Jesus never pronounced that what I am about to tell you I want you to call forever "The Great Commission."
It's about time we start thinking for ourselves instead of letting Bible editors make stuff up.
Why aren't the verses I quoted on my Hell, No?, The "Great Commission"?
Re: The separation of the goats and the sheep?(Mt 25-31-46)
Why isn't the ten talents the greatest commission? (Mt 25: 14-30)
Any number of Christ's narratives that contain a command(s)
So although this is one of my shortest missives it is important because we have to question what tradition has
handed us unless Christ Himself has named something himself.
Jesus last words to his disciples, his last command to them, before being taken away, I think deserves some special attention --- especially when you consider that it's now been almost two millenia since he gave those words. Calling it a "Great Commission" is dangerous because it doesn't appear anywhere. But it is a commission, so it's not a terrible misnomer. Perhaps the "Final Commission" would be a better name, which I think is partly your point.
ReplyDeleteIt is good to remind oneself of what is authoritative, the actual text, and what is not authoritative, everything else. You might have liked IV manuscript study; they delete all the extra stuff and look at the text only.
Actually Grey, Jesus' last words is could be called the "last preparedness" -right before he ascends to His father he tells the disciples that 1) They cannot know the date of his return 2) They will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on them 3)they will be witnesses in Jerusalem, all of Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth.
DeleteYes, "Exegesis" if my memory serves me well. That is, as you say, looking only the text at hand with NO outside influences.
ReplyDeleteThx for the post.
RDG