Mark 16:15 discussion

:applause::applause::applause::applause:

 

I preached on that on our last furlough and emphasized two points.

(1) It says, "all the world," so there is no country where God does not want a witness for Christ.

(2) It says, "every creature," so there is no one God does not want to hear about Jesus: drunks, addicts, prostitutes, upstanding businessmen, honest housewives, convicts--everyone should hear.

 

So are you saying DON'T set up a soup kitchen or be involved in charity?

What about those of us who live in areas where there are no mormons? (Seriously, there are no mormon churches in my area)

Mormons don't open-air preach? Or tell people about their version of Christ as in conversation? Or pass out tracts? Because if they do (and they do), what makes you think they can't do far more than you?

 

Mark 16:15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. (NASB)

1) This verse parallels Matthew 28:19-20, which reads: "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

2) Go - the idea is to not to make a special trip, but as you are going along in your daily life, whether a preacher or a fish monger, preach the gospel.

3) World - refers to fallen mankind, so preach to everybody, rich and poor, wise or foolish, free or slave, Jew or Gentile, male or female.

4) Preach - in word and in deed, walk the talk, and rather than say I will pray you find warm clothing, give him your coat. Soup kitchens, charities, health services are all ways to treat others like we would want to be treated.

5) All creation - In this context, creation does not refer to trees, rocks, and waterfalls, but to mankind.

6) Note that the commission given in Matthew seems to address far more than an abbreviated gospel. We are not just to plant the seed but to "make disciples, teaching them all Christ commanded."

 

The contextual subjects are "disiciples" (plural "ye" not singular) not merely believers and the command is to "make disciples" not merely make believers. Going with the gospel is simply the prerequite for making disciples as the commission includes baptism and teaching them how to observe all things commanded. That is why the participle translated "go" is Aorist tense - a past tense completed action that assumes they have already gone to the "nations" (lost) and evangeized those identified as "them" in Matthew 28:19 who are the proper subjects for baptism and inclusion in the teaching assembly - the church (see Acts 2:40-41).

This is not given to unqualified believers. This is given to those who have already been through this process (1) evangelization (past tense participle), who have already been water baptized and who "have" already been taught how to observe all things commanded, and not all Christians have been through this process or made a "disciple" in this sense. This is given to those who are LIKE FAITH AND ORDER with Christ and that is the meaning of "disciple" - one who follows the Master, not one who is an innovator of his own belief system.

No individual believer possesses the authority to administer baptism or to assemble baptized believers together in church capacity to be taught how to observe all things. This third part of the Great Commission is IMPOSSIBLE apart from either an existent New Testament assembly or constitution of a new assembly. Matthew 18:15-18 is something Christ taught them to observe and it is impossible to observe apart from membership in the same assembly. Acts 2:40 shows the order (1) evangelization "as many as received the word" (2) Baptism - "were baptized" and (3) Church membership - "added unto them" followed by (4) teaching them to observe all things command "continued stefastly in the apostles doctrine." This shows that "teaching them to observe" is inclusive of church membership.

This is not an individual commission but is given to a plural BODY of previously baptized believers in church capacity as shown in Acts 1:21-22; 2:1, 41, 46. The church administers this through its ordained representatives.

 

Another way to restate the great Commission in Gospel of Matthew...