Quote Summary – The Cost of Discipleship
Caleb Swails
CHMN 447
April 27, 2025
The Cost of Discipleship by
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Chapter 1
1. “Cheap grace means grace as a doctrine, a principle, a system. It means forgiveness of
sins proclaimed as a general truth, the love of God taught as the Christian "conception"
of
God.” – (pg. 43)
2. “Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again, the gift which must be
asked for, the door at which a man must knock.” – (pg. 45)
3. “Deceived and weakened, men felt that they were strong now that they were in
possession of this cheap grace-whereas they had in fact lost the power to live the life of
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discipleship and obedience. The word of cheap grace has been the ruin of more
Christians than any commandment of works.” – (pg. 55)
Summary: This book opens and introduces the reader to “cheap grace” and how it applies to
the life of a believer. Christians have been deceived by the lie that discipleship and grace is a
much more easy-going process than what it once seemed.
Chapter 2
1. “Discipleship without Jesus Christ is a way of our own choosing. It may be the ideal way.
It may even lead to martyrdom, but it is devoid of all promise.” – (pg. 59)
2. “The idea of a situation in which faith is possible is only a way of stating the facts of a
case in which the following two propositions hold good and are equally true: only he
who believes is obedient, and only he who is obedient believes.” – (pg. 63)
3. “With our consciences distracted by sin, we are confronted by the call of Jesus to
spontaneous obedience. But whereas the rich young man was called to the grace of
discipleship, the lawyer, who sought to tempt him, was only sent back to the
commandment.” – (pg. 78)
Summary: This chapter focuses on the requirements of discipleship. It takes a lot of personal
sacrifice and a commitment to Jesus that is above all else.
Chapter 3
1. “"It is true that the demand of Jesus is definite enough, but I have to remember that he
never expects us to take his commands legalistically. What he really wants me to have is
faith.” – (pg. 79)
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2. “For that reason his call is an actual call and he wishes it so to be understood, because
he knows that it is only through actual obedience that a man can become liberated to
believe.” – (pg. 83)
3. “By eliminating simple obedience on principle, we drift into an unevangelical
interpretation of the Bible. " – (pg. 83)
Summary: This chapter focuses in on the necessity of total and Biblical obedience. There is no
growth to be had without a reliance on the Holy Spirit through direct obedience.
Chapter 4
1. “Jesus must therefore make it clear beyond all doubt that the "must" of suffering applies
to his disciples no less than to himself.” – (pg. 87)
2. “If we refuse to take up our cross and submit to suffering and rejection at the hands of
men, we forfeit our fellowship with Christ and have ceased to follow him” – (pg. 91)
3. “For God is a God who bears. The Son of God bore our flesh, he bore the cross, he bore
our sins, thus making atonement for us. In the same way his followers are also called
upon to bear, and that is precisely what it means to be a Christian.” – (pg. 93)
Summary: Discipleship must be looked through the lens of the cross. Jesus’ sacrifice is the
ultimate and most important reason for how and why discipleship must take place.
Chapter 5
1. “Wherever a group, be it large or small, prevents us from standing alone before Christ,
wherever such a group raises a claim of immediacy it must be hated for the sake of
Christ. For every immediacy, whether we realize it or not, means hatred of Christ, and
this is especially true where such relationships claim the sanction of Christian principles.”
– (pg. 97)
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2. “We cannot rightly acknowledge the gifts of God unless we acknowledge the Mediator
for whose sake alone they are given to us.” – (pg. 98)
3. “Though we all have to enter upon discipleship alone, we do not remain alone.” – (pg.
101)
Summary: The person must choose discipleship on their own accord. Difficult as it may seem,
the act of entering discipleship with Jesus is something that must be done alone.
Chapter 6
1. “Nobody loves his fellow-men better than a disciple, nobody understands his fellow-men
better than the Christian fellowship, and that very love impels them to stand aside and
mourn.” – (pg. 108)
2. “The renewal of the earth begins at Golgotha, where the meek One died, and from
thence it will spread.” – (pg. 111)
3. “The peacemakers will carry the cross with their Lord, for it was on the cross that peace
was made.” – (pg. 113)
Summary: This chapter begins the section on the Sermon on the Mount. Here, Jesus talks on
how disciples should focus on others first.
