His Word Today

¹⁶ Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. ¹⁷ And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. ¹⁸ And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:16–20 (ESV)

One of the most overlooked components of the Great Commission is the word commanded. The word makes some believers in Christ uncomfortable. For many, the licentious concept of freedom evokes strong emotions against any restrictions of one’s personal choices; regardless of what Scripture says.

The word “commanded” (ἐντέλλω; entello) refers to an order, instruction and a charge. It involves an order or direction to be obeyed. Jesus gave commandments. They were/are personal and propositional truths. They are as binding and harmonious to the commands contained in the Old Testament Scriptures. Remember, Jesus did not come to do away with God’s commandments, but rather to fulfill them.

¹⁷ “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. ¹⁸ For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.” (Matthew 5:17–18 (ESV)

³⁴ “But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. ³⁵ And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. ³⁶ “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” ³⁷ And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. ³⁸ This is the great and first commandment. ³⁹ And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. ⁴⁰ On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:34–40 (ESV)

“The goal of theology, the study of God, is to grow in our knowledge of God, and as we know God better, we should love Him and His people more. Otherwise, something has gone wrong. This is part of what Jesus meant when He identified the two great commandments: love God and love neighbor (Matt. 22:34–40),” explains one commentator.

“The goal of theology is ultimately worship and the building up of the church, so to be good theologians we must be people who seek the face of the Lord and adore Him in prayer and worship both individually and corporately. We must be those who love the church of Jesus Christ and who want to see it grow in faithfulness.”

Jesus stated His current disciples were to teach future and younger disciples to observe all that He commanded. There is the explicit relationship of connection with the “them” and the “you.” The “them” are new believers in Christ. The ‘you” refers to mature disciples of the Lord. What Jesus stated in principle is clarified by other biblical texts. Here are some examples.

Galatians 5:13–14 (ESV) – “¹³ For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. ¹⁴ For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

1 Timothy 4:8–16 (ESV) – “⁸ …for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. ⁹ The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. ¹⁰ For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe. ¹¹ Command and teach these things. ¹² Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. ¹³ Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. ¹⁴ Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. ¹⁵ Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress. ¹⁶ Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.”  

Titus 2:1–8 (ESV) – “But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. ² Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. ³ Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, ⁴ and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, ⁵ to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. ⁶ Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. ⁷ Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, ⁸ and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.”

God’s commands are not restricted to a Top Ten List. They are many and extensive for all of life and living in Christ. Obedience to the Lord’s orders involve the believer’s mind, emotions and will. Believers in Christ are not to be blindly obedient but intelligently, emotionally and volitionally committed to obey God’s revelation and truth.

Consider the many areas of life the LORD Jesus Christ calls believers in Christ to obedience. Discover areas of obedience to Christ you may never knew existed within the Scriptures. Primarily consider the moral commandments God has given, which remain in force within the New Covenant. What commands of God are easy to obey, and which ones are difficult?

“In short, let us hold that by these words teachers are appointed over the Church, not to put forward whatever they may think proper, but that they, as well as others, may depend on the mouth of the Master alone; so as to gain disciples for Him and not for themselves,” explains John Calvin.

Soli deo Gloria!

¹⁶ Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. ¹⁷ And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. ¹⁸ And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:16–20 (ESV)

The following article is by Victor-Hugo Cruz, a church-planting pastor in Mexico City. It was originally published in 2014 in Tabletalk Magazine.

Being an evangelist is more than just telling people about Jesus; it requires that we become teachers of the gospel. The gospel is proclaimed by the preaching of the good news. This is the beginning. But we also need to explain to new believers the implications and consequences of believing in the gospel. This is necessary to make real disciples.

The Authority to Teach

R.T. France notes that when Jesus said to His disciples that they would have to teach, He was transferring to them the authority to be teachers. In 28:20, Matthew uses for the first time the verb “teach”—didaskō—which implies that the disciples then had authority from Christ to teach others.

Believing in the gospel requires the newborn believer to submit to teaching and to receive instruction in order to live according to Jesus’ will. Making disciples starts with the confession of faith in Christ (Rom. 10:9); then, baptism in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit so that we can join the church in order to learn to observe all that Jesus has commanded us in the context of a community of believers.

