Many claim that the church today is commanded to fulfill the "Great Commission". The fact is, there is more than one commission. In each case, those who were to obey all the commissions were the twelve apostles of Israel.
The "Great Commission" is actually comprised of six phases.
PHASE ONE:
Matthew 10:5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
10:6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
10:7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
During the earthly ministry of the Lord Jesus he commanded the twelve to go only to the lost sheep of Israel. The twelve were to preach the gospel of the kingdom and say the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Matthew 4:23 Mark 1:14-15). The kingdom of heaven was the prophetic kingdom on earth, in which, the believing remnant of Israel would reign with Christ as kings and priests on earth (Exodus 19:5-6 Isaiah 9:7 Revelation 5:10).
PHASE TWO:
[Luk 24:33 KJV] 33 And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them,
Luke 24:46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
24:47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
After his resurrection, Christ commanded them to preach, beginning at Jerusalem.
PHASE THREE:
[Act 1:2, 4 KJV] 2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: ... 4 And, being assembled together with [them], commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, [saith he], ye have heard of me.
Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
The commission was being expanded beyond Jerusalem.
PHASE FOUR:
[Jhn 20:19 KJV] 19 Then the same day at evening, being the first [day] of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace [be] unto you.
John 20:21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
20:22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
20:23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.
Jesus was sending the twelve. They were to receive the Holy Ghost and were given authority to remit or retain sins.
PHASE FIVE:
[Mar 16:14 KJV] 14 Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.
Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
16:17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
16:18 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.
This phase was interrupted by the dispensation of grace, but will resume in the tribulation. In the tribulation the provisions of verse 18 will be protective.
PHASE SIX:
[Mat 28:16-18 KJV] 16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. 17 And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Matthew 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
This final phase will be fulfilled during the thousand year reign of Christ on earth, the kingdom on earth (Revelation 20:4-5). The twelve will rule on twelve thrones over Israel (Matthew 19:28 Luke 22:29-30). Israel will be a blessing and a light to the Gentiles and will teach them (Isaiah 60:3).
The church today, the body of Christ, finds our "Great Commission" only in the epistle of Paul which says:
2 Corinthians 5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
5:20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
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The "Great Commission" is actually comprised of six phases.
PHASE ONE:
Matthew 10:5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
10:6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
10:7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
During the earthly ministry of the Lord Jesus he commanded the twelve to go only to the lost sheep of Israel. The twelve were to preach the gospel of the kingdom and say the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Matthew 4:23 Mark 1:14-15). The kingdom of heaven was the prophetic kingdom on earth, in which, the believing remnant of Israel would reign with Christ as kings and priests on earth (Exodus 19:5-6 Isaiah 9:7 Revelation 5:10).
PHASE TWO:
[Luk 24:33 KJV] 33 And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them,
Luke 24:46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
24:47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
After his resurrection, Christ commanded them to preach, beginning at Jerusalem.
PHASE THREE:
[Act 1:2, 4 KJV] 2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: ... 4 And, being assembled together with [them], commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, [saith he], ye have heard of me.
Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
The commission was being expanded beyond Jerusalem.
PHASE FOUR:
[Jhn 20:19 KJV] 19 Then the same day at evening, being the first [day] of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace [be] unto you.
John 20:21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
20:22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
20:23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.
Jesus was sending the twelve. They were to receive the Holy Ghost and were given authority to remit or retain sins.
PHASE FIVE:
[Mar 16:14 KJV] 14 Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.
Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
16:17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
16:18 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.
This phase was interrupted by the dispensation of grace, but will resume in the tribulation. In the tribulation the provisions of verse 18 will be protective.
PHASE SIX:
[Mat 28:16-18 KJV] 16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. 17 And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Matthew 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
This final phase will be fulfilled during the thousand year reign of Christ on earth, the kingdom on earth (Revelation 20:4-5). The twelve will rule on twelve thrones over Israel (Matthew 19:28 Luke 22:29-30). Israel will be a blessing and a light to the Gentiles and will teach them (Isaiah 60:3).
The church today, the body of Christ, finds our "Great Commission" only in the epistle of Paul which says:
2 Corinthians 5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
5:20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
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