Matthew 28:18, commentary and pictures

All power and authority in heaven and in earth has been given to the risen Jesus Christ. He spoke the words after His resurrection as His final commission just before His ascension, when He met the eleven disciples with gathered believers on the mountain in Galilee. The power was given to Him by the Father as Mediator after He completed His sacrifice, humbled Himself and conquered Satan and death, and was exalted and enthroned to give eternal life. On the ground of that authority He commissions His followers in every age to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing and teaching them, with His promise to be with them always even to the end of the world. That same power is still undiminished and inexhaustible for saving, healing, keeping and enabling His people, so they can trust Him wholly and do nothing apart from Him.

Words and Setting

All power and authority in heaven and in earth has been given to the risen Jesus Christ. That authority is heavenly and eternal, reaching beyond earthly power to include power over sickness, satanic agencies, nature, death, and all opposition. It follows the completion of His sacrifice and atonement, as He is on His way to God's throne and has begun His mediatorial work. On that ground He commissions His followers to go and make disciples of all nations, to preach the gospel, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost and teaching them to observe all things He commanded, with His promise to be with them always even to the end of the world. The field pointed out is the world, and the work is the proclamation of the truths He came to proclaim, giving men and women opportunity to gain a knowledge of present truth and to know Him as Saviour. This great charter and commission belongs not only to the first disciples but remains the work of God's people through all time, assuring present-day workers of the divine power needed for successful labor as they share the light received and trust His abiding presence.

The words were spoken by Jesus after His resurrection as His final words and commission just before His ascension, at the close of the forty days. He had broken the fetters of the tomb and explained the prophecies concerning Himself, and was to go to His Father as mediator and intercessor. He spoke at the appointed meeting on a mountain in Galilee to the eleven disciples. About five hundred believers had gathered there after seeing Him many times and after a night of communion. On seeing the marks of His crucifixion they worshiped Him, though some still doubted.

While the words were upon His lips He ascended, a cloud of angels received Him and escorted Him to the city of God, He was received up into heaven and sat on the right hand of God, while the disciples went forth and preached everywhere with the Lord working with them and confirming the word with signs following. His claim gathers up the power the disciples had seen in His healing, His control over satanic forces and nature, and His raising the dead. His words lift their minds beyond earthly expectations, including the hope that He would establish an earthly kingdom, to His heavenly dignity and glory. He drew their minds away from Himself personally to the importance of His position as heir of all things, equal with God Himself, who through suffering and conflict gained His great inheritance, the kingdoms of heaven and of earth, so that His authority is ample, above all powers and principalities. He declared this authority at once to establish the ground for issuing the commission to His chosen disciples.

The saying convinced the disciples for a certainty that Jesus was the Son of God and left their faith unclouded. It led them to return to Jerusalem to wait, preparing themselves by prayer and by humbling their hearts before God until the baptism of the Holy Spirit came.

Source of Christ's Authority

All power in heaven and in earth was not assumed but given to Christ by the Father as a transfer from Father to Son, by which He was legally entitled and invested, inaugurated and enthroned by God, as proclaimed at His baptism and when He broke the fetters of the tomb. He is God's only begotten Son, acknowledged as equal with the Father and Redeemer of all mankind, and because He humbled Himself to the lowest possible depth, took human nature and defeated every temptation, God exalted Him and gave Him power over all flesh to give eternal life to as many as receive Him. After His resurrection He quickly ascended to the Father to hear that the sacrifice was accepted and to receive that power, entering through the everlasting gates surrounded like a cloud by angels into God's presence and glory while still remembering His disciples on earth, and with this power He returned to impart power to them. After the Father accepted His sacrifice as a full atonement for human sin, the Prince of Life returned to His followers in a sinful world to impart His power and glory, through whose blood people may gain eternal life.

The authority is His as Mediator between God and humanity and follows the completion of His sacrifice and the fulfillment of the conditions of the atonement, as He enters upon His mediatorial work on His way to God's throne. With this boundless authority He commissions His disciples to teach all nations, baptize them, and make them disciples, and His promised presence sustains those who carry the work forward until the end of time. His authority reaches beyond earthly power, for it is heavenly and eternal, including power over sickness, satanic agencies, nature, death, and all opposition.

After rising He ascended to the Father who affirmed He had done all things well, ratified His covenant, justified His church through Him as its representative and head, and commanded angelic worship. He refused the homage of Mary and refused coronet of glory, royal robe, and adoration of angels until the Father signified that His atonement for the sins of His people was full and ample and that through His blood they might gain eternal life, and until the relation of His redeemed to heaven and to His Father was clearly defined. The Father answered by commanding, Let all the angels of God worship Him, ratifying the contract to be reconciled to repentant and obedient men and take them into divine favor through the merits of Christ, and then all power was given to Christ. That received power is used to receive all who come repentant and confessing, to freely pardon them, and if they remain true to exalt them to His throne and make them heirs to the inheritance purchased with His own blood, and by self-sacrifice He connected earth with heaven and finite man with the infinite God. This is why He first told Mary not to touch Him because He had not yet ascended and received power, but the same day after ascending and receiving power He returned and showed Himself to His disciples and allowed them to touch Him.

His enthronement and inauguration in heaven as priest and king, the Anointed One over His people, was confirmed by Heaven's sign of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost that He had sent the promised blessing to His followers. He gives this commission just before ascending alongside the promise of the Holy Spirit and Comforter whose power was displayed at Pentecost and enables the disciples' witness to teach all nations, baptize, and teach obedience with His presence always to the end of the world. After taking His place in heaven He could give the blessings of the Spirit to all who received Him, equipping the church with the Spirit's power to proclaim Christ from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth, testifying that He was enthroned in His mediatorial kingdom and that God's work of atonement was reconciling the world to Himself.

He is one with the Father, God in man, humanity's Elder Brother, priest and king, the Anointed One, Head of the church, heir of all things equal with God, Redeemer, Saviour, ruler of the world, Captain of salvation and Leader greater than Moses and Joshua, to whom all glory and praise belong and not to human beings. Having returned to heaven as humanity's Elder Brother He places His measureless power at His people's disposal for their benefit so they can represent Him and live according to His principles. On that authority He commits to His followers a work as teachers, sending them to educate men and women and enlist every willing soul to stand under the blood-stained banner of Prince Emmanuel bearing the inscription of the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, with every teacher taking the simple words of the Bible as authority and trusting His presence always even to the end of the world. As Mediator and God in man He is the source of wisdom, so those who represent Him are not left to rely on their own wisdom but are linked with divine strength, and this authority is connected with the Father's gift of all things to Him so that He may give heaven's love to needy human beings.

