The Significance of Discipleship and Faith

Following Jesus means more than agreeing with him

In Mark’s Gospel, a disciple is a follower and learner of Jesus. Discipleship involves listening to his teaching, trusting him and putting that trust into action. Faith means trust and confidence in God or Jesus: it is not simply knowing religious facts.

These ideas are closely connected, but they are not identical. Someone outside the Twelve can show remarkable faith, while one of Jesus’ closest disciples can fail under pressure. Mark therefore raises questions about what faithful discipleship requires, why it matters and whether its demands remain relevant today.

The first disciples: trust that changes priorities

In Mark 1:16–20, Jesus calls Simon, later known as Peter, and Andrew while they are fishing beside Lake Galilee. He promises to make them “fish for people”: their new task will be to bring others to God. They immediately leave their nets. James and John also follow, leaving their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men.

For these first followers, discipleship changes their work, family relationships and future. Their immediate response shows trust in Jesus before they know everything that following him will involve. In Mark 2:13–17, Levi leaves his tax-collecting position to follow Jesus. His call also shows that discipleship is not restricted to people already considered respectable.

Jesus appoints the Twelve to be with him, to preach and to have authority to drive out demons (Mark 3:13–19). Their role combines learning with service. When he sends them out in pairs in Mark 6:7–13, they preach repentance, drive out demons and heal sick people by anointing them with oil. They travel lightly and depend on hospitality rather than taking supplies that would make them self-sufficient. If a place rejects them, they are to move on, shaking its dust from their feet as a sign of rejection.

For Jesus’ disciples, faith therefore means trusting God while actively carrying out a mission. It does not mean waiting passively for God to do everything.

Must Christians today leave everything?

One interpretation emphasises the radical example of the first disciples. Following Jesus should take priority over possessions, income and personal comfort. Some Christians express this through religious life or full-time missionary work. The argument is that a commitment which never changes someone’s priorities falls short of the response Mark describes.

Another interpretation distinguishes the first disciples’ particular mission from the responsibilities of Christians today. Leaving employment or dependants is not necessarily the best way to serve others. Christians can practise discipleship through ordinary work, family care, generosity and sharing their faith. On this view, the essential demand is willingness to put Jesus first, not an identical lifestyle for every follower.

The two interpretations can agree that discipleship must affect behaviour. Their disagreement concerns whether radical commitment requires leaving ordinary life or transforming the way it is lived.

The cost and reward of discipleship

In Mark 8:34–38, Jesus addresses both the crowd and his disciples: “deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me”. In the context of Roman execution, taking up a cross suggests the possibility of suffering and death, not merely coping with a minor inconvenience. Self-denial means refusing to make personal advantage the highest priority.

Jesus contrasts gaining the whole world with forfeiting one’s life. For Christians, wealth and safety cannot replace the eternal life offered by God. He also warns against being ashamed of him and his words. These teachings challenged the first disciples to remain loyal even when loyalty became dangerous.

A later example is Archbishop Oscar Romero, who spoke against injustice and violence in El Salvador and was assassinated during Mass in 1980. Christians can see his example as showing that discipleship may involve defending others despite serious personal risk. In contemporary Britain, its costs may instead include giving up money or time, resisting materialism or facing criticism for religious commitments.

However, discipleship is not presented only as loss. In Mark 10:28–31, Peter reminds Jesus that the disciples have left everything. Jesus promises a hundredfold in the present age, “with persecutions”, and eternal life in the age to come. This can be understood as a new community of belonging and support, rather than a promise that faithful Christians will become wealthy. The inclusion of persecution makes clear that reward does not remove hardship.

Faith and healing: trust beyond the Twelve

In Mark 5:24b–34, a woman who has suffered bleeding for twelve years approaches Jesus. She has spent all her money on treatment but has become worse. Believing that touching his clothes will make her well, she touches his cloak and is immediately healed. When she comes forward in fear, Jesus says, “Daughter, your faith has made you well”.

Her faith is significant because she trusts Jesus and acts on that trust, although she is not one of the Twelve. Jesus’ response connects healing with faith and also gives her reassurance and dignity.

