Jesus' Command to Teach All Nations in Matthew 28:20

Matthew 28:20 reads, "Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. And behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world" ^[1]. This verse is part of the Great Commission, where Jesus instructs his disciples to make disciples of all nations.

The literary context of Matthew 28:20 is Jesus' final instructions to his disciples before his ascension. The passage is part of a larger unit (Matthew 28:16-20) that describes Jesus' appearance to his disciples in Galilee. The surrounding verses emphasize the authority given to Jesus and the mission to spread his teachings to all nations ^[6].

Historically, this passage is understood to be a pivotal moment in the early Christian church, marking a shift from a focus on Jewish converts to a broader mission to include Gentiles. The command to "make disciples of all nations" is seen as a key moment in the expansion of Christianity beyond its Jewish roots ^[6].

The key terms in Matthew 28:20 include "teaching" (διδάσκοντες, didaskontes) and "observe" (τηρήσουσιν, terēsousin, though the Douay-Rheims translation in source ^[1] uses "observe" for τηρήσητε, terēsēte, in the verse). The phrase "all things whatsoever I have commanded you" refers to Jesus' teachings throughout the Gospel, including the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) ^[4].

A major exegetical decision in interpreting Matthew 28:20 involves understanding the scope of "all things whatsoever I have commanded you." This phrase is seen as encompassing Jesus' teachings on ethics, discipleship, and the Kingdom of Heaven. The command to teach these things to all nations is understood as a mandate for the church to spread Jesus' teachings universally ^{[2, 4]}.

The range of interpretations on Matthew 28:20 includes varying understandings of the nature of the discipleship and teaching commanded by Jesus. Some traditions emphasize the importance of obedience to Jesus' commands as a hallmark of discipleship ^[4]. Others highlight the role of baptism in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as a crucial aspect of making disciples ^[5].

In the view of some commentators, such as Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, the "teaching" in Matthew 28:20 refers to instructing the converted and baptized disciples, implying a process of ongoing education and discipleship within the church ^[2]. John Gill interprets the command to "teach all nations" as involving the spread of Gospel doctrines and ordinances to both Jews and Gentiles ^[3].

The passage has functioned significantly in Christian tradition, underpinning the missionary efforts of the church throughout history. Aquinas, for example, cites Matthew 28:19 as a basis for the global mission of the early disciples, noting that they were empowered to preach Christ's faith everywhere ^[7]. Augustine reflects on the fulfillment of Jesus' promises, including his presence with the disciples until the end of the world, as recorded in Matthew 28:20 ^[8].

The promise "I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world" is seen as a source of encouragement and authority for the disciples in their mission. It underscores Jesus' ongoing presence with his followers, even as they face the task of spreading his teachings to all nations ^[2].

The implications of Matthew 28:20 for Christian practice and theology are profound. The passage is often cited in discussions of the church's mission, the nature of discipleship, and the authority of Jesus' teachings. As the Tyndale House commentary notes, the church is to be marked by its obedience to Jesus' commands, with Jesus' authority and presence being the basis for the disciples' mission ^[4].

Sources

Matthew “Matthew 28:20 (DRC) — Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. And behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world.”
Matthew (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Matthew 28:20: Teaching them--This is teaching in the more usual sense of the term; or instructing the converted and baptized disciples. to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I--The "I" here is emphatic. It is enough that I am with you alway--"all the days"; that is, till making converts, baptizing, and building them up by Christian instruction, shall be no more. even unto the end of the world. Amen--This glorious Commission embraces two primary departments, the Missionary and the Pastoral, with two sublime and comprehensive Encourag”
Matthew (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Matthew 28:19: Go ye therefore,.... Into all the world; some into one place, and some into another; since his power and authority, and so now the commission he gave them, reached every where: before it was confined to Judea, but now it is extended to all the nations of the world; see Mat 10:6, and teach all nations; Jews and Gentiles, first the one, and then the other, the doctrines of the Gospel, and the ordinances of it; whatever they had learned from Christ, or were ordered by him, or "disciple all nations": make them disciples by teaching them; or, as the Persic version, by ”
Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 28:20: 28:20 Teach: The disciples’ curriculum is comprised of all the commands of Jesus (e.g., the Sermon on the Mount, chs 5–7). The church is to be marked by its obedience to Jesus’ commands (5:17-20; 7:13-27). Jesus’ authority and presence are the basis for the disciples’ mission (see also 1:23; 18:20).”
Matthew (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Matthew 28:19: Go ye therefore, and teach all nations--rather, "make disciples of all nations"; for "teaching," in the more usual sense of that word, comes in afterwards, and is expressed by a different term. baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost--It should be, "into the name"; as in Co1 10:2, "And were all baptized unto (or rather 'into') Moses"; and Gal 3:27, "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ."”
Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 28:19: 28:19 go and: Literally going, a participle that supports the main imperative, make disciples. Matthew probably intended go to be understood as a separate command (as it is translated) and not as a circumstantial modifier (i.e., while you go; cp. the same construction in 9:6; Acts 10:20). • make disciples: A disciple is one who repents of sin, trusts in Jesus for salvation, and obeys his teachings. • all the nations: The mission to the Gentile nations formally began here (see Matt 10:5-6; 15:24; see also 1:1; 2:1-12; 8:5-13; 21:43; 24:14; 26:13). • Two aspects o”
theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Second Part of the Second Part (Secunda Secundae), Of the Grace of Tongues, Art. 1: Article: Whether those who received the gift of tongues spoke in every language? I answer that, Christ's first disciples were chosen by Him in order that they might disperse throughout the whole world, and preach His faith everywhere, according to Mt. 28:19, "Going . . . teach ye all nations." Now it was not fitting that they who were being sent to teach others should need to be taught by others, either as to how they should speak to other people, or as to how they were to understand ”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 6: Augustine — Homilies on the Gospels — CHAP. XXV.--OF CHRIST'S SUBSEQUENT MANIFESTATIONS OF HIMSELF TO THE DISCIPLES, AND OF THE QUESTION WHETHER A THOROUGH HARMONY CAN BE ESTABLISHED BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT NARRATIVES WHEN THE NOTICES GIVEN (part 17): the actual fulfilment of that which he declares to have been announced beforehand by the angel. Matthew, on the other hand, confines his statement to a single occurrence, and refers to no other locality whatsoever, whether earlier or later, where the disciples saw the Lord after He was risen, but the Galilee which was specified in the ”

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