Matthew 28:18-20 is the closing charge of Matthew’s Gospel, where the risen Jesus claims all authority in heaven and on earth and sends his followers to make disciples of every nation. It tells the church what its mission is, on whose authority it rests, and why it can go without fear.
The words come at the very end of the Gospel, after the resurrection. The eleven disciples have gone to a mountain in Galilee, the place Jesus had appointed, and there they meet him. Everything before this point has been building toward this final scene.
18 Jesus came to them and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
Matthew 28:18-20 (WEB)
Matthew 28:18-20 Summary
Jesus begins by stating a fact about himself: authority has been given to him over heaven and earth. Because that is true, he gives a command. The disciples are to go out to all nations, make disciples, baptize them into the threefold name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and teach them to obey everything Jesus had taught.
The passage closes with a promise. Jesus will be with his people always, right up to the end of the age. The command is given with a promise of his presence, so the work is never done alone.
Context of Matthew 28:18-20
Matthew was written for a community that was largely Jewish in background and was learning to read the story of Jesus as the fulfillment of Israel’s Scriptures. The Gospel’s structure moves steadily toward this ending, presenting Jesus as the promised king who teaches with authority and who is God with us from the first chapter onward.
The verses just before this passage show the disciples meeting Jesus on the mountain, with some still doubting. Matthew also notes that the report of the guards’ bribe continues to circulate among the Jews. The surrounding story is about rival claims to truth: Jesus’s resurrection is contested, while his authority is affirmed. The commission therefore answers a real question about who is in charge now.
Matthew 28:18-20 Verse by Verse
Acts 1:8
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. You will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth.”
(WEB)
This verse, spoken just before Jesus ascended, links the disciples’ witness to the power of the Holy Spirit and sends their message from Jerusalem out to the ends of the earth. It echoes the global reach of the commission in Matthew.
John 20:21
Jesus therefore said to them again, “Peace be to you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.”
(WEB)
In John’s account of the risen Jesus, he sends his disciples just as the Father sent him. The parallel shows that the mission in Matthew is one piece of a larger movement of Christ’s sending his people into the world.
A Prayer Based on Matthew 28:18-20
Lord Jesus, you hold all authority in heaven and on earth, and I bring my life under your rule today. Thank you for sending your people into the world with good news and for calling me to follow you. Give me courage to speak of you where I am, patience to teach what you have taught, and a willingness to be baptized into your name more fully each day. Remind me that you are with me always, even when the work feels small or the road is long. Hold me steady until the day your kingdom is complete. Amen.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Great Commission mean?
The Great Commission is the name often given to Matthew 28:18-20. It is Jesus’s command to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them and teaching them his teaching. It is grounded in his claim to all authority.
Why does Jesus say all authority has been given to him?
The statement establishes that the mission rests on Christ’s authority rather than on human ability. Because he rules over heaven and earth, his followers can go out with confidence in his power.
What does it mean to baptize in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit?
Baptism in this name marks a person as belonging to the one God revealed as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The verse places all three together, which is the basis for the Christian understanding of the Trinity.