A contrasting incident occurs in Mark 6:1–6. People in Jesus’ hometown, Nazareth, take offence at him because they know him as the carpenter and recognise his family. Mark connects their lack of faith with his inability to perform mighty works there, although he does heal a few sick people. Familiarity with Jesus does not necessarily produce trust in him.

Some Christians understand these accounts as encouragement to pray confidently for physical healing. Others place greater emphasis on the emotional and spiritual strength faith can bring, without expecting every illness to be cured. The woman’s healing is a particular event, not a promise that every faithful person will recover. Treating it as such could unfairly blame people whose illnesses continue. Faith and seeking medical treatment need not be alternatives.

Discipleship can include failure and renewed hope

Peter’s denial in Mark 14:66–72 shows the pressure of discipleship. While Jesus is on trial, Peter is in the high priest’s courtyard. He denies being associated with Jesus three times. When the rooster crows for the second time, he remembers Jesus’ prediction and breaks down in tears.

His failure contrasts sharply with the call to remain publicly loyal to Jesus. It shows that being chosen as a disciple does not make someone fearless or incapable of failure. For Christians today, it can encourage honest recognition of their own weaknesses rather than an assumption that genuine believers never struggle.

At the empty tomb, the instruction to tell “his disciples and Peter” that Jesus is going ahead to Galilee (Mark 16:7) suggests that Peter has not been permanently excluded. Christians can interpret this as hope for forgiveness and renewed discipleship, without pretending that his denial was unimportant.

Is faith essential to a worthwhile life?

For Christians, faith gives discipleship its distinctive purpose: following Jesus, trusting God and hoping for eternal life. The poor widow in Mark 12:41–44, who gives two small copper coins representing all she has to live on, illustrates complete commitment. Jesus values her sacrifice more than the larger donations made from surplus wealth.

A humanist could admire generosity, courage and concern for others without accepting that these qualities require belief in God. An atheist could similarly value Jesus’ ethical example while rejecting supernatural healing or eternal life. Such views challenge the claim that religious faith is necessary for moral action. They may also question giving away everything if it leaves a person or their dependants without essential support.

A justified conclusion can distinguish distinctively Christian discipleship from ethical conduct more generally. Faith is central to following Jesus as Mark portrays it, because the commitment is directed towards him and God. Yet non-religious people can practise many of the same virtues for reasons grounded in human wellbeing. The continuing significance of Mark’s teaching lies both in its religious challenge to Christians and in the questions it raises for everyone about loyalty, generosity, courage and what deserves priority.

Discipleship in action

• Mark 1:16–20: Simon, Andrew, James and John leave their fishing work to follow Jesus — trust, sacrifice and changed priorities.
• Mark 6:7–13: the Twelve preach repentance and heal, travelling lightly — faith expressed through mission and dependence on God.
• Modern interpretations: leave ordinary life for religious service, or practise radical commitment within work and family responsibilities.

Cost and reward

• Mark 8:34–38: deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Jesus — loyalty may involve suffering or death; worldly success cannot replace eternal life.
• Mark 10:28–31: new belonging and support now, alongside persecution; eternal life in the future.
• Oscar Romero: assassinated in 1980 after speaking against injustice — an example of costly commitment.

Faith, healing and failure

• Mark 5:24b–34: the woman with twelve years of bleeding trusts Jesus and is healed: “your faith has made you well”.
• Mark 6:1–6: Nazareth’s unbelief contrasts with her trust; Jesus still heals a few people.
• Mark 14:66–72: Peter denies Jesus three times and weeps — disciples can fail under pressure.
• Mark 16:7: “his disciples and Peter” suggests hope of forgiveness and renewed belonging.

Main evaluation distinctions

• Faith may encourage prayer for healing or provide spiritual resilience; it is not a guarantee of recovery.
• Christians see faith as central to following Jesus and receiving eternal life.
• Humanists and atheists may value sacrifice and compassion without religious belief.
• Distinguish the necessity of faith for Christian discipleship from its necessity for moral behaviour.