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“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen” (Matthew 28:18-20).

This discourse of our Lord took place after His resurrection.  In giving the Great Commission, the triumphant living Saviour sent His disciples to proclaim His Gospel throughout the world.  “The Commission is not just an order but a pronouncement of victory by the risen Saviour through His disciples” – Parallel Commentary.

As we look at the Great Commission, it is my prayer that we may glean a better understanding of this blessed command of the Lord to His disciples.

Power

“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth” (v. 18).

Matthew 28: 17 tells us that when the disciples “saw Him, they worshipped Him : but some doubted”  Despite their doubts,  the Lord came upon the scene and declared, “All power is given unto Me in Heaven and in earth” (v. 18).  Note that our Saviour declared His authority in the presence of those who doubted His resurrection.  This was to make known His sovereignty and rule over all things, whether in Heaven or upon the earth.  Immediately following this statement, our Lord pronounced the Great Commission. 

The Lord possesses all power,  and the right to exercise it.   It is clear from Philippians 2: 9-11, that all glory, authority, power and honour belong to the Lord Jesus Christ:  “God also hath highly exalted Him and given Him a name which is above every name; That at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;  And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” 

Christ, the second person of the Godhead, now sits at the right hand of God the Father (Mk. 16: 19).  While on earth, He exercised power over every sickness, over death, over demons, over the forces of nature, even wind and the waves.  He raised from the dead, Jairus’ daughter, the son of the widow of Nain, and Lazarus;  He could summon legions of angels at any time (Matt. 26: 53).  He alone is worthy to open the Book and to loose the seals (Rev. 5: 9).  He is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End (Rev.  1: 8, 11; 21: 6; 22: 13).

Why did Jesus declare His power and authority?  “So that when He now commissions His apostles to proclaim His Gospel throughout the world, they may know that moment by moment, day by day, they can lean on Him …  Not only this, but these apostles and those that follow afterward might lead people to joyfully acknowledge Jesus as ‘Lord of lords and King of kings’ (Rev. 17: 14)”  - William Hendricksen (slighted adapted).   

Privilege

“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” (v. 19)

“Go ye” is in the present participle and conveys not so much a command to go, but the assumption that the listener will automatically be going.  “The time to make earnest preparations for the propagation of the Gospel through the world has now arrived” – William Hendricksen.

What a grand privilege to be entrusted with the precious Gospel of life!  Thus it behooves us, as believers, to undertake the task of the Great Commission – to preach the Gospel to perishing souls.   In our Saviour’s words, “… freely ye have received, freely give” (Matt. 10: 8).  

When was the last time we spoke to someone about the Gospel of Jesus Christ?  Isaiah, the prophet of old, “… heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?”  His immediate response was :  “Here am I; send me” (Isa. 6: 8).  May we, like Isaiah,  respond to the Lord with an obedient heart. 

Rescue the perishing, duty demands it –
Strength for thy labour, the Lord will provide;
Back to the narrow way – patiently win them,
Tell the poor wand’rer a Saviour had died.
- Fanny J Crosby

- Pastor