The ships of the ancients caiTied two figures as a rule, one being the figure-head {trapda-ij/iov, in- siqne), after which the ship was named (Virgil, ^n. V. 116, X. 166, 188, 209), and the other in the stern. The latter was the tutela or image of the divine being under whose guardianship the vessel was supposed to sail. The Dioscuri were regarded as the guardian deities of sailors, and Horace speaks of ' the brothers of Helen, the beaming stars,' as shining propitiously on those at sea [Odes, I. iii. 2, xii. 25 ; cf. Catullus, iv. 27 ; Euripides, Helena, 1662-5). F. W. WORSLEY.
DIOTREPHES. — An otherwise unknown man named in 3 Jn ^ as ambitious, masterful, and tyran- nical. As the authorship of the Epistle, its des- tination, and date are all doubtful, any attempt to identify Diotrephes is futile. His main interest for the student of the Apostolic Church is that he is a witness to the opposite currents of thought which disturbed it. The writer of 3 John was apparently responsible for a band of travelling evangelists to whom Diotrephes refused a welcome. The ground of refusal appears, from the references to ' truth ' in the Epistle, to have been a difierence of doctrine. If the writer was a ' pneumatic ' teacher, Diotrephes would probably be a Catholic officer of influence, but of lower standing than the writer. If the writer, on the other hand, was a Catholic teacher, Diotrephes was probably a man of Docetic views. The name occurs in profane Greek twice — once as son of Heraclitus in the 3rd cent. B.C., and once as the name of an Antiochene rhetorician (Pauly-Wissowa, 5.V.). W. F. Cobb.
DISCIPLE.— The use of the word 'disciple' inad-grris] in the NT is remarkable and very in- structive. It occurs 238 times in the Gospels. In the Epistles and the Apocalypse it does not occur at all, its place being taken by 'saints' (dyLoi) and ' brethren (dSeX^o/). Acts exhibits the transition, with ' disciple' (fji.a07]T^s) 28 times and the feminine form (fiaOrjTpia) once, but with ' saints ' 4 times (913. 82. 41 2610) and ' brethren ' (not counting ad- dresses, and mostly in the second half of the book) about 32 times. In Acts, ' believers ' (vKXTeiovres, Tnareijaatn-es, TmnffTevKdres) is another frequent equi- valent. The explanation of the change from ' dia-
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ciple' to the other terms is simple. During His life on earth, the followers of Jesus were called ' disciples ' in reference to Him ; afterwards they were called ' saints ' in reference to their sacred calling, or ' brethren ' in relation to one another (Sanday, Insyiratioin^, 1896, p. 289). In Acts, the iirst title is going out of use, and the others are coming in ; in ch. 9 all three terms are found. Christ's charge, ' Make discijdes of all the nations ' (Mt 28'^), may have helped to keep ' disciple' in use.
' Disciple' means more than one who listens to a teacher ; it implies his acceptance of the teaching, and his effort to act in accordance with it ; it im- plies beinga 'believer' in theteacher and being ready to be an 'imitator' (jm/tijrijs) of him (Xen. Mem. I. vi. 3). It is remarkable that St. Paul does not call his converts his ' disciples ' — that might seem to be taking the place of Christ (1 Co l^s-is). but he speaks of them as his ' imitators.' In the Gospels, ' disciple ' is often used in a special sense of the Twelve, and sometimes of the followers of human teachers — Moses, or John the Baptist, or the Pharisees. Neither use is found in Acts : in 19', 'disciples' does not mean disciples of John, as is shown by 'when ye believed' (Trto-rewafres), that is, ' when ye became Christians,' whicli is the dominant meaning of this verb in Acts. These 'disciples' were imperfectly instructed Christians.
See also art. Apostle. Alfred Plummer.
DISCIPLINE.— The root meaning of 'discipline' is 'instruction,' but in course of time it came to be used for 'moral training,' 'chastening,' 'punish- ment.' The subject naturally divides itself into two parts : (1) the spiritual disci jdine of the soul ; (2) the ecclesiastical discipline of offenders.
1. The training necessary for the discipline of the soul. — This may be under the guidance of another or under one's own direction. — (a) In order to develop and perfect man's moral nature, God deals with him as a wise father with a child. The benefit of such treatment is ])ointed out in He 121-13 (cf. Mt 5'"-_^2), ^ Its final efficacy depends upon the spirit in which it is received. The motive for its endurance must be right, and the end in view must be clearly perceived. The Heavenly Father does more than simply teach His children ; He disciplines them with more (cf. Pr S^^, Job 5") or less severity (cf. Pr P- ^ 4'). If the Author of Salvation was made perfect through sufferings (He 21" ; cf. 5«^ 7-«, Lk I33-), it is clear that the ' many sons' must pass through the same process and experience as the ' well-beloved Son.' In their case the need is the more urgent, for latent powers must be developed, lack of symmetry corrected, the stains of sin removed, evil tendencies eradi- cated. Errors in doctrine and action must be transformed into truth and righteousness (1 Co ll-'ff-, 2 Jni«"-, 2 Ti 2i«-; cf. Tit 3"», 1 Co 59-l^ 2 Th 3^). Body and mind can move towards perfection only under the guiding hand of the Holy Father. Pain and sorrow, frustrated hopes, long delays, loneliness, changed circumstances, persecution, the death of loved ones, and other 'dispensations of Providence,' are designed to chasten and ennoble the soul. Character, not creed, is the final aim. Having begun a good work in His children, God wiU ' perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ' (Ph 18).