The Great Commission and the Jerusalem Council

[mike331]

As I understand it Jesus gave his last speech, the Great Commission, during his resurrection - in about year 30-36. In this speech, he proclaimed that the Christians should seek to spread his word to all peoples of the earth.

Here come my questions;

If Jesus said this to the disciples why was Paul seemingly the only one doing it? Who else (except Pauls travel companions) also preached to gentiles who just aren't as known or recognized in the bible as him?

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

Maybe most were proclaiming by living the "Great Commandment", love.

 

[Dave L]

I think this might help answer the question.

https://www.quora.com/Where-did-each-of-the-apostles-travel-after-Christs-ascension

 

[Ken Rank]

As I understand it Jesus gave his last speech, the Great Commission, during his resurrection - in about year 30-36. In this speech, he proclaimed that the Christians should seek to spread his word to all peoples of the earth.

Here come my questions;

If Jesus said this to the disciples why was Paul seemingly the only one doing it? Who else (except Pauls travel companions) also preached to gentiles who just aren't as known or recognized in the bible as him?

The word "Go" in "go and make disciples" (students, not converts) is a passive participle in the Greek. It should be rendered, "as you are going, teach." Not all have been called to "go" as in the work of an apostle (i.e. Paul). That aside, Acts is simply showing the progression of the gospel after the ascension. The giving of the Spirit, the growth of the church in Jerusalem, and expansion which would last 2000 years (Hosea 6:1-2). God is doing this work in the nations over a progression of time... and thus what is revealed in Acts is but a small snapshot during a very small % of time by comparison to the 2000 years.

 

[TuxAme]

Paul was primarily the missionary to the Gentiles, while the Twelve were primarily missionaries to Israel (Jesus didn't choose twelve apostles for no reason- He chose twelve to model them after the twelve tribes of Israel).

 

[RDKirk]

As I understand it Jesus gave his last speech, the Great Commission, during his resurrection - in about year 30-36. In this speech, he proclaimed that the Christians should seek to spread his word to all peoples of the earth.

Here come my questions;

If Jesus said this to the disciples why was Paul seemingly the only one doing it? Who else (except Pauls travel companions) also preached to gentiles who just aren't as known or recognized in the bible as him?

They were hamstrung by bigotry in the early years. It was difficult for them to understand that Jesus could be for even Samaritans, much less gentiles.

This is seen in the issue between the Hellenist and the Hebraic Christians in Jerusalem and continues through the first part of Acts when we realize that evangelists like Phillip and those in Antioch are Hellenists.

There is negative dynamic that occurs within a minority community that is trying to assimilate into a hostile majority, and we see that dynamic in Acts. That's what's occurring in the synagogue of the Freedmen (Hellenists, because "freedman" is a Graco-Roman concept. There is no concept of "freedman" within Judaism) who turned in Stephen (one of their own) to the Sanhedrin in order to curry the favor of the Hebraic Jews.

Saul, also a Hellenist, was a wannabe into the Hebraic Jewish society (from a wealthy, established Hellenist family--that amazingly still knew their tribal heritage and Saul was haughty about being a "Hebrew of Hebrews"), and as people in minority groups can tell you, there is often nobody more savage than a "Judas goat" of your group who is trying to gain favor with the majority.

That's why we see Saul ravaging the Hellenist Christians but leaving the Hebraic Christians alone. For instance, if he were really trying to destroy Christianity, why after assisting in the stoning of Stephen (a Hellenist) did Saul next travel all the way to Damascus rather than chasing down the (Hebraic) apostles in Jerusalem? The people who had to flee from Saul were the Hellenists, as were the Christians he was heading to Damascus to capture.

But we see the Holy Spirit leapfrogging the Hebraic Jews, getting beyond them to Cornelius and the Ethiopian Eunuch (in fulfillment of Isaiah 56)--people the Apostles would not have willingly gone out to, except by the Holy Spirit forcing their hands. Even then, it was the Hellenists who most quickly and boldly carried the gospel beyond Jerusalem.

 

[bcbsr]

As I understand it Jesus gave his last speech, the Great Commission, during his resurrection - in about year 30-36. In this speech, he proclaimed that the Christians should seek to spread his word to all peoples of the earth.

Here come my questions;

If Jesus said this to the disciples why was Paul seemingly the only one doing it? Who else (except Pauls travel companions) also preached to gentiles who just aren't as known or recognized in the bible as him?

My conclusion is that the other apostles were being rebellious, due to their inherent prejudice against Gentiles they just never embrace the significance of the Great Omission. It's just like many Christians who read commands in scripture but never take them seriously, never taking them to heart, never considering applications. And yet they don't think of themselves as being disobedient.

