Deeper Reflection
Verse 18 could be said to be the central premise of Christian discipleship and disciplemaking: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me [i.e. Jesus].” Jesus’ authority is clearly in focus when we read the accounts of His teaching and miracles. For example, when Jesus taught the crowds about God’s Kingdom and its radical righteousness (Matt 5-7; 7:28-29), healed a man of paralysis and terrible pain (Matt 8:5-10, 13), stilled a great windstorm out at sea (Matt 8:23-27), cast out many demons from two men (Matt 8:28-32) and forgave a paralytic’s sins (Matt 9:1-8).“All authority in heaven and on earth” means that Jesus’ authority is supreme and all-encompassing. There is no realm of creation nor sphere of life that lies outside of His authority. Whoever has the highest authority has the final say. The words of the One who has the final say must count the most in any major decision that we make. For a Christian, the Lord Jesus has the final say in all of one’s major life questions about meaning, purpose and direction.Based on His authority, Jesus gave the Great Commission to all His disciples in every nation and generation, commanding them to “make disciples of all nations” (vv.19-20). As such, we are to respond in reverent fear and obedience to Jesus. At the same time, we can walk in full confidence as we go about doing our part in fulfilling the divine mandate, strengthened and comforted by the fact that Jesus is always with us by His Spirit until His Second Coming when we will see Him face to face.