His ample authority above every power and principality was gained through suffering and conflict and inheritance of the kingdoms of heaven and earth as heir of all things, equal with God Himself. The declaration exceeded all the disciples' expectations, because although they knew His power while among them over every disease and over Satan and his angels, they could not at first grasp that all power in heaven and earth belonged to Him who had walked their streets, sat at their tables, and taught among them. He declared this authority at once to draw their minds away from Himself personally to the importance of His position and to establish the ground for issuing the great commission to His chosen disciples to teach all nations, with promise of His remaining with them through the church's trials to the end of the world.

He won the kingdom from Satan and possesses complete authority because He conquered Satan and death on his own territory by suffering death Himself and rising from the grave, shaking the prison-house to its foundations. By rising He broke the enemy's hold, conquered him who held the power of death, removed death's despair and terror for Christians, and brought up a company of sleeping saints as trophies of the victory of the second Adam. That raising of saints stands as a sample and assurance of the final resurrection of the righteous dead at His second coming, and enthroned at the Father's right hand His power proves the victory is complete. Standing at the head of humanity at His ascension, this power is for human redemption so He can save every person and give them power to overcome, for His victory over the powers of darkness in the wilderness was won on humanity's behalf so every son and daughter of Adam can overcome through the merit of His sinlessness.

Though possessing all power, He respects the means He ordained for enlightenment and salvation, directing sinners including Saul to His church as His representative and channel of light through appointed ministers who act in His stead and by His authority, as in connecting Saul with Ananias. He directs repentant sinners to His church, which represents Him and serves as a channel of light and instruction in the way of life, acknowledging the authority He has invested in it as a channel of light to the world. As the source of knowledge He could qualify unlearned fishermen for that high commission, whose taught truths would move the world with world-changing results in word and work.

Extent of His Power

The risen Jesus holds authority that is heavenly and eternal, far beyond what the disciples had yet grasped. They had watched His power over every disease and over Satan and his angels, yet they could not at first comprehend that all power in heaven and earth belonged to One who had walked their streets, sat at their tables, and taught among them. That boundless dominion includes sickness, satanic agencies, nature, death, and all opposition, and places Him as heir of all things, equal with God and above every power and principality, gained through suffering and conflict. Heaven and its hosts actively carry out works of mercy and love throughout His dominions under that command. It is linked to the power of His word that heals, casts out demons, stills the sea, and raises the dead.

His power remains undiminished and inexhaustible, and His word still has power to call the dead to life for those who believe in Him as a living Saviour. Unlike the young man at Nain, who was raised to mortal life only to die again, Jesus lives forever and holds the keys of death. That living authority comforts mourners with hope beyond death. It grounds the church's hope, strength, and salvation.

He is the ruler whose government is established forever. His power is supreme over every opposing force on earth and in hell, greater than the forces of earth and hell, so His followers can depend wholly on Him and go forward without fear. Those enlisted under Him as Leader and General for the battle are led and taught by God and are safe under all circumstances. Because He has all power in heaven and earth, He knows the day and hour of His coming to judge the world.

As General over His workers He gives wisdom to those who will make the best use of it and knows who is prepared to act as His helping hand in the closing scenes of earth's history, enabling them to plan and act for the greatest good. Power and efficiency for the work come only from the heavenly Father, true success comes from God alone, and every particle of praise and glory belongs to Him. No worker, however responsible his position, is to take glory to himself, but each is to keep a living connection with Christ as Head and do the allotted work under His generalship. His wisdom directs His work by His own means of accomplishing what He wishes done, and He will work marvelously when men do not thwart His purposes by human wisdom.

Possessing all power, He never used it for self-aggrandizement or earthly conquest but devoted it to service for mankind. Even with all power in His hands and all glory upon His head as He was about to return to His Father, He taught humility by serving His disciples and washing their feet. His power was shown when He overcame Satan's strongest temptations in the wilderness by relying on God's Word, fully able to carry out the work entrusted to Him including rolling back evil. By self-sacrifice He connected earth with heaven and finite man with the infinite God, returning to impart His power and glory to His disciples for His people.

Though soon to take His place at God's right hand, He walked beside the disciples appearing as an ordinary traveler without being recognized. Though the mighty conqueror of death with power over all things in heaven and on earth, He humbly walked the rough, mountainous road to Emmaus with the two disciples to teach and comfort them. He ever identifies Himself with His suffering and perplexed people, joining them in their hardest and most trying paths to smooth the way. His resurrection and ascension have not changed His human sympathy and love, for He remains the same Son of man with the same sympathies He had before He passed through the tomb.

He is the source of power and efficiency, with every resource at His command, willing and glad to bless those who value His gifts. His followers need His love, care, grace, and righteousness to represent Him rightly. The power He gave His disciples made their call for people to repent effective.

Commission and Promise

On the ground of all authority in heaven and on earth belonging to him, the risen Christ sends his followers to make disciples of all nations, to preach the gospel to every person, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things he commanded, with his promise to be with them always even to the end of the world. The gospel was to be preached as long as sinners remain to hear it, faith is required through the whole Christian age, baptism is a perpetual ordinance still administered because the commission requires it, and the terms of salvation were to be held out as long as sinners might be saved. Spiritual gifts run parallel in the same commission with these continuing things, so in the absence of proof that the gifts were restricted to any particular age the commission alone proves their perpetuity.

The verse gives the disciples the great charter of his kingdom and the great missionary charter, commissioning them as his ambassadors and giving them their credentials derived from the commission he himself received from his Father. It is the seal of the worker's commission, which forbids retrenchment in evangelical work and commands teaching all nations, which cannot be fulfilled unless workers are educated, sent forth and sustained. This commission no man or body of men can confer, but every minister called by the Holy Spirit bears it as a gospel worker when going forth under the guidance of the Spirit to preach the truth, with the Lord working with him. By this authority he ordained a succession of men to proclaim the gospel, deriving their authority from him as the great Teacher, and the lapse of time has made no change in his parting promise, for he is with his workers today as he was with the disciples, even unto the end.

