How does this verse connect to the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20? The Texts Side by Side • 1 Timothy 4:11: “Command and teach these things.” • Matthew 28:19-20: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” One Lord, One Mission • Both passages flow from the same risen Christ. • The Great Commission gives the mission; 1 Timothy 4:11 shows how that mission is carried forward in the local church. • Timothy is urged to do exactly what Jesus told the apostles: teach, command, disciple. A Shared Mandate: Command and Teach “Command” in 1 Timothy echoes “commanded you” in Matthew 28. “Teach” in both verses underlines that discipleship is instruction-based, not experience-based alone. Paul’s charge to Timothy reinforces that the content to be taught is non-negotiable—“these things” refers to the sound doctrine laid out in 4:6-10. The Apostolic Chain • Christ commissioned the apostles (Matthew 28:19-20). • The apostles commissioned leaders like Timothy (1 Timothy 4:11; 2 Timothy 2:2). • Those leaders instruct faithful believers who will teach others also—extending the Great Commission across generations. Teaching That Forms Disciples 1. Sound doctrine (1 Timothy 4:6). 2. Godliness in life and speech (4:12). 3. Public reading of Scripture (4:13). 4. Use of spiritual gifts (4:14). 5. Perseverance in watchfulness and teaching (4:15-16). All of this fleshes out “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” Guarding the Gospel While Spreading It • Titus 2:1—“Speak the things that are consistent with sound doctrine.” • Acts 2:42—The early church “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching.” • Galatians 1:8—Any other gospel is accursed. Right teaching safeguards the mission from drift while fueling it with truth. Motivation: Christ’s Presence The promise “I am with you always” (Matthew 28:20) is mirrored in 1 Timothy 4:10: “We have put our hope in the living God.” The same living Lord who goes with us globally is present locally as leaders teach and command. Practical Takeaways for Today • Every Bible study, sermon, and mentoring relationship is a direct outworking of the Great Commission. • Teaching must hold authority (“command”) yet remain pastoral and clear (“teach”). • Discipleship is never finished; ongoing instruction is part of genuine conversion. • Guarding doctrine and advancing mission are two sides of one coin—neglect either, and the Great Commission stalls. |
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