How does John 17:6 connect with the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20? The Two Passages Side by Side John 17:6: “I have revealed Your name to the men You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours; You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word.” Matthew 28:19-20: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to keep all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” What Jesus Does in John 17:6 • Reveals the Father’s name—His character, authority, and saving reputation. • Identifies His disciples as a gift from the Father. • Commends their obedience: “they have kept Your word.” • Establishes a secure, covenant relationship before the cross. How This Foreshadows the Great Commission • Revelation → Proclamation – In John 17:6 Jesus reveals; in Matthew 28:19-20 the disciples are told to reveal that same name to the nations by baptizing “in the name.” • Given → Sent – Those first disciples were “given” to Jesus; now they are “sent” by Jesus (cf. John 20:21). • Kept the Word → Teach the Word – They first learned obedience; now they must “teach them to keep” everything He commanded. • Focus on the Name → Baptism in the Name – The singular “name” of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is the very revelation Jesus says He has already made known. • Divine Ownership → Divine Authority – The Father’s prior claim (“They were Yours”) grounds the authority announced in Matthew 28:18: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.” Further Scriptural Threads • John 17:18 – “As You sent Me into the world, I have also sent them into the world.” • Acts 1:8 – Power from the Spirit to be witnesses “to the ends of the earth.” • 2 Corinthians 5:18-20 – Believers entrusted with “the ministry of reconciliation.” Take-Home Connections • Mission begins in revelation: before we can go, we must first know the Father through the Son. • Obedience qualifies for commission: keeping His word positions believers to teach His word. • Evangelism is Trinitarian: Jesus reveals the Father (John 17:6) and sends in the Spirit’s power (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 1:8). • Assurance fuels courage: the disciples belonged to the Father before they were ever sent; that same security emboldens us to go today. Living It Out • Rejoice that you, too, are a gift from the Father to the Son (John 6:37-39). • Soak in Jesus’ revelation of the Father’s name—study His character, memorize His promises. • Move from knowing to going: share the revealed name through gospel conversations, discipling, and baptism. • Teach others the obedience you are learning, confident Jesus is “with you always.” |
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