How does Matthew 4:25 connect with the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19? Setting the Scene in Matthew - Matthew 4:25 records the first sweeping summary of the crowds around Jesus: “Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan followed Him”. - Matthew 28:19 closes the Gospel with Jesus’ command: “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”. - Matthew thus brackets Jesus’ ministry with two pictures of gathering: an initial gathering of many regions and a final sending to every nation. A Diverse Crowd Foreshadows a Global Mission - The regions listed in 4:25 reach north (Galilee), south (Judea), east (beyond the Jordan), and the Gentile Decapolis. - This diversity prefigures the “all nations” in 28:19. - What begins as crowds coming to Jesus culminates in disciples going for Jesus. From Following to Commissioning 1. Attraction phase (4:25) • People “followed Him.” The verb marks the start of discipleship. • They taste His teaching, healing, and authority (4:23–24). 2. Instruction phase (chs. 5–25) • Sermon on the Mount, parables, Olivet Discourse—all shape a kingdom worldview. 3. Commissioning phase (28:18–20) • Those who once followed are now sent: “Go … make disciples.” • The same Jesus they followed now claims “all authority” (28:18) and extends the reach they first glimpsed in 4:25. Tracing the Thread: Nations in Matthew - Isaiah 9:1–2, quoted in Matthew 4:15–16, predicted light for “Galilee of the Gentiles,” hinting at a Gentile outreach fulfilled in 28:19. - Matthew 8:11 foresees “many will come from east and west” to dine with Abraham. - Matthew 12:18–21 cites Isaiah: “In His name the nations will hope.” - Matthew 24:14 promises the gospel “will be preached in all the world as a testimony to all nations.” - Each reference builds from the geographic spread of 4:25 to the universal scope of 28:19. Practical Takeaways - The early crowds remind believers that Jesus’ appeal crosses cultural and regional lines. - The Great Commission is not a new idea tacked on at the end; it is the natural outworking of what the crowds in 4:25 previewed. - Today’s disciple is part of that unfolding plan: first drawn to Christ, then sent by Christ—with the same authority, message, and promise of His presence (28:20). |
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