Matthew 28:20 "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.
Up until this time the disciples of Jesus had been doing all the things that Moses had commanded them. They had been under the Old Covenant. Jesus had even at one time instructed His disciples to do everything that the Pharisees and Scribes told them to do because they sat in Moses seat. While under the Covenant given through Moses they were subject to all that it demanded.
When Moses came down from the mountain he brought with him tablets that represented Israel’s part of the covenant. When Jesus came He brought grace. This is why it is written in John’s gospel as John bears witness to the Messiah Jesus Christ.
John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 ¶ John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’" 16 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
The text reveals a contrast between Moses and Jesus. Both offer something in the way of a covenant, in the case of Moses it is the covenant of law which brings death. Jesus through His death and resurrection established a New Covenant to replace the Old one, a covenant of grace and truth.
The covenant under Moses was put in force by the shedding of blood, likewise the covenant Jesus made was put into force by the shedding of blood.
When Jesus says, “teach them all I have commanded you,” He is not referring to the Old Covenant given to Israel by Moses. He is referring to the things He himself as Son of Man has commanded in view of this New Covenant He is establishing. He is speaking in terms of the Kingdom of God having come through Him.
About The Author
- Tim Atchley
- Knoxville, Tennessee, United States
- I currently serve as Senior Pastor of Harvest Church in Knoxville, Tn. I was sent out from Trinity Chapel of Knoxville in 1993 accompanied by my wife Sheila our four children Sarah, Hannah, Josiah & Isaac and a handful of bold, brave and committed believers determined to plant our first church. Pioneering is hard work but well worth the journey. That is why we desire to make disciples of Christ who will, like us, also embrace the call to plant churches.