The commission and promise belong not only to the first disciples but to the church in every age and to all believers now, to every Christian and every ordained minister and to successors, reaching through all time to the end of the world. Present-day evangelists as workers with Christ share the first disciples' commission under Jesus' authority, to share the light they have received and trust Christ's promise to be with them as they carry out his bidding. The church is to teach and baptize, and its members are to serve as a united, active missionary power, reaching fields that remain unworked, especially in the present. Though each has a different share and no one person is entrusted with the whole, the weighty responsibilities extend to all believers also.

The commission has no limit, embraces the whole world, and the field is the world wherever people need the light of truth. It must still be fulfilled through missionary work as his work reaches its consummation, to be believed and obeyed, providing certainty about what he commands, for the essential things he commands are to be followed because they lead to eternal life. Every great enterprise undertaken in his name must answer to this last charge. Returning tithes and offerings into his treasury to sustain gospel ministry in all parts of the world is the appointed means for supporting and carrying out this work.

That authority was needed in the early history of the work and grounds warning the world beyond the local field, teaching his commands with his presence assured. The right of authority over all things is given to Christ and to Christ alone, and directs the church's mission. It does not authorize one person to dominate others, set up his own mind as standard, act as dictator, or hinder them, but all as laborers together must act in united harmony without criticizing or working against one another, each given his own work toward the one object of inspiring belief.

Followers are to go in his name relying on the ministry of his Spirit, warned the work will involve suffering rather than an easy path. When they unite with one another and with Christ, his righteousness shines upon them and through them to the world. Their witness was to begin in Jerusalem, where he had been rejected and crucified, but was not to end there, for they were to carry the truth to all nations as his witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the uttermost part of the earth to preach repentance and remission in his name. This power is promised to his followers in this age, and Christ's all-power backs believers now as it did the apostles.

He gives this commission just before ascending alongside the promise of the Holy Spirit and Comforter whose power was displayed at Pentecost. After taking his place in heaven he could give the blessings of the Spirit to all who received him, to equip the church to proclaim Christ from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth. The Spirit's gift testified that he was enthroned in his mediatorial kingdom and that God's work of atonement was reconciling the world to himself, enabling the disciples' witness in connection with Christ's triumph over death.

Though he ascended and is personally absent, his Spirit and influence remain with his disciples and successors to the end, strengthening them and sustaining the church. Those who present his Word may claim his presence through the Holy Spirit in every meeting held in his name, for he is near at every hour, going before workers and remaining at their side and right hand. The living Saviour goes before them, works with them, and remains at their side as they proclaim the gospel and serve those in need, through every trial, persecution, danger, confusion and hardship. He equips his church through the renewing power of the Holy Spirit, so its members are to join him and the angels in proclaiming the gospel to every people, and no one is excused from service.

As head of his church on earth he continues to direct and support his people. As leader his people are safe in every circumstance and need not be overcome by the enemy but gain strength and confidence for their work. His authority and promise to remain with his followers give them strength for teaching and baptizing all nations and teaching obedience to his commands. His authority grounds his promise to be with followers always, and his presence brings relief and healing to the sick which physicians and sufferers may believe as life to all who believe.

Doctrines of Salvation

His death did not cancel or loosen God's law but displayed its unchangeable character, while opening the way for repentant sinners to receive pardon, and by his sacrifice and power they may become loyal to God, surrendered to his will, and sharers of his divine nature and of future honor and glory with him. The unlimited power in heaven and on earth declared in the verse enables believers to become holy and perfect in character as God requires, to claim power to attain the perfection called for in their own sphere, and to receive power to obey God's law as the surety of deliverance from sin and assurance that God's promises can be fulfilled.

His words announce that his atoning work is complete, that he has won the kingdom and become heir of all things, and that he has begun his mediatorial work, with assurance that he will exercise his power forever for those who receive him as Lord and Redeemer. Salvation rests only on his sacrifice and intercession at the Father's right hand, and that power promised to all who go forth in his name is to be exalted in support of those who witness for him. He is not lying in Joseph's tomb but risen and withdrawn into the immediate presence of God, where as living intercessor retaining human nature he stands as humanity's substitute and surety, presenting believers to the Father by the nail marks and claiming pardon because he has made atonement, thus completing the redemption begun through humiliation and sacrifice. Help in every time of need is therefore found by going directly to him rather than depending on finite human beings, coming in weakness saying Lord save or I perish, to learn God's manifold wisdom and gather strength, for in him all fullness dwells.

God gave his Son as heaven's complete gift, and Christ's authority stands alongside his sacrifice for humanity in which he bore the penalty of the transgressed law so people might be saved. That power belongs to him as the world's Redeemer, the incarnate Saviour, the tabernacle of witness, the Word made flesh pitching his tent in the human encampment among the erring and sinful, living close to the poor and lowly while still King of glory, making all familiar with his character so men may be partakers of the divine nature and one with him in faith and practice, bringing healing to soul and body and revealing heaven's love, pity, compassion and joy.

After rising he ascended to his Father and received all power and authority, then returned to impart power to his disciples by giving gifts unto men as Redeemer, Saviour of the fallen race, and ruler over the whole world, made so by his crucifixion which God overruled for his own glory and man's good without lessening the guilt of his murderers. That received power is used to receive into favor all who come repentant confessing sins, to freely pardon them, and if they remain true to exalt them to his throne and make them heirs to the inheritance purchased with his own blood.

The One who gave the law can also give peace to the weary sin-sick sinner, accepting the humble penitent whose guilt he knows, releasing people from sin's bondage so they may obey God's law, opening the way by his sacrifice for sin and renewing heart and moral nature by grace. As great Shepherd and the strength, hope and salvation of churches, families and individuals who does not mislead his flock, and as the Lord our Righteousness, he alone can pardon sin, justify repentant sinners, restore God's moral image in them, and bring the humble contrite into peace with God.

