More Great Commission variants

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More Great Commission variants

by philipedwards @ 16/01/2008 – 17:39:27

One of the most interesting and challenging angles on Jesus's last words that I have heard since doing Organic church is the one which focuses on the Apostles.

The emphasis is that Jesus did not tell all his followers to go into all the world just his Apostles and it was they who he equiped to do so. We are not called to go into all the world unless we have an Apostolic gift.

Any thoughts on these varients? Do you know of others? I am really looking into the Great Commission at the momment as you can see
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- Barb
- http://retrofited.blogspot.com/
- 17/01/2008 @ 01:47:38
Husband and I were just discussing this very thing last week. He feels so guilty for not "going and making disciples of every nation." In our old church we at least were part of the machine that told us that we were spreading the gospel. If we weren't actually doing it then someone in the orginazation was. But out here on our own, the "great comission" seems overwhelming. If you find anymore sites or have anymore thoughts..please link to them.
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- David
- 17/01/2008 @ 06:23:57
I have also discovered this recently. If you do a simple English comprehension test on the Great Commission verses (Mathew, Mark, Acts) and ask the question: Who specifically was Jesus talking to? then you discover that yes, it was only the apostles who were with Him at the time. I find this to be very liberating. No longer do you have the burden of witnessing the gospel to others unless you are called to do so by God. However, i wouldn't go so far as to say that you are only allowed to preach the gospel if you are a recognized apostle. Don't forget Jesus loves freedom. He came to set the captives free, and he who the Son sets free, is free indeed.
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- Steve H.
- http://www.prolepticlife.wordpress.com
- 17/01/2008 @ 10:19:06
Using this logic and method of biblical interpretation one could say that almost all of the things Jesus taught are not applicable to the follower of Christ today. While it is not necessary nor possible for every believer to engage in cross-cultural missions, that doesn't release us from the responsibility of making disciples. Once we understand the multiplying effect of disciple-making we can see that we can ultimately reach the world without necessarily ever having to leave our own home.
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- David
- 17/01/2008 @ 20:52:52
Matthew 5:1-3 And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.

Who was there on the mountain with Jesus? The disciples. Where were the others? What did He teach? That all those people who are poor in spirit have the Kingdom of God. (compare w/ Luke 6:20)

Matthew 28:16-20 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him, they worshipped Him, but some doubted. And Jesus came to them , saying "All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. 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, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.

Who was with Jesus? The eleven apostles. Where were the others? What did He teach? That they should go and make disciples of all the nations.

Luke 9:23 Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me."

Who was with Jesus? The disciples (verse 18). Where were the others? What did He teach? That anyone who desires to follow Him must deny themselves.

Jesus took the curse of the law upon Himself, we have no need to feel guilty about things we are not guilty of. If you called to preach the gospel, do it. If you are not called to preach the gospel, don't do it. Let every man and woman be convinced in their own minds of their calling. But never forget: Jesus takes away ALL guilt. That is the point. That God's love liberates us from the curse and burden of the law and simply allows us to be His friends.

Let us not go down this road:
Luke 11:46 And He said "Woe to you also, lawyers! For you load men with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers."
- - philipedwards
  - http://www.homechurch.org.nz
  - 17/01/2008 @ 22:07:45
  Mate! Your words touch my heart.
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- Steve H.
- http://www.prolepticelife.wordpress.com
- 18/01/2008 @ 02:48:34
David,
I'm sorry you wish to impute to me the motives of trying to make anyone feel guilty. the post was not about whether or not someone is called to preach the gospel, it was about whether or not the Great Commission is applicable to anyone other than the 12. My point is that Jesus had a lot of conversations that only included the 12. If one follows the logic of biblical interpretation suggested in the post than you have to conclude all those other conversations are applicable to only the 12.

But we don't even have to argue that point in isolation. All we have to do is listen to Jesus praying in John 17 - "As you have sent me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth. I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word." (Jone 17:18-20)

Jesus included those who would believe on the word of the original 12 in His prayer.

