¹⁶ The eleven disciples traveled to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had directed them. ¹⁷ When they saw him, they worshiped, but some doubted. ¹⁸ Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹ Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

1) What is the context of these verses, and what is its significance?
These verses are recorded at the very end of the book of Matthew.  Jesus has completed His earthly ministry, fulfilled His mission to die for our sins and rise from the grave, and has spent 40 days appearing to many witnesses.  He then gathered His disciples in one place and gave them this charge, right before ascending into heaven.  It is significant that these are the final words Jesus spoke while on earth—these are the last things He wanted His disciples to know and remember.

2) What does the “therefore” in verse 19 point to?
“Therefore” indicates that the previous statement gives a reason for the following statement.  So, because Jesus says, “all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me“ we are commanded to “go and make disciples.”  Jesus’s authority enables our disciple-making.

3) What does “behold” mean?  How does that word add to our understanding of verse 20?
“Behold” means “look, see.”  It emphasizes the point being made.  Jesus has just given us the Great Commission, and he wants us to pause and take note of the fact that He is with us always!  It makes obeying the Great Commission possible.

1) What is the context of these verses, and what is its significance?
Knowing that these are the last words Jesus spoke to His followers underscores their importance—and it should motivate our obedience.  Sister, are you concerned about making disciples?  Do you believe that all authority belongs to Christ, and that He is with you? How are you currently involved in making disciples? In what specific ways can you grow in this?

2) What does the “therefore” in verse 19 point to?
If Jesus has all authority on heaven and on earth, then He has authority even over peoples’ hearts!  It is not ultimately our presentation of the Gospel, or the persuasiveness of our apologetics, or the fervency of our prayers that win people to Christ (although those things are important to consider).  It is Christ Himself who works through us to reveal Himself to people.  That fact can take away our fear of sharing the gospel—someone’s heart response to the gospel ultimately doesn’t depend on me!

3) What does “behold” mean?  How does that word add to our understanding of verse 20?
When you feel fear creeping in, when you feel inadequate to share Christ, when you’re overwhelmed by the mountain of obstacles that seem to stand between people and Christ, behold.  Behold that Christ is with you always!  Pause and remind yourself, dear sister, that the One who created the world, who loved you enough to bear your sins on the cross, is with you, and let that truth chase your fears away.

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We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources.  Just type in the verse you’re looking at and Boom! It’s right in front of you in English and Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament), which are the original languages the Bible was written in.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Find super awesome stuff like “origin”, “definition”, and even all the different ways that single word has been translated into English! If you want to be geeky, you can even click the word and hear its original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want to get more background on a word or phrasing or passage? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

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Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus.
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