The Need to Teach

The fact that the church has been established by Jesus to be a teaching community is clear. And if this is the nature of the church, then Christian ministry is mainly a teaching ministry.

In Acts 2:42, we learn that the primitive church gathered together to devote themselves to the Apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. The first Christians prioritized their time together in order to comprehend the gospel and its implications in their lives. The Apostles formulated the gospel. Then the preachers proclaimed the gospel and the teachers taught the ethical implications of the message.

God has given the church gifts in order to keep the gospel at the center of the new community. Paul, in his second letter to Timothy, says, “For this gospel I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher” (1:11). All the gifts and status given to Paul were used to serve the gospel. The church, then, should be the guardian of the gospel, and everything the church does and every ministry in the church should be an instrument for the promotion of the gospel and the advance of Christ’s kingdom. This is the only way to fulfill the Great Commission.

What to Teach

As we evaluate which teachings are essential for new disciples, we may want to consider what Derek Tidball suggests were Paul’s teaching goals:

He (the apostle) wants his disciples to grow up, to become mature adults, no longer infants and children (1 Cor. 3:1–4; 14:20; Eph. 4:14–15). He wants the bride to be a virgin, betrothed to one husband, with eyes for no one else (2 Cor. 11:2). Using imagery from the gymnasium and the athletics track, he wants them to develop strength, build stamina and not be feeble in faith (1 Cor. 9:24–27; Eph 4:16; 1 Thess. 3:2; 2 Thess. 2:17, 3:3). Using agricultural imagery, he wants the roots to go down deep and see fruit development (1 Cor. 3:5-9; 2 Cor. 9:10; Gal. 5:22 Phil. 1:11; Col. 1:10; 2:7). Using educational imagery, he wants them to “learn Christ” (Eph. 4:20).

Tidball demonstrates here the rich diversity of teachings that disciples are to receive but which are nonetheless focused on one goal: the creation of strong, mature believers.

When Paul knew that he was close to death, he reminded Timothy of his duty to the gospel. The heart of his ministry was to preach and teach the gospel, to defend it against attack and falsification, and to ensure its accurate transmission to the generations to come. Timothy was charged to guard the gospel (2 Tim. 1:14), to suffer for the gospel (2:3, 8–9), to continue in the gospel (3:13–14), and to proclaim the gospel (4:1–2). This is the greatest privilege and duty that can be entrusted to a teacher: to be the guard of the gospel and to teach it faithfully to faithful disciples.

Soli deo Gloria!

¹⁶ Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. ¹⁷ And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. ¹⁸ And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:16–20 (ESV)

What are the major components of the Lord’s Great Commission to His disciples? What right does Jesus have to command His followers to obey this commission? What promise is included in this commission? These questions are to be considered and answered in the next several days.

To begin with, what right did Jesus have to give a commission in the first place? Jesus provided the answer when He said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” Jesus then said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.” To make disciples is not only for believers in Christ to urge the unconverted to become followers of Jesus. It also involves mature disciples instructing and teaching the recently converted in their new-found faith in Christ (Matt. 13:51-52). Jesus’ next statement was, “…baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

The Lord continued this commission to His disciples with the following statement: “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”

“Being an evangelist is more than just telling people about Jesus; it requires that we become teachers of the gospel.” – Victor Hugo Cruz

Teaching (διδάσκω; didasko) means to presently, actively and skillfully instruct believers in Christ of the doctrines contained in the Scriptures. Consider the following biblical texts concerning not only the importance of, but also the responsibility, to faithfully teach God’s Word.

Deuteronomy 6:6–9 (ESV) – “⁶ And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. ⁷ You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. ⁸ You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. ⁹ You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

2 Timothy 1:8–11 (ESV) – “⁸ Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, ⁹ who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, ¹⁰ and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, ¹¹ for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher.”  

2 Timothy 2:15 (ESV) – “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.”

2 Timothy 3:16–17 (ESV) – “¹⁶ All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, ¹⁷ that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

2 Timothy 4:1–5 (ESV) – “I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: ² preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. ³ For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, ⁴ and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. ⁵ As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”

James 3:1 (ESV) – “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.”

