What is The Great Commission?
The last “instructions” that Yeshua gave to His 11 remaining apostles has been labeled as The Great Commission. Those last instructions, or commission (the act of committing someone to something or to a task or responsibility) are slightly different in each gospel. The one most often quoted is from Matthew 28:16-20. It reads thus in the NASB:
Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
It seems that anywhere from 10% to 17% and up to 51% of those that attend church know what The Great Commission is. If you “Google” “The Great Commission”, you will get the AI definition: The Great Commission is a Christian concept that refers to Jesus Christ’s instructions to his disciples to spread the gospel to all nations. I believe that definition is the one I’ve heard most often when The Great Commission is talked about.
Does that definition agree with what Yeshua said to His disciples?
First we need to look at what “gospel” that definition is using. The most often used short version of “the gospel” is that Jesus died for your sins, your sins having been put upon Him and His righteousness being put upon you. You do not need to keep any law, the law has been nullified and is not required of believers. You do need to repent, which is asking GOD for forgiveness and “accept” Jesus into your heart as your personal savior.
That is NOT the gospel that Yeshua brought.
That is NOT the gospel that Yeshua taught his disciples.
Yeshua brought the gospel (good news) of The Kingdom of Heaven or Kingdom of GOD. He taught most often with parables about what the Kingdom of Heaven is like (in our gospels). He and his apostles preached, “Repent, for the Kingdom of GOD is at hand.” Repent meaning to ask forgiveness for your sins, rearrange your way of thinking, change the way you live, seek and do GOD’s will, and live according to The King’s rules.” There is no “accept” Yeshua into your heart…what a strange concept…that we “accept” Him. We are to believe in Him as the Son of GOD who came bringing the words of The Father to us. If you believe in Him, it will show in your actions, the way you live. Yeshua said that if we love Him, we will keep His Commands. Repeatedly He mentions keeping the commandments, doing the will of the Father, etc. He said that He did NOT come to do away with the law. He came to fulfill the law. His gospel is The Gospel sent by The Father through His Son.
So The Great Commission is….
Yeshua was given ALL AUTHORITY in heaven and on earth. THEREFORE (for that reason), go and MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS. How do we make disciples? What are disciples?
Disciples are students of a teacher. Disciples are to become like their teacher. Yeshua said that we have one teacher. And “It is enough for the disciple that he become as his teacher”
So the apostles were to make disciples of all nations…(not necessarily in all nations but of all nations…all nationalities were included, not just Jews). They were to baptize these new disciples in the Name of The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit. AND The apostles were to teach these new disciples TO OBEY EVERYTHING THAT YESHUA HAD COMMANDED THEM.
Does that sound like The Great Commission as it is recited and taught today?
I don’t think so and that is sad… Today The Great Commission seems to be more about converting and counting heads of those that converted or “got saved”, “accepted Jesus”, “came forward” or some similar term instead of teaching what repentance truly is and discipling. Teaching the new “converts” to obey everything that Yeshua commanded.
So if someone asked you today what the great commission is, what would you say?
It’s a heart matter.