Yes, apostles can sin. Paul even rebuked Peter in Galatians chapter 2. For what reason? Prejudice and man fear on Peter's part. I think Jesus chose Paul because he was fed up with other apostles who simply were not doing what he told them to.

 

[RDKirk]

My conclusion is that the other apostles were being rebellious, due to their inherent prejudice against Gentiles they just never embrace the significance of the Great Omission. It's just like many Christians who read commands in scripture but never take them seriously, never taking them to heart, never considering applications. And yet they don't think of themselves as being disobedient.

Yes, apostles can sin. Paul even rebuked Peter in Galatians chapter 2. For what reason? Prejudice and man fear on Peter's part. I think Jesus chose Paul because he was fed up with other apostles who simply were not doing what he told them to.

As I mentioned just above, the Holy Spirit basically leapfrogged the Hebraic apostles over to the Hellenists in Antioch.

 

[concretecamper]

If Jesus said this to the disciples why was Paul seemingly the only one doing it? Who else (except Pauls travel companions) also preached to gentiles who just aren't as known or recognized in the bible as him?

Here in lies the problem with Bible alone mentality.

 

[ICONO'CLAST]

8 And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.

2 And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.

3 As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.

4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.

 

[RDKirk]

8 And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.

2 And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.

3 As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.

4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.

That did not include the Apostles, however:

And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judæa and Samaria, except the apostles. --Acts 8:1

The Apostles stayed in Jerusalem, which would be strange if they really thought Saul was after them as the ringleaders of the followers of Jesus.

But then notice who scripture follows out of Jerusalem: Only persons that had already been described as Hellenists.

That's an intentional implication of scripture. The fact the scripture focuses on these Hellenists carrying the Gospel beyond an audience of strictly Hebraic ethnicity is also an intentional implication of scripture.

It's also a deliberate implication of scripture that the Hebraic Apostles didn't believe it when they heard that Samaritans were being saved, even though the Samaritans were doing precisely what Jesus said was necessary for salvation: Believing and being baptized.

The problem wasn't the Samaritans, the problem was the Hebraic Apostles. They were still not getting it. The Holy Spirit had to prove to the Hebraic Apostles--not to the Samaritans--that salvation was for more than the Hebrews.

The Holy Spirit had to do the same thing with regard to salvation of gentiles. There was nothing to be proven to Cornelius--he fully well knew he was hearing from the Lord. It had to be proven beyond a doubt to stubborn Peter, and Peter needed proof to carry back to the other Hebraic Christians. I think it was interesting that the Holy Spirit didn't even wait for Peter to finish his sermon. The Holy Spirit seemed to say, "Okay, you're done, let's get on with it!"

 

[ICONO'CLAST]

The OP. was speaking about Christians spreading the word.

[n this speech, he proclaimed that the Christians should seek to spread his word to all peoples of the earth. ]

 

[~Anastasia~]

I'm a little confused by this thread. In the earliest days the Apostles didn't go to all the world - but then they did (once they understood that salvation was for the Gentiles as well). They DID go to various places, and some were martyred far from home as a result. It's not all written in Acts because the author wasn't with all of them - Acts focuses on Paul, it's true. But why the assumption that everyone else was sitting at home just because it's not mentioned in Acts? History records these things.

 

[ml5363]

As I understand it Jesus gave his last speech, the Great Commission, during his resurrection - in about year 30-36. In this speech, he proclaimed that the Christians should seek to spread his word to all peoples of the earth.

Here come my questions;

If Jesus said this to the disciples why was Paul seemingly the only one doing it? Who else (except Pauls travel companions) also preached to gentiles who just aren't as known or recognized in the bible as him?

They all did...they wouldn't have been killed if they were sitting at home...some were in n charge of the churches...some stayed local ..but yes Paul had an advantage being educated...and having Roman citizenship

 

[Ignatius the Kiwi]

The Apostles, like us, were not perfect even after the resurrection of Christ and Christ's imparting of divine teaching concerning himself in the Old Testament and the breathing of the Holy Spirit onto them.

They had the natural ancient notion that Kin and one's people or tribe were more important than all over concerns, especially that of the Gentiles who did not know God. For a Gentile to become a believer in God they had to become part of the tribe of Israel. Overcoming the ancient notion of people and kin first was not natural and required Peter's having to experience a revelation and miracle in the household of Cornelius and even after that he later refused to eat with Gentile in Antioch.

I imagine the Apostles were constantly learning what Jesus meant, like we do today.