“This word (teaching) refers to a person who functions in an official teaching or preaching capacity (cf. Luke 4:16–27; John 3:10; Acts 13:14–15; 1 Cor. 12:28; Eph. 4:11).The word translated “judged” usually expresses a negative verdict in the NT, and here refers to a future judgment: (1) for the unbelieving false teacher, at the second coming (Jude 14–15); and (2) for the believer, when he is rewarded before Christ (1 Cor. 4:3–5). This is not meant to discourage true teachers, but to warn the prospective teacher of the role’s seriousness (cf. Ezek. 3:17–18; 33:7–9; Acts 20:26–27; Heb. 13:17),” explains Dr. John MacArthur.

The purpose of teaching God’s Word is so God’s people will obey God’s Word. To observe (τηρέω; tereo) means to presently, actively and fervently guard and keep watch over God’s Word regarding what it says, what it means and how it may be applied in our lives. This is so the church of God will guard their hearts with the Word of God because of the faithful teaching preaching by the man of God.

It is imperative for believers in Christ to be joined to a local church where the preaching and teaching of God’s Word is faithfully observed. I belong to such a local church. Do you?

Soli deo Gloria!

¹⁶ Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. ¹⁷ And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. ¹⁸ And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:16–20 (ESV)

What are the major components of the Lord’s Great Commission to His disciples? What right does Jesus have to command His followers to obey this commission? What promise is included in this commission? These questions are to be considered and answered in the next several days.

To begin with, what right did Jesus have to give a commission in the first place? Jesus provided the answer when He said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” Jesus then said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.” To make disciples is not only for believers in Christ to urge the unconverted to become followers of Jesus. It also involves mature disciples instructing and teaching the recently converted in their new-found faith in Christ (Matt. 13:51-52).

Jesus’ next statement was, “…baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” The Lord referred to those who became disciples from, and belonging to, all nations. Baptizing (βαπτίζω; baptizo) is a present, active, plural participle. It means to immerse in or under water. It is to be continually done by the church. What does baptism signify?

The Westminster Confession of Faith explains, “Baptism is a sacrament of the New Testament, ordained by Jesus Christ, not only for the solemn admission of the party baptized into the visible Church, but also to be unto him a sign and seal of the covenant of grace, or his ingrafting into Christ, of regeneration, of remission of sins, and of his giving up unto God, through Jesus Christ, to walk in newness of life: which sacrament is, by Christ’s own appointment, to be continued in his Church until the end of the world.”

“Baptism (βάπτισμα, baptisma) is the act of washing in water as part of a purification ritual. The rite of formal initiation into the Christian church through water. Regarded by many Christian groups as a sacrament (though some groups prefer the term ordinance). Though several allusions to baptism exist in the Old Testament, baptism is primarily a New Testament concept,” explains the Lexham Bible Dictionary.

First, baptism is a sacrament, rite or ritual observed by believers in Christ. In other words, baptism is an ordinance solely belonging to the church.

Second, baptism signifies admission into the universal church of Christ and is required for admission into the local church.

Third, baptism is a sign and seal of the Lord’s covenant of grace, regeneration, and forgiveness of sin by Christ alone through God given faith alone on the basis of God’s grace alone.

Fourth, baptism signifies what God has done in saving the sinner. It also represents what the Lord is currently doing in sanctifying the saint. The believer in Christ at baptism testifies of not only their personal faith in Christ, but also their desire to live for Christ.

Fifth, the church of Jesus Christ is to observe baptism until the Lord returns in power might and glory. Like the church’s other ordinance, the Lord’s Supper or Communion, it is to be continually practiced.

There is a rich and full biblical treatment regarding the symbol of water and the Holy Spirit. A full and complete treatment of the biblical symbol of water purification is not possible in this brief article. In a restricted sense in the life of the individual believer in Christ, baptism illustrates the following truths.

• The priority of repentance of sins and faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord prior to baptism.
  • The forgiveness of sins.
  • The initiation into Christian/Church fellowship.
  • The giving and presence of the Holy Spirit.