All power is given into his hands so he may dispense rich gifts to men, imparting the priceless gift of his own righteousness to the helpless human agent who receives him by faith in justification through faith in the Surety. This power belongs to the uplifted Saviour who gave himself as sacrifice for the sins of the whole world, and as the Lamb slain sitting upon the throne he uses it to dispense the covenant blessings his death purchased to every believing soul, with Christ's righteousness made manifest in obedience to all God's commandments, with eyes directed to his divine person, merits and changeless love. Proclaiming this with a loud voice attended with the large outpouring of his Spirit is the message God commanded to be given to the world, the third angel's message.

The person created anew in Christ Jesus is made a partaker of the divine nature, with God by his own power uniting the human and the divine in him and clothing humanity with the robe of Christ's righteousness. Such a person is enabled to discern the Saviour and recognize his universal power, and by beholding Christ is changed into likeness of his character. Whoever thus discerns Christ becomes a partaker of his Spirit and righteousness and has inward assurance that Christ abides in the soul temple, and contemplating this redemption draws men away from political strife to rest and peace and quietude in God and gives the mind of Christ.

His power and grace are a dependable safeguard against Satan's influence and the deceptions and spiritualistic theories of the last days, standing in contrast to Satan's power to allure, deceive and draw people away from God. His authority presides over the sanctuary and ministry of salvation against Satan's efforts to displace God in minds, distort the sanctuary and Christ's ministry, and undermine faith and confidence in the atonement and in the message that made God's people distinct.

The original commission on the ground of all power commands teaching all nations, baptizing in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, teaching observance of all things commanded, with promise to be with followers always even to the end of the world. That commission joins together gospel, faith, baptism, salvation and spiritual gifts: the gospel was to be preached as long as sinners remain to hear it, faith is required through the whole Christian age, baptism is a perpetual ordinance still administered because the commission requires it, and terms of salvation were to be held out as long as sinners might be saved. Spiritual gifts run parallel in the same commission with these continuing things, so in absence of proof they were restricted to any particular age the commission alone proves their perpetuity.

All power and grace are vested in Christ for man's recovery, so all gifts of God come through him, God giving all heaven when he gave his Son, and therefore God is to be honored in everything connected with practical enterprise. All heaven is interested in man's recovery and engaged in cooperation with human agencies, withholding no truth essential to salvation, neglecting no miracle of mercy, and leaving no divine agency unemployed. Through the Holy Spirit Christ unites the sympathies and instrumentalities of the church in heaven with those on earth, imparting heaven's zeal to those he died to redeem and making his completeness and all-sufficiency ever present to aid every earnest seeker, to be received by faith and the divine anointing.

He loves every soul and gave his life to save people and draw all to himself, and uses his authority to give the joy only he can give, the joy of obedience to his commandments and abiding in his love. He holds complete authority over heaven and earth and uses it to provide earthly needs for those who give themselves to God's service and make his spiritual kingdom of love and righteousness and peace their highest interest. Fulfilling his purpose of mercy and salvation requires divine and human agencies to unite and cooperate in opening the fountain of life to the world, with his divine sympathy and angelic agencies joined to living workers so no Christian is left unemployed.

He uses this authority and heaven's abundant resources to bring the world back to loyalty to God, working through angels and through his church which he equips with divine power through his death on the cross to represent his character and draw people to him. He joins his sympathies and the powers of his church in heaven with his agents on earth, and angels minister to those who will inherit salvation, so heavenly and earthly churches work together to make effective the service of those who receive and believe. Yet people may still refuse the means offered for salvation, for they are free to choose whether to follow him or turn to the world.

Having united divinity and humanity he possesses all power and uses it to direct the gospel work, ordaining angels and people to work together in proclaiming the invitation to salvation, with every church member to take part however weak. His authority joins his divinity and humanity and underlies the work of angels and people in serving him and pointing the world to the fountain of life, requiring each Christian to surrender soul, body, spirit and possessions for daily work in converting souls. Angels minister to those who will inherit salvation, and Jesus is present in gatherings through the Holy Spirit, with promise to remain with followers to the end of the world.

Prophetic Assurance

His victory over death and Satan confirms that all power in heaven and earth belongs to him, for by rising he broke the enemy's hold, conquered him who held the power of death, and removed death's despair and terror for believers. In that triumph he shook the prison-house to its foundations and brought up a company of sleeping saints from their graves as trophies of the victory of the second Adam, won on the enemy's own territory by suffering death himself. That raising of saints stands as sample and assurance of the final resurrection of the righteous dead at his second coming, when by the same boundless authority won from Satan after his sacrifice had fully accomplished the atonement he will bring them forth free to shine as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Complete authority was placed in him after he had been denied by unbelieving men, charged with blasphemy for claiming to be the only begotten of the Father, condemned to cruel death, and then burst the fetters of the tomb and rose triumphant.

Because an almighty decree had been given before the world was made, his possession of all power gave him certainty that the gospel of the kingdom would be preached in all nations for a witness, that truth armed with the omnipotence of the Holy Spirit would conquer in the contest with evil, and that the bloodstained banner would wave triumphantly over his followers. With prophetic eye he saw the great rejoicing multitude arrayed in fine linen which is the righteousness of the saints and called to the marriage supper of the Lamb, and he prayed with assurance that his followers might be sanctified through the truth from his heart as a well-spring of living water and never-failing fountain of love. The saying belongs with the transfiguration in Matthew 17 and with the suffering, death and resurrection narrated in Matthew 26:26-75, Matthew 27 and Matthew 28, showing the risen Lord of glory who made infinite sacrifices and paid the highest price to open salvation as a life that measures with the life of God. It rebukes the thought that anyone suffers more than he suffered or pays too high a price for faith, and requires those he saves to make special sacrifices to save perishing souls in order to be counted worthy to enter the city of God.

Because he holds all power in heaven and earth, all things are possible to him that believeth, and he is able to save to the uttermost all whose faith looks to him and grasps him before the expected result is seen. The fragrance of his all-sufficient offering is accepted by the Father for pardon, justification and sanctification, which he exercises as the crucified Lord pleading for sinners at the throne of grace, whose glory is concerned in their success as a sympathizing Saviour tempted as they are who knows how to help the tempted. The saying is a promise to cling to with firm assurance that he works in wondrous power and will continue to work even when Satan's power brings calamity and every conceivable embarrassment. Believers can therefore work as under the immediate protection of the Mighty One who inhabits eternity, with full assurance of victory and salvation rather than putting ultimate confidence in human beings who are too dependent on God to be a safe source of trust.

