Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and,
Teaching them, х didaskontes (G1321)]. This is teaching in the more usual sense of the term; or instructing the converted and baptized disciples.
To observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I. The "I" х Egoo (G1473)] here is emphatic. It is enough that
I am with you alway, х pasas (G3956) tas (G3588) heemeras (G2250)] - 'all the days;' that is, until making converts, baptizing, and building them up by Christian instruction, shall be no more.
Even unto the end of the world, х aioonos (G165)].
Amen. [On the difference between the words aioon (G165) and kosmos (G2889), see the note at Hebrews 1:2] This glorious Commission embraces two primary departments, the Missionary and the Pastoral, with two sublime and comprehensive Encouragements to undertake and go through with them.
First, The MISSIONARY department (Matthew 28:18): "Go, make disciples of all nations." In the corresponding passage of Mark (Mark 16:15) it is, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature." The only difference is, that in this passage the sphere, in its worldwide compass and its universality of objects, is more fully and definitely expressed; while in the former the great aim and certain result is delightfully expressed in the command to "make disciples of all nations." 'Go, conquer the world for Me; carry the glad tidings into all lands and to every ear, and deem not this work at an end until all nations shall have embraced the Gospel and enrolled themselves My disciples.' Now, Was all this meant to be done by the Eleven men nearest to Him of the multitude then crowding around the risen Redeemer? Impossible. Was it to be done even in their lifetime? Surely not. In that little band Jesus virtually addressed Himself to all who, in every age, should take up from them the same work. Before the eyes of the Church's risen Head were spread out, in those Eleven men, all His servants of every age; and one and all of them received His commission at that moment. Well, what next? Set the seal of visible discipleship upon the converts, by "baptizing them into the name," that is, into the whole fullness of the grace "of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit," as belonging to them who believe. (See the note at 2 Corinthians 13:14.) This done, the Missionary department of your work, which in its own nature is temporary, must merge in another, which is permanent. This is,
Second, The PASTORAL department (Matthew 28:20): "Teach them" - teach these baptized members of the Church visible - "to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you," My apostles, during the three years ye have been with Me. What must have been the feelings which such a Commission awakened! 'WE conquer the world for Thee, Lord, who have scarce conquered our own misgivings-we, fishermen of Galilee, with no letters, no means, no influence over the humblest creature? Nay, Lord, do not mock us.' 'I mock you not, nor send you a warfare on your own charges. For'-Here we are brought to
Third, The ENCOURAGEMENTS to undertake and go through with this work. These are two; one in the van, the other in the rear of the Commission itself.
First Encouragement: "All power in heaven" - the whole power of Heaven's love and wisdom and strength, "and all power in earth" - power over all persons, all passions, all principles, all movements-to bend them to this one high object, the evangelization of the world: All this "is given unto Me," as the risen Lord of all, to be by Me placed at your command - "Go ye therefore." But there remains a
Second Encouragement-which will be best taken up in the Remarks below - "And lo! I am with you all the days" - not only to perpetuity, but without one day's interruption, "even to the end of the world." The "Amen" is of doubtful genuineness in this place. If, however, it belongs to the text it is the Evangelist's own closing word.
Remarks:
(1) In this Great Commission we have the permanent institution of the Gospel Ministry, in both its departments, the Missionary and the Pastoral-the one for fetching in, the other for building up-together with Baptism, the link of connection and point of transition from the one to the other. The Missionary department, it is true, merges in every case in the Pastoral, as soon as the converts are baptized into visible discipleship; yet since the servants of Christ are commanded to "go into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature," it follows that so long as there is an inhabited spot unreached, or a human being outside the pale of visible discipleship, so long will the Missionary department of the Christian ministry abide in the Church as a divine institution. As for the pastoral office, it is manifest that as the children of believers will require to be trained in the truth, and the members, of the Church to be taught, not only to know, but to observe, all that Christ commanded, there can be no cessation of it so long as the Church itself continues in the flesh, or before Christ comes in glory.
(2) But we have here also something for the Church's private members as well as for its ministers. Are they to deem themselves exempt from all concern in this matter? Nay, is it not certain that just as all ministers are to trace their commission to this Great Commission, so the whole Church, from age to age, should regard itself as here virtually addressed in its own sphere, and summoned forth to cooperate with its ministers, to aid its ministers, to encourage its ministers in the doing of this missionary and pastoral work to the world's end?
(3) We must have a care not unduly to narrow that direction regarding the Pastoral instruction of the disciples - "Teach them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you," the Twelve. For some talk of Christ as the only Lawgiver of Christians, to the exclusion of the Old Testament, as authoritative for Christians; while some would exclude, in this sense, all the New Testament except the Evangelical Records of our Lord's own teaching. But does not our Lord Himself set His seal on the Old Testament Scriptures at large as the Word of God and the Record of eternal life? And what are all the subsequent portions of the New Testament but the development of Christ's own teaching by those on whom, for that very end, He set the seal of His own authority?
