Great Commission Tradition

Christendom has become obsessed with and confused by the idea that the Church’s “Great Commission” is found in five passages:

Matthew 28:16-20; Mark 16:14-20; Luke 24:33, 45-50; John 20:19-23 & Acts 1:1-12

…and that the Church’s main effort is to fulfill this commission.  Several problems attend this view.  All five passages concern the kingdom commission with three of the commissions being spoken in the upper room, while the other two were given later (one from a mountain in Galilee, and the other from the mount of Olives).

The student of the Bible must recognize that the Church, the body of Christ, did not exist when Jesus spoke these words to His eleven disciples turned apostles.  Also, the Lord commanded His disciples to teach the things He had taught them.  This meant keeping the Mosaic Law since He ministered under the Law and He obeyed it.  Paul wrote that members of the Church, the body of Christ, are not under the governance of the Mosaic Law, but under grace (Rom 6:14).

Yet another problem is Christ’s statement about baptism.  Under the gospel of the kingdom, water baptism was required for salvation.  But Paul wrote, “For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect” (1 Cor 1:17).  The Church’s gospel is that Christ died for our sins and rose from the dead and that by believing this, one is saved (1 Cor 15:1-4).  Water baptism is not part of the gospel of the grace of God (Acts 20:24).

The “Great Commission” of Matthew 28+ has nothing to do with the Church, the body of Christ.  It was part of Israel’s prophetic program and anticipated Jewish repentance and the fulfillment of God’s covenant promises to Israel.  Once Israel repented, Gentiles would be evangelized.  This is why the Lord stated the order of ministry would be Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the uttermost part of the earth (Acts 1:8).  When Israel refused to repent, the “Great Commission” could not be fulfilled because the nation could not fulfill its destiny as a kingdom of priests and a blessing to Gentiles (Ex 19:5-6).

There are serious problems with Christians believing that these five passages contain the “Great Commission” that they are to engage in:

1. Matthew 28:16-20 teaches that those evangelized are to follow the Law (“He that … is baptized shall be saved”) – See Is 2:1-5; Mt 5:17-20; cf. Rom 6:14.  This commission was spoken on a mountain in Galilee and it instructs the apostles to the nation Israel to baptize the nations (Is 52:15) and to teach them the Law (Mt 5:17-20).  This commission will be fulfilled during the Kingdom Age (Is 2:1-5).
2. Mark 16:14-18 states that water baptism is required for salvation (Acts 2:38) and that signs of the kingdom will follow for those who get saved – cf. 1 Cor 1:17; 13:8-13.  This commission was given as the apostles to Israel sat at meat. This commission will be fulfilled during Daniel’s 70th Week.
3. Luke 24:33, 46-49 tells the apostles to Israel that power will come from on high and it enables them to do the signs of the kingdom.  Do Christians have this power today?  This commission was given when the eleven apostles to Israel were gathered together.  They were instructed to begin at Jerusalem (the capitol of the kingdom, Jer 3:17), and to tarry until endued with power from on high (Is 32:1, 15).
4. John 20:21-23 gives the eleven apostles to Israel, being filled with the Holy Ghost, authority to remit and retain sins (Mt 18:15-20; 19:28).  Do Christians really believe that they have been given that authority?
5. Acts 1:1-12 tells the apostles to Israel that they are to begin their efforts in Jerusalem (Jer 3:17; cf. Acts 22:18, 21).  This commission was given from the mount of Olives.  They will receive power when the Holy Ghost comes upon them and that occurs in Acts 2 at Pentecost, a Jewish feast day.

The truth of the matter is that Galatians 2:7-9, which coincides with Acts 15:1-11 and the apostles to Israel having gone no further than Jerusalem, tells us that Peter et al agreed to limit their ministry to the circumcision.  This tells us that the twelve apostles to Israel did not fulfill the Great Commission given to them by the risen Lord Jesus Christ.  It will, however, one day be fulfilled…

As stated previously, these commissions were not given to the body of Christ.  The most obvious reason for that being true is that the body of Christ was not even revealed until several years later through the apostle Paul, after these commissions were given.  It is therefore important that we, members of the body of Christ, know where to find our commission for this present age.  Where we are to find our commission is within the apostle Paul’s thirteen epistles.

While all scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for us (2 Tim 3:16), we must consider what Paul says first (2 Tim 2:7) because he wrote directly to the body of Christ.  Our commission and the specific doctrines for this present age are revealed in Paul’s thirteen epistles.  We must recognize the distinctiveness of Paul’s apostleship and message while rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Tim 2:15).

I commit unto you the thirteen epistles authored by the Holy Spirit, through the apostle Paul.  You will find your commission there, not in the traditions of Churchianity, and in order to bring this post to a close, I will list a handful of passages that stick out in my mind when I think of our true commission: