An End That Is a Beginning
Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him, they worshipped Him; but some doubted. 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 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." Matt. 28:16-20, NKJV.
Matthew's concluding paragraph finds the resurrected Jesus meeting with His disciples and apparently some of the more than 500 who saw Him in His resurrected body before He ascended. That meeting began in worship and ended in service.
We should note several things about verses 16-20. First, those present worship Jesus, but some doubt. With the hesitating Thomas having finally accepted the resurrection of Jesus, the 11 disciples were definitely among those who worshipped Him. The doubters were evidently some of the more than 500 witnesses to the Resurrection who had not seen Him up to that time. But the fact that the disciples and others worshipped Jesus is important. For Jews to take that step meant that they had accepted His full divinity as an equal with the Father.
Second, Jesus received "all authority...in heaven and on earth." Authority has been a major issue throughout the gospel story, and world dominion was the issue in the third temptation when Satan offered Jesus "all the kingdoms of the world." But Jesus had chosen the way of the cross. And because of His victorious life, death, and resurrection, He had "all authority" for dominion in "all nations" for all time. Jesus is truly Lord.
Third, Jesus delegates His authority to His followers for the express purpose of enabling them to go into all the world to make disciples and baptize them in the "name" of the Trinity (name is in the singular, thereby indicating that the three Persons of the Godhead are united). Part of their commission is not only to teach the full message of Jesus, but also to observe His teachings. Obedience for Jesus was never an option. Christianity is not merely a change of belief, but a transformation in how people live. Fourth, Jesus will be with His church until the end of the age. He continues to be "God with us" (Matt. 1:23) as long as time shall last.
With what has been called the gospel commission we have come to the end of the story of Jesus in Matthew. But the ending is really a beginning. The teachings in this verse would eventually stimulate Jesus' followers to take His message to the ends of the earth. It is a mission in which we twenty-first century disciples still participate. Christianity may begin in worship, but it always ends in service.
Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him, they worshipped Him; but some doubted. 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 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." Matt. 28:16-20, NKJV.
Matthew's concluding paragraph finds the resurrected Jesus meeting with His disciples and apparently some of the more than 500 who saw Him in His resurrected body before He ascended. That meeting began in worship and ended in service.
We should note several things about verses 16-20. First, those present worship Jesus, but some doubt. With the hesitating Thomas having finally accepted the resurrection of Jesus, the 11 disciples were definitely among those who worshipped Him. The doubters were evidently some of the more than 500 witnesses to the Resurrection who had not seen Him up to that time. But the fact that the disciples and others worshipped Jesus is important. For Jews to take that step meant that they had accepted His full divinity as an equal with the Father.
Second, Jesus received "all authority...in heaven and on earth." Authority has been a major issue throughout the gospel story, and world dominion was the issue in the third temptation when Satan offered Jesus "all the kingdoms of the world." But Jesus had chosen the way of the cross. And because of His victorious life, death, and resurrection, He had "all authority" for dominion in "all nations" for all time. Jesus is truly Lord.
Third, Jesus delegates His authority to His followers for the express purpose of enabling them to go into all the world to make disciples and baptize them in the "name" of the Trinity (name is in the singular, thereby indicating that the three Persons of the Godhead are united). Part of their commission is not only to teach the full message of Jesus, but also to observe His teachings. Obedience for Jesus was never an option. Christianity is not merely a change of belief, but a transformation in how people live. Fourth, Jesus will be with His church until the end of the age. He continues to be "God with us" (Matt. 1:23) as long as time shall last.
With what has been called the gospel commission we have come to the end of the story of Jesus in Matthew. But the ending is really a beginning. The teachings in this verse would eventually stimulate Jesus' followers to take His message to the ends of the earth. It is a mission in which we twenty-first century disciples still participate. Christianity may begin in worship, but it always ends in service.
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