The Great Commission as an Index to Matthew
Just as an index appears at the end of a book and lists the important terms, the Matthew can be seen as a powerful and insightful illustration of the Great Commission. David Bosch argues that the Great Commission is intimately linked with the rest of the book of Matthew and can be viewed as an index to the whole book. (Transforming Mission, 1997, 57).
The major directives of the Great Commission such as “Go,”“Make Disciples” and “Baptize” have often been used as mere slogans to compel the church forward in its missionary enterprises without the appropriate study given to just what these terms meant in its original setting or how they might be properly contextualized in the Church’s mission to the nations.
There can be not a Great Commission Without a Great Resurrection
One of the first and most important ways we can link the Great Commission to the Gospel of Matthew is in the last chapter of that gospel. In a very skillful and intentional way Matthew links the Great Resurrection at the beginning of that chapter to the Great Commission at the end of the chapter.
Just as David sings a “new song” of his own miraculous resurrection from the pit of Psalms 40:1-3, the Great Commission can only truly and spontaneously be proclaimed from those who have walked through the Valley of the Shadow of Death and now are inspired by God to sing the song of deliverance to others who need to be resurrected.
The 7 Sections of the Great Commission
In this episode we will look at the seven major phrases or sections of the Great Commission. This will give us a good overview of this important Scripture before we dive into the details in the next seven episodes. The Seven Sections are:
1. Galilee
2. All Authority
3. As you go . . .
4. Make disciples
5. by baptizing
6. by teaching
7. I am with you always