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The Great Commission: Proclaiming Forgiveness
(Luke 24:44–49)

Now He said to them, “These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and He said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” (24:44–49)

This section of Luke’s gospel sweeps from the beginning of revelation in Genesis to the end of redemptive history, viewing the mural of salvation from start to finish. The primary emphasis of the Lord’s words here is found in verse 47, where He declared that repentance and forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name.

The passage is Luke’s account of the Great Commission (cf. Matt. 28:19–20), the Lord’s mandate for the church to proclaim the saving truth of the “glorious gospel of the blessed God” (1 Tim. 1:11). That mandate is for all believers throughout all history, not merely those who heard the Lord speak these words. The gospel of Luke ends by putting the reader in the same position as the apostles and the disciples; everyone who names the name of Jesus Christ is responsible to proclaim the truth. The baton has been passed down from generation to generation, and it is our responsibility to pass it on to the next generation.

To fulfill the Lord’s command to spread the gospel around the world is the overarching, all-consuming purpose of the church. Everything else, including understanding and teaching sound doctrine, worship, fellowship, prayer, pursuing holiness, and engaging in Christian service, is important and beneficial. But to do all of those things and not proclaim the gospel is to reject the purpose for which those elements exist. They are not the goal, but rather the means to accomplishing the goal of proclaiming the gospel and undergirding that proclamation with lives of credibility and integrity.

But while believers are responsible for evangelizing the lost, God is the one who ultimately seeks them. From the garden, where God called to Adam after the fall (Gen. 3:9), to the final invitation in Revelation 22:17, God has sought sinners. The goal of human history is God’s redeeming men and women to bring them to glory as a bride for His Son, whom they will serve, honor, and worship forever.

In its conclusion, Luke’s gospel proves what it claimed in the beginning. The angel declared to Mary that the son she would bear would be the Son of God (1:35). Jesus’ life, miracles, power over demons, teaching, and resurrection demonstrated that He was. Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, gave a Spirit-inspired prophecy in which he declared that the Messiah would accomplish redemption for His people through the forgiveness of their sins (1:77). Jesus Christ came, suffered, died, rose again the third day, and provided that forgiveness for all who believe in Him.

This penultimate section of Luke’s gospel, which launches the history of the proclamation of the gospel, presents seven elements of the gospel mandate given to the church. It is biblical as to its foundation, historical as to its accomplishment, transformational as to its provision, Christological as to its appropriation, global as to its extent, personal as to its agency, and supernatural as to its power.

THE GOSPEL IS BIBLICAL AS TO ITS FOUNDATION

Now He said to them, “These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, (24:44–45)

As noted in previous chapters of this volume, the Jewish people expected the Messiah to be a triumphant conqueror, not one who would suffer and die. To preach the gospel to them, the disciples would have to convince them from the Old Testament both that Jesus was the Messiah and that the Messiah had to die.

But they were woefully unprepared for that task. They had demonstrated a lack of understanding of the Old Testament and had failed miserably to comprehend most of what Jesus said to them. That was true even when He said it to them in simple, clear straightforward terms. The disciples had been subject all their lives to an inadequate, if not downright false, interpretation of the Old Testament by their rabbis. As a result, they were in no position to rightly interpret the Old Testament and needed someone to instruct them rightly. They required a total correction of their theology and hermeneutics as well as a clear understanding that Christianity was not a repudiation of Old Testament Judaism, but the fulfillment of it.

Despite Christ’s repeated teaching on the subject of His death and resurrection (cf. Luke 9:22, 44–45; 18:31, 34; 24:6–8), the disciples still did not grasp the truth. He therefore reminded them of His words which He spoke to them while He was still with them during His earthly ministry; that all things which are written about Him in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms (the threefold division of the Old Testament) must be fulfilled. Those were the Old Testament truths about Messiah that the disciples would have to believe wholeheartedly if they were to convince the Jewish people that Jesus was the Messiah. The Law of Moses was the Pentateuch (Genesis through Deuteronomy); the Prophets included both the former prophets (the historical books beginning with Joshua) and the later prophets (the major prophets; Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and Lamentations, and the minor prophets; Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi); the Psalms represented the wisdom literature (Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon).

