It seems evident, once the other Gospel narratives are taken into consideration, that several weeks had passed between the day of Jesus’ resurrection (Mark 16:14) and the time of his commissioning his Apostles (Mark 16:15-18; Matthew 28:16-17; John 21:1-14; cp. Acts 1:1-3). If all one read was Mark’s narrative, one may get the idea that Jesus commissioned his disciples on the day of his resurrection, but this isn’t so. First of all, after one’s worldview has been proved wrong, a period of adjustment must occur. One doesn’t simply jump from one belief to an opposing one without some contemplation and rearranging of one’s understanding of truth. Paul took three years from the time he persecuted believers and had a vision of the resurrected Christ to the time he began proving Jesus was the Messiah and sought to be received by the Apostles (Galatians 1:17-18). Even Peter had second thoughts after his worldview had been shattered by seeing the resurrected Christ. He was so distraught over not understanding the truth that he decided to return to his fishing business and not preach the Gospel. It took Jesus to convince him to do otherwise (John 21:3, 15-19).
The commission, as a statement of purpose, was simple enough to understand. They were to go out into the world, and preach the good news about Jesus to everyone. Those who believed and were baptized would be saved (from judgment), while those who wouldn’t believe would be judged. To back up the disciples’ preaching, certain miraculous signs would follow, whereby it would be evident that what they preached was so and had the support of the Lord. Nevertheless, miraculous signs don’t follow the preaching of Christ today. If this is so (and it is so), is the lack of miraculous deeds accompanying the preaching of the Gospel evidence that the great commission has already been fulfilled?
First of all, it is clear that Christians today cannot be the same kind of witnesses, as that of Jesus’ disciples in the first century AD. None of us have seen Jesus alive, but we are able to witness to other folks about how Christ has changed our lives. On the other hand, Jesus’ disciples did see the resurrected Christ, and it can’t be denied that they were, indeed, sent out by Christ, if one believes the Synoptic narratives and that alluded to in John. Moreover, it is recorded in Acts and the epistles that miraculous signs did, indeed, follow these men. In other words, their preaching had the support of heaven.
Notice what Jesus told them. According to Mark 16:15, they were to publish the Gospel throughout the world (G2889; kosmos), and belief would save folks from judgment, while unbelief would not. According to Matthew 28:19, they were to “teach all nations” (G1484; ethnos), and the Lord would be with them, until the end of the world (G185; aion, i.e. age). Luke agrees with Matthew, in that the Gospel would be preached to all nations (G1484), which included the Jews (Luke 24:47), because the Apostles were witnesses to Jesus’ resurrection and the things he said and did (Luke 24:48). Moreover, Luke adds that Jesus’ disciples would be empowered by the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:49). So, what can we say of these things?
In the Olivet Prophecy the Apostles asked Jesus about his coming and the end of the age (G185; aion). Jesus told them that this Gospel would be preached in all the world (G3625; oikoumene) and then the end would come (Matthew 24:3, 14). Luke claimed Caesar was ruler of all the world (G3625; oikoumene), and famine would strike the whole world, and that famine occurred in the days of Claudius Caesar (oikoumene, same word; see Luke 2:1; Acts 11:28). Paul claimed that the commission was fulfilled in the first century AD (Romans 10:13-18; Colossians 1:23). So, the world (G3625; oikoumene) apparently meant the Roman Empire (Acts 17:6; 24:5; Romans 15:19). Therefore, the coming, which Jesus promised, occurred in 70 AD, when the world was judged. Jerusalem and the Temple were destroyed, the Old Covenant came to an end, and the New Covenant was established with those who believed the Gospel.
After Jesus had commissioned his disciples, he was received into heaven, where he rules from the right hand of God to this day (Mark 16:19; cp. Acts 1:9; Daniel 7:13-14), and of his kingdom there shall be no end (Daniel 2:44). Moreover, notice how Mark concludes his narrative of Jesus’ Gospel (Mark 16:20): “they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the word by the signs that followed.” Mark places the great commission in the past, and fulfilled—they preached everywhere, and the Lord was faithful in that he confirmed their word with miraculous signs. May the Lord bless all who believe his word.
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2 responses to “The Great Commission Is Fulfilled”
Hi Eddie. I agree with your study; however it raises an interesting question regarding the use of the Great Commission in the efforts of modern day evangelism and missionary work. However, real evangelism, I believe, happens on a one -on-one basis and not so much en masse.
Greetings Dave,
Thanks once more for your interest in my studies. Lord bless you. Christianity’s refusal to recognize the coming of the Lord in 70 AD has caused tremendous wrongdoing in the name of Christ. First of all, allow me to say that I both admire and praise those men and women who commit their lives or even a part of their lives to preaching Christ in foreign lands, especially where pagan religions thrive. Most of that is done by example, anyway. However, I am not a fan of ‘sports arena evangelism.’ Rather, as you conclude, the one-on-one example of living out the Christian life is a better and more powerful evangelistic effort.
‘Sports-arena-christianity,” demands big names to be effective. For example, who would fill the any NFL stadium, if you or I decided to preach Christ there? It is my understanding, in order to achieve the status of a ‘big name’ one must sacrifice something in one’s walk with Christ. It is a matter of history, in as much as I am able to find out, that every ‘big name’ in modern Christianity has worked behind the scenes or even in our own day, publicly, in a political effort to sway worldly power one way or another. In doing so, they promise the support of Christ’s people, if ‘such and such’ would be done for them. It has been my experience, that Christianity needs to beware of using the power that crucified Christ for a “christian” effort/work. It can’t be done. Christ uses the Gospel and only the power of the Gospel to touch folks’ lives in his name.
Evangelism via politics is never Christian. A Christian can be in politics, but the example he lives among power mongers is the voice of Christ in his life. It is never forcing folks to live the “christian” life via the law of the land. Doing that kind of thing requires compromise, and the result is not only not Christian, but the one acting “in Christ’s name” has become unequally yoked with unbelievers–if you do this for me, I’ll do that for you” etc., and that is nothing more than a bribe! The Christian is unable to control the outcome of such a relationship. Rather, live for and in Christ in whatever you do, and in the end, that will ‘preach’ to folks in a manner that turns their eyes toward Jesus. Otherwise, delving into politics in Jesus’ name causes many to reject Christ, because they impute to him the political position taken by his ‘follower’ — who isn’t following Jesus at all, if he is using law to cause folks to live the ‘christian’ life.
In order to be successful in a ‘big name’ way requires funding, and when one uses the wealth of Christian folks in order to gain or maintain power/status, one is taking that wealth away from what the Lord says we should do with our wealth. That is, we should be helping our less privileged brethren, or ministering to our persecuted brethren around the world. All this stems from the fact that modern authorities in Christianity have sold Christ’s people on the idea that swaying worldly power in the name of Christ is a Christian work. It isn’t. If one sways enough folks on the ground level through the Gospel and discipleship, then and only then, will the powerful political authorities in the world take note and change their behavior, although more often than not, that won’t come without persecution of some kind.
Think also of the lack of care we’ve given to our planet’s survival, believing it is okay to destroy it, because Christ will do so when he returns anyway. Yet, the word of God in Genesis tells us that he has given us authority over the works of his hands in order that we would cause it to continue producing life, just as the Lord created it to do. We were given management of the land and all the beasts of the land and sea, so what God has created wouldn’t pass away. Yet, look at what we’re doing. Power in politics won’t change the path we’ve taken, but the Gospel will. Imagine what evil one false doctrine is able to do!
Thanks for letting me ‘rant’ on. Lord bless you Dave.