Matthew 28:19-20
“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.”
King James Version (KJV)
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After His resurrection, Jesus appears to the eleven disciples on a mountain in Galilee. This is His final commission before His ascension. It is the culmination of Matthew's Gospel: the King who was born in Bethlehem, ministered in Galilee, died in Jerusalem, and rose from the grave now sends His followers to extend His kingdom to the ends of the earth.
What Does Matthew 28:19-20 Mean?
Matthew 28:19-20, known as the Great Commission, contains the final instructions Jesus gave to His disciples before ascending to heaven. These words are not merely historical; they constitute the standing orders for the church in every age. The command is preceded by the most sweeping claim of authority ever made: "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth" (Matthew 28:18). It is on the basis of this total authority that Jesus commissions His followers to go into all the world.
The central command is "teach all nations" -- or more literally, "make disciples of all nations" (Greek: matheteusate panta ta ethne). A disciple is not merely a convert who prays a prayer but a learner and follower who is being progressively conformed to the image of Christ. The scope is "all nations" (panta ta ethne) -- every people group, every ethnicity, every language, every culture. The gospel is not the property of any single civilization; it is God's message for the entire human race.
Two participles describe how disciples are made: "baptizing them" and "teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you." Baptism is the public identification of a new believer with Christ -- dying to the old life and rising to the new. Teaching is the ongoing process of instruction and obedience that shapes a disciple over a lifetime. Note that Jesus commands teaching obedience, not merely knowledge. The goal is not well-informed Christians but transformed ones.
The Trinitarian baptismal formula -- "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost" -- is one of the clearest Trinitarian statements in Scripture. Jesus places Himself on equal footing with the Father and the Spirit, sharing one "name" (singular) among three persons. The Great Commission closes with a promise: "I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." Jesus will not send His disciples out and abandon them. His presence accompanies the mission until it is complete.
Original Language Insight
The Greek "matheteuo" (teach/make disciples) is the main verb and central command -- go, baptize, and teach are participles that describe how disciple-making happens. The singular "onoma" (name) used for three persons (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) points to the unity of the divine nature shared by all three.
Cross References
“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
— Acts 1:8
“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”
— Mark 16:15
“How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?”
— Romans 10:14
“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 Timothy 2:2
Application
The Great Commission is not an option for a select group of professional missionaries; it is the standing order for every follower of Christ. Every believer is called to participate in making disciples -- through sharing the gospel, baptizing new believers, and teaching them to obey Christ -- wherever God has placed them.