View source for Great Commission

{{Short description|Instruction of  Jesus to his disciples to spread the gospel}}
{{Distinguish|Great Commandment}}
{{About|the biblical episode|the similarly named Little (or Lesser) Commission|Matthew 10|the modern evangelical association|Great Commission church movement|the musical group|The Great Commission (band)}}
{{Multiple issues|
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{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2021}}
{{Gospel Jesus|expanded=Resurrection}}
[[File:Albert Wider Priestergrab in Widnau 02.png|thumb|upright=1.3|Relief ''The Great Commission'' by Albert Wider on the priests' grave in Widnau, Switzerland]]
[[File:STP-ELP19.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|''The Great Commission'', [[stained glass window]], [[Cathedral Parish of Saint Patrick in El Paso]], Texas]]In [[Christianity]], the '''Great Commission''' is the instruction of the [[Resurrection appearances of Jesus|resurrected Jesus Christ]] to his [[disciple (Christianity)|disciples]] to spread [[the gospel]] to all the nations of the world. The Great Commission is outlined in [[Matthew 28:16]]–[[Matthew 28:20|20]], where on a mountain in [[Galilee]] Jesus calls on his followers to make disciples of and [[baptize]] all nations in the name of the [[God the Father|Father]], the [[God the Son|Son]], and the [[Holy Spirit (Christianity)|Holy Spirit]].

The Great Commission is similar to the episodes of the [[commissioning of the Twelve Apostles]] found in the other [[Synoptic Gospels]], though with significant differences.{{Citation needed|date=February 2021}} Luke also has Jesus during his ministry dispatching disciples, including the [[seventy disciples]], sending them to all the nations and giving them power over [[demons]]. The [[dispersion of the Apostles]] in the [[Mark 16#Longer ending of Mark (verse 9-20)|traditional ending of Mark]] is thought to be a [[Christianity in the 2nd century|2nd-century]] summary based on Matthew and Luke.{{Citation needed|date=February 2021}}

The Great Commission has become a tenet in [[Christian theology]] emphasizing [[Christian ministry|ministry]], [[Christian mission|missionary work]], [[evangelism]], and [[baptism]].{{Citation needed|date=February 2021}} The [[Apostles in the New Testament|apostles]] are said to have dispersed from Jerusalem and founded the [[Apostolic See|apostolic see]]s,{{Citation needed|date=February 2021}} such as those at [[Corinth]], [[Philippi]], [[Ephesus]], and [[Rome]] (see also [[Holy See]]). [[Preterists]] believe that the Great Commission and other [[Bible prophecy|Bible prophecies]] were fulfilled in the [[Christianity in the 1st century|1st century]] while [[Futurism (Christianity)|futurists]] believe Bible prophecy has yet to be fulfilled at the [[Second Coming]].{{Citation needed|date=February 2021}}

==History==
It is not known who coined the term ''Great Commission'', though it may have been Justinian von Welz<ref name="auto">{{cite journal |last=Castleman |first=Robbie F. |title=The Last Word: The Great Commission: Ecclesiology |journal=Themelios |volume=32 |issue=3 |page=68 |url=http://s3.amazonaws.com/tgc-documents/journal-issues/32.3_Castleman.pdf |access-date=28 October 2014 |archive-date=3 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303205956/http://s3.amazonaws.com/tgc-documents/journal-issues/32.3_Castleman.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>
and it was later popularized by [[Hudson Taylor]].<ref name="auto"/>

==New Testament accounts==
{{Great Commission narrative comparison}}
[[File:Christ's Mission to the Apostles, about 970-980 AD, Ottonian, Milan, ivory - Cleveland Museum of Art - DSC08609.JPG|thumb|10th-century Ottonian ivory plaque showing Christ's mission to the apostles in the Cleveland Museum of Art<ref>{{Cite web |title=Christ's Mission to the Apostles {{!}} Cleveland Museum of Art |url=https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1967.65 |access-date=2025-05-29 |website=www.clevelandart.org |language=en-US}}</ref>]]

==Interpretations==
The commission from Jesus has been interpreted by all [[Evangelicalism|evangelical Christians]] as meaning that his followers have the duty to go, make disciples, teach, and [[baptize]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Evangelicals and Evangelicalism |url=https://crcc.usc.edu/topic/evangelicals-and-evangelicalism/ |access-date=2024-11-04 |website=crcc.usc.edu |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-02-02 |title=The Evangelical Manifesto {{!}} Os Guinness |url=https://osguinness.com/publicstatement/the-evangelical-manifesto/ |access-date=2024-11-04 |website=Os Guinness {{!}} A quiet voice on behalf of faith, freedom, truth, reason and civility |language=en}}</ref> Although the command was initially given directly only to Christ's eleven [[Apostles in the New Testament|Apostles]], evangelical [[Christian theology]] has typically interpreted the commission as a directive to all Christians of every time and place, particularly because it seems to be a restatement or moving forward of the last part of [[Covenant (biblical)#Abrahamic covenant|God's covenant with Abraham]] in {{bibleverse|Genesis|12:3|KJV}}.{{citation needed|date=September 2015}} 

Full [[Preterism|Preterists]] believe{{Citation needed|date=February 2021}} that the Great Commission was already fulfilled based on the New Testament passages "And they went out and preached everywhere" ({{bibleverse|Mark|16:20|KJV}}), "the [[gospel]] that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven" ({{bibleverse|Colossians|1:23|KJV}}), and "Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past, but now is manifested, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations" ({{bibleverse|Romans|16:25–26|KJV}}).{{Primary source inline|date=February 2021}}

==See also==
{{Commons category|Great Commission}}
{{Portal|Christianity}}
* ''[[Ad gentes]]''
* ''[[Evangelii gaudium]]''
* ''[[Evangelii nuntiandi]]''
* [[Evangelism]]
* [[Matthew 28]]:[[Matthew 28:16|16]], [[Matthew 28:17|17]], [[Matthew 28:18|18]], [[Matthew 28:19|19]], [[Matthew 28:20|20]]
* [[New evangelization]]
* [[Overview of resurrection appearances in the Gospels and Paul]]
* ''[[Redemptoris Missio]]''

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Apostles}}
{{Jesus footer}}
{{Gospel of Matthew}}
{{History of Christianity}}
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[[Category:1st-century Christianity]]
[[Category:Christian missions]]
[[Category:Christian terminology]]
[[Category:Doctrines and teachings of Jesus]]
[[Category:Matthew 28]]
[[Category:Holy Spirit]]
[[Category:Galilee in the New Testament]]
[[Category:Post-resurrection appearances of Jesus]]