How does Acts 17:34 connect with the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20? Setting the Scene • Matthew 28:19-20: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them … teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the end of the age.” • Acts 17:34: “But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.” The Great Commission in Brief • Command to go • Command to make disciples of all nations • Command to baptize and teach • Promise of Christ’s continual presence Acts 17:34—The Commission Lived Out • Paul “went” beyond Jewish territory into the great pagan center of Athens, fulfilling the “all nations” scope. • He publicly preached the risen Christ (Acts 17:22-31), obeying the call to proclaim and teach. • “Some … believed” — disciples were made. Dionysius and Damaris stand as firstfruits of an Athenian harvest. • Though baptism is not mentioned here, Luke’s pattern in Acts (e.g., Acts 16:15,33; 18:8) shows that belief was normally followed by baptism, so the full discipleship cycle is implied. • Christ’s promised presence (Matthew 28:20) is evident in the Spirit-empowered boldness Paul displays before the Areopagus (cf. Acts 1:8). Key Connections • Scope: “All nations” → Athenians (Gentiles) • Method: “Make disciples” → Persuasive gospel preaching leading to personal faith • Ongoing Mission: Dionysius & Damaris become local witnesses, extending the chain of disciple-making, just as Jesus intended (2 Timothy 2:2). • Assurance: Paul’s courage shows reliance on the risen Lord’s promised presence. Additional Scriptures That Tie the Threads Together • Acts 1:8—Power to be witnesses “to the ends of the earth.” • Romans 1:16—The gospel “is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, then to the Greek.” • Colossians 1:6—The gospel “is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world.” Practical Takeaways • Going is still required; the field is every culture and city. • Clear, Scripture-centered proclamation invites genuine faith. • Even a few converts, like Dionysius and Damaris, validate obedience to the Commission. • Confidence rests in Christ’s unbroken presence, enabling courage in any Areopagus we face today. |
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