Chapter 7
1. “It is to be noted that Jesus calls not himself, but his disciples the salt of the earth, for he
entrusts his work on earth to them.” – (pg. 116)
2. “Flight into the invisible is a denial of the call. A community of Jesus which seeks to hide
itself has ceased to follow him.” – (pg. 118)
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3. “Men are not to see the disciples but their good works, says Jesus. And these works are
none other than those which the Lord Jesus himself has created in them by calling them
to be the light of the world under the shadow of his cross.” – (pg. 119) Summary: Here,
the works of a disciple are discussed. It emphasizes the necessity of understanding the
call and adhering to the works that are needed for it.
Chapter 8
1. “The law Jesus refers to is the law of the old covenant, not a new law, but the same law
which he quoted to the rich young man and the lawyer when they wanted to know the
revealed will of God.” – (pg. 121)
2. “But if Jesus comes. between the disciples and the law, he does so not to release them
from the duties it imposes, but to validate his demand that they should fulfil it.” – (pg.
123-124)
3. “Of course the righteousness of the disciples can never be a personal achievement; it is
always a gift, which they received when they were called to follow him.” – (pg. 125)
Summary: The righteousness of Jesus is highlighted as He guides His disciples in how to
grow in this manner. It is not of one’s own accord, but of the power of Christ in them.
Chapter 9
1. “Every idle word which we think so little of betrays our lack of respect for our neighbour,
and shows that we place ourselves on a pinnacle above him and value our own lives
higher than his.” – (pg. 127)
2. “Every idle word which we think so little of betrays our lack of respect for our neighbour,
and shows that we place ourselves on a pinnacle above him and value our own lives
higher than his” – (pg. 128)
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3. “There is therefore only one way of following Jesus and of worshipping God, and that is
to be reconciled with our brethren.” – (pg. 129)
Summary: The people around the disciple are the focus in this part. Jesus notes that in order to
grow closer to the Father, people must grow closer to their brothers and sisters.
Chapter 10
1. “Even momentary desire is a barrier to the following of Jesus, and brings the whole body
into hell, making us sell our heavenly birthright for a mess of pottage, and showing that
we lack faith in him who will reward mortification with joy a hundredfold.” – (pg. 131)
2. “This prohibition liberates marriage from selfish, evil desire, and consecrates it to the
service of love, which is possible only in a life of discipleship.” – (pg. 132-133)
3. “Even our bodies belong to Christ and have their part in the life of discipleship, for they
are members of his Body.” – (pg. 133)
Summary: This chapter hones in on the importance of holy, acceptable lives according to Christ.
Disciples should seek relationships that honor Jesus with their bodies, whether by marriage or
celibacy.
Chapter 11
1. “The very existence of oaths is a proof that there are such things as lies.” – (pg. 136)
2. “There are two ways in which untruthfulness can undermine the oath: either it may
actually insinuate itself into the oath (perjury), or else disguise itself in the form of an
oath by invoking some secular or divine power instead of the living God.” – (pg. 136)
3. “The commandment of complete truthfulness is really only another name for the totality
of discipleship. Only those who follow Jesus and cleave to him are living in complete
truthfulness.” – (pg. 138)
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Summary: The key point made in this chapter is truthfulness in the life of a disciple. Disciples
must live in complete truth to follow Jesus well.
Chapter 12
1. “Jesus takes up this declaration of the divine will and affirms the power of retribution to
convict and overcome evil and to ensure the fellowship of the disciples as the true
Israel.”
– (pg. 141)
2. “The only way to overcome evil is to let it run itself to a standstill because it does not
find the resistance it is looking for.” – (pg. 141)
3. “Jesus, however, tells us that it is just because we live in the world, and just because the
world is evil, that the precept of non-resistance must be put into practice.” – (pg. 144)
Summary: Jesus focuses on what is required for a disciple to overcome the desire to
enact revenge. He states that a lack of resistance is the ultimate combatant to evil.
Chapter 13
1. “To the natural man, the very notion of loving his enemies is an intolerable offence, and
quite beyond his capacity: it cuts right across his ideas of good and evil.” – (pg. 147)
2. “For if we pray for them, we are taking their distress and poverty, their guilt and
perdition upon ourselves, and pleading to God for them.” – (pg. 149)
3. “It is unreserved love for our enemies, for the unloving and the unloved, love for our
religious, political and personal adversaries.” – (pg. 153)
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Summary: The focus on this passage is loving enemies, despite its difficult task. Jesus requires
ultimate submission unto Him and that comes through loving other people that exist around
the disciple.
Chapter 14
1. “If the law had its way Jesus would be put to death for teaching the ‘extraordinary.’” –
(pg. 157)
2. “All that the follower of Jesus has to do is to make sure that his obedience, following and
love are entirely spontaneous and unpremeditated.” – (pg. 157)
3. “Manifestation is the appointed reward for hiddenness, and the only question is where
we shall receive it and who will give it us.” – (pg. 160)
Summary: This chapter discusses the righteousness of man and where it comes from. It is noted
that it begins to come naturally for the disciple as he grows closer to God.
