And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. (Mk. 16:15)
There are many commissions from God in the Bible, and all of them are great because God gave them. What right do we have to elevate one above the others and call it "THE Great Commission?" Preachers claim this is the most important commission because it was the "last words of Christ."
Are the “last words” of Christ really found at the end of the Gospel records? No, Christ continued to speak from heaven! The apostle Paul wrote thirteen epistles by inspiration of God directly to the Body of Christ in this present age of grace. He wrote the wholesome words of Christ (1 Tim. 6:3). The most obvious reason that our commission is not found in the Gospel records is that the Body of Christ was not even revealed until several years later through Paul (Eph. 3).
In this present age God certainly wants the gospel to be preached to every creature, and Paul labored to that end (Col. 1:6, 23). So, how could I possibly say that Mk. 16:15 is not our commission? Of all the people who claim this is our commission, don’t you find it odd that NOBODY today is fulfilling ALL of it (vs.15-18)? They should call it the great OMMISSION.
(15) And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
(16) He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
(17) And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
(18) They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
(16) He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
(17) And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
(18) They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
1. The fundamentalists focus on v.15 and change v.16 to "he that believes is saved and then ought to be baptized as a testimony"
2. The "Church of Christ" and other groups who believe water baptism is essential to salvation focus on vs.16
3. The Charismatics take v.16, but focus on vs.17-18
4. The snake-handling Pentecostals in the Appalachians focus on v.18
There have been people who have literally died trying to follow v.18 (over 100 documented)! Many have become discouraged and defeated because they cannot do the signs that the passage says will follow them that believe. The way that the “scholars” try to get around this passage is to say that it doesn’t even belong in the text! Modern versions have footnotes that cast doubt on it. Can you imagine the Gospel of Mark ending at v.8? If we will study the Bible the way God commanded us to (2 Tim. 2:15), we can leave the passage just as it is, and it will make perfect sense.
vs.9-14 – On the day that Christ rose from the dead the disciples were mourning and weeping, not rejoicing. They did not believe the report that He was risen (compare Lk. 18:31-34; 1 Cor. 15:1-4).
v.15 – Who is “them?” Not us (v.14)! Which gospel? There is only one to be preached in this age, but there are various messages of good news revealed in the Bible. The gospel that we are to preach today was revealed by Christ to Paul (Gal. 1:11-12), so we know that is not the gospel spoken of here. The gospel that was being preached in this context is the gospel of the kingdom. It was the good news that the prophesied kingdom that God promised Israel was at hand. Christ will reign from Jerusalem over the entire world. Two days before the cross Christ told His disciples that the gospel of the kingdom would be preached in “all the world” (Matt. 24:14). The gospel that Christ revealed to Paul was preached in all the world in the first century (Col. 1:6, 23) and the end still hasn’t come! Do you think Christ was mistaken?
v.16 – The gospel of the kingdom required the water baptism of repentance for the remission of sins (Mk. 1:4-5). That is the gospel Christ is sending the Jewish apostles to preach. Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, knew what to preach (Acts 2:38). The water baptism itself did not save them, but it was required as an expression of faith. Did Christ send the 12 apostles to baptize? Then Paul was NOT sent under the same commission (1 Cor. 1:17)! There is only one baptism that puts us in the Body of Christ, and it is not water baptism (Eph. 4:5; 1 Cor. 12:13).
vs.17-20 – Christ did not say, “These signs MIGHT follow them that believe.” The Bible teaches that the Jews require a sign (1 Cor. 1:22; Ps. 74:9; Jn. 4:48). The nation of Israel began with signs (Ex. 4:1-9, 17, healing and snake handling). Signs point to something (Lk. 8:1). The gospel of the kingdom is accompanied with signs of the kingdom (vs.20; Heb. 2:3-5).
1) Cast out devils – Satan bound in bottomless pit in the kingdom age
2) Speak with new tongues – Gen. 11; Zeph. 3:9; Zech. 8:22-23
3) Take up deadly serpents – Isa. 11:8-9; Lk. 10:19; Rev. 9:19
4) Drink deadly thing – water contaminated in GT (Rev. 8:8-11; 16:4)
5) Lay hands on the sick – Isa. 32:24
The kingdom has been postponed and the signs have ceased. Paul worked signs during the Acts period to prove his apostleship (2 Cor. 12:12). The 12 did not fulfill this commission in the first century (Gal. 2:9). It will be fulfilled by the 144,000 in the future tribulation period.
There are other passages concerning the kingdom commission. Christ made appearances to His disciples over a 40-day period between His resurrection and public ascension. He commissioned them at different times and in different places. All of them concern the kingdom, but there are distinctions.