Before ascending he gave a full and ample promise confirming that the risen Jesus is the living Saviour and Advocate in heaven, to be acknowledged as our sufficiency, who devotes himself to his work and blesses those who believe and serve with complete consecration. Because all power is his, petitions are acceptable only when prayed sincerely with full faith in his blood and with travail of soul, not as a form of words. He uses this power to give gifts to humanity and to bring all his abilities to bear in making known the great love with which he loves us, with no limit to his beneficence and all the treasures of eternity at his command as a present help to all who receive him by faith as the Son of God. Those gifts come through the costly sacrifice of his blood, satisfy the deepest craving of the heart and last as eternity, and are received by all who come as little children who take God's promises as their own and plead them as his own words unto fulness of joy.

All power was given to him to bless, benefit and strengthen fallen humanity, imparting divine blessings with a fullness that proves his power and generosity without limit. With his humanity he touches humanity and with his divinity he holds divinity, breathing the breath of life into fallen, diseased, enfeebled humanity to make him a partaker of the divine nature. To all, high or low, rich or poor, who receive him by faith as the Son of the living God and personal Saviour, he is a very present help, equal with God and revealing God in word and deed, able to give eternal life and an eternal weight of glory.

Carrying Out Mission

All power in heaven and earth given to Christ outlines medical missionary work in a broader sense than commonly understood, defining both field and work: the field is the world and the work is worldwide proclamation of the truths He came to proclaim, giving men and women opportunity to gain knowledge of present truth and to know Him as Saviour. That authority grounds the church's mission in every age to make disciples among all nations, teaching and baptizing and serving as a united active missionary power in fields that remain unworked, with His promise to be with followers to the end. Fulfilling it means carrying the gospel to every city and village rather than building large centers in a few places while many important cities remain unworked.

That all-encompassing power authorizes and requires going to teach all nations rather than staying centralized to wait on people, building large institutions, establishing a seminary to gather students in the higher classics, or demanding years of college training before working. It sends young people forth by faith two and two as gospel medical missionaries depending on God not man for wisdom and success, with Christ's presence worth more than years of training and His abiding presence to the end as assurance. Converted believers clustered together in one place must hear and heed this sending by going out to work for sin-cursed cities rather than remaining in one place.

That worldwide embrace gives standing orders to go, including to work Redlands and the other cities near Loma Linda and to teach all nations, and to bring great light to those sitting in darkness and in the region and shadow of death such as in Nashville. It calls for working many fields rather than planting many large interests in a few favored localities, establishing small plants and maintaining small centers with faithful watchmen in small and large cities and in settlements outside cities, so that wherever the missionary worker goes the advance is hastened. Its scope sustains self-denying work presenting Bible truth with His guiding, comforting and sanctifying in every city and country, applying at large gatherings, camp-meetings and institutions, including meeting neglected needs at home. It also includes establishing and supporting institutions that serve people and advance the gospel.

Taking up the entrusted work means proclaiming with power the message that arouses men and women to a sense of danger and leads them to obey God's law, so that believers would be much more numerous and found in all the cities of America, including American cities scarcely reached and places left without warning. The gospel commission unites preaching with healing, demonstrating its power through healing the sick and casting out devils, teaching the sick to become disciples, and including medical missionary work and proclamation of the gospel. That same commission still sends each medical missionary worker today as surely as the first disciples were sent, with God's eye following and His Spirit going with them and Christ's continual presence to the end.

As the greatest Medical Missionary giving the charge from beside His Father's throne with all power in hand, He forbids gathering workers into one large central institution to wait on worldly men and women not really sick and not inclined to piety or religion. He requires ministers and medical workers to go out as medical missionary evangelists who preach the Word and give simple treatments, repeating His words with no human sentiments and devisings brought in, including the last warning message of mercy to the world. God's Word is to be the guide and Christ's practice the practice, observing what the Great Teacher did and doing as He did as nearly as possible, as seen when as Source of all blessings He fed the five thousand eager for instruction. The work calls for thorough spiritually focused outreach carried out wisely without wasteful display.

Teaching means more than occasionally preaching a sermon and includes showing people the way to heaven in an ongoing course of learning never considered completed. It shares in God's work of bringing inward change through the Spirit and Scriptures, and reveals God's character to a world lying in sin by living Christ before the world, a commission belonging to present believers as well as the first disciples and calling listless church members to answer for fulfillment. Ministers under this power must be true self-sacrificing workers together with Christ, putting whole soul intelligently into the work as Christ labored, for one who is merely a speaker does not meet its demand and needs true conversion.

Gospel workers must remember dependence on God, trusting not human wisdom but Christ's wisdom, going forth two and two, searching the Scriptures, presenting God's Word, and being guided by His principles. Those called and chosen are constantly to increase in efficiency and grace to attain larger results with many souls added, while entering preaching without needed preparation and fitness, receiving credentials by mistake, and consuming tithe with feeble efforts enfeebles the ministry and strips it of its high sacred character. The work to be presented requires avoidance of controversy and side issues that divert from a plain Thus saith the Lord, and requires attention to the great testing truths for this time that bear upon the work.

That ministry is to carry power and combine the three angels' messages in giving the final warning to the world. Near the end of earth's history that authority makes the worldwide lifting of the standard of the third angel's message the present work, to be done in perfect harmony because disunion is weakness and unity is strength. Believers are sent to dwell upon the great testing truths and lead minds to the great principles of God's law and questions of highest importance such as how to inherit eternal life, speaking truth in love and forbidding diversion by false doctrines, side issues, non-essentials, questioning the Word, and new theories bringing strife and party spirit. Wherever men press side issues the commission is to be presented to avoid controversy, instead of debating claims such as that the world is flat.

Opening the Scriptures to those in darkness of error, proclaiming liberty to captives, and giving the bread of life and Word of life to hungry souls who have not had the light, with living faith, much prayer and little unbelief, lifting the standard higher, begins work for those without light with God doing the work when human instruments are furnished. Sharing Christian books and serving people through teaching and care for the sick are ways of carrying out the commission, empowered and enlarged by His authority and presence. Bible truth must be preached to all among all nations nigh and afar as a stirring testing message left free unhindered and unbound, laying work on each one with workers counseling in brotherly love to carry it to all parts and work fields ready for harvest, including the fields in Australia in the lines marked out, and laying on hearers the duty to receive and believe.