Their evangelism was to be biblically based, so they needed clear understanding of the Scriptures related to Christ. The Old Testament promised the Messiah would come through the line of Abraham (Gen. 12:1–3; cf. Gal. 3:16), the tribe of Judah (Gen. 49:10; cf. Rev. 5:5), and the line of David (2 Sam. 7). Isaiah 7:14 predicted that He would be born of a virgin; Micah 5:2 that He would be born in Bethlehem. He would be betrayed by a close, trusted friend (Ps. 41:9); He would be beaten, spit on, and have His beard pulled out (Isa. 50:6; Mic. 5:1); the soldiers would gamble for His clothing (Ps. 22:18); He would be crucified (Ps. 22) and pierced (Zech. 12:10); His death would be vicarious (Isa. 53), and He would rise from the dead (Isa. 53:10; Ps. 16:8–11). The Christ of gospel history did not invent Himself, nor is He the invention of some people in the first century. He is the unmistakable fulfillment of divine prophecy.

Jesus opened their minds to understand those Scriptures and many other prophecies that were fulfilled in His first coming. As He had earlier done for the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, He gave them a sweeping messianic interpretation of the Old Testament. The disciples for the first time understood the messianic meaning of the Old Testament prophecies and used them immediately in their own interpretation of events (Acts 1:15–20), as well as their preaching and evangelism. In his sermon on the Day of Pentecost, Peter cited Joel 2:28–32 and Psalm 16:8–11, among others (Acts 2:14–36; cf. 4:23–26). Addressing the Sanhedrin, Peter cited Psalm 118:22 (Acts 4:10–11). Both Stephen (Acts 7) and Philip (Acts 8:26–35) employed sweeping features of the Old Testament in their evangelism, as did the apostle Paul (Acts 13:16–41; 17:1–3; 28:25–27). The disciples undoubtedly experienced the same passionate stirring of their hearts as did the two at Emmaus (Luke 24:32) and were eager to proclaim the Scriptures and their fulfillment as He had taught them. But not yet. Jesus instructed them to wait in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit came to empower them for that task (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4–5, 8).

THE GOSPEL IS HISTORICAL AS TO ITS ACCOMPLISHMENT

and He said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, (24:46)

It was written in the Old Testament that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, and that is exactly what happened. The resurrection was not mythological, or legendary; it was not a mystical or spiritual idea, but an event that happened in real, space-time history (cf. 1 Cor. 15:3–8). In fact, there is no better attested fact or event in ancient history than the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

THE GOSPEL IS TRANSFORMATIONAL AS TO ITS PROVISION

and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed (24:47a)

The gracious, eternal provision of the gospel is the forgiveness of sins purchased by Christ’s sacrifice on the cross and confirmed by His resurrection (Rom. 4:25). Forgiveness is a constant theme in Luke’s gospel. Zacharias prophesied that God would “give to His people the knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins” (Luke 1:77). John the Baptist’s ministry involved “preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” (3:3). Jesus said to a paralytic, “Friend, your sins are forgiven you” (5:20) and to a sinful woman, “Your sins have been forgiven” (7:48). He commanded believers to pray, “Forgive us our sins” (11:4), and while on the cross prayed, “Father, forgive them” (23:34).

The apostles understood the importance of forgiveness and proclaimed it. On the Day of Pentecost Peter said to the crowd, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins” (Acts 2:38). Later he declared to the Sanhedrin, “The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had put to death by hanging Him on a cross. He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins” (Acts 5:30). He said to those gathered in Cornelius’s house, “Of [Jesus] all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins” (Acts 10:43). Paul told those gathered in the synagogue at Pisidian Antioch, “Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through [Christ] forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you” (13:38).

Forgiveness of sins is available only to those who repent. Repentance is the foundational biblical, spiritual act that moves the heart in the direction of salvation. It is turning from sin’s presence, power, dominance, and consequences to righteousness. Repentance involves a desire to leave sin behind and pursue righteousness. It is not simply feeling bad about one’s circumstances, or condition, or the consequences that resulted from one’s sins, but mourning over the reality of sin. Repentance is prompted by the Holy Spirit (John 16:8), who came to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and is granted by God (2 Tim. 2:25; cf. Acts 11:18).

The attitude of repentance is seen in the Beatitudes (Matt. 5:1–11). To be repentant is to be spiritually bankrupt, to know that one is poor, to hunger and thirst after righteousness, to mourn over one’s wretchedness, and consequently be humbled by that condition. The promise to the believing penitent person is that God will grant forgiveness of sin, because Christ has provided the sacrifice that pays the penalty for sin.