Chapter 15
1. “When men pray, they have ceased to know themselves, and know only God whom they
call upon.” – (pg. 163)
2. “True prayer does not depend either on the individual or the whole body of the faithful,
but solely upon the knowledge that our heavenly Father knows our needs. That makes
God the sole object of our prayers, and frees us from a false confidence in our own
prayerful efforts.” – (pg. 165)
3. “Living as they do in fellowship with him, they ought to be sinless, but in practice their
life is marred daily with all manner of unbelief, sloth in prayer, lack of bodily discipline,
self-indulgence of every kind, envy, hatred and ambition.” – (pg. 167)
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Summary: Jesus focuses on the significance of prayer in this part of the Sermon on the Mount.
He is directly expressing the importance and necessity of it in the life of a believer, especially as
they grow as a disciple.
Chapter 16
1. “When the flesh is satisfied it is hard to pray with cheerfulness or to devote oneself to a
life of service which calls for much self-renunciation.” – (pg. 169)
2. “The spirit knows the right way, and desires to follow it, but the flesh lacks courage and
finds it too hard, too hazardous and wearisome, and so it stifles the voice of the spirit.” –
(pg. 170)
3. “Jesus does not mean that a smile on the face is to be a sort of stereotyped expression
of Christianity; he is referring rather to the proper hiddenness of Christian behaviour, to
that humility which is wholly unselfconscious, even as the eye can see other people but
can never see itself.” – (pg. 171)
Summary: This section notes the importance of fasting. He discusses the necessity of doing it,
but also how to do so.
Chapter 17
1. “If the eye sees an object which is not there, the whole body is deceived. If the heart is
devoted to the mirage of the world, to the creature instead of the Creator, the disciple is
lost.” – (pg. 174)
2. “Indeed, if they kept any of the manna over until the next day, it went bad. In the same
way, the disciple must receive his portion from God every day. If he stores it up as a
permanent possession, he spoils not only the gift, but himself as well, for he sets his
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heart on his accumulated wealth, and makes it a barrier between himself and God.” –
(pg. 175)
3. “If instead of receiving God's gifts for to-day we worry about tomorrow, we find
ourselves helpless victims of infinite anxiety.”– (pg. 178)
Summary: This chapter focuses on the how the disciple should live a life that is care-free of
what is going on around them. This is to emphasize the lack of care or reliance on anything in
the world, but rather, lean on Christ alone.
Chapter 18
1. “He cannot, as he could once, be a detached observer of himself and judge himself, for
he can only see Jesus, and be seen by him, judged by him, and reprieved by him. It is not
an approved standard of righteous living that separates a follower of Christ from the
unbeliever, but it is Christ who stands between them.” – (pg. 183-184)
2. “Judgement is the forbidden objectivization of the other person which destroys
singleminded love. I am not forbidden to have my own thoughts about the other person,
to realize his shortcomings, but only to the extent that it offers to me an occasion for
forgiveness and unconditional love, as Jesus proves to me” – (pg. 185)
3. “Judgement and forgiveness are always in the hands of God. He closes and he opens. But
the disciples must ask, they must seek and knock, and then God will hear them.” – (pg.
187)
Summary: This part focuses on how disciples should interact with unbelievers. It is the charge of
God through prayerful intercession that one comes to find Him.
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Chapter 19
1. “But if we worry about the dangers that beset us, if we gaze at the road instead of at him
who goes before, we are already straying from the path. For he is himself the way, the
narrow way and the strait gate.” – (pg. 190-191)
2. “God will not ask us in that day whether we were good Protestants, but whether we
have done his will.” – (pg. 193)
3. “He understands his call not as his right, but as an act of God's judgement and grace, as
the will of God, which alone he must obey.” – (pg. 194)
Summary: Here, the focus is on the commitment and intentionality of the disciple. One must
stay fully connected to Jesus in all things in order to honor and pursue Him in all things.
Chapter 20
1. “Jesus knows only one possibility: simple surrender and obedience, not interpreting it or
applying it, but doing and obeying it.” – (pg. 196-197)
2. “Only in the doing of it does the word of Jesus retain its honour, might and power among
us.” – (pg. 197)
3. “There is only one other possibility, that of failing to do it. It is impossible to want to do
it and yet not do it. To deal with the word of Jesus otherwise than by doing it is to give
him the lie.” – (pg. 197)
Summary: This short section discusses the obedience factor this message. There must be action
behind everything that a disciple does, otherwise, it is for nothing.
