COMMENTARY ON MARK
LESSON NUMBER 184
Mark 16:15 “And He said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”
(Mark 16:15-16; Matthew 28:16-20; Acts 1:6-8).
SALVATION FOR THE WHOLE WORLD
INTRODUCTION
We are apprised that Jesus spent forty days with His disciples following His resurrection, and prior to His ascension, during which “He showed Himself alive . . . by many infallible proofs” (Acts 1:3). The details of these appearances are few, and covered differently by each of the Gospel writers. Matthew records His appearance to the women who came to the tomb, alludes to His appearance to the disciples in Galilee, then covers His final words before His ascension. Mark records His appearance to Mary Magdalene, the two on the Emmaus road, and the disciples later that day, then leaps to the time of His final commission and ascension. Luke records His appearance to the two on the road to Emmaus, the disciples later that day, then leaps to the time of His ascension. John records His appearance to Mary Magdalene (John 20:14-18), and the disciples on that first day, stating that He breathed on the disciples and said “Receive ye the Holy Ghost” (John 20:19-23). He also recorded another appearance on the next first day of the week (John 20:26-29), and His later, and extensive appearance to the disciples on the sea of Tiberias (John 21:1-22). Mark, Luke, and Acts record the ascension of Christ, with Matthew and John omitting it, with Acts providing the most detailed account (Mk 16:19; Lk 24:51; Acts 1:9-11). The precise timing of all of these appearances is somewhat ambiguous, but I am proceeding with the assumption that Mark’s account took place immediately prior to His ascension, as verse nineteen suggests. These circumstances will not prove satisfactory to those with undue curiosity. However, it appears to me that there is a holy logic behind the way the reports have been given. They are given in such a manner as to accentuate the conclusion of Christ’s bodily ministry in the world, and the fact that He has departed from this world to assume His Mediatorial and Intercessory reign in heaven. They also underscore that His presence in this world was primarily to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. Having completed that work, He only remained here long enough to substantiate the reality of His resurrection, and to duly prepare His disciples for life in the Spirit.
JESUS PREPARES FOR HIS DEPARTURE
“ Matt 28:16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. 17And when they saw Him, they worshiped Him: but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth.”
THEY WENT AWAY INTO GALILEE. This preceded the ascension of Jesus, perhaps by a significant number of days. Galilee was the region in the northern extremities of Palestine, while Mount Olivet, from which Jesus delivered the discourse before us and ascended (Acts 1:12), was near Jerusalem, and in the proximity of Bethany (Lk 24:50-51). This is considered to have been the appearance during which Paul reports above five hundred brethren seeing the risen Lord (1 Cor 15:6). Prior to His death Jesus said He would appear to them in Galilee (Matt 26:32; Mk 14:28). Following His resurrection, Jesus told the women they would see Him in Galilee (Matt 28:7). This was approximately sixty miles from Mount Olivet, from which He would ascend into heaven. It was also the location of the Sea of Tiberias, where Jesus appeared to His disciples as they were fishing.
I give these details to emphasis that a considerable amount of inconvenience was associated with beholding the risen Christ. Mary and the other woman had to come to the tomb early in the morning. The two from Emmaus had to engage in a long walk. In order to meet an appointment in Galilee with the Lord, the disciples had to journey about sixty miles – at least a three-day journey.
SOME DOUBTED. During the appearance in Galilee, “some doubted.” We assume that this was not the experience of “the eleven,” who had seen Him previously. If the assumption is true that this was the meeting to which Paul alludes in First Corinthians 15, these doubters would have been among the other disciples who saw Him. This appearance was no doubt designed to address and removed their incertitude also.
JESUS CAME AND SPAKE. Now Matthew leaps forward to the time when Jesus would ascend back into heaven. At this time, they are again in the environ’s of Jerusalem in the Mount of Olives, to which Jesus took the eleven on the night of His betrayal (Matt 26:30). This is the mountain in which He agonized in prayer that awful night, and it will be the place where He triumphantly ascends into heaven, leading captivity captive (Eph 4:8).
ALL POWER IS GIVEN UNTO ME. The Amplified Bible reads, “All authority (all power of rule).” The word “power” means “authority.” NKJV This kind of power or authority refers to the power of choice – to do whatever one pleases. It is the power of rule or government. It is not theoretical or idealistic. This is a power that cannot be contested, neutralized, or negated. It is a rule that is accomplished by a word, not a battle. The word “all” means “the whole . . . everything . . . any and every.” THAYER So far as Jesus is concerned, there is no competing power! Powers that compete do so with men, not with Christ. In His death He destroyed the devil (Heb 2:14), and spoiled principalities and powers, triumphing over them (Col 2:15). This means that those who are in Christ Jesus are, in reality, “more than conquerors” (Rom 8:37). Whatever difficulties may attend our lives, as we abide in Christ, we will be caused to triumph (2 Cor 2:14). Any religious methodologies that approach life ignoring this reality are nothing more than delusions from the wicked one.
