Mar. 11, 2026

Dear Friends,

I hope you can join us tonight for Bible study. We will be studying Matthew 28:16-20, the Great Commission. Notes are attached.

LIVING THE CHRISTLIFE

WAYNE BARRETT

MARCH 11, 2026

Matthew 28:16-20

16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 And

when they saw him they worshiped 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 nations,

baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to

observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

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v 16 – “Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee …”

“Jesus had directed them”—by means of the women who went to the tomb—to whom both an

angel and Jesus himself gave these instructions (see vv. 1-10)

Why there? No explanation is given—but places matter.

v 17 – “And when they saw him …”

This was, perhaps, from a distance

Those who doubted … it seemed too good to be true … it seemed too impossible

v 18-20a – And Jesus came to them …

He had summoned them there

This commission was to the eleven, but that apostolic mission is now the mission of the church

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me …”

“All” not some or much

“authority”—Jesus is over everything and everybody

“in heaven and on the earth” – nothing in creation is omitted, cf. Gen. 1:1

“has been given” – by the Father

“to me.” – Christ and Christ alone.

This is the basis for what follows and should never be omitted.

“having gone then …”

This word often simply translated “Go”—but that is a little misleading. It is not an imperative. It

is like saying “So when you have left this place …” or “As you go …” Jesus, both directly

and indirectly did give the command to “Go!”—but in this case, the commands are coming,

and “having gone then” is the context for them.

“disciple all the nations”

“disciple” – mathéteuó, teach, instruct, make disciples of – this verb is an imperative

it is also in the aorist tense—which means completed action. It has a more definite sense that

saying “be discipling all the nations.”

“all” – again, not some

the nations – ethnos, peoples

“baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”

“baptizing” –this is a part of what it means to “disciple” the nations; it is part of what occurs in

fulfilling that command

2

into—eis—“into” is the normal translation of this word, although not in this verse; “in” or

“within” would usually be en

the name—more than the spoken name, this represents the full standing and dominion of a

person or institution, as in “the name of the law.” Here is where the leading preposition an

actually make a difference in our understanding of what is being said here. Baptizing “in the

name of” would tend to point towards the person doing the baptizing—as in “I am here in the

name of the law,” “I baptize you in the name of”—since I have authority under that name to

do so. Baptizing “into the name of” points toward the baptized person’s leaving the

dominion of Satan and this world and entering into the kingdom of God. (see Acts 26:17-18.)

It is certainly no wrong to baptize “in the name of”—since that is certainly what we are

doing, but we do not want to lose the perspective that Baptism represents the leaving of our

old life and entering into the kingdom of God.

“in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”

One of the most explicit references to the Trinity in the Bible

“teaching them to observe all things whatsoever that I commanded you”

observe – téreó, keep, observe, watch, guard

“all things whatsoever”—nothing to be omitted or neglected

commanded you – Jesus did not make requests

v 20b – “and, behold, I am with you all the days until the completion of the age.”

“behold” – pay attention, make sure you understand

“all the days” is in the Greek—often translated “always.” “All the days,” while not as common

English, seems more down to earth and direct.

“completion” – syntéleia, often translated “end”, which is not wrong, but it means

consummation, the complete finish of an intended purpose