The Great Commission is Jesus’ command to his disciples to take the gospel message to all nations. All four gospel writers reported His commands. When someone asks “what is the great commission,” they are most likely referring to the most-quoted version, which comes from Matthew 28:19-20:
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
Jesus gave this commission 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.
What is the Great Commission?
The Great Commission is Jesus’ command to His disciples to take the gospel message to all nations. It was given after His resurrection and before His ascension, and all four gospel writers recorded versions of it. The most widely quoted comes from Matthew 28:19-20, where Jesus instructs His followers to go, make disciples, baptize, and teach — and closes with the assurance that He will be with them always. It is not a suggestion or a one-time historical event — it is an ongoing commission for every follower of Jesus in every generation, including today. “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” — Matthew 28:19-20
Did Jesus give the Great Commission more than once, and does it appear in all four Gospels?
Yes — Jesus gave versions of the Great Commission multiple times, in different locations and with different emphases, and all four gospel writers recorded it. Each account captures a distinct aspect of the commission:
- Matthew — Jesus spoke on a mountain in Galilee, emphasizing making disciples throughout the world by going, baptizing, and teaching.
- Mark — the commission was conveyed through an angel at the tomb, addressing the ongoing call to testify even under persecution.
- Luke — Jesus spoke to His disciples in Jerusalem, emphasizing how He fulfilled Old Testament prophecy and the message of repentance and forgiveness going to all nations.
- John — Jesus appeared in a locked room and sent the disciples as His representatives, just as the Father had sent Him, giving them the power of the Holy Spirit.
What makes the Great Commission in Mark unique compared to the other Gospels?
Mark’s account of the Great Commission has a distinctive and sobering context. It was written to address a persecuted church in Rome that was tempted to stop testifying about Jesus in order to avoid suffering. In Mark’s account, an angel delivered Jesus’ message to the women at the tomb — but out of fear, they disobeyed and said nothing to anyone. This serves as a warning and a challenge to the Church across all ages: when persecution comes, the temptation to go silent is real — but the commission to testify continues regardless. Mark’s version highlights the ongoing, courageous nature of the call.
What did Jesus emphasize in the Great Commission in the Gospel of John?
In John’s account, Jesus appeared to His disciples in a locked room where they had gathered out of fear, and His commission carried a particularly powerful emphasis: He sent the disciples into the world as His representatives, in the same way the Father had sent Him. This framing elevates the call significantly — it is not just an assignment to complete a task, but an invitation to represent Christ Himself to the world. Jesus also gave them the power of the Holy Spirit and the authority to forgive or retain sins, grounding the commission in divine empowerment rather than human effort alone. “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” — John 20:21
Is the Great Commission still relevant for Christians today, or was it only for the original disciples?
The Great Commission is absolutely still relevant — and it was always intended to be ongoing. Each gospel account makes clear that the commission does not expire with the original eleven disciples. Jesus’ closing words in Matthew — “I am with you always, to the very end of the age” — confirm that both the task and His presence extend across every generation until His return. Luke continued the story in Acts, showing the Holy Spirit empowering the early Church to carry the commission forward. Every follower of Jesus today stands in that same line — sent, empowered, and accompanied by the same Christ who first gave the command. “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” — Matthew 28:20
