The Great Commission is Jesus’ command to his disciples to take the gospel message to all nations. All four gospel writers reported His commands. He gave these ‘commissions’ to His disciples in various locations (though it’s possible Luke and John may have been in the same location) and using different words. Let’s talk about your question.
Locations
In Matthew
Jesus spoke by or on a mountain in Galilee (northern Israel):
“Then the eleven disciples went away to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them” (Matthew 18:16)
In Mark
The angels spoke Jesus’ commands to the women who came to Jesus’ tomb:
“And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white robe. And they were frightened” (Mark 16:5).
In Luke
Jesus spoke to His disciples after the two Emmaus Road disciples joined them while they were gathered in Jerusalem:
“They rose up and returned to Jerusalem at once. And they found the eleven and those who were with them assembled together” (Luke 24:33).
In John
Jesus entered the locked room where the disciples met for fear of the Jews:
“On the evening of that first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst” (John 20:19).
The Great Commission in All Four Gospels
In Matthew
Jesus, with all authority, emphasized the mission of making disciples throughout the world. He is the sender, and they are the sent. Their task is to make disciples by going, baptizing, and teaching them to observe Jesus’ commands.
In Mark
Jesus gave His commission in a specific context in Mark, addressing the persecuted church in Rome that was tempted to stop suffering by not testifying about Jesus.
One of the angels who attended Jesus’ tomb gave Jesus’ message to the women who witnessed Jesus’ resurrection. He said to tell the disciples what they had seen and to meet Him in Galilee. But, because they feared, they disobeyed and fled and ‘said nothing to anyone.’
The Church, throughout the ages, is supposed to put itself in the women’s place and continue to testify when persecuted. This stress on continuity highlights the ongoing nature of the Great Commission.
In Luke
Jesus told His disciples (including the eleven) what to include in their witness about Him. In their journeys with Jesus, they noticed He fulfilled what was written about Him in the Old Testament. Jesus emphasized including how He fulfilled those prophecies.
As their witness goes out from Jerusalem and spreads into every nation, they also have a new message of repentance and remission of sins.
In John
Jesus sent the disciples as His representatives to the world, just as the Father had sent Him. He has all authority and gave them the power of the Holy Spirit, and to forgive or retain sins.
In Acts
In addition to writing his gospel, Luke wrote Acts to continue the story of the acts of the Holy Spirit after Jesus ascended to heaven. In Acts, he gave a ‘Great Commission’ summary”:
“The former treatise (Luke, which I wrote about what) Jesus (did and taught), until … He was taken up, after He had given commandments … to the apostles … to whom He presented Himself alive after His passion by many infallible proofs” (Acts 1:1-2).
What is The Great Commission?
Summary
Each of the four gospel writers reported Jesus’ “Great Commission” commands from various times and locations.
Jesus gave each commission to His disciples after His resurrection and before His ascension.
In each commission, Jesus sent the disciples to witness about Him to the world (in Mark, the command is indirect).
Each commission is ongoing for Jesus’ followers.
