How does Mark 6:30 connect with the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20? Gathering Around Jesus: Mark 6 Snapshot “ The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to Him all they had done and taught.” (Mark 6:30) • Context: Jesus had just sent the Twelve on their first short–term mission (Mark 6:7-13). • Their return shows three key rhythms: – Going out in His authority – Doing and teaching what He commanded – Coming back to debrief with Him The Great Commission: A Global Mandate “ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations… teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20) • Scope: not a brief trip but a lifelong, worldwide assignment • Core tasks: – Go – Make disciples – Baptize – Teach obedience • Assurance: Jesus’ continual presence Direct Connections Between the Two Passages • Same Executing Agents – Mark 6:30 calls them “the apostles” (lit. “sent ones”). – Matthew 28 formalizes their permanent role as Christ’s emissaries. • Same Pattern of “Doing and Teaching” – Mark 6:30 highlights both action (“all they had done”) and doctrine (“and taught”). – Matthew 28:20 commands “teaching them to obey.” • Training to Enterprise – Mark 6 is a practicum—limited in geography (Galilee) and duration. – The Great Commission is the full deployment—“all nations… to the end of the age.” – Their field report in Mark primes them for future accountability before the risen Lord (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:10). • Presence and Accountability – In Mark, they report face-to-face. – In Matthew, Jesus promises, “I am with you always,” ensuring ongoing oversight even as they scatter globally (cf. Acts 1:8). • Authority Delegated – Mark 6:7 “He gave them authority over unclean spirits.” – Matthew 28:18 “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore go…”—His universal authority undergirds their expanded mission. Implications for Today’s Disciple-Makers • Mission Rhythm – Go out in Jesus’ name. – Serve and teach faithfully. – Regularly return to Him in prayer and Scripture for correction, celebration, and renewal (Mark 6:31). • Content Matters – What we teach must mirror what Jesus taught (John 14:26; 2 Timothy 2:2). – Multiplication, not mere information, is the goal—making disciples who obey. • Confidence in His Presence – The same Christ who listened to the Twelve’s report now listens to ours (Hebrews 4:14-16). – His promised presence guarantees both empowerment and evaluation (Revelation 2–3). From Galilee to the Globe Mark 6:30 records an early, localized dress rehearsal. Matthew 28:19-20 unveils the final, global commission. The thread tying them together is the unbroken chain of going, teaching, and returning to Jesus—first at a countryside retreat, now in daily communion until every nation hears. |
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