THE GOSPEL IS CHRISTOLOGICAL AS TO ITS APPROPRIATION

in His name (24:47b)

Forgiveness of sin is available only through Jesus Christ, since “there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). His name is a metonym for His person (cf. Luke 9:48) and represents all that He is. To proclaim in the name of Jesus that there is forgiveness of sin is to do so consistent with who He is in all His fullness.

The apostles did everything in the name of Christ, which is the only source of God’s power. After healing the lame man at the temple (Acts 3:1–8) Peter said to the astonished crowd, “And on the basis of faith in His name, it is the name of Jesus which has strengthened this man whom you see and know; and the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect health in the presence of you all” (v. 16; cf. 4:10). The early church also baptized in the name of Jesus (Acts 2:38; 8:16; 10:48; 19:5; 22:16), suffered for His name (Acts 5:41; 9:15–16; 21:13), and evangelized in His name (3 John 7). It is no wonder, then, that Christians were known as those who called on the name of Jesus (Acts 9:14, 21).

THE GOSPEL IS GLOBAL AS TO ITS EXTENT

to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. (24:47c)

The Old Testament teaches not only that Messiah would suffer and die, rise from the dead, and have repentance proclaimed in His name, but also that the gospel message of forgiveness in His name would be proclaimed to all the nations.

During His earthly ministry, Jesus had sent the apostles not to the Samaritans or Gentiles (Matt. 10:5), but only to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (v. 6). The Lord said of His own ministry, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matt. 15:24). Consequently, the Jerusalem church initially was reluctant to evangelize the Gentiles or Samaritans. But when persecution forced the believers to flee Jerusalem, some went to Samaria (Acts 8:1–2), and “Philip went down to the city of Samaria and began proclaiming Christ to them” (v. 5). Gentile evangelism, however, did not take place until Peter’s vision (Acts 10:9–16) caused him to realize that “God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him” (vv. 34–35). After some initial misgivings (Acts 11:1–3), the Jerusalem church accepted Peter’s preaching the gospel to Gentiles, and the Jerusalem council (Acts 15:1–21) formally decided that Gentiles could be saved without first becoming Jewish proselytes and following Jewish ritual. Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles (Rom. 11:13), wrote,

Because of their ultimate rejection of Him, Israel had been cut off (Rom. 11) and left desolate (Luke 13:35) and facing the destruction that would come in A.D. 70 (Matt. 24:1–2). The time had arrived in God’s plan of redemption to bring the gospel to the Gentiles.

Gentile salvation was not a new reality, however. The Old Testament clearly declares that Gentiles would be saved. In Genesis 22:18 God said to Abraham, “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed.” In his prayer at the dedication of the temple Solomon prayed,

Isaiah wrote,

Joel added, “And it will come about that whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be delivered; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who escape, as the Lord has said, even among the survivors whom the Lord calls” (2:32; cf. Rom. 10:13), and Micah wrote,

The global command to reach the entire world extends the responsibility for evangelism from the apostles and disciples to all believers.

THE GOSPEL IS PERSONAL AS TO ITS AGENCY

You are witnesses of these things. (24:48)

God has chosen to use exclusively human witnesses as His means of proclaiming the gospel in the present age, unlike the “angel flying in midheaven, having an eternal gospel to preach to those who live on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people” (Rev. 14:6), who will also proclaim the gospel during the tribulation. Those witnesses were first of all the apostles and the rest of the early church, as the book of Acts indicates (1:8; 2:32; 3:15; 5:32; 10:39; 13:31; 22:15; 26:16), and by extension all believers throughout church history, since the apostles did not travel to the “remotest part of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

THE GOSPEL IS SUPERNATURAL AS TO ITS POWER

And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” (24:49)

Though believers are gospel witnesses, the gospel does not advance by human power, creativity, ingenuity, or zeal. “The weapons of our warfare,” Paul wrote, “are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses” (2 Cor. 10:4). Therefore the Lord told the disciples that He would be sending forth the promise of the Father upon them. In the meantime, they were to stay in the city of Jerusalem until they were clothed with power from on high. The promise of the Father that would grant them divine power to witness is the coming of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. Both the Old Testament (Ezek. 36:27; 37:14; 39:29; Joel 2:28–29) and Jesus (John 14:16–17; 20:22) promised the coming of the Holy Spirit, through whose indwelling Jesus is also with believers (Matt. 28:20). Since all Christians are indwelt by the Spirit (Rom. 8:9), all are empowered for effective witness. The question is, how faithful will they be?