Again, please don't misconstrue my point. I clearly stated that I do not believe that every believer is supposed to do cross-cultural missions, nor do I believer that every follower of Christ is a called to be a "preacher" but I do believe that every follower of Christ can make disciples, which is what the great commission calls us to do.

That is not an attempt to create unnecessary guilt, it is merely an attempt at trying to discover and grow in what it means to follow Christ in this world.
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- David
- 20/01/2008 @ 07:04:07
Come on Steve, be fair on a brother ! When i said English comprehension and then said if you ask the question who Jesus was talking to i didn't mean that that is the only question to ask. I said English comprehension (i could have also said reading comprehension). I then focussed on the question of who Jesus is talking to for brevity sake, after all this is a comment on a blog not a 10000 word thesis. In my second comment i attempted to show the answer to the next question: Was Jesus commandment general or specific? Is it something that can be applied to anyone or just His audience? Is it for Christians today or just the disciples back then?

Let me give a good example: In Matthew 21:2, Mark 11:2 and Luke 19:30 Jesus says:"Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me." Does this mean that every Christian should find a donkey and a colt and bring them to Jesus? Ofcourse not! English comprehension, or put differently, the context shows us it was a specific commandment to two of the disciples (it doesn't mention names). While on the other hand the beatitudes as well as the commandment to take up your cross daily (as well as others) is more general, as can be seen by the language He uses (Blessed are THE POOR in spirit, if ANYONE desires to come after Me). (Btw i only use these two examples for brevity.)
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- Max
- 20/01/2008 @ 17:30:14
We're missing the point. The Holy Spirit not the Apostles (either original or today) is the chief evangelist. John says "whoever believes out of him living water will flow." Where the Spirit is He flows forth. This is the missionary nature of the Holy Spirit and he works through all who believe. We're getting all elitist again (some people superior to others) and the NT doesn't want to know about that.
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- David
- 21/01/2008 @ 09:28:07
I agree with you Max that the Holy Spirit is the chief evangelist and that where the Spirit is He flows forth.

In I Corinthians ch. 12 Paul explains that there are diversities of gifts, ministries and activities but that it is the same Spirit, Lord and God who does this through the believer. (verses 4-6) All have been given giftings from the Holy Spirit, but not all giftings are the same, only the Holy Spirit in each believer is the same. So the Spirit manifests Himself differently through different people: through some He preaches the gospel to those that don't believe in Jesus, through others He doesn't. This is another way of saying: Those that are called to preach the gospel, should. Those that are not called to preach the gospel, shouldn't. After all, if you are not called to preach the gospel (but are preaching), then the Holy Spirit is not evangelising through you and you are doing it in human strength rather than Gods.

That some evanglise and that others don't is not elitist, it just means they are performing different activities. I fully agree with you: those that do preach the gospel are not superior to those that don't. And neither are they who don't preach the gospel inferior to those that do. It is Jesus who justifies us, not our actions or inactions.
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- Steve H.
- http://www.prolepticlife.wordpress.com
- 23/01/2008 @ 05:18:16
David,
I don't think I misunderstood your point, and I don't think I was being unfair. I realize that you weren't writing a thesis, but you seemed to be saying that the Great Commission was applicable only to the 12 (I use twelve as the common term for these men, realizing Judas was already gone at the point in which the GC was given). I appreciate your point concerning English comprehension and reading comprehension, although you seem to be suggesting that I don't have any of those abilities.

You said, "Was Jesus commandment general or specific? Is it something that can be applied to anyone or just His audience? Is it for Christians today or just the disciples back then?" That is all I am trying to do is bring in another side to this discussion. Clearly, we disagree on how this is to be interpreted and I think I have valid reasons to disagree. Like you a post on this blog doesn't allow me to do a full dissertation on all of those reasons, but only allows a brief explanation. But my disagreement doesn't mean I don't appreciate you or your point of view. I was only trying to raise issues for discussion.
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