COMMISSION, THE GREAT. The Great Commission is linked with two great historic events: the Resurrection, which provides both message (1 Cor 15:3, 4) and motive (Matt 28:6, 7); and Pentecost, which insures both power (Acts 1:8) and wisdom (Acts 6:5, 10).

The Great Commission is rooted in the Lordship of Christ as demonstrated by His triumphant death (Col 2:14, 15), His victorious Resurrection (Eph 1:20-23) and His glorious ascension (Phil 2:9-11). As the Prince of life (Acts 3:15) and the Lord of glory (1 Cor 2:8), He possesses all power in heaven and in earth (Matt 28:18), including power to forgive sins (Mark 2:10), to bestow life (Josh 17:2), and to execute judgment (John 5:27).

As conceived by Christ, the Great Commission linked the missionary activity of the Church with that of Christ Himself (John 14:12). As the first and greatest missionary (Heb 3:1), He came to seek and to save the lost (Luke 19:10). The church’s mission was to be patterned after His (John 20:21). As His ministry included teaching, preaching and healing (Matt 4:23), so would theirs (Acts 4:2; 5:12-16).

Beginning at Jerusalem, the mission was to extend, via Judea and Samaria, to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). Historically the Gospel was first preached to the Jews (Rom 1:16); when they rejected it, the apostles turned to the Gentiles (Acts 13:46). The Christian mission would continue to the end of time (Matt 24:14). Not everyone would be saved, not even many who professed allegiance (Matt 7:21-23). Indeed, the majority would be unresponsive (7:13, 14).

To accomplish this formidable task, the Church would require (Luke 24:49) and receive (Acts 1:8) the aid of the Holy Spirit. Only as He worked in and through the apostles (Phil 2:13), issuing their call (Acts 13:2), energizing their wills (Col 1:29), controlling their movements (Acts 16:6, 7), inspiring their message (Matt 10:20), could they hope to fulfill their mission. The Holy Spirit was to work in the world as well, producing conviction (John 16:8) and creating faith (1 Cor 12:3).

In carrying out the Great Commission the disciples would encounter opposition (Matt 10:16, 17) and persecution (John 15:20). Some would suffer martyrdom (John 16:2; Acts 7:58-60). None of these things was to deter them (Matt 10:28; Acts 21:13).

The Gospel preached was to include not only the historic facts of Christ’s death and Resurrection (1 Cor 15:1-4) but His teachings as well (Matt 28:20). Only by embracing the latter could men achieve genuine discipleship (Luke 14:25-33), the seal of which is baptism (Matt 28:19), the badge of which is love (John 13:35).

Bibliography H. W. Frost, The Great Commission (1934); R. H. Glover, The Bible Basis of Missions (1946), 13-42; H. R. Boer, Pentecost and Missions (1961), 15-47; G. H. Anderson, The Theology of the Christian Mission (1961), 55-71.