Mt 28:16-20
The commissioning of the disciples, unique to Matthew, functions as the second of the two bookends, the first of which was presented in the first chapter of the Gospel.
The commissioning of the disciples, unique to Matthew, functions as the second of the two bookends, the first of which was presented in the first chapter of the Gospel.
Matthew writes of “eleven disciples.” There are only eleven because Judas, according to this author, had “hanged himself” (27:5). They gather on one of Matthew’s favorite places—a mountain. Throughout the Gospel, the author has been interested in portraying Jesus as a new Moses. The first sermon delivered by Jesus takes place on a mountain. Jesus delivers four more sermons to bring the total to five, the same number of volumes in the Pentateuch, the traditional books of Moses.
Furthermore, ancient peoples believed that God lived on a mountain. Moses had gone up to the mountain to get the law, the Torah. Elijah had heard the tiny whispering voice of God on the mountain.
Jesus gives his farewell discourse to his disciples gathered on a mountain. When the disciples saw him, “they worshiped, but they doubted” (v 17). Faith is never as strong as it should be, according to Matthew. People always have “little faith” (6:30).
But even with “little faith” the disciples are sent forth on mission by Jesus, who, after his resurrection, possesses “all power in heaven and on earth” (v 18). The mission is universal. They are to “make disciples of all nations” (v 19), a reference to both Jews and Gentiles, who have been one of Matthew’s concerns since the initial story about the Magi from the East. They are to baptize “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” (v 19); that is, they are to initiate people into the Church by using the baptismal formula which was already common in Matthew’s community. Baptism indicates a union between the one being baptized, the community, and the Blessed Trinity.
Finally, the disciples are to teach people “to observe all” (v 20) that he has commanded them. Just as Matthew began the Gospel with a genealogy which demonstrates how God often reverses things, so he ends with an interesting reversal statement. Throughout the Gospel, Jesus never commands the disciples to do anything. He simply presents a new way of life for those who wish to follow him.
Then, the final sentence of the Gospel answers a question which was asked as early as chapter one, where the author indicated that the child’s name was to be “ ‘Emmanuel,’ which means ‘God is with us’ ” (Mt 1:23). Finally, the meaning of “Emmanuel” becomes clear when Jesus declares, “I am with you always, until the end of the age” (v 20).
There is no Ascension scene in Matthew; there is no departure of Jesus into the heavens. He is Emmanuel; he is God present with his people. He will remain present until the end of the age. In this way, Matthew settles down for a long period of time between the commissioning of the disciples and the second coming of Jesus as judge, which he believes will happen some day. But this is not something to get excited about because God is with his people now.