christian’ you need a revelation of who Jesus is. And for their initial period of time with Jesus they didn’t have this …

MAT 16:13 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”

The initial answers reflected those of disciples, not christian. However Peters answer reflected that he was - and Jesus said that Peter only knew that because it was revealed to him.

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