The verse applies the commission to proclaiming the third angel's message. His instruction is the true higher education, for receiving God's Word and living by its principles is the highest education attainable and the only education securing entrance into the city of God. The work is to take priority over other concerns and be made subordinate to nothing else, calling for self-denial and resources to warn the world and carry present truth to every part of the earth. It requires workers and means where want of funds has left places neglected, putting all forces into solid work in dark diseased neglected places by presenting truth in humble simplicity. Those inclined to extravagance must overcome self-indulgence, since only by such self-denial can they be true followers.

The commission calls for advancing in Christian work including health reform and medical missionary work, with His promise to remain to the end. No truly converted person with Christ abiding in the heart can settle as a careless idler, but must have love for souls, burden for those in darkness, and burning missionary zeal, while He constantly urges workers forward worldwide and heavenly messengers unite with human agencies for salvation. The command calls for taking the gospel throughout the world rather than gathering students in one place, requiring most earnest invitations and requiring all church members to do the given work by giving Bible truth to all they can reach.

Carrying out the commission requires resources entrusted to God's people, consecrated means and influence to place truth before those who do not know it and save from sin, with the church empowered by the Spirit working with effectiveness Satan cannot resist and the converted helping convert others. It requires advancing by building schools and meetinghouses, establishing sanitariums, entering new fields and giving means, with the promise kept only by obeying; becoming careless and indifferent and withholding means to economize ignores the commission, forfeits the promise and severs connection, as does burying in worldly enterprises or neglecting to warn places left without warning and to set forth the Sabbath with clearness and power. Selfishness keeping its full significance from the heart is failure to fulfill this still-binding charge passed from generation to generation.

Returning tithes and offerings into His treasury to sustain gospel ministry in all parts of the world is the appointed means for supporting and carrying out this work of preaching, baptizing and teaching obedience. On this authority He gives ministers and physicians their special work to go teach all nations, baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, and instruct observance of all He commanded, with continual presence to the end. He entrusts work to those in whom truth has worked as leaven to restore the lost image of God, demanding solemn faithfulness and holiness in all conduct as preparation for and fulfillment of missionary work.

His servants are to teach all nations to obey everything commanded, trusting His power to direct and govern their work, with His promise to work with them as they labor to save souls and to sustain disciples going out to do the works He did. The worldwide work of teaching, baptizing and teaching obedience is God's plan carried out by Christ together with angels and consecrated converted workers. Unity in speaking the same things and striving together in trust in the Redeemer is to be the convincing argument that God sent His Son to save all who receive truth, with power to become sons of God given as they advance in union with Him and one another.

Every gift from God comes through Christ, God giving all heaven in giving His Son, so the health-food work and every practical enterprise is to honor and glorify God under Christ's authority for His cause rather than personal gain, worldly policy or human power, a truth He desires all to understand. The wonderful presentation given with His authority contains instruction ministers, physicians, youth and all church members need to study most earnestly, keeping out foundationless theories. Studying it sends believers with Bibles and hearts open to the Holy Spirit to highways and byways in aggressive evangelistic work opening Scriptures and warning of what is coming, to occupy more and still more of servants' time.

The verse marks out the work for today: the gospel preached in all parts of the world with every capability used in God's service to honor Him, each sanctified person doing a part by studying Christ's life in the Bible and following His methods rather than human plans, with will in subjection to divine will, ways patterned after His ways, wearing His yoke to learn meekness and lowliness, because working apart from Him hinders instead of helps. Carrying out that work is the duty of God's watchmen and the work given in warfare against evil, linked to living and teaching truth and working for others' salvation. It lays on all who received present-truth light the obligation to proclaim the warning message to all nations, with ministers not confining labors to churches already receiving truth but teaching all nations, baptizing and teaching obedience, giving no attention to the world's selfish projects in a time of great crisis.

Trust and Holy Living

All power in heaven and earth given to the risen Christ brings the Christian experience to be gained from the ministration of the Holy Spirit, which is the earnest of the spirit of life through Christ that every soul needs now, just now, so there is no excuse for departing from the faith to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils, and sincere belief in His unseen personality viewed by the eye of faith is recognized as of real value.
That all power is to be given to those who need it to do their God-given work and fulfill the commission, a personal promise for you and for me to be taken at His word when inclined to despond over passing time and inability to work, calling for looking in faith to Jesus and not on the dark side, keeping in the sunshine of the Lord's presence, refusing to be called away because time is too precious, and keeping on teaching what Christ commanded with trust that the Lord will give strength and grace to instruct and enlighten those who have not heard present truth even amid turning and overturning.
That all power is their power and comfort, and His abiding presence to the end means He helps perform duty, guides, comforts, sanctifies and sustains, and gives success in speaking words that draw attention to Christ and awaken desire to understand the hope and meaning of truth, turning from darkness to light and from the power of sin to God, imparted to those who persevere in seeking righteousness and to those who serve Him in living faith as they teach all nations, baptize, and teach obedience to His commands.

Those holding the gospel in trust move under the shield of Omnipotence and gain experience as they go, because Jesus as Chief Workman takes the whole matter into His own hands and takes responsibility for success, asking only cooperation of human agents as instrumentalities doing His work in His appointed way with supreme love to God and love for people as Christ loved them, with His blessing and with the Holy Spirit as His legacy gift petitioned for by Him as Advocate on high, calling believers to live in constant watching, waiting, praying and working, walking by faith looking to Jesus, so truth entrusted is carried to all the world including new and untried places with a hundred workers where there is one.
His authority assures workers of divine power for successful labor, giving courage, hope and faith to proclaim truth including far from home, help and instruction as they teach others, and sure support of heaven's authority and promises especially when discouraged or oppressed, so the gospel commission can be carried out courageously throughout the world to every nation.
Soul-saving is the appointed work and object to be engaged in as never before, calling those who have heard the truth to repent for neglected fields, lay hold of the Saviour by faith, and put all capabilities to learning the science of soul-saving through ongoing active work, not merely preaching or waiting for others to direct, but carrying the message to those in darkness and trusting Christ for grace, strength and continuing presence while teaching all nations, baptizing them, and teaching observance of all He commanded.