Thus may our Lord be said virtually to have referred His servants to the entire Scripture as their body of instructions. Still it may be asked, Is there nothing special in all those things whatsoever Christ commanded the Twelve, that He should refer the pastors of the flock for their instructions in every age specifically to that as their grand repository? Undoubtedly there is; for as all that preceded Christ pointed forward to Him, and all that follows His teaching refers back to it, so His personal teaching is the incarnation and vitalization, the maturity and perfection of all divine teaching, to which all else in Scripture is to be referred, and in the light of which all else is to be studied and apprehended.
(4) What an all-comprehensive encouragement to the continued discharge of even the most difficult and trying duties embraced in this Commission is found in the closing words of it! Thus:
'Feel ye your utter incompetency to undertake the work? Lo! I am with you, to furnish you for it; because all power in heaven and in earth is Mine. Fear ye for the safety of the cause, amidst the indifference and the hatred of a world that crucified your Lord? Be of good cheer: I am with you, who have overcome the world. Dare ye not to hope that the world will fall before you? It is Mine by promise-the pagan for My inheritance, the uttermost parts of the earth for My possession; and to conquer and to keep it by your agency, all power in heaven and in earth is given unto Me and by Me made over to you.
'Dread ye the exhaustion of My patience or power, amidst oft-recurring seasons of difficulty, despondency and danger, and the dreary length of time it will take to bring all nations to the obedience of faith, and to build them up unto life eternal? Lo! I am with you always, to whom all power in heaven and in earth is given for your behoof.'
'Truth, Lord'-perhaps ye will still say-`this pledge to be with us to perpetuity is indeed cheering; but may there not be intervals of withdrawal, to be followed, no doubt, by seasons of certain return, but enough, in the meantime, to fill us with anxiety, on whose shoulders Thou art laying the whole weight of Thy cause in the earth?' 'Nay, have ye not marked those words of Mine, "Lo! I am with you," not only to perpetuity, but "all the days" - without any break - "even unto the end of the world."' What more could they, or the servants of Christ in any age, desire or imagine of encouragement to fulfill this blessed Commission?
(5) Is it necessary to ask any intelligent reader whether such a Commission could have issued from the lips of one who knew himself to be a mere creature? Would "all power in heaven and in earth" be given away to a creature, by Him who will not give His glory to another? or if this were conceivable, could it be lodged in a creature, or wielded by a creature? And whereas it is here said to be given to Christ, that is only in conformity with the whole economy of Redemption and the uniform language of the New Testament, which represents the Son as sent and furnished by the Father, in order to bring men back, as prodigal children, to their Father's love. But while the Son thus honours the Father, the Father requires, in return, "that all men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father."
(6) If there is one inference from the language of this Great Commission more obvious than another, it is this, that Jesus would have Himself regarded by His servants in every age as sole Master in His own House. Are they to make disciples of all nations? It is disciples to Him. Are they to set the seal of visible discipleship upon them? It is to bind them over only the more effectually to Him. Are they to teach the converts thus made and thus sealed? It is to observe all things whatsoever HE has commanded them. Want they support and encouragement in all the branches of this work? They are to derive it from this twofold consideration, that all the resources of heaven and earth are, for their benefit, given unto Him, and that He is with them alway, even unto the end of the world.
Thus are they to transact, each with the other-no other third party coming in between them. Hence, whatever understanding or arrangement they may deem it lawful and expedient to come to with the civil powers in matters ecclesiastical, they are to stipulate for perfect freedom to carry out all their Master's requirements; nor dare they abridge themselves of one iota of this liberty for any temporal consideration whatever.
(7) We have here the secret of the Church's poverty during long ages of its past history, and of the world's present condition, to so appalling an extent estranged from the Christian pale. The Church has neglected the Missionary, and corrupted the Pastoral, department of its great Commission. For long ages the missionary energy of the Church had either ceased, or expended itself chiefly on efforts to extend the ghostly authority of Papal Rome; and when at the Reformation period it sprang forth in such glorious rejuvenescence, instead of sending forth its healing waters into the vast deserts of paganism, making the wilderness and the solitary place to rejoice, it kept them pent up within its own narrow boundaries until they stank and bred the pestilence of rancorous controversy and deadly heresy and every evil. And then did the Pastoral work languish, thousands upon thousands fell away from all observance of Christian ordinances, and within the bosom of Christendom infidelity and irreligion spread apace, while real Christianity came to a very low ebb. Nor could anything else be expected of such unfaithfulness to the Church's Head. Neglecting either branch of this great Commission, neither the Power nor the Presence promised dare be expected. But going forth in faith to both alike, the conquest of the world to Christ-as it might have been achieved long ago, but for the Church's unbelief, selfishness, apathy, corruption, division-so it will be achieved, when, through the Spirit poured upon it from on high, it shall become "fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners" (Song of Solomon 6:10).
(8) In concluding this First Portion of our Fourfold Gospel, who that has followed our humble efforts to display a little of its riches does not feel it to be as treasure hid in a field, the which, when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath and buyeth that field? The good Lord lodge its contents in the hearts both of the writer and his readers!