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Chapter 21
1. “The disciples had to learn that Jesus would not be hemmed in by them in his service.
His gospel of the kingdom of God and his power of healing belonged to the sick and
poor, wherever they were to be found among the people.” – (pg. 201)
2. “The Good Shepherd protects his sheep against the wolf, and instead of fleeing he gives
his life for the sheep.” – (pg. 202)
3. “From the human point of view everything looks hopeless, but Jesus sees things with
different eyes. Instead of the people maltreated, wretched and poor, he sees the ripe
harvest field of God.” – (pg. 202)
Summary: The focus here is on the lost out in the world. There is a ripe harvest to be had all
over the place, and it is the disciple’s job to bring in that harvest.
Chapter 22
1. “It is not a word or a doctrine they receive, but effective power, without which the work
could not be done.” – (pg. 204)
2. “The only bond of unity between the twelve is their choice and call.” – (pg. 205)
3. “No power in the world could have united these men for a common task, save the call of
Jesus. But that call transcended all their previous divisions, and established a new and
steadfast fellowship in Jesus.” – (pg. 205)
Summary: This portion discusses the apostles and how they were connected. They were only
ever linked through Jesus, and thus, created disciples this way.
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Chapter 23
1. “The choice of field for their labours does not depend on their own impulses or
inclinations, but on where they are sent.” – (pg. 206)
2. “There are still people praying and waiting for God in every place, and those people will
give the disciples humble and cheerful welcome in the name of their Lord. They will
support their work with their prayers, and indeed they are a little Rock already in being,
the advance guard of the whole Church of Christ.” – (pg. 210)
3. “, a financial pursuit of a grand idea or a good cause. That is why they stay only where
the Word stays, and if it is rejected they will be rejected with it, and shake off the dust
from their feet as a sign of the curse which awaits that place.” – (pg. 211)
Summary: The work is everywhere around the disciple. Learning how to take the Word and
when to leave are two key distinctions and tasks that must be mastered when sharing the
gospel.
Chapter 24
1. “With this the Lord promises them his abiding presence, even when they .find
themselves as sheep among wolves, defenceless, powerless, sore pressed and beset
with great danger.
Nothing can happen to them without Jesus knowing of it.” – (pg. 214)
2. “The disciples are not expected to show fear of men, nor malice, nor mistrust, still less a
sour misanthropy, nor that gullible credulity which believes that there is good in every
man: they are expected rather to display an unerring insight into the mutual relation of
the
Word and man.” – (pg. 215)
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3. “The messengers of Jesus will be hated to the end of time. They will be blamed for all
the divisions which rend cities and homes. Jesus and his disciples will be condemned on
all sides for undermining family life, and for leading the nation astray; they will be called
crazy fanatics and disturbers of the peace.” – (pg. 215)
Summary: This chapter focuses on how the disciples were suffer much hardship. It talks about
how believers should utilize this time to grow and mature in their position within Jesus.
Chapter 25
1. “Men can do them no harm, for the power of men ceases with the death of the body.
But they must overcome the fear of death with the fear of God.” – (pg. 218)
2. “Those who are true to the word and confession on earth will find Jesus Christ standing
by their side in the hour of judgement. He will acknowledge them and come to their aid
when the accuser demands his rights.” – (pg. 219)
3. “God's love for man is altogether different from the love of men for their own flesh and
blood. God's love for man means the cross and the way of discipleship. But that cross
and that way are both life and resurrection.” – (pg. 219)
Summary: Fear is the main component that this chapter addresses. It calls the disciple to rely on
the faithfulness of God to deliver and guide them through all things.
Chapter 26
1. “They are now Christ's fellow-workers, and will be like him in all things. Thus they are to
meet those to whom they are sent as if they were Christ himself. When they are
welcomed into a house, Christ enters with them. They are bearers of his presence.” –
(pg.
220)
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2. “Every service men render them is service rendered to Christ himself. This means grace
for the Church and grace for the disciple ill equal measure.” – (pg. 220)
3. “He who receives a righteous man will receive the reward of a righteous man, for he has
become a partner in his righteousness.” – (pg. 221)
Summary: The fruit of being a messenger of Jesus is on display here. When a disciple obeys the
command of spreading the gospel, he may see his fruit realized in the world around him.
