How does Jeremiah 36:6 connect to the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20? Setting the Scene: Jeremiah’s Scroll and Jesus’ Commission • Jeremiah 36:6: “So you go to the house of the LORD on a fast day and read to the people from the scroll the words of the LORD that you wrote at my dictation. Read them also to all the people of Judah who come in from their cities.” • Matthew 28:19-20: “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 all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Shared Core Commands 1. Go 2. Proclaim God’s revealed Word 3. Address all who will listen 4. Call for obedience and life change Both passages place a divine mandate on God’s servants to move outward and deliver His message without alteration. Jeremiah 36:6—A Snapshot of Old-Covenant Outreach • A specific day (“a fast day”) ensured a gathered audience—much like strategic evangelistic moments today. • The scroll contained God’s literal words, recorded verbatim (“at my dictation”). • Baruch was sent because Jeremiah was restrained (v. 5); God always provides a messenger even when circumstances are difficult. • The target was “all the people of Judah who come in from their cities”—a regional mission with national implications. Matthew 28:19-20—The New-Covenant Expansion • “Go” broadens from Judah to “all nations,” showing the universal scope of redemption (cf. Genesis 12:3). • The message is no longer only read from a scroll; it is embodied in the risen Christ and carried by Spirit-filled disciples (Acts 1:8). • Command to baptize and teach mirrors Jeremiah’s call to repentance and covenant loyalty (Jeremiah 36:3, 7). • Christ’s promise, “I am with you always,” assures divine presence just as the Lord stood behind Jeremiah’s words (Jeremiah 1:8-9). Key Parallels Highlighted • Same Author: The One who spoke through Jeremiah now speaks through the Son (Hebrews 1:1-2). • Same Action Verb—“Go”: Movement from comfort zones into public arenas. • Same Content: God’s authoritative Word—written in Jeremiah’s scroll; incarnate and inscripturated in the gospel (John 1:14; 2 Timothy 3:16). • Same Audience Strategy: Gathered crowds first, then ripple effect to surrounding areas (Jeremiah 36:10; Acts 2:5-11). • Same Aim: Bring hearers to obedience (Jeremiah 36:7; Matthew 28:20). Continuity of God’s Mission 1. Prophetic Era – Word written → Messenger reads → People urged to repent 2. Apostolic Era – Word made flesh → Disciples preach → Nations called to faith and obedience Romans 10:14-17 ties both together: “How can they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? … Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” Practical Takeaways for Today • Scripture must be delivered publicly and plainly—whether read aloud like Baruch or preached like the apostles. • Circumstances never cancel the mandate; even if one servant is hindered, God raises another. • The Great Commission is not a New Testament novelty; it flows from God’s enduring passion to make Himself known (Isaiah 45:22). • Confidence rests in God’s promise to accompany His Word: “It will not return to Me empty” (Isaiah 55:11) and “I am with you always” (Matthew 28:20). From Scroll to Global Jeremiah 36:6 is an early echo of the worldwide mission Jesus formalized in Matthew 28:19-20. The prophet’s scroll reading foreshadows the disciples’ gospel preaching, revealing a single, seamless storyline: God sends His Word through His servants so that every listener, from the temple courts of Judah to the ends of the earth, might hear, repent, believe, and obey. |
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