Abstract

The inclusion of ‘all nations’ as the mission target in the Ultimate Commission of Matthew 28:19 somehow comes as a surprise. The Gentiles seem to have been excluded from Jesus’ and his disciples’ mission in two passages (10:5–6; 15:24). In an attempt to establish the target group of the great commandment, this article investigates the meaning of the phrase *[foreign font omitted] used in 28:19 and subsequently the literary contexts of the commandment. *We apologise for the omission of the foreign font in this abstract. Please consult the online PDF to view the foreign font as it should be displayed in the text.

Highlights

  • It is frequently acknowledged1 that the Ultimate Commission2 is important in understanding the whole gospel of Matthew

  • We have found that the phrase can be used either to denote ‘all nations’ or ‘all the Gentiles’, while the former usage is more common in the New Testament in its entirety

  • Even though we have come to the conclusion through the word study in the previous section that the phrase pa,nta ta. e;qnh should be rendered as ‘all nations’ rather than ‘all the Gentiles’, it is necessary to examine the Ultimate Commission in its literary context

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Summary

Original Research

Affiliations: 1School of Biblical Studies and Bible Languages, North-West University, Potchefstroom campus, South Africa. Postal address: School of Biblical Studies and Bible Languages, North-West University Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa. How to cite this article: Lee, K. & Viljoen, F.P., 2010, ‘The target group of the Ultimate Commission (Matthew 28:19)’, HTS Teologiese Studies/ Theological Studies 66(1), Art.

INTRODUCTION
Usage in the rest of the New Testament
THE ULTIMATE COMMISSION IN ITS LITERARY CONTEXT
The plot of Matthew
An eschatological event?
CONCLUSION
Full Text
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