The Gospel’s final story shows Jesus meeting with his disciples on a Galilean mountain (28:16–20; with mountains being locations of revelation in Matthew; cf. chaps. 5–7, 17, 24–25). One of the Twelve has betrayed Jesus, Peter has denied knowing him, and the others have fled at his arrest (26:56). Yet Jesus summons the eleven to meet him in Galilee and refers to them as his “brothers,” signaling restoration of relationship (28:10). As they meet, they worship Jesus (as the women have already done; 28:9). Yet the disciples continue to “doubt” (Greek distazō; cf. 14:31–33 for the same combination of worship and wavering from the disciples). Matthew implicitly reintroduces the disciples’ “little faith” at his story’s end (with “doubt” and “little faith” as synonyms in 14:31). Fortunately, Jes…
The Great Commission
Matthew 28:16-20
Matthew 28:16-20
One Volume
by Gary M. Burge
by Gary M. Burge
Baker Publishing Group, The Baker Illustrated Bible Commentary, by Gary M. Burge