Resurrection and the Great Commission
TRANSLATION
(1) Now after the Sabbath on the first day of the week at dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. (2) And behold, there was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and, going (to the tomb), rolled back the stone and sat on it. (3) His appearance was like lightning and his clothing white as snow. (4) The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. (5) And the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. (6) He is not here, for he has risen as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. (7) Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ See, I have told you.” (8) And they quickly left the tomb with fear and great joy and ran to tell his disciples. (9) And, suddenly, Jesus met them saying, “Greetings!” And they came and took hold of his feet and worshipped him. (10) Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go, tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there will they see me.”
(11) While they were going, behold, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had happened. (12) And when they had assembled with the elders and had taken counsel, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers (13) and said, “Say that his disciples came at night and stole him away while we were asleep. (14) And if this reaches the governor’s ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” (15) So they took the money and did as they were told, and this story has been spread among the Jews to this day.
(16) Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee to the mountain where Jesus had directed them to go. (17) When they saw him, they worshipped him, but some doubted. (18) And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. (19) Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (20) teaching them to observe everything that I commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
OBSERVATIONS
We can hardly imagine the emotions the two Marys experienced as their grief was turned to joy as they first met the angel, heard his message, and then encountered the risen Lord. Several repetitions show us the emphases of this segment. The verb “see” is found four times (in vs. 1, twice in vs. 7, and again in vs. 10). “Angel” is found twice (vss. 2 & 5) as are the phrases “do not be afraid” (vss. 5 & 10), “he has risen” (vss. 6 & 7), “tell his disciples” (vss. 7 & 8), along with the phrase, “go and tell” (vs. 10). The names, “Jesus” (vss. 5, 9, & 10) and “Galilee” (vss. 7 & 10), were also repeated. The repeated references to physical sight along with the description, “they came up and took hold of his feet,” indicated that Jesus rose bodily from the dead. His face-to-face encounters with witnesses, the first of which was recorded in these verses, was a historic fact, not some figment of the disciples’ imaginations.
The repetitions found in the last segment of Matthew’s Gospel included “money” (vss. 12 & 15), “disciples” three times (vss. 13, 16, & 19), and “Jesus” (vss. 16 & 18). The last three verses of the chapter constitute what students of the New Testament call “the Great Commission” in which Jesus articulated what he expected his disciples to do once he had left them to return to the Father. Matthew’s version (all four of the Gospels as well as the Acts of the Apostles contain this command) began with a subordinate participle which should be translated “having gone” and continued with the actual command, “make disciples of all nations,” the core of the issue. “Baptizing” and “teaching” should be taken as subordinate phrases that defined what the making of disciples involved.
OUTLINE
I. After an angel at the empty tomb told them that Jesus had risen, the two Marys met him on the way to tell the disciples what they had seen. (1-10)
II. Israel’s religious leaders bribed the guards to spread the rumor that Jesus’ disciples had stolen his body while they were asleep. (11-15)
III. In Galilee, before he left them, Jesus gave his disciples a final command to make disciples of all nations while promising to be with them always. (16-20)
IDEA STATEMENT
After rising from the dead and revealing himself to the women who came to the tomb and then to his disciples, Jesus commanded them in Galilee to make disciples throughout the entire world.
APPLICATION
Someone has described the Great Commission in these words: “His last command our first concern.” This is precisely what Jesus expected his followers to do both then and now. We should take note of several encouraging aspects regarding this mandate. First, he has given us everything we need to accomplish his will: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” As we go to make disciples, we do so not in our own strength but rather with his sanction and sovereignty. Moreover, this command has been given to all who belong to Jesus without exception. Each of us is responsible to make disciples no matter who we are, where we are, or whatever gifts or abilities we may have. We are free to carry out this command however the Lord may enable us, but we must be about the business of discipling others to know and love Jesus.
One more wonderful truth in this command is the promise Jesus has given us: “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” His presence with us guarantees that he will provide everything we need to carry out his command without inadequacy or anxiety. When we feel insufficient for the task, we must remember to rely on his strength. Though we may feel we lack the right words, he has promised to help us know just what to say just when we need that help. When we feel exhausted or too weak to carry on, we must trust him to empower us with his supernatural enablement. Jesus never commanded us to do what he will not enable us to accomplish. We should endeavor to obey the Great Commission with the blessing of Hebrews 13 in mind: “Now may the God of peace...equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in you that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen” (Heb. 13:20 & 21).