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Acts i. 4-8. 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 for John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel ? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath

put in his own power. 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 Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."

Here it will be seen that the only point common to all these forms is that of extension to all nations, showing that this was the essential fact in the commission, and that it was not the primary grant to preach and baptize, but a simple extension of the authority to perform these acts, before given and restricted to one nation, now to be carried to all nations, because the church with which these functions were connected was now to be extended in the same manner.

We are now prepared to consider the form of the commission given us in the gospel of Matthew, where we have the authority of the commission,

the commission itself, and the encouragements given to those who were to execute it.

I. The authority of the commission. "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth."

The word here rendered power* means strictly authority, or the right to exercise power. Hence it is not omnipotence that our Lord here claims. for himself. This power, he says, was "given" to him, which could not be said of omnipotence, for that is incommunicable, and could not have been given to any finite being; and moreover belonged to him by nature, so that it was not needful that it should have been given.

The power or authority here referred to is that which was bestowed upon him as Mediator, for the purpose of executing the great plan of redemption. The divine nature of the Son had no beginning, being eternal; but that mysterious person. ality, in which the divine and human natures were united in the Mediatorial person, the Godman, this had a beginning, and was capable of receiving grants of authority. That such a grant was made appears not only from this statement, but from the memorable passage in Philippians, (c. ii. 5-11.) It is there stated that as a reward of the sufferings of Jesus, God exalted him and gave him a name—i. e., an authority, or office-above

* Εξουσία.

every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, and every tongue acknowledge him Lord. Here is a specific grant of official authority as a consequence of his sufferings, that is obviously the same referred to by our Lord in this declaration in Matthew. It is a delegated kingship over the universe, which is granted to him as Mediator, for the purpose of subduing the rebellion of sin, and which he will hold until that rebellion is subdued, when he will deliver it up again to the Father. This is the express assurance of scripture. After the resurrection and final judgment, "Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father, when he shall have put down all rule, and all authority, and power. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all." 1 Cor. xv. 24-28.

Here we have announced to us the sublime fact, that the universe is now under the Mediatorial dominion of Jesus, for the purpose of subduing sin. That great revolt, which began in heaven and was transferred to earth, is to be put down by the Son. For this purpose he assumed human nature, and became a new and wonderful person--a person capable of suffering and obeying, by virtue of its human element, and of atoning and reigning, by

virtue of its Divine: and to this person is delegated the rule of the universe until the economy of redemption is completed. Heaven, earth, and hell, are all put in subjection to him, that he may redeem men on earth, and saving them from hell, exalt them to heaven, and thus bring the universe back to more than its former allegiance. Hence the economy of God's government now is not what it was before sin entered, or what it will be after the mystery of redemption is finished, under the rule of the Father alone. It is under the Mediatorial regency of the Immanuel, the Godman Mediator, and will be so until the mighty plan of redemption is completed. Hence is it that in heaven angels and redeemed ones behold and worship "a Lamb slain in the midst of the throne;" and that from hell, the very devils beseech him that they may not be tormented before the time. And hence is it that the sublime assurance is given by Paul to the Christian," All things are yours, whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come, all are yours, for ye are Christ's, and Christ is God's." 1 Cor. iii. 21-23. Hence we have the great fact laid down, as the basis of all ministerial authority, that the world belongs to Jesus; it has been granted to him as Mediator, and all men are bound to acknowledge him in this character, and bow to his kingly au

thority. All agencies, natural and supernatural, are placed in his hand to secure this ultimate recognition. All powers are subordinated to him, so that he has not only the right to command the obedience of all men, but also the power to secure that obedience in whatever way he may deem best. This kingly authority then is the real and fitting ground on which the commission is rested, by which the apostles were to go forth and summon the submission of all nations.

II. The commission itself. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you."

The general purport of this commission has been already explained. The church was now to be extended to all nations, and hence the right to preach and baptize, before restricted to the Jews, was now extended to all the world. The commission includes three particulars. They were to go forth among all nations, and (1) make disciples, (2) baptize the disciples thus made, and (3) teach the disciples thus baptized the whole counsel of God, as revealed by our Lord Jesus Christ.

1. They were to make disciples from all nations. The word here rendered "teach" means literally, and properly, to "make disciples," and is distinct from the word "teach." The precise idea

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