When I was reading today's selections I thought very seriously about writing something about Daniel chapter one. After all, anyone who reads this blog will fully expect that I'll write something about Matthew 28.18-20. For that matter, in the Treasury of Daily Prayer I see an outstanding comment on that passage from no less than Jerome. What should I do? The expected or the unexspected?
After filling a mug with espresso I came to my senses and decided that it would only be right to point out a few things from Matthew 28 which many through the centuries have observed. Unfortunately it seems in the past couple of centuries, since Enlightenment thinking has captured the Western Church, we have changed the emphasis given to this passage in Scripture, to the great detriment of the Church. Here's a list of some of the most important points from Matthew 28.18-20.
1) Jesus claims all authority. We do not have authority outside of Jesus' command. We simply follow his directives.
2) Those people Jesus called, and ordained are to go and make disciples. We see them calling and ordaining others to continue the task. Our expectation is that an incredible number of believers will receive this call and ordination, but we see it is not something that we claim for ourselves. It comes from outside of us.
3) The apostles make disciples of all nations. Unlike our Reformed brethren who seem to consider this a partitive genitive, indicating that the disciples will be part of the whole (all nations), thus defending their view of particular atonement, the indicative verb is "make disciples" and the words translated "of all nations" are an accusative case direct object, the recipient of the discipling action. It is quite a universal activity.
4) The participles "baptizing" and "teaching" indicate the way we make disciples. Baptism is the entry into the discipleship of the Church. Teaching must follow. It makes no sense to baptize people and then not teach them for the rest of their lives.
5) In the Bible "the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" seems to indicate not only the authority of God but also some level of performative work. This trinitarian formula claims God's active work in the situation. Those baptizing are doing the work of God, claiming people in Christ's authority for his kingdom. This indicates very clearly that baptism is not man's work but God's work, not our affirmation of our acceptance of God's offer, but his grant of a place in his kingdom. Through his messengers, Christ is baptizing people into his own name and authority.
Remember the teaching too! May we know the Lord in his glory and splendor as he has revealed himself through Jesus Christ, claiming us for his own in holy baptism.
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