See Great Preachers of Today series, J. D. Thomas, editor, 42 sermons by Gus Nichols on the Great Commission, 1966; Jesus’ Two Great Commissions, on balancing evangelism and edification, David W. Chadwell, 1991.)

"And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." (Matthew 28:18-20.)

"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe. In my name shall they cast our devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents, and if they shall drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover." (Mark 16:15-18.)

"Thus it is written and thus it behooved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day. And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you, but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem until ye be endued with power from on high." (Luke 24:46-49.)

"But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you; and ye shall be witnesses into me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth." (Acts 1:8.)

Though the Bible does not so describe these words as the "Great Commission," Bible students have rightly observed and noted their importance. They are central to the whole New Testament. They were spoken at a key moment in Jesus’ life on earth---after his sacrifice and resurrection. His words gave direction to the apostles and church after his ascension unto heaven. The Holy Spirit guided the apostles after Jesus left them behind. The power of the Spirit that Jesus promised came upon them on the Day of Pentecost following Jesus’ ascension.

The Great Commission is much like John 3:16 in that it sums up so much of the Gospel. Both are overflowing with meaning. "Everything before the commission was leading up to it; while everything after the commission grew out of it and points back to it. The Great Commission is the very constitution of the kingdom of God on earth. As the giant oak is first in the acorn, Christianity is first of all wrapped up in the Great Commission." (Great Preachers of Today, Gus Nichols, 1.) Peter indicated the fullness of it in his message at the temple in Jerusalem. He said,

"Repent ye therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord, and he shall send Jesus Christ which before was preached unto you, whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of the holy prophets since the world began." (Acts 3:19-21.)

The proclaiming of the gospel to the lost and teaching them all things that Jesus said brings about this restoring of all things spoken by the mouth of the prophets of old. It involves the reconciliation of man to God through Jesus our Lord. The Great Commission is so great that it excludes the necessity of any other system of religion. It is sufficient for man in his life before God. "According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him hath called us to glory and virtue. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises. . " (2 Peter 1:3-4.)

Paul wrote about this position of Jesus after his humiliation. "And being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every should bow, of things in heaven and things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father." (Phil. 2:8-11.)

No one else could ever say, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. If they did, it would be the worst form of self-exaltation and blasphemy against the Lord. The great error of pluralism is evident in the Great Commission. No one among men can stand on an equality with Jesus and the New Covenant sealed with His blood. None other has been so exalted by the Father. None other qualifies to be the atonement for man’s sins.

Peter said it this way, "This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:11-12.)

"For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church, and he is the savior of the body." (Eph. 5:23.) "And he is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell." (Col. 1:18-19.) He is the creator of all things (1:17).

"For the Father judges no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son; that all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honors not the Son honors not the Father which hath sent him." (John 5:22-23.)

We should understand who this Jesus of Nazareth really is. He is God among men. He has all power in heaven and in earth! What a comprehensive statement!

Ivan Stewart’s book on evangelism is entitled, Go Ye Means Go Me. It is true that we all have a part in this work of reaching the lost. Paul told Timothy, "And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also." (2 Tim. 2:2.)

But the Great Commission was given first of all to the apostles. They were sent on a worldwide mission of teaching. It was made by Jesus to them. They were promised power from on high. (Luke 24:49, Acts 1:8.) They had power to bind and to loose sins. We should understand the role of the apostles as eyewitnesses to Jesus’ life and resurrection from the dead.

"This Jesus hath God raised from the dead, whereof we all are witnesses." (Acts 2:32.)

"Him God raised up the third day and showed him openly, not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead. And he commanded us to preach unto the people and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the judge of quick and dead." (Acts 10:40-42.)

"Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God." (2 Cor. 5:20.) There is a general sense in which we can "testify" and be "ambassadors" for Christ, but these words apply directly and especially to the apostles as eyewitnesses. An ambassador is an official representative of a government. All citizens are not ambassadors.

The early church continued "stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers." (Acts 2:42.) When Philip preached Christ in Samaria, the apostles in Jerusalem sent Peter and John. Why? Because they were apostles. Philip could preach the word, but there were things that only apostles could do. (Acts 8:14.) The Bible says, "When Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money." (8:18.)

The foundation of the church is built upon Jesus and the apostles. "Household of God, . . . and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone." (Eph. 2:20.)