Baptism is to be done in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This represents the three-fold nature of salvation: God the Father elected (Eph. 1:3-5), God the Son provided a substitutionary atonement (Eph. 1:6-12), and the Holy Spirit regenerates (John 3:1-8; Titus 3:1-5), spiritually baptizes (I Cor. 12:13), gifts (I Cor. 12:11), seals (Eph. 1:13-14; 4:30), and fills (Eph. 5:18).

“Christ enjoins that those who have submitted to the gospel, and professed to be his disciples, shall be baptized; partly that their baptism may be a pledge of eternal life before God, and partly that it may be an outward sign of faith before men. For we know that God testifies to us the grace of adoption by this sign, because he engrafts us into the body of his Son, so as to reckon us among his flock; and, therefore, not only our spiritual washing, by which he reconciles us to himself, but likewise our new righteousness, are represented by it.” – John Calvin

Soli deo Gloria!

¹⁶ Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. ¹⁷ And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. ¹⁸ And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:16–20 (ESV)

What are the major components of the Lord’s Great Commission to His disciples? What right does Jesus have to command His followers to obey this commission? What promise is included in this commission? These questions are to be considered and answered in the next several days. 

To begin with, what right did Jesus have to give a commission in the first place? Jesus provided the answer when He said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” Authority (ἐξουσία; exousia) means the authority to rule. Jesus said He was in control, or in charge. This biblical truth is set forth in Psalm 2 and 110. See also Cf. Dan. 7:14; Matt. 16:28; 24:30; 26:64. This Great Claim forms the basis for the Great Commission.

Jesus then said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.” Jesus’ command and commission to His disciples was not summarized by the word “Go!” Rather, His command and commission is found in the phrase “make disciples.” The phrase “make disciples” (μαθητεύω; matheteuo) is an aorist, active imperative, plural verb. It is a command occurring at a particular point in time for all of Jesus’ disciples and followers to actively obey. 

To make disciples is not only for believers in Christ to urge the unconverted to become followers of Jesus. It also involves mature disciples instructing and teaching the recently converted in their new found faith in Christ (Matt. 13:51-52). 

The Lord saved me by His grace alone, through faith alone, in the person and work of Jesus Chist alone (Eph. 2:8-9). However, I did not know what followed my conversion. I did not know about how to study the Bible. I did not know the importance of prayer; even the discipline of praying before a meal. The reason I did not know these things, and other matters found in Scripture, was because no one took the time to teach me. The emphasis I encountered was on becoming a Christian, and not becoming a mature disciple. It was strictly about getting people saved and not helping them to become holy once Christ saved them. 

In effect, I realized I was on my own. It was up to me to figure things out and to understand biblical truth. What are some of the biblical issues I needed to understand? He is a brief list.

1. To hate sin and love holiness (I Peter 1:13-16). .
2. To serve and love Christ’s church with all her imperfections (I John 4:7-11). .
3. To love the lost and the nations and to have a passion for gospel advance (Romans 1:16-17).
4. To “adorn” Christ’s gospel with good deeds of love, justice, and mercy (Titus 2:10, 12, 14).
5. To live by faith in Christ and the gospel (Hab. 2:4; Rom. 1:17).
6. To rejoice that the humanly unattainable requirements of a clean record, new heart, and new power to live a holy life have been purchased and provided by Christ alone through grace alone, and they are received by faith alone. Regeneration, justification, and sanctification are all free gifts (JOhn 3:1-8 Romans 3:21-26; Titus 3:1-5). 
7. To boast only in the cross and the gospel and to flee all pride and self-achievement (Gal. 6:14; Phil. 3:3–9).
8. To hope in Christ for future glory and grace, a hope that sustains in the many afflictions of this brief sojourn in the “valley of the shadow of death” (Psalm 23). 
9. To deny self and to follow Jesus with singular loyalty (Luke 9:23– 26; 14:26).
10.  To put sin to death (Col. 3:5-11). 