Chapter 27
1. “Christ speaks to us exactly as he spoke to them. It was not as though they first
recognized him as the Christ and then received his command. They believed his word
and command and recognized him as the Christ-ip that order. There was no other way
for them to know Christ, but by his plain word.” – (pg. 226)
2. “It is therefore abundantly clear that we cannot play off the various accounts of the
calling of the disciples against other parts of the gospel narrative.” – (pg. 227)
3. “To the question-where to-day do we hear the call of Jesus to discipleship, there is no
other answer than this: Hear the Word, receive the Sacrament; in it hear him himself,
and you will hear his call.” – (pg. 228)
Summary: The questions presented in this chapter are to help the modern day disciple see that
they are in just as much importance as the disciples under Jesus. They were called just the same
way as followers of Jesus are today.
Chapter 28
1. “No, the scriptures are the only witness we have of Christ's presence, and that witness is
a unity, which also means that the presence they speak of includes the presence of Jesus
Christ as he is presented in the Synoptic Gospels.” – (pg. 229)
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2. “Baptism therefore betokens a breach. Christ invades the realm of Satan, lays hands on
his own, and creates for himself his Church.” – (pg. 231)
3. “When he called men to follow him, Jesus was summoning them to a visible act of
obedience. To follow Jesus was a public act. Baptism is similarly a public event, for it is
the means whereby a member is grafted on to the visible body of Christ (Gal. 3.27 f; I
Cor. 12.13).” – (pg. 233)
Summary: Baptism is one of the most significant things a Christian can do. It is the outward
symbolization of obedience to Jesus in the life of a disciple.
Chapter 29
1. “Consequently the incarnate Son of God existed so to speak in two capacities-in his own
person, and as the representative of the new humanity. Every act he wrought was
performed on behalf of the new humanity which he bore in his body.” – (pg. 238)
2. “Hence the new man is both Christ and the Church. Christ is the new humanity in the
new man. Christ is the Church.” – (pg. 242)
3. “In the fellowship of the crucified and glorified body of Christ we participate in his
suffering and glory. His cross is the burden which is laid on his Body, the Church. All its
sufferings borne beneath this cross are the sufferings of Christ himself.” – (pg. 244)
Summary: This chapter takes the stance of the necessity of the Body of Christ. It comes
as the living church and Christ in humanity today.
Chapter 30
1. “he word of the apostles' preaching is the same Word which bore the sins of the whole
world in his Body. That Word is the presence of Christ through the Holy Spirit. "Christ in
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his Church" is the sum of the apostles' teaching, the apostolic preaching.” – (pg. 250-
251)
2. “The offices exist to serve the Church, and their spiritual rights only originate from this
service. That is why the Church has to adapt its offices to the varying needs of time and
place.” – (pg. 252)
3. “The fellowship between Jesus and his disciples covered every aspect of their daily life.
Within the fellowship of Christ's disciples the life of each individual was part of the life of
the brotherhood.” – (pg. 254)
Summary: Visualizing the Kingdom of God is crucial as it helps disciples grow together and push
each other closer to God. The church should also seek to do this through its programming.
Chapter 31
1. “The means whereby we are incorporated into the Body of Christ, that is, into his death
and resurrection, is baptism. Just as Christ died once and for all, so we are baptized and
justified once and for all.” – (pg. 276-77)
2. “The sanctification of the Church means its separation from all that is unholy, from sin;
and the method by which it is accomplished is by God's sealing the Church and thus
making it his own possession, his habitation on earth, the place from which judgement
and reconciliation go forth into all the world.” – (pg. 279)
3. “The community of the saints is not an "ideal" community consisting of perfect and
sinless men and women, where there is no need of further repentance. No, it is a
community which proves that it is worthy of the gospel of forgiveness by constantly and
sincerely proclaiming God's forgiveness (which has nothing to do with self-forgiveness).”
– (pg. 287)
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Summary: This chapter ties in the entirety of the book. It lays out what the life of a disciple
looks like as they grow in their sanctification process.
Chapter 32
1. “Since fallen man cannot rediscover and assimilate the form of God, the only way is for
God to take the form of man and come to him.” – (pg. 300)
2. “We cannot transform ourselves into his image; it is rather the form of Christ which
seeks to be formed in us (Gal. 4.19), and to be manifested in us.” – (pg. 301)
3. “The Church in the first place is his image, and through the Church all her members have
been refashioned in his image too. In the Body of Christ we are become '1ike Christ."” –
(pg. 303)
Summary: This chapter completes the closing of the book. It wraps up the entire goal of the
disciple and what their life should look like to honor and glorify God.
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Bibliography
Bonhoeffer, Dietrich. The Cost of Discipleship. New York, New York: Touchstone, 2018.