The authority and commission call those who believe the truth in the last days to use means and efforts to spread the truth, extend the kingdom, and prepare for His coming, with His promise to remain until the end of the world supporting this worldwide mission to take the gospel to all nations, baptize, and teach obedience to all He commanded.
That power is given for service in carrying out the commission to go and teach all nations, baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, and teach observance of all things commanded, accompanying the worldwide mission to the end of the world and providing power for service, and nothing can be accomplished without His power with His workers, so trust must be not in self but in Him with gratitude for every evidence of His power and deeper work of grace in the heart, for the power attending preaching and conversion comes from Christ not human numbers or merit, fulfilled in special manifestation of God's power with workers on missionary journeys.
His authority and presence provide power for service as gift of grace and infinite treasure richly and freely given as wealth of grace that must not continue unappreciated and turned from without relish, but should be valued, welcomed and used, calling for heeding His leadership by denying self, taking up the cross and following Him in thorough loyalty, for oneness with Christ is worth more than the world's treasures, giving confidence to teach all nations and all He commanded faithfully and earnestly without taking on burdens He has not given, with His promise to remain to the end.

Working disinterestedly and earnestly to carry out the commission to teach all nations, baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, teach observance of all commanded, with His presence always even to the end, brings blessing beyond expression no words can express, and under the divine law that all receive to impart and that keeps benevolence in constant circulation back to its source, spiritual growth comes by impartation as the Christian gains strength by strengthening others, going forth and preaching everywhere with the Lord working with them and confirming the word with signs following, which carries the power of Christian missions.
His words carry solemn significance to be fully received and obeyed in the worldwide work that is the responsibility of followers just before His ascension, calling for self-denial and use of resources for service rather than extravagance, while selfishness become the sin of the church as well as of the world prevents receiving them.
Because He has all power and His living presence accompanies His people now, believers are to pledge to be purified and sanctified, live the truth, teach it to others, and work for salvation carrying the message of life given His faithful shepherds to proclaim, laboring for others and sharing truth in love while teaching all nations, baptizing in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, with His promise to the end.

Weak believers are to accept His power to overcome temptation and conquer self and demonstrate the power of Christ's religion, to be holy and perfect in their sphere as the Father is holy, and to stay on duty without being turned aside by accusations pressing to the mark of the high calling in Christ, for He is mightier than Satan, with believers and fighting for them when assailed, and teachers and leaders especially need to lay aside all malice and guile to receive the precious things of the Word, under His commission to teach all nations, baptize, teach obedience, with promised presence to the end.
Those serving God are not working alone and need not fear failure or defeat, for Jesus as source of help rather than human beings is able and willing to help them overcome, and His power supports their work as they are connected to Him in making disciples of all nations, baptizing and teaching obedience to what He commanded.
His boundless authority as living risen Saviour, possessed after conditions of the atonement were fulfilled and work on earth accomplished as He went to God's throne to be honored by angels, principalities and powers, with constant presence going before and working with workers at their right hand, assures followers they are not left alone but may look to God for help in every difficulty and claim promised power working in faith, love and truth shown by actions, leaving no reason for unbelief but calling for living faith and practical zeal with much more prayer and much less unbelief, lifting the standard higher, keeping urgency before the mind, beginning by opening Scriptures to those in darkness of error, proclaiming liberty to captives, giving bread of life and Word of life to hungry souls, and then salvation will be revealed remarkably, for His gift embraced all heaven.

His power is joined to God's purpose of restoring humanity to the Creator's image as source of strength for perfection of understanding, and Christ the Mediator and God in man is source of wisdom so those representing Him are not left to own wisdom but linked with divine strength, grounding the commission and promise for the church today.
He holds all power as the great Healer afflicted by present affliction as on earth and sympathizing with all woe, and because He conquered death and lives as risen Saviour and Lord of life He can heal every sickness and disease of soul and body, calling poor afflicted doubting souls to come just as they are, pray in faith to be healed of every malady, and center faith so deeply and securely that no circumstance jostles or shakes it, with life hid with Christ in God.
Teachers and students are to ponder daily this declaration with how much Christ sacrificed to save them, grounding Christian education on the Word of God and sending teachers and workers to teach all nations and teach observance of all things commanded found in His Word rather than searching oddities or unrevealed things about heavenly courts, and those fashioning daily conduct accordingly receive His promise to be with them always even to the end.

Those who serve Him must represent truth as in Jesus, carrying righteousness into every department and refusing all false, for He puts authority behind servants and desires to do great things, yet His power does not work through idleness and doing nothing while expecting everything brings disappointment, and when united with Christ He cooperates in all efforts to serve.
The commission underwrites Christian service in obedience to His instruction to teach and baptize all nations, to be done faithfully depending on God trusting the Lord to fulfill His part and be with workers, backed by full power of God for great not insignificant results that human efforts cannot thwart in saving work and gospel mission with His presence to the end.
His authority is joined to His grace and to the fact He purchased His people with His blood, giving reason not to fear.
His all-encompassing power is reason to seek the Lord earnestly in little praying groups and not neglect prayer as means of grace, as ground for discipling all nations, baptizing in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, teaching obedience to all commanded, with continual presence to the end, with gratitude for every evidence of power and deeper grace in the heart, for nothing is accomplished without His power and trust must be not in self but in Him.

Believers should trust Christ rather than rely on human advisers or limit God through indifference and unbelief, obeying His words wherever the gospel is received into lives and Christ becomes saving power, under His authority grounding the command to teach all nations and promise to remain as surely now as to first disciples.
His authority calls for homage and obedience and growing, ever-increasing faith, and as Christ and Lord holding all power given to give to believers in His name and as King receiving all authority from the Father, His rightful claim calls for full homage, with God's people under His rule not under human control or man-made agreements compelling Christian work.
All power and grace vested in Christ calls Christians to conduct business to bear divine inspection and represent Him in spirit and action with kindness, gentleness and grace seen in His character.
Christ's power is source of power children may have through Christ and knowledge of God's Word to proclaim to others privilege of accepting everlasting life.
Though He laid aside glory and high authority to come humbly, He sends disciples to all nations and promises to sustain and remain with them to the end.

