The Great Commission challenges Christians to go beyond national and tribal prejudices. Let’s look at Jesus’ instructions in Matthew 28:16-20.
They Worshiped Him
Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted. (Matthew 28:16-17 NKJV)
The particular mountain is not named, but was perhaps a place well-known to them. They worshiped him, but “some” doubted. Vacillating is a normal human reaction. Paul later said that the resurrected Jesus was seen by over five hundred brethren (1 Corinthians 15:6).
All Authority
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” (Matthew 28:18 NKJV)
Jesus humbled Himself to death. God gave Him the name above every other name. Every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Philippians 2:7-11). God sat Jesus at His right hand and made Him head over all things to the church, which is His body (Ephesians 1:20-23).
Go
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19 NKJV)
“Go” literally means “having gone.” This is not the Great Suggestion, but a commission. It would be easier just to stay home and not go. It would be more convenient not to make that phone call or be involved in a difficult world, but we are not given that option.
The verb is also plural and can be translated as “Go ye [plural of you]” or “Ye having gone.” It is our collective task. Our job is the saving of souls. Every Christian has this same commission. It is most difficult in nations that abuse the human rights of Christians.
The next imperative is to “make disciples.” We are to teach or instruct. This means action in “all nations,” not just safer ones. May God bless those courageous souls who go to dangerous places! “Nations” literally means different ethnic groups and customs. “All” means nobody is left out. “Love thy neighbor” does not stop at artificial national borders.
The Age of Baptism
Here “baptism” is the norm as discipleship begins rather than infant baptism. Some churches look to circumcision and the Red Sea as examples allowing infant baptism, and later confirmation as completing the rite. Certainly, baptism pictures circumcision and entire families were baptized into Moses (Colossians 2:11-12; 1 Corinthians 10:1-4). Infant baptism was not mentioned in the early church, yet the age of baptism seems to be an area of grace not direct Bible command.
The Mode of Baptism
Baptize literally means immerse. However, baptism also means figuratively to wash (Mark 7:4; Luke 11:38; Acts 22:16), to pass through the sea (1 Corinthians 10:1-4), and to suffer (Mark 10:38). We are baptized by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:11), but He is also poured out (Acts 10:45), and water is figuratively sprinkled to cleanse from idolatry (Ezekiel 36:25).
Jesus and the Ethiopian eunuch came up out of, or away from the water. It could have been ankle deep. Though immersion was common in the early church, so too were exceptions made, but water was always used. The mode is not specified in scripture; the act is (Acts 2:38).
The Single Name of the 3
Father, Son and Holy Spirit have one “name.” Jesus prayed to the Father, not Himself (John 17). Jesus is the Word who was God (John 1:1-4, 14). The Holy Spirit makes decisions (1 Corinthians 12:11), teaches (John 14:26; 1 Corinthians 2:11-13), guides (John 16:13), makes things known (John 16:14), convicts the world of sin (John 16:8), can be grieved (Ephesians 4:30), can be blasphemed (Matthew 12:31), possesses a rational mind (Romans 8:26-27), can be lied to (Acts 5:3-4), can be resisted (Acts 7:51), is distinguished from the Father and the Son (Matthew 28:19-20) and we can have fellowship with him (2 Corinthians 13:14). God is three in one, a mystery to us.
Discipleship Curriculum
teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. (Matthew 28:20 NKJV)
The main thing is the main thing. Jesus specifically said to teach what He taught the disciples. All healthy churches preach the whole Bible, but their focus is on the Gospels. Healthy preaching prioritizes what Jesus commanded.
What unites us, whether we are Catholic, Orthodox, or Protestant? We believe what Christ taught. Jesus is the priority in the Bible, the words He taught His first disciples. When we focus on Jesus, issues that divide us fade into the background. We find common ground that unites Christian churches.
The Gospel challenges us to go beyond our national and tribal prejudices. We are to go, make disciples, baptize those disciples and then teach them what Jesus taught. This overrides all our artificial borders between nations and prejudices between tribes. Are we about our Father’s business to all people, everywhere? You decide!
New King James Version (NKJV) Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