One time I approached a brother in Christ about the doubts I was experiencing concerning my salvation in Christ. I shared with him what I was feeling and the struggle I was having. His response was for me to get it settled. That was it. No effort was made for a mature believer to regularly sit down with me and help me by answering my questions and helping me grow in grace and knowledge (Phil. 2:12-13; 2 Peter 3:18). 

Several providential events occurred in my life to help me begin to become a mature disciple. One of them was attending a Bible college. It was during those three years I compared myself to a dry sponge placed in an overflowing theological bucket of biblical truth. The Lord gave me so much knowledge and wisdom from my professors and fellow students. I was never the same. Many of my questions were answered. Many disciplines were forged. I was becoming a man of God. 

Another discipline was reading good books by theologians and teachers who explained the doctrines in the Word of God. These included Dr. J.I. Packer, Francis Schaeffer, Dr. R. C. Sproul, Dr. John MacArthur, and Jerry Bridges. 

It is important for the church to share the Gospel. However, it is also important for the church to disciple the evangelized who become converts to Christ by the Gospel.This is the church’s task. This is the church’s commission. This is the Lord’s command. We must not fail to obey the commission to make disciples. 

Soli deo Gloria! 

¹⁶ Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. ¹⁷ And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. ¹⁸ And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:16–20 (ESV)

What are the major components of the Lord’s Great Commission to His disciples? What right does Jesus have to command His followers to obey this commission? What promise is included in this commission? These questions are to be considered and answered in the next several days. 

To begin with, what right did Jesus have to give a commission in the first place? Jesus provided the answer when He said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” Authority (ἐξουσία; exousia) means the authority to rule. Jesus said He was in control, or in charge. This biblical truth is set forth in Psalm 2 and 110. See also Cf. Dan. 7:14; Matt. 16:28; 24:30; 26:64. This Great Claim forms the basis for the Great Commission.

Jesus then said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.” On the surface, this phrase seems simplistic. However, a closer look reveals a deeper and more significant meaning. 

The word “Go” (πορεύομαι; poreuomai) is a plural passive participle. It is not a command, but a statement of a present reality for Jesus’ disciples. It is an action the Lord is accomplishing upon the disciples. The word means in this context, “Since I have you going based upon my authority in heaven and earth.” 

“Go” also implies that the disciples—and this holds for God’s children in general—must not concentrate all their thought on “coming” to church. They must also “go” to bring the precious tidings to others. Of course, they cannot “go” unless they have first of all “come,” and unless they keep coming as well as going. They cannot give unless they are willing to receive,” explains Dr. William Hendriksen. 

The word “therefore” (οὖν; oun) refers to a consequence or conclusion. In other words, it invokes a consequential effect from a preceding cause. In this context, the aforementioned cause is the authority of Jesus Christ. Since Jesus possesses all authority in heaven and on earth, this results in a corresponding conclusion or effect; the disciples going. 

“This has already been explained in connection with “The Great Claim.” Briefly it means: Go, a. because your Lord has so ordered; b. because he has promised to impart all the needed strength; and c. because he is worthy of the homage, faith, and obedience of all men,” continues Dr. Hendriksen. 

The phrase “make disciples” is the direct command. “Make disciples” (μαθητεύω; matheteuo) is an aorist active imperative verb. Jesus’ followers, then and now, are to actively and obediently be available for the Lord to cause people to be converted to the Gospel. In other words, Jesus’ disciples are to urge sinners to repent of their sins and place their God given faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ and be converted. 

The scope of this command is not obscure. The Lord directed His disciples to make disciples of all nations. This means all peoples, tribes, languages and cultures. This command remains in force. 

“It seems like such a simple command. “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Matt. 28:19). But who exactly is supposed to go? Some have claimed that Jesus’ command to go and make disciples was only for the original Apostles and that the Great Commission was subsequently fulfilled by those Apostles. But such an enormous task would have been impossible for just eleven men to complete. And Jesus’ promise to be with them “to the end of the age” implies that the validity of this commission would extend beyond the Apostles’ lifetimes. If that’s so, the church has inherited this commission from the Apostles. And it is the church’s responsibility to obey the command of Christ until He comes again,” concludes Rev. Karl Dahlfred, adjunct professor of missions and church history at Bangkok Bible Seminary in Bangkok, Thailand, and assistant to the general manager for Overseas Missionary Fellowship Publishers in Thailand.

