by Harry BuererJesus’ last words to his disciples before he ascended are recorded in each of the four gospels and Acts. There are some differences in wording, but the general idea is that he wants them to go throughout the earth and tell people about him. This is known as the Great Commission.
We will look specifically at the Great Commission as recorded in Matthew 28:19-20. In many English translations the primary command given is “Go”. In the original Greek this is not quite the case. The word for “go” is actually a participle, “going”. A literal translation would be something like, “In going, make disciples” or “As you go, make disciples.” The imperative in the verse is to make disciples; the going is assumed.
This making disciples is condensed into two discrete actions, baptizing, and teaching to obey Jesus’ commands. This raises some questions. What are Jesus’ commands? He didn’t typically go around giving commands. We would be hard-pressed to find many commands of Jesus, much less a whole systematized way of living. He did identify a “new” commandment that he was giving, to love one another (John 13:34; 15:12). But this is very similar to what he identified as the second greatest commandment in God’s law, loving your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:39 cp. Leviticus 19:18). Jesus is repurposing one of the commandments recorded by Moses in Leviticus for his followers.
This should not be surprising. Jesus emphatically affirmed the law that God gave through Moses on many occasions. One of these is at the beginning of his ministry in Matthew 5. “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” (5:17-19)
Is it legitimate to think of God’s commands through Moses as the commands of Jesus? Here is another way of thinking about it that might clear up this question. In the beginning of the books of John and Hebrews, Jesus is portrayed as being actively present at creation. “Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made… He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.” (John 1:3, 10) “But in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.” (Hebrews 1:2)
Given that Jesus is portrayed as participating with God in creation, it shouldn’t be a stretch to consider Jesus as participating with God in the event at Mt. Sinai recorded in Exodus 20, as well as the continuing revelations of his law to Moses throughout the Pentateuch. If we realize that Jesus was acting with God as the lawgiver to Israel, it’s not so hard to understand what Jesus’ commands are, the entire law of God.
The writer of I John defines loving God as obeying his commands. “This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome” (I John 5:2-3). Earlier in the book he wrote, “Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness” (3:4). Still earlier he uses this same language referring to Jesus. “He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, ‘I know him,’ but does not do what he commands is a liar and the truth is not in him” (2:2-4).
God’s commands are Jesus’ commands and Jesus’ commands are God’s commands. What Jesus is telling his disciples on the mountain in Galilee is: After initiating new believers by baptism, make them into disciples of mine by teaching them to follow God’s law as I did.
We need to adjust our concept of discipleship by teaching people as Jesus taught, to follow God’s law. Then and only then will we truly be disciples of Jesus.