The Great Commission Hand
Dr. Gene Bunkowske teaches how our hand can remind us of the key points of the “Great Commission,” Matthew 28:18-20.
Note the strong grip you can form between your thumb and little finger. This strong grip represents the strong beginning and end of the Great Commission: “all power has been given unto me in heaven and on earth,” and “Lo, I am with you always.”
Within this strong framework, the remaining three fingers represent the key verbs in the Great Commission: “go,” “make disciples,” “baptize and teach.”
The author of this site found encouragement when he discovered the main verb of the Great Commission. Due to our familiarity with the English translation, we commonly suppose that the main verb is “go.” However, in the Greek sentence, the main verb is the word “disciple.” That word has a verb ending that makes it into a command, and that’s why the English translation says “make disciples.” That is our task: to make disciples. The other verbs in the Great Commission have verb endings that can be translated into English with the suffix “-ing.” The great commission therefore is:
DISCIPLE
… by going
…by baptizing
…by teaching
That verb ending (a “participle”) can also be correctly translated by an English phrase, such as “as you.” Then the Great Commission sounds like this:
DISCIPLE
… as you are going
… as you are baptizing
… as you are teaching
The “going” implies that we do not need to go somewhere in order to disciple, but we can do it “as we go” through life; it can be part of our daily life. That is the basic rationale behind this web site.
The “baptizing” implies that the gospel message has been shared and believed, culminating in baptism.
The “teaching” actually reads “teaching them to observe all I have commanded you.” This teaching about “all things” can only occur after the person has become a Christian. It is basic to this web site that the content used in evangelism is not overwhelming — it consists of declaring the scripture revelations about mankind’s sinfulness, Jesus’ redemption, faith alone, and the attendant promises to those who believe. The nurture period after conversion is much more detailed, for it is then that the new believer begins to learn “all” the teachings. For this website, realizing that the bulk of Christian teaching is meant for those who are already Christians is meant to help us see that evangelizing is simpler by comparison, so there is no need to put off doing it.
Another “great” in the Bible is the Great Command: “Love.” Some Christians may feel they cannot do the Great Commission and therefore point out how they try to do the Great Command. In contrast, this website is based on the assumption that the two commands are meant for all Christians. One does not pick and choose between them. This website is meant to show how any Christian can be part of the Great Commission. Moreover, the two commands can work in tandem. Often, while carrying out the Great Command, the opportunity arises to carry out the Great Commission.