May each disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ be obedient and faithful to His command to go therefore and make disciples of all nations. 

Soli deo Gloria! 

¹⁶ Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. ¹⁷ And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. ¹⁸ And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:16–20 (ESV)

What are the major components of the Lord’s Great Commission to His disciples? What right does Jesus have to command His followers to obey this commission? What promise is included in this commission? These questions are to be considered and answered in the next several days.

To begin with, what right did Jesus have to give a commission in the first place? Jesus provided the answer when He said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” Authority (ἐξουσία; exousia) means the authority to rule. Jesus said He was in control, or in charge. This biblical truth is set forth in Psalm 2 and 110. See also Cf. Dan. 7:14; Matt. 16:28; 24:30; 26:64. This Great Claim forms the basis for the Great Commission.

“Authority is the right to rule, to command, to govern. The Greek word exousia, which is translated as the English word authority in Matthew 28:18–20, literally means “that which arises out of being.” It is the right to rule that arises out of the present conditions (state of being) or relation in which one finds himself. A father has the right to rule by virtue of the God-ordained relation that the father has with his child. Jesus has the right to rule by virtue of His present state of being, or condition, as the victor over sin, death, and hell,” states one commentator.

“Thus, before the Lord Jesus commissioned His disciples, He asserted His authority to do so. Here is the claim of universal and unlimited authority. We should note first the source of His authority: He received it from His Father. In His state of humiliation (His earthly life prior to His resurrection), He possessed authority, but He voluntarily limited the exercise of it. However, He would at times assert it with great power.”

“Jesus is here claiming all power and right to exercise it. When he says, “To me has been given” we naturally interpret this to mean that he is referring to a gift he has received as Resurrected Mediator. One might add: “as a reward upon his accomplished mediatorial work, the atonement which he rendered.” But did he not make a somewhat similar claim long before his death and resurrection? See 11:27. Not only this, but did he not, even during the days of his humiliation, exercise power over every sickness, including leprosy, and over hunger, demons, winds and waves, human hearts, death even? Did he not prove this on many occasions? True, but there is, nevertheless, an important difference,” explains Dr. William Hendriksen. “It is the investiture of the risen Christ with such unrestricted, universal sovereignty, that Jesus now claims and which, especially within a few days, that is after his ascension to heaven, he is beginning to exercise. That is the reward upon his labors (Eph. 1:19–23; Phil. 2:9, 10; Rev. 5).

Why did Jesus make this claim at this moment? He did this so when His apostles would proclaim the gospel throughout the world, they would remember this truth every moment of every day in order to lean on Him. This is the teaching of passages such as John 16:33; Acts 26:16–18; Phil. 4:13; and Rev. 1:9–20.

“These apostles, and those that follow afterward, must demand that everyone, in every sphere of life, shall joyfully acknowledge Jesus as “Lord of lords and king of kings” (Rev. 17:14). “The Great Claim” is therefore a fitting introduction to the Great Commission,” concludes Dr. Henriksen.

Note the authority Jesus possesses is total; “All authority in heaven and earth.”  Jesus’ right to rule is comprehensive. It is all-powerful.

“Note also the extent of His authority. It is unlimited. His authority is not restricted by jurisdiction or geography. He has received from the Father all authority, without limitations or restrictions. We know this is the case because Jesus adds the clarifying phrase “in heaven and on earth”—everywhere in the universe in which any authority could be exercised. He is given all authority in the spiritual and material realms, in the heavens and on the earth. There is no place in this universe over which He has not been given authority. His authority penetrates every realm and sphere of influence,” comments one pastor.

This Great Claim precedes the Great Commission.

Soli deo Gloria!

¹⁶ Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. ¹⁷ And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. ¹⁸ And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:16–20 (ESV)

The following excerpts are from biblical scholars, pastors and theologians concerning the Great Commission contained in Matthew 28:19-20. I appreciate these insights. I pray you will also.