This confirms that commensurate with His resurrection, Jesus was “glorified.” The fact that He took back His life also confirms He had received “all power,” including being over the domain of death itself. At the time of this utterance, the power had already been given to Him. It would be formalized when He returned to heaven, and would be publically declared when He poured forth the Holy Spirit – but it was in His hand at this time. Other versions read, “has been given,” NKJV “I have been given.” LIVING Paul refers to this circumstance when he wrote, “Jesus Christ . . . declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead” (Rom 1:3-4).
IN HEAVEN AND IN EARTH. Even when Jesus was in the earth, He had “all power.” His had authority over nature (Mk 4:39; Matt 14:25; 17:27; 21:19), disease (Matt 8:3,15; 9:5,29-30; John 5:8), death (Lk 7:14-15; 8:54; John 11:43-44), and demonic forces (Mk 1:24-25; 5:8; 9:25). He also affirmed that He had “power on earth to forgive sins” (Mk 2:10). Now, that power was enhanced that He might effect the salvation purposed by God. Salvation extends further than the body. It involves the removal of sin (Heb 9:26), reconciliation to God (Eph 2:16), breaking down the middle wall between Jew and Gentile (Eph 2:14), the making of peace (Col 1:20), and the ending of the Law as a means to righteousness (Rom 10:4). On a personal level, His present reign includes the power to give repentance (Acts 5:31), send the Spirit (John 15:26; Acts 2:33), remove a stony heart and confer a heart of flesh (Ezek 36:26), and give faith (Eph 6:23). That authority, possessed by Jesus when He rose from the read, would be formalized following His exaltation to the right hand of God (Acts 2:33; Phil 2:9).
PREACH THE GOSPEL TO EVERY CREATURE
“ Mark 16:15 And He said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”
HE SAID UNTO THEM. There is no question that these words were spoken particularly to the eleven. However, that is not the same as saying they were spoken “only” to the eleven. We know that one of the qualifications for an apostle was that the individual have been continually with Christ from the baptism of John until the time when He was taken up into heaven (Acts 1:22). We know of the names of two people who precisely fit that qualification: “ Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias” (Acts 1:23). We also know that following these words, while they waited for the promise of the Father, there were others with the eleven: “the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brethren” (Acts 1:13-14). Luke also infers that the same people who saw Him when He appeared to a number of disciples on the day of His resurrection, were also led to Bethany where Jesus blessed them and ascended into heaven before them (Lk 24:36-50).
This word will be delivered primarily to the apostles because they would be given particular insight into the Person, accomplishments, and ministry of Jesus. Their doctrine would form the foundation of valid thought concerning Christ. But they were not the only ones who would preach this Gospel, as is affirmed by the early accounts of the preaching of Stephen, Philip, and all of the believers who were scattered by persecution.
GO YE INTO ALL THE WORLD. Never before had there been a commission of this magnitude delivered by the Lord. Until Jesus was enthroned in heaven, preaching had been narrowly confined. Moses delivered the Word only to Israel. The holy prophets spoke mostly to Israel, with occasional prophecies being delivered to wayward nations and kings. John the Baptist preached only in Israel, as well as the Lord Jesus Himself. Prior to His death, when Jesus sent out His disciples, it was only to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matt 10:5). Now, however, the world becomes the arena of announcement.
PREACH THE GOSPEL TO EVERY CREATURE. Other versions read, “to all creation,” NKJV “to everyone.” BBE/GWN Strictly speaking the words “every creature” or “all creation,” do not mean “everyone.” Here, the emphasis is on the fact that humanity is a created race, and is therefore responsible to God alone. While the Gospel is an announcement of salvation for sinners, it is also the declaration of provision for those who have been created by God, and are obligated to Him. Further, the Gospel is to be preached within the framework of that awareness. That makes the message more than a mere optional resolution.
Matthew expands on this word: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations . . . ” (Matt 28:19). “Therefore” means, in view of the fact that all authority in heaven and earth had been given to Christ. Not only is it mandatory that the message be delivered, it is to be done in the confidence that it has power (Rom 1:16).
