Confession and Discipleship

…a proper confession of Jesus involves a new understanding of discipleship.  When believers confess who Jesus is, they also and inevitably confess what they must become.  Jesus is not an objective datum that, like a rock under a microscope, can be observed and examined in supposed neutrality.  The statement, 'you are the Christ,' imposes a claim on the one who says it.  The Son of Man calls those who would know him to follow him.  (James Edwards, Pillar NT Commentary on Mark, p261)