He declared His own omnipotence to prepare disciples for peculiar trials in worldwide mission work, assuring them to go under the shield of omnipotence not in human strength alone.
Christ longs to give this power to all who seek Him with all their heart and those who seek will find, so those keeping the Lord before them are sustained, those keeping firm grasp upon Him can do work requiring greater than human power now done on God's side, and laborers need not feel powerless because His power becomes theirs when linked to God and joined to God's work, enabling canvassers and evangelists to warn of judgment and bear fruit through persuasion, prayer and love, ready to transfer all things delivered by the Father to those cooperating in self-denial and sacrifice, placing themselves in light's channel to receive and impart, learn and do missionary work, seek lost sheep, preach the kingdom worldwide for witness, make known truth making children of God, with special opportunities and training for students.
His received authority was promised to those going forth in faith, equipping disciples and becoming theirs as they join work to God's, supporting witnessing and enabling measureless results through persuasion, prayer, love and the Holy Spirit to those sanctified through obedience, so the church united with heaven can accomplish all things, grounding the commission to continue work begun despite opposition, to teach, baptize, teach obedience, to serve as ministers passing gospel generation to generation, to carry grace to people, seek lost, communicate God's will as ambassadors reflecting unselfish life, sacred in every age, calling for earnest work to bring Bible truth to unwarned and convert many.

God gives Christ's power to His people as largely as they prepare to receive it, fitted in every way to perishing sinners' needs to make usable members His helping hand when placed where He can use them, pledged to faithfulness as very present help to those searching Scriptures to know and obey His will and true and faithful in receiving and sharing great precious gifts, triumphing in His people's triumph, but He does not communicate through impure, disobedient, disloyal, unsanctified, selfish, covetous channels marked by worldly ambition, difference, animosity and sin or refusal to be humble and obedient, leaving them dry, spiritless, defeated revealing only failure, so believers must fully realize the fact and roll back all glory to God and Him alone instead of weaving in self and exalting self, and when understood He can safely entrust large blessings and lead to victory.
As Captain of salvation greater than Moses and Joshua and among disciples today, greater leader than Joshua, He can lead to victory and accomplish by them the work given if they submit to be led, obey and wholly follow God, as Israel's wilderness disobedience kept them from rest while those wholly following entered, but failure to obey forfeits fulfillment of the promise, which is encouragement for warfare before them.
He holds all power for saving souls to be drawn upon especially in new fields where truth was never lifted, where the same work will now convert more souls than ever, and combining heaven's strength with effort through the Holy Spirit vouchsafed to all and through Christ as Mediator renewing strength by presence converts precious souls, calling every agency to work not for churches but for those in error's darkness.

His power is sufficient to trust His word and continue cooperating with God when missionary work is difficult or discouraging, a pledge to watch, guard, be present help in every trial and difficulty, give strength, help in trouble, victory in conflict, and cleanse and refine hearts of fellow servants separating pure from impure.
Help in every need is found by going directly to the risen Christ withdrawn to God's immediate presence, not depending on finite humans or taking sorrows to man, for He is not in Joseph's tomb but risen making intercession presenting by nail marks and claiming pardon by atonement for those coming by faith to God, and in weakness and unworthiness the troubled one is to come saying Lord save or I perish, learning manifold wisdom and gathering strength, for in Him all fullness dwells.
As Redeemer He holds all power to keep His people who cannot keep themselves and in own strength are perfect weakness, kept by God's power when putting whole trust in Jesus, kept safe in His love if doing just what He tells, fully able to keep every trusting soul, enabling humble faithful witnesses for Him.

Because He holds all power, complete authority belongs to Christ who called His people out of the world and sanctified and refined them for service, so they are safe only when joined to Him and able to serve apart from the world, can afford to lose worldly friendship, and must not join worldly men for purposes, for such union forfeits favor and blessing, God having placed separation between world and what He established requiring service to Him alone.
Because complete authority belongs to Christ who paid with His life so none must be eternally lost, He restores every repenting believing soul from deep personal interest, giving all receiving Him ability to become children of God and return to loyalty.
Because He won victory over the enemy, His supreme authority assures those in spiritual conflict walking righteously and humbly that He will help and they need not fear defeat, and holding firmly to Him gives power to rule the spirit where human strength fails, bringing thoughts and words into subjection to God's will, emotions under reason, tongue disciplined, hasty temper subdued, heart filled with patience and gentleness, so even after repeated failure to reveal patience and calm the struggle is not given up but resolved more firmly to be patient under every provocation keeping eyes fixed on Christ as divine Example.

As divine Example with all power He is to be held firmly while striving for patience and calm, giving reason not to give up after failing but to resolve again to endure every provocation with patience, relying on His power in struggle against temptation and seeking Christian patience rather than turning against fellow workers.
The all power given to Christ is for each person who will have it, and keeping eyes fixed on Christ, studying His life of goodness, grace and truth, following His example, examining purpose and character for likeness, contemplating the Saviour and beholding love attracts the soul and gives light and life, making a humble faithful witness whom His gentleness makes great.
Because all power is committed to Jesus, a believer enlightened and convicted by God's Word can aim high, refuse to work on the adversary's side against God's Spirit, and walk firmly without hesitating in Christ's strength and grace by taking refuge in Him, entering firm covenant by faith to love and serve Him, and choosing Him as Advocate while mercy's door stands open with unlimited treasures of grace for all meeting salvation's conditions in faith.
He offers to bear parents' burdens and perplexities and give strength, so parents can fulfill responsibilities as they draw closer to Him.
He is to be acknowledged as great Shepherd who does not mislead, and strength, hope and salvation of churches, families and individuals, who as the Lord our Righteousness alone pardons, justifies repentant sinners, restores God's moral image, and brings humble contrite into peace.

The church empowered by the Holy Spirit in advancing work and placing truth before those ignorant, consecrating means and influence to save from sin, can work with effectiveness Satan cannot resist, and those converted can help convert others.
A physician closely connected with Jesus can draw on heaven's resources to work with wisdom and precision a godless person cannot possess, so scientific knowledge alone is not enough without religious principles and reliance on Jesus.
Because all power has been given to Jesus, He sympathizes with those serving Him, sustains them as they partake of living bread, and gives servants the Holy Spirit's presence, so the church on earth united with the church in heaven can accomplish its work.