The word “teach” is not an academic word. Technically, the word means “make disciples,” and is so translated in other versions. NKJV/NIV To “make” disciples is to bring people to a point where they embrace and follow Jesus alone – for that is what a disciple does. According to Jesus’ own word, His disciples love Him more than any flesh-and-blood relatives (Lk 14:26). They whole-heartedly consent to taking up their cross every day and following Him (Lk 14:27). They forsake every competing interest to follow Jesus (Lk 14:33). Any other kind of convert is unacceptable, for salvation can only be received by those who meet the criterion. Those who do not so qualify are termed “wood, hay, and stumble” (1 Cor 3:12), and God has pledged to destroy those who attempt to add such people to Christ’s church (1 Cor 3:14-17). I do not believe this word has been taken seriously by the church of our day.
The Gospel is calculated to produce this kind of people – disciples. A message that does not “make disciples” is not the Gospel, no matter how good it sounds. Professed Christians that have not forsaken everything to follow Jesus, putting all other priorities behind them, cannot possibly be the people of God. Either they have heard the Gospel and not believed it, or they have not heard the Gospel at all.
The gravity of preaching the Gospel is seen in the manner in which Jesus described His witnesses: “ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Other versions read, “My witnesses.” NASB They are not delivering a “how-to” message, or a resolution to self-diagnosed problems. Christ Himself is the content of their message – the Subject of the Gospel. True preachers do not reason from human need to Jesus, but from Jesus to God-diagnosed need. That means that the Gospel is a universal message for a universal condition – “THE Gospel.” There is no such thing as a Gospel for this group or that kind of people. The message is singular, and it is tailored for sinners, for sin is the root of all human deficiencies and uncomely conditions. This may sound rather simple, but our generation is having great difficulty comprehending the real Gospel.
BELIEVING AND BEING BAPTIZED
“ Mark 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”
Here is a saying that seems quite clear, and yet men continue to deal with it as though it was not even in the Scriptures. A few introductory thoughts will be in order. First, Jesus does not say, “He that believes and is saved shall be baptized.” This, however, is what is taught by those who say baptism does not have anythinjg to do with salvation, and that a person is saved prior to be baptized. Also, He does not say, “He that is baptized and believes shall be saved.” This is what men infer when they say Jesus can be received as Savior, but not as Lord.
HE THAT BELIEVETH. Other versions read, “has believed,” NASB “has faith,” BBE “trusts,” CJB “the person who believes it (the Gospel), IE and “ believes [who adheres to and trusts in and relies on the Gospel and Him Whom it sets forth].” AMPLIFIED The thing believed is the Gospel – the message that sets forth the Lord Jesus, and is referred to as “the record that God gave of His Son” (1 John 5:10). It is the Gospel that was preached by the apostles “with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven” (1 Pet 1:12). We are told that if any man, or even an angel from heaven, “preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed” (Gal 1:8). No person is under any obligation to accept any message that is not the Gospel first preached by the apostles. That is an “everlasting Gospel” (Rev 14:6), that declares an “eternal purpose” (Eph 3:11), announces an “everlasting covenant” (Heb 13:20), and brings the “hope of eternal life” (Tit 1:2-3).
To believe that Gospel is to depend upon its truth (Eph 1:13), obey it (Rom 10:16), not be moved away from it (Col 1:23), and turn from idols to serve the living God (1 Thess 1:9). Believing is more than intellectual assent. It involves strong persuasion and a hearty embrace. This is because the one who believes considers the word to have come from God, is convicted of its reality, and therefore has no alternative but to embrace it and structure all of life around it. No person who does not do this has really believed the Gospel. Further, until the Gospel is believed, no action toward God will be received, for without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb 11:6).
HE THAT IS BAPTIZED. Here, being baptized is an act of obedience, as affirmed in Romans 6:17. It is also baptism “with water” (Acts 8:28; 10:47). This is not baptism with the Holy Spirit, for that is not an act of obedience. Because we are “baptized into Christ” (Gal 3:27), baptism is said to “also save us” (1 Pet 3:21). It is also in this sense that we are “born of water” (John 3:5). Baptism is the point at which we receive “the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38), and obtain a “good conscience” (1 Pet 3:21). It is also the point at which we join Christ in both His death and His resurrection (Rom 6:3-5). From this point forward, we are to reckon, or reason, upon the basis of this revealed reality: we are “dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom 6:11). The act of baptism itself is validated by the belief of the Gospel. Believing compels the soul to move into the position of conformity to the Gospel.
Matthew elaborates on the words of Jesus: “ . . . baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” (Matt 28:19). This accents an affinity with the Godhead. In this case “in the name of” does not mean by the authority of, for authority is never approached in such a threefold manner. The word translated “in” means “into,” and is so rendered in several versions. ASV/AMPLIFIED The idea is that of being baptized into identity with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