3. The Charismatics take v.16, but focus on vs.17-18
4. The snake-handling Pentecostals in the Appalachians focus on v.18
There have been people who have literally died trying to follow v.18 (over 100 documented)! Many have become discouraged and defeated because they cannot do the signs that the passage says will follow them that believe. The way that the “scholars” try to get around this passage is to say that it doesn’t even belong in the text! Modern versions have footnotes that cast doubt on it. Can you imagine the Gospel of Mark ending at v.8? If we will study the Bible the way God commanded us to (2 Tim. 2:15), we can leave the passage just as it is, and it will make perfect sense.
vs.9-14 – On the day that Christ rose from the dead the disciples were mourning and weeping, not rejoicing. They did not believe the report that He was risen (compare Lk. 18:31-34; 1 Cor. 15:1-4).
v.15 – Who is “them?” Not us (v.14)! Which gospel? There is only one to be preached in this age, but there are various messages of good news revealed in the Bible. The gospel that we are to preach today was revealed by Christ to Paul (Gal. 1:11-12), so we know that is not the gospel spoken of here. The gospel that was being preached in this context is the gospel of the kingdom. It was the good news that the prophesied kingdom that God promised Israel was at hand. Christ will reign from Jerusalem over the entire world. Two days before the cross Christ told His disciples that the gospel of the kingdom would be preached in “all the world” (Matt. 24:14). The gospel that Christ revealed to Paul was preached in all the world in the first century (Col. 1:6, 23) and the end still hasn’t come! Do you think Christ was mistaken?
v.16 – The gospel of the kingdom required the water baptism of repentance for the remission of sins (Mk. 1:4-5). That is the gospel Christ is sending the Jewish apostles to preach. Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, knew what to preach (Acts 2:38). The water baptism itself did not save them, but it was required as an expression of faith. Did Christ send the 12 apostles to baptize? Then Paul was NOT sent under the same commission (1 Cor. 1:17)! There is only one baptism that puts us in the Body of Christ, and it is not water baptism (Eph. 4:5; 1 Cor. 12:13).
vs.17-20 – Christ did not say, “These signs MIGHT follow them that believe.” The Bible teaches that the Jews require a sign (1 Cor. 1:22; Ps. 74:9; Jn. 4:48). The nation of Israel began with signs (Ex. 4:1-9, 17, healing and snake handling). Signs point to something (Lk. 8:1). The gospel of the kingdom is accompanied with signs of the kingdom (vs.20; Heb. 2:3-5).
1) Cast out devils – Satan bound in bottomless pit in the kingdom age
2) Speak with new tongues – Gen. 11; Zeph. 3:9; Zech. 8:22-23
3) Take up deadly serpents – Isa. 11:8-9; Lk. 10:19; Rev. 9:19
4) Drink deadly thing – water contaminated in GT (Rev. 8:8-11; 16:4)
5) Lay hands on the sick – Isa. 32:24
The kingdom has been postponed and the signs have ceased. Paul worked signs during the Acts period to prove his apostleship (2 Cor. 12:12). The 12 did not fulfill this commission in the first century (Gal. 2:9). It will be fulfilled by the 144,000 in the future tribulation period.
There are other passages concerning the kingdom commission. Christ made appearances to His disciples over a 40-day period between His resurrection and public ascension. He commissioned them at different times and in different places. All of them concern the kingdom, but there are distinctions.
1. Matt. 28:18-20 – LAW (Matt. 5:17-20; Isa. 2:1-5), fulfilled in the Kingdom Age
2. Lk. 24:45-49 – Prophesied baptism with Holy Ghost (Isa. 32:15), BEGIN in Jerusalem (capitol of kingdom, Jer. 3:17)
3. Jn. 20:21-23 – Sent as the Father sent Christ (Lk. 22:28-30), apostolic authority to remit and retain sins
4. Acts 1:6-8 – Prophesied baptism with Holy Ghost, begin in Jerusalem
So, why do all of the denominations insist that this is their commission? Different denominations want it for different reasons, but there is one thing that all of them agree on: water baptism is a church ordinance (for salvation or church membership).
What is our commission? See 2 Cor. 5:17-20; Col. 1:23-29; 1 Tim. 2:4-6.
2. Lk. 24:45-49 – Prophesied baptism with Holy Ghost (Isa. 32:15), BEGIN in Jerusalem (capitol of kingdom, Jer. 3:17)
3. Jn. 20:21-23 – Sent as the Father sent Christ (Lk. 22:28-30), apostolic authority to remit and retain sins
4. Acts 1:6-8 – Prophesied baptism with Holy Ghost, begin in Jerusalem
So, why do all of the denominations insist that this is their commission? Different denominations want it for different reasons, but there is one thing that all of them agree on: water baptism is a church ordinance (for salvation or church membership).
What is our commission? See 2 Cor. 5:17-20; Col. 1:23-29; 1 Tim. 2:4-6.
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