“Christians typically think of the Great Commission as a mandate for evangelism. It is that, of course, but as Jesus describes the task, it has nothing to do with the kind of quick-and-dirty soul-winning schemes Christians today tend to associate with evangelism. Jesus’ stress was on teaching. In the Greek text, “go” is not even the main verb. A literal translation would be, “Having gone, then, disciple all nations.” The charge is then immediately restated in a way that makes the didactic aspect of our Lord’s instructions unmistakable: “Teaching them to observe all things, whatever I commanded you. It’s quite an expansive task, extending to “all nations,” requiring mastery of all Christ’s teaching and commandments, and enduring “to the end of the age.” Given the mission’s immense scope, Jesus’ marching orders must apply to every believer in every era.” – Dr. John MacArthur.

“Teach all nations. Here Christ, by removing the distinction, makes the Gentiles equal to the Jews, and admits both, indiscriminately to a participation in the covenant. Such is also the import of the term: go out; for the prophets under the law had limits assigned to them, but now, the wall of partition having been broken down, (Ephesians 2:14,) the Lord commands the ministers of the gospel to go to a distance, in order to spread the doctrine of salvation in every part of the world. For though, as we have lately suggested, the right of the first-born at the very commencement of the gospel, remained among the Jews, still the inheritance of life was common to the Gentiles. Thus was fulfilled that prediction of Isaiah, (49:6,) and others of a similar nature, that Christ was given for a light of the Gentiles, that he might be the salvation of God to the end of the earth.” – John Calvin

“When I teach on the Great Commission, I often begin by asking my students, “What is Jesus’ primary emphasis in the Great Commission?” Typically, most students reply, “evangelism.” I then ask them to read the Great Commission from Matthew 28:18–20, after which I ask my question a second time. The students quickly see that although the Great Commission includes a call to evangelism, it doesn’t actually contain the word evangelism. What the students observe through more careful study of the Great Commission is that Jesus’ primary emphasis is on making disciples. Making disciples certainly includes evangelism but is by no means limited to evangelism. The sort of disciple-making to which Jesus commissions the church involves much more, including baptizing and teaching. Simply put, if we have only evangelized a people or a nation, we have not been obedient to the fullness of the Great Commission. In addition to evangelism, Jesus provided us with specific instructions that we are to baptize “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,” and that we are to teach people “to observe all that I have commanded you.” Dr. Burk Parsons

“I know, in your Bibles Mark, Luke and John come after the Great Commission, but what comes next after the Great Commission chronologically in your Bibles is the Book of Acts. And for many, many years — for almost 2,000 years — Christians have called the Book of Acts the Acts of the Apostles, and I’m not going to quibble with that title, because it does certainly talk about what the various apostles did. But one Christian has said ‘You know, the Book of Acts really ought to be called The Acts of the Risen Lord Jesus Christ and the Sovereign Holy Spirit, for the Glory of the Father, with Whom the Often Stumbling and Bumbling Apostles were Used as Divine Instruments for the Bringing in of Men and Women and Boys and Girls from all the Nations; because, really, the Book of Acts is about what Jesus continues to do, reigning and ruling from the right hand — what the Holy Spirit continues to do, even when the apostles aren’t doing what they’re supposed to be doing. You see, that’s the way we need to understand the Great Commission. Yes, we are to be faithful, but ultimately Jesus is not coming to help us in our task of the Great Commission: He is inviting us to join Him in His great work of bringing the nations into the white hot enjoyment of the glory of His love and grace. And we need to remember that. We need to have that encouragement, because it’s daunting when you think of the task that’s before us: four or five billion human beings that aren’t bowing the knee to Jesus Christ.”—Dr. J. Ligon Duncan

“That mandate — to go and make disciples of all the peoples of the world — is as valid today as the promise that supports it: “Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” If the promise is valid today, then the mandate is valid today. And the promise is valid because it’s good, Jesus said, “to the end of the age.” So until Jesus returns the promise holds that he will be with us. And that promise is the basis of the mandate, and so the mandate holds today. Jesus is commanding us — commanding Bethlehem — “Go make disciples of all nations.” – John Piper

Soli deo Gloria!