How does John 3:22 connect with Matthew 28:19 about making disciples? The Setting in John 3:22 “After this, Jesus and His disciples went into the Judean countryside, where He spent some time with them and baptized.” • Jesus does not hurry; He “spent some time” (Greek: diatríbō, “to linger, stay, rub off”). • That lingering is with His disciples—not an anonymous crowd. • Baptism is already part of His ministry, marking public identification with repentance and the coming kingdom (cf. John 4:1-2, noting the disciples did the actual immersing). The Pattern Jesus Established • Disciple-making begins with presence: “He appointed twelve… to be with Him” (Mark 3:14). • Instruction flows out of relationship (John 13:15; 15:4-5). • Baptism is woven in from the start, not an optional extra. • Everything Jesus asks later, He first models Himself—perfect consistency with His nature (Hebrews 13:8). The Command in Matthew 28:19 “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.” • “Go” echoes Jesus’ earlier movements. • “Make disciples” mirrors His investment in the Judean countryside. • “Baptizing” carries forward the very act highlighted in John 3:22. • The Trinitarian formula reveals the fuller revelation given after the resurrection. Connecting the Dots • Relational Presence → “spent some time with them” (John 3:22) aligns with “go” and dwell among the nations (Matthew 28:19). • Instruction & Modeling → What the disciples received in the countryside becomes what they are to pass on everywhere. • Baptism → Same outward sign, now grounded in the Triune name. • Continuity → Acts 2:41 shows them obeying: “Those who accepted his message were baptized…”. • Multiplication → 2 Timothy 2:2: what was “heard” in Christ is entrusted “to faithful men who will be qualified to teach others also”. Practical Takeaways for Today • Invest real time with people before expecting spiritual fruit. • Teach by example as much as by words—Jesus’ pattern is incarnational. • Make baptism a joyful, immediate step of obedience, not a distant afterthought. • Carry the gospel beyond familiar territory, confident that the same Lord who modeled disciple-making is “with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). |
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