How does Matthew 10:8 connect with the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20? Setting the Scene: Two Commissioning Moments - Matthew 10:8: “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.” - 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, teaching them to keep all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” These two instructions bookend Jesus’ earthly ministry—one to the Twelve during His Galilean ministry, the other to the broader band of disciples after His resurrection. Shared Core: Receive, Obey, Pass On - Both passages assume the disciples have first received something directly from Christ. - In 10:8 they freely received power and authority (Matthew 10:1); in 28:18–20 they stand under the risen Lord’s universal authority. - The mandate in both is outward-focused: what came from Christ must not stop with them. Mandated Ministry: Word and Deed Together 1. Deeds of Power (Matthew 10:8) • Heal, raise, cleanse, expel—visible proofs of the kingdom’s arrival (cf. Luke 11:20). 2. Words of Formation (Matthew 28:19–20) • Make disciples, baptize, teach—ongoing, systematic instruction in kingdom living. The Great Commission folds the earlier healing mission into a larger discipling mission. Acts 3:6–10 shows Peter continuing both strands: he heals a lame man and then preaches Christ. Freely Received, Freely Giving: The Ethic Behind Both Texts - Grace received without cost (Romans 3:24) obligates believers to give without bargaining. - Matthew 10:8 applies that ethic to miracles and mercy; Matthew 28:19–20 applies it to disciple-making and teaching. - 2 Corinthians 5:14–15: Christ’s love compels—an inner propulsion mirroring “freely give.” Progressive Scope: From Israel to All Nations - Matthew 10:5–6 limited the first mission to “the lost sheep of Israel.” - Matthew 28:19 breaks the boundaries: “all nations.” - The earlier assignment trained the Twelve locally; the resurrection commission sends them globally (cf. Acts 1:8). Continuity of Presence and Power - In 10:8 the disciples wield Christ’s delegated authority. - In 28:20 Jesus promises ongoing presence: “I am with you always.” - Mark 16:20 documents the result: “the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word by the signs that accompanied it.” Practical Takeaways for Today • Ministry is both supernatural compassion (10:8) and intentional disciple-formation (28:19–20). • We cannot give what we have not received; we must continually draw from Christ (John 15:5). • The scope remains “all nations,” yet begins right where we are—just as the Twelve started in Galilee before reaching the world (Acts 1:8; 8:1). • Cost-free grace to us demands cost-free service from us—no manipulation, no merchandising the gospel (1 Peter 5:2). In Summary Matthew 10:8 introduces the pattern: empowered by Christ, the disciples give away what He freely placed in their hands. Matthew 28:19–20 expands the pattern to the ends of the earth and to every dimension of life, assuring His presence until the mission is complete. |
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