Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus
had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but
some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in
heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, teaching them to observe all that I have
commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but
some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in
heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, teaching them to observe all that I have
commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
(18-20) Jesus instructs His disciples regarding their duty after His departure.And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 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, 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.
a. All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth: This commission that follows is given in light of the authority of Jesus. This indicates that this is an authoritative command, not a suggestion. It is the same idea as if an officer reminded a private of his rank before he gave the order. Because He has this authority, He can send whomever He wills to do whatever He pleases.
i. “‘All’ dominates Matthew 28:18-20 and ties these verses together: all authority, all nations, all things, all the days.” (Carson)
ii. “Power in the hands of some people is dangerous, but power in the hands of Christ is blessed. Oh, let him have all power! Let him do what he will with it, for he cannot will anything but that which is right, and just, and true, and good.” (Spurgeon)
iii. “We believe in this power, and we rest in it.” (Spurgeon)
· We do not seek any other power.
· We defy every other power.
· We know our powerlessness will not hinder the progress of His kingdom.
· We give all our power unto Him.
iv. “If Jesus Christ were not equal with the Father, could he have claimed this equality of power, without being guilty of impiety and blasphemy? Surely not; and does he not, in the fullest manner, assert his Godhead, and his equality with the Father, by claiming and possessing all the authority in heaven and earth?” (Clarke)
b. Go therefore: Because Jesus has this authority, we are therefore commanded to go. It is His authority that sends us, His authority that guides us, and His authority that empowers us. His work and message would continue to the world through His disciples.
i. “These verses thus magnificently conclude the final section…but they also bring the whole Gospel to a dynamic conclusion, which is in fact more a beginning than an end.” (France)
ii. Jesus said, “Go” to some very imperfect disciples. “Who is to go out of that first band of disciples? It is Peter, the rash and the headstrong. It is John, who sometimes wishes to call fire from heaven to destroy men. It is Philip, with whom the Savior has been so long, and yet he has not known him. It is Thomas, who must put his finger into the print of the nails, or he will not believe him. Yet the Master says to them, ‘Go ye; all power is given unto me, therefore go ye. You are as good for my purpose as anybody else would be. There is no power in you, I know, but then all power is in me, therefore go ye.’” (Spurgeon)
c. Make disciples of all the nations: The command is to make disciples, not merely converts or supporters of a cause. The idea behind the word disciples is of scholars, learners, or students.
i. Make disciples reminds us that disciples are made. Disciples are not spontaneously created at conversion; they are the product of a process involving other believers. This making of disciples is the power of spreading Christianity.
d. Of all the nations: In His previous ministry, Jesus deliberately restricted His work to the Jewish people (Matthew 15:24) and previously sent His disciples with the same restriction (Matthew 10:6). Only in rare exceptions did Jesus minister among the Gentiles (Matthew 15:21-28). Now all of that is in the past, and the disciples are commissioned to take the gospel to all the nations. There is no place on earth where the gospel of Jesus should not be preached and where disciples should not be made.
i. “The aim of Jesus’ disciples, therefore, is to make disciples of all men everywhere, without distinction.” (Carson)
ii. “Christ commands them to go and baptize the nations: but how much time was past before such a journey was taken! And when the time was now come that this work should be begun, Peter doth not enter upon it without a previous admonition given him from heaven.” (Lightfoot, cited in Clarke)
e. Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: Significantly, when Jesus told them to go to all the nations, He did not tell them to circumcise those who became disciples. Instead, they were to baptize them, suggesting the break with traditional Judaism.
i. “In the name is literally ‘into the name’, implying entrance into an allegiance.” (France)
ii. The words and context certainly indicate that it is disciples who are baptized, those of age who can be taught and who can observe the things Jesus commanded.
iii. Those who favor infant baptism answer, albeit unconvincingly: “But it doth not therefore follow, that children of such professors are not to be baptized, for the apostles were commanded to baptize all nations; children are a great part of any nation.” (Poole)
iv. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: “The experience of God in these three Persons is the essential basis of discipleship. At the same time the singular noun name (not ‘names’) underlines the unity of the three Persons.” (France)
f. Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you: Disciples are made through teaching. This teaching is not with words only, but with the power of the always-present Jesus. He will be present with His people until the job of making disciples is done – until the end of the age.
i. “Hitherto Jesus alone has been the teacher, and the verb has not been used by Matthew of his disciples’ ministry. Now they take over his role of teaching.” (France)
ii. The content of the teaching must be all things that I have commanded you. The followers of Jesus are responsible to present the whole counsel of God to those who are made disciples.
g. Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age: Jesus sent His disciples with a mission to fulfill, but He did not send them alone. The promise of His constant presence was more than enough to strengthen and guide the disciples as they obeyed Jesus in making disciples of all the nations.
i. The promise of His presence is complete. “The English adverb ‘always’ renders an expression found in the New Testament only here – strictly, ‘the whole of every day’. Not just the horizon is in view, but each day as we live it.” (Carson)
ii. His presence means privilege, because we work with a Great King. Paul understood this principle well in 1 Corinthians 3:9, where he wrote: For we are God’s fellow workers. Since Jesus promised, “I am with you always,” then we work together with Him in all our service. We certainly work for Jesus, but more than that, we work with Jesus.
iii. His presence means protection, because we are never out of His sight or supervision.
iv. His presence means power, because as we fulfill this great command, we work in His name.
v. His presence means peace, because it always reminds us that the church belongs to Jesus. It is His church, and His work. How, then, can we worry?
vi. “When Christ saith, ‘I will be with you,’ you may add what you will; to protect you, to direct you, to comfort you, to carry on the work of grace in you, and in the end to crown you with immortality and glory. All this and more is included in this precious promise.
a. All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth: This commission that follows is given in light of the authority of Jesus. This indicates that this is an authoritative command, not a suggestion. It is the same idea as if an officer reminded a private of his rank before he gave the order. Because He has this authority, He can send whomever He wills to do whatever He pleases.
i. “‘All’ dominates Matthew 28:18-20 and ties these verses together: all authority, all nations, all things, all the days.” (Carson)
ii. “Power in the hands of some people is dangerous, but power in the hands of Christ is blessed. Oh, let him have all power! Let him do what he will with it, for he cannot will anything but that which is right, and just, and true, and good.” (Spurgeon)
iii. “We believe in this power, and we rest in it.” (Spurgeon)
· We do not seek any other power.
· We defy every other power.
· We know our powerlessness will not hinder the progress of His kingdom.
· We give all our power unto Him.
iv. “If Jesus Christ were not equal with the Father, could he have claimed this equality of power, without being guilty of impiety and blasphemy? Surely not; and does he not, in the fullest manner, assert his Godhead, and his equality with the Father, by claiming and possessing all the authority in heaven and earth?” (Clarke)
b. Go therefore: Because Jesus has this authority, we are therefore commanded to go. It is His authority that sends us, His authority that guides us, and His authority that empowers us. His work and message would continue to the world through His disciples.
i. “These verses thus magnificently conclude the final section…but they also bring the whole Gospel to a dynamic conclusion, which is in fact more a beginning than an end.” (France)
ii. Jesus said, “Go” to some very imperfect disciples. “Who is to go out of that first band of disciples? It is Peter, the rash and the headstrong. It is John, who sometimes wishes to call fire from heaven to destroy men. It is Philip, with whom the Savior has been so long, and yet he has not known him. It is Thomas, who must put his finger into the print of the nails, or he will not believe him. Yet the Master says to them, ‘Go ye; all power is given unto me, therefore go ye. You are as good for my purpose as anybody else would be. There is no power in you, I know, but then all power is in me, therefore go ye.’” (Spurgeon)
c. Make disciples of all the nations: The command is to make disciples, not merely converts or supporters of a cause. The idea behind the word disciples is of scholars, learners, or students.
i. Make disciples reminds us that disciples are made. Disciples are not spontaneously created at conversion; they are the product of a process involving other believers. This making of disciples is the power of spreading Christianity.
d. Of all the nations: In His previous ministry, Jesus deliberately restricted His work to the Jewish people (Matthew 15:24) and previously sent His disciples with the same restriction (Matthew 10:6). Only in rare exceptions did Jesus minister among the Gentiles (Matthew 15:21-28). Now all of that is in the past, and the disciples are commissioned to take the gospel to all the nations. There is no place on earth where the gospel of Jesus should not be preached and where disciples should not be made.
i. “The aim of Jesus’ disciples, therefore, is to make disciples of all men everywhere, without distinction.” (Carson)
ii. “Christ commands them to go and baptize the nations: but how much time was past before such a journey was taken! And when the time was now come that this work should be begun, Peter doth not enter upon it without a previous admonition given him from heaven.” (Lightfoot, cited in Clarke)
e. Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: Significantly, when Jesus told them to go to all the nations, He did not tell them to circumcise those who became disciples. Instead, they were to baptize them, suggesting the break with traditional Judaism.
i. “In the name is literally ‘into the name’, implying entrance into an allegiance.” (France)
ii. The words and context certainly indicate that it is disciples who are baptized, those of age who can be taught and who can observe the things Jesus commanded.
iii. Those who favor infant baptism answer, albeit unconvincingly: “But it doth not therefore follow, that children of such professors are not to be baptized, for the apostles were commanded to baptize all nations; children are a great part of any nation.” (Poole)
iv. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: “The experience of God in these three Persons is the essential basis of discipleship. At the same time the singular noun name (not ‘names’) underlines the unity of the three Persons.” (France)
f. Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you: Disciples are made through teaching. This teaching is not with words only, but with the power of the always-present Jesus. He will be present with His people until the job of making disciples is done – until the end of the age.
i. “Hitherto Jesus alone has been the teacher, and the verb has not been used by Matthew of his disciples’ ministry. Now they take over his role of teaching.” (France)
ii. The content of the teaching must be all things that I have commanded you. The followers of Jesus are responsible to present the whole counsel of God to those who are made disciples.
g. Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age: Jesus sent His disciples with a mission to fulfill, but He did not send them alone. The promise of His constant presence was more than enough to strengthen and guide the disciples as they obeyed Jesus in making disciples of all the nations.
i. The promise of His presence is complete. “The English adverb ‘always’ renders an expression found in the New Testament only here – strictly, ‘the whole of every day’. Not just the horizon is in view, but each day as we live it.” (Carson)
ii. His presence means privilege, because we work with a Great King. Paul understood this principle well in 1 Corinthians 3:9, where he wrote: For we are God’s fellow workers. Since Jesus promised, “I am with you always,” then we work together with Him in all our service. We certainly work for Jesus, but more than that, we work with Jesus.
iii. His presence means protection, because we are never out of His sight or supervision.
iv. His presence means power, because as we fulfill this great command, we work in His name.
v. His presence means peace, because it always reminds us that the church belongs to Jesus. It is His church, and His work. How, then, can we worry?
vi. “When Christ saith, ‘I will be with you,’ you may add what you will; to protect you, to direct you, to comfort you, to carry on the work of grace in you, and in the end to crown you with immortality and glory. All this and more is included in this precious promise.