Great Commission

Text and Content

The Great Commission (Korean jisang myeongnyeong, literally "supreme command") is the command that the risen Jesus Christ gave to the eleven disciples. Its principal text is Matthew 28:18-20. In this passage Jesus first declares, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth." He then commands the disciples to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and "teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you." Finally, he promises to be with them "alway, even unto the end of the world." Similar commissions appear in Mark 16:15, Luke 24:46-49, John 20:21, and Acts 1:8.

Background

In Matthew this scene takes place on a mountain in Galilee "where Jesus had appointed them" (Matthew 28:16-17). In the Greek text the main imperative verb is "make disciples." The words "go," "baptizing," and "teaching" are participles dependent on this command. The Greek word translated "nations" (ethnē) is also used to refer to the Gentiles.

Significance in the Whole of Scripture

Many interpreters see this command as continuing the promises of the Old Testament. Examples include the promise of the Abrahamic covenant, "in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed" (Genesis 12:3), and the promise of "a light to the Gentiles" in Isaiah 49:6. In Matthew, Jesus sent the disciples only to Israel during his public ministry (Matthew 10:5-6). In this post-resurrection command, the scope of their sending widens to all nations. The Book of Acts portrays the spread of the gospel from Jerusalem "unto the uttermost part of the earth" as the fulfillment of this commission.

Interpretations and Issues

• To whom it was given: For a time after the Reformation, some Protestants held that this command had been given only to the apostles and had already been fulfilled. In a 1792 pamphlet, the English Baptist minister William Carey argued that the command remains binding on the church in every age. His argument is regarded as one of the starting points of the modern missionary movement.
• Baptism: Most denominations take this passage as the basis for baptism administered in the name of the Trinity. Baptists, pointing to the order "make disciples" and then "baptize," read it as requiring that baptism by immersion be administered to those who have made a profession of faith. Presbyterians, Methodists, and others hold that the passage does not exclude infant baptism (see Baptism and Immersion).
• Emphasis on "go": Preaching often emphasizes "go" as the central command. Other interpreters, by contrast, note that grammatically the main verb is "make disciples" and conclude that the command encompasses not only going abroad but also teaching and nurturing believers.
• Evangelism and social responsibility: The 1974 Lausanne Covenant of the Lausanne Movement gave priority to evangelism while also emphasizing social responsibility. Those in the ecumenical movement tend to understand mission in a broader sense that includes justice and peace.
• The text of Mark: Mark 16:9-20, which contains Mark 16:15, is absent from some of the oldest manuscripts. Consequently, scholars debate whether this section belongs to the original text.

In the Korean Church

In the Korean church the Great Commission is frequently cited as the biblical basis for sending missionaries abroad, for evangelism, and for discipleship training. It is also a common sermon text for mission dedication services and mission conferences. The phrase "to the ends of the earth," drawn from Acts 1:8 (KJV: "unto the uttermost part of the earth"), is likewise widely used as a missionary slogan.