The Great Commission
Matthew 28:16-20
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Revelation
Matt.28.16 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- δε: CONJ
- ενδεκα: NUM,nom,pl,m
- μαθηται: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- επορευθησαν: VERB,aor,pass,ind,3,pl
- εις: PREP
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- Γαλιλαιαν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- εις: PREP
- το: ART,nom,sg,n
- ορος: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- ου: PART
- εταξατο: VERB,aor,mid,ind,3,sg
- αυτοις: PRON,dat,pl,m
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- Ιησους: NOUN,nom,sg,m
Parallels
- Matthew 26:32 (verbal): Jesus twice predicts that after his resurrection he will go before the disciples into Galilee—provides the prior promise that explains their trip to the mountain.
- Matthew 28:7 (quotation): The angel's instruction to the women to tell the disciples to go to Galilee where they will see Jesus directly motivates the disciples' journey in 28:16.
- Mark 16:7 (verbal): The angelic message in Mark likewise tells the women to inform the disciples (and Peter) that Jesus 'goes before you into Galilee,' a close parallel to Matthew's reason for meeting in Galilee.
- John 21:1-14 (thematic): A post‑resurrection appearance of Jesus to his disciples in Galilee (by the Sea of Tiberias); thematically parallels Matthew's account of a Galilean rendezvous after the resurrection.
Alternative generated candidates
- Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them.
- Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them.
Matt.28.17 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- ιδοντες: VERB,aor,act,ptc,nom,pl,m
- αυτον: PRON,acc,sg,m,3
- προσεκυνησαν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- δε: CONJ
- εδιστασαν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
Parallels
- Matt.28.9 (verbal): Another resurrection appearance where the women "came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him"—direct verbal and thematic parallel of seeing and worshiping Jesus.
- Mark 16:14 (thematic): Jesus appears to the eleven and rebukes them for their unbelief and hardness of heart—parallels Matthew's note that some of the disciples doubted.
- John 20:24-29 (structural): Thomas's initial doubt and subsequent confession ('My Lord and my God') models the movement from skepticism to worship found in Matthew 28:17.
- Luke 24:41-43 (allusion): The disciples' astonishment and Jesus eating broiled fish to prove his bodily reality addresses the same issue of disbelief/doubt after seeing the risen Lord.
- Luke 24:52 (verbal): The disciples worship Jesus at the conclusion of Luke's resurrection narrative—parallels Matthew's report that those who saw him worshiped.
Alternative generated candidates
- When they saw him they worshiped him; but some doubted.
- And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted.
Matt.28.18 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- προσελθων: VERB,aor,act,part,nom,sg,m
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- Ιησους: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- ελαλησεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτοις: PRON,dat,pl,m
- λεγων·Εδοθη: VERB,pres,act,ptc,nom,sg,m; VERB,aor,pass,ind,3,sg
- μοι: PRON,dat,sg,1
- πασα: ADJ,nom,sg,f
- εξουσια: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- εν: PREP
- ουρανω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- επι: PREP
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- γης·: NOUN,gen,sg,f
Parallels
- Daniel 7:13-14 (allusion): The Son of Man receives dominion, glory, and a kingdom in Daniel’s vision—background for Jesus’ claim to universal authority over heaven and earth.
- Psalm 2:7-9 (verbal): Coronation language about the Son ruling the nations and breaking them with a rod of iron echoes the assertion that all authority has been given to the Messianic Son.
- Psalm 110:1 (allusion): The exaltation of the Lord at God’s right hand implies sovereign rule over enemies and is used elsewhere in the NT to support Christ’s universal authority.
- Ephesians 1:20-22 (thematic): Paul states that God raised and seated Christ and put all things under his feet—an explicit NT parallel to Jesus’ claim to all authority in heaven and on earth.
- Colossians 2:10 (thematic): Christ is described as 'head over every power' and the fullness of deity dwells in him, echoing the notion of comprehensive authority given to Jesus.
Alternative generated candidates
- And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me."
- And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Matt.28.19 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- πορευθεντες: VERB,aor,pass,part,nom,pl,m
- ουν: CONJ
- μαθητευσατε: VERB,aor,act,imp,2,pl
- παντα: ADJ,acc,pl,n
- τα: ART,nom,pl,neut
- εθνη: NOUN,nom,pl,n
- βαπτιζοντες: VERB,pres,act,ptc,nom,pl,m
- αυτους: PRON,acc,pl,m
- εις: PREP
- το: ART,nom,sg,n
- ονομα: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- πατρος: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- υιου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- αγιου: ADJ,gen,sg,n
- πνευματος: NOUN,gen,sg,n
Parallels
- Mark 16:15-16 (verbal): Mark's version of the Great Commission closely parallels Matthew's command to go and proclaim the gospel, adding the explicit link between belief, baptism, and salvation (’whoever believes and is baptized will be saved’).
- Luke 24:46-49 (structural): Luke gives a parallel commissioning scene: Jesus sends the disciples to proclaim repentance and forgiveness to all nations and promises the sending of the Holy Spirit to empower that mission, echoing Matthew’s mission to all nations and the Spirit’s role.
- Acts 1:8 (thematic): Acts frames the missionary scope of the commission—witnessing ’to the ends of the earth’—and emphasizes reception of power from the Holy Spirit to carry out that global mission, resonating with Matthew’s call to make disciples of all nations.
- Acts 2:38 (verbal): Peter’s call to ‘repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ… and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit’ links baptism, naming, and receipt of the Spirit, providing an early-practice parallel to Matthew’s baptismal and Trinitarian language.
- 2 Corinthians 13:14 (verbal): Paul’s benediction—’The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit’—is an explicit Trinitarian formula that parallels Matthew’s Father–Son–Holy Spirit triadic baptismal phrase.
Alternative generated candidates
- 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,
- 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,
Matt.28.20 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- διδασκοντες: VERB,pres,act,ptc,nom,pl,m
- αυτους: PRON,acc,pl,m
- τηρειν: VERB,pres,act,inf
- παντα: ADJ,acc,pl,n
- οσα: PRON,acc,pl,n
- ενετειλαμην: VERB,aor,mid,ind,1,sg
- υμιν·και: PRON,dat,pl,2
- ιδου: INTJ
- εγω: PRO,nom,sg,1
- μεθ᾽υμων: PREP+PRON,gen,pl,2
- ειμι: VERB,pres,act,ind,1,sg
- πασας: ADJ,acc,pl,f
- τας: ART,acc,pl,f
- ημερας: NOUN,acc,pl,f
- εως: CONJ
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- συντελειας: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- αιωνος: NOUN,gen,sg,m
Parallels
- Mark 16:15-20 (structural): Parallel form of the Great Commission—sending the disciples to proclaim the gospel—and a closing promise of the Lord's continued activity with and confirmation of the disciples' ministry.
- Luke 24:46-49 (structural): Resumes the commissioning theme (preach repentance to all nations) and pairs it with a promise of empowerment/presence (wait for the gift of the Holy Spirit).
- John 14:18 (thematic): Jesus' promise 'I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you' echoes the assurance of his continuing presence with the disciples.
- Hebrews 13:5 (verbal): Uses nearly identical language of divine presence/faithfulness ('I will never leave you nor forsake you'), reinforcing the same theological promise of God's abiding presence.
- Matt.1:23 (allusion): The title 'Immanuel—God with us' (Isaiah cited in Matthew) is a foundational Old Testament theme echoed in Jesus' promise 'I am with you always.'
Alternative generated candidates
- teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.
- teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.
Now the eleven disciples went into Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had appointed them.
When they saw him they worshiped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me."
"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,
and teaching them to observe all that I commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."