Christians all over the world use the phrase “the Great Commission” a lot. While you may have heard this phrase before, a lot of people don’t know what it actually means. We explain what the Great Commission is and how you can get involved below.
Definition of Commission
The word “commission” has several definitions, including, “an authorization or command to act in a prescribed manner or perform prescribed acts” (Merriam-Webster). Commission can also mean the authority to act for another person or a group of people directed to perform some duty.
These definitions help us understand that a commission authorizes a person or group to act for another person in a specific way or for specific activities.
Jesus’s Great Commission
With the dictionary definition of commission in mind, we can start to understand Jesus’s Great Commission. Jesus is an important person, and He authorizes and commands His followers to do a specific activity in His name: go around the world telling everyone about salvation.
The Great Commission Throughout Scripture
We can find commissions from God, Jesus, and human authority figures throughout Scripture. Many of these commissions lead up to what we call the Great Commission.
For example, God commands humanity to be fruitful and fill the earth and gives them the authority to subdue and rule it in Genesis 1:28. The writer of Psalm 117 commands “all you nations” to praise the Lord for His great love and enduring faithfulness (verses 1–2). In Luke 9:1–2 , Jesus gives His twelve disciples authority to cast out demons, cure diseases, proclaim the Kingdom of God, and heal the sick.
Timeline of the Great Commission
All of these commissions are important. But what sets the Great Commission apart? Firstly, it is one of Jesus’s last commands before His heavenly ascension, and it concludes the very first Gospel (Matthew 28:19–20).
The Great Commission also goes beyond the disciples who were present and applies to everyone who believes. We know that the commission includes every believer for all time because Jesus promises, “I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (verse 20).
The “end of the age” is the end of the earth as we know it now. Historically, we use age to describe a specific set of time, such as the Dark Ages. Jesus uses age at the end of Matthew to describe the set of time between His ascension and return.
However, none of the disciples who were present when Jesus gave the Great Commission are still alive to see His return. We can conclude then that Jesus isn’t just talking to the present disciples, but to all believers because believers will still be on the earth at the end of the age when He returns (Revelation 7:9–10).
How You Can Get Involved
Since it’s clear that the Great Commission is for everyone who believes, there’s a role for you too. You may not hear God calling you to be a cross-cultural missionary like the first disciples were, but you can still get involved in other ways.
One of the best ways to get involved in the Great Commission is to pray for missionaries. Paul gives us an example of this prayerful involvement in Romans 15:30–32 when he asks believers in Rome to pray for his safety on his missionary travels.
Now that you understand what the Great Commission is and how you can get involved through prayer, download our free Advancing the Kingdom Prayer Guide. This prayer guide contains over sixty specific prayer prompts with cultural and historical context, as well as insights from global Christians and mission experts.
Download 21 Ways You Can Advance the Kingdom Through Prayer Guide
