What is the meaning of Matthew 28:19? Therefore go • Jesus’ final command in Matthew is not passive; it is an unmistakable call to action. • “Therefore” ties this order to His previous statement: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me” (Matthew 28:18). Because He reigns universally, His followers move out confidently. • “Go” mirrors the pattern of Scripture—Abram leaving Ur for Canaan (Genesis 12:1), Isaiah being sent after crying “Here am I. Send me!” (Isaiah 6:8), and the early church scattering with the gospel (Acts 8:4). • The Lord never intended His people to stay cloistered. Acts 1:8 echoes the outward push: “You will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” and make disciples of all nations • “Make disciples” means more than gathering converts; it involves guiding people into a lifelong, obedient relationship with Christ, just as Paul did with Timothy (2 Timothy 1:3–7). • “All nations” confirms God’s heart for a global harvest foretold to Abraham: “All the families of the earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:3). • Peter grasped this in Acts 10:34–35, recognizing that “God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears Him.” • Practical outworking: – Share the gospel verbally (Romans 10:14–15). – Teach sound doctrine, as modeled in Titus 2. – Model Christlike living so others imitate you, just as Paul urged in 1 Corinthians 11:1. baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit • Baptism is the public sign of union with the triune God—Father, Son, and Spirit united in purpose, power, and presence. • The early church practiced this immediately upon profession of faith (Acts 2:38–41; Acts 16:30–33). • “In the name” (singular) underscores divine unity while listing three distinct Persons, paralleling 2 Corinthians 13:14’s blessing that names all three. • Baptism signifies: – Identification with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 6:3–4). – Cleansing from sin and new birth (1 Peter 3:21). – Reception of the Spirit’s indwelling (Acts 2:38). • It also marks incorporation into the visible church (1 Corinthians 12:13). Omitting it would neglect a direct command of the risen Lord. summary Matthew 28:19 presents a clear, three-part mandate from the risen Christ: move outward in His authority, make lifelong learners from every people group, and seal their allegiance through triune baptism. Obeying this commission keeps the church on mission, proclaims the full gospel, and showcases the unity and glory of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit to the ends of the earth. |
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