JESUS' FINAL APPEARANCES AND ASCENSION

Jesus Gives the Great Commission

-Matthew 28:16-20; Mark 16:15-18; Luke 24:46-47

-We find that the eleven “went away into Galilee…where Jesus had appointed them” (Matt. 28:16).

            -Prior to being betrayed, Jesus had told the apostles, “But after that I am risen, I will go before

             you into Galilee” (Mark 14:28).  The angels who spoke to the women at the tomb said, “…tell

             his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there you shall see him, as he

             said unto you” (Mark 16:7).  As the women made their way to the disciples, Jesus appeared

             to them and gave similar instructions (Matt. 28:10). 

            -It is evident that Jesus gave some specific instructions to His followers regarding this meeting.

             He had appointed a particular mountain of which the scriptures remain silent.

-“And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted” (Matt. 28:17).  The two words,

 “some doubted,” would normally seem rather simple.  However, in this case, they are considerably

 challenging and intriguing.  The Greek grammar suggests that the subject of the verb has changed.

 However, Matthew speaks only of the eleven.  Therefore, while the grammar points to the idea that

 somebody other than the eleven “doubted,” the context seems to restrict the doubting specifically

 to the apostles.  So, here are a couple of possibilities.

            1.  There are those who have suggested that the “some” of Matthew 28:17 is the “above five

                        hundred brethren” of 1 Corinthians 15:6.  “Though Matthew speaks of only the eleven being

                        present at this appearance, yet as it was the oft-promised meeting by appointment and as the

                        women and disciples generally shared in this promise (Matt. xxviii. 7-10), we have no doubt

                        that it was the meeting mentioned by Paul…” (McGarvey/Pendleton, pg 761).  It is certain

                        that Jesus appeared to more than 500 brethren on a particular occasion but the scriptures do

                        not specify the time or place.  Therefore, to apply Matthew’s word “some” to them (or any

                        other group) is speculation.  But, such speculation may be accurate. Again, the challenge of       

                        applying the word “some” to somebody other than the eleven is the specificity of the context

                        in Matthew and the parallel accounts.    

            2.  With consideration of the immediate context, the “some” could have been the eleven.  It

                        would not be necessary to conclude that they had any doubt regarding Jesus’ identity.  Events

                        involving Jesus’ previous appearances had alleviated such doubts.  Being confident in the

                        true identity of Jesus, the eleven worshipped Him.  However, Acts 1:6 makes it clear that

                        these men still carried confusion and false expectations within themselves regarding the

                        nature of Christ’s kingdom.  With such being the case, it would have been extremely difficult

                        for them to understand and harmonize the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.  They

                        certainly did not doubt the reality of these historical events; yet, they most likely doubted

                        their meaning and true significance.  Vine defines the word “doubted” as “to stand in two

                        ways…implying ‘uncertainty which way to take.’”  Perhaps Matthew’s use of this word

                        indicates that he and the other apostles simply didn’t know what to expect or what to do next. 

                        If this is the case, then perhaps Jesus’ words which followed helped them see (with a little

                        more clarity) the course that lay before them.  Again, the challenge to this approach is the

                        fact that the Greek grammar suggests that the words “some doubted” refer to somebody other

                        than the eleven.

-"All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  ‘Go therefore and make disciples of

 all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching

 them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the

 age’” (Matthew 28:18-20, NASB).  “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” (Mark 16:15-16).  “Thus it is written, and thus it behoved 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” (Luke 24:46-47).

            -This Great Commission was given with “all authority.”  “…[N]either the word ‘power’ nor the

             word ‘authority’ adequately translate Christ’s word.  It means all the right of absolute authority,

             and all the force of absolute power.  It is a most transcendent claim which Jesus utters here”

             (McGarvey/Pendleton, pg 763).  “Thus does he give them a commission founded upon his own,

             to do the work in its application to men in every age, which he began and made possible by his

             death and resurrection” (Boles, Matthew, pg 563).

                        -What a privilege it is to be a participant in the work of Christ!

-The command of the Great Commission is “make disciples.”  That is what we are to do.  This is

 what Jesus commands.  That is the goal that we are to set before us.  This is where our individual

 and collective efforts should be centered.  The going and the teaching are the avenues through

 which we are to accomplish the task.  

            -Notice, one becomes a disciple of Christ by being baptized in the name of the Father, Son and

             Holy Spirit – by the collective authority of the Godhead.  Those baptized were then to receive

             ongoing teaching that was in accordance with the teachings of Jesus.

            -Although it seems that this commission was given specifically to the eleven apostles, we know

             that it is perpetually applicable due to the time frame which Jesus included – “even to the end of

             the age (world – KJV)”  Obviously, this extends beyond the apostles and includes you and me.

-May we therefore sit upon a “mountain” and look back in view of all that Jesus has done for

 mankind.  Let’s reflect upon His life, His works, His teaching, His sacrifice on our behalf, etc. 

 And let us reflect upon the Great Commission.  Then from that same “mountain” may we look out

 over the world with a view of those lost in the depth and despair of sin.  And let us reflect upon the  

 Great Commission.

            -Let us go and teach and baptize and continue to teach.  Let’s preach the gospel.  Let’s share the

             message of repentance and remission of sins.  Let us do this so that others may believe, be

             baptized and be saved.  Let us do this in humble, dedicated service to our Lord.  It is what Jesus

             wants.  It is what He commands.  It is what He deserves (and so much more).

-In Mark’s account Jesus indicated that there would be signs to follow – a reference to the

 miraculous gifts that would be provided “…to the apostles and those members of the church

 during the apostolic days…” (Dorris, pg 393). 

            -“The Book of Acts gives examples of each one of these signs except the fourth, and though

             we have no record of a disciple escaping the effects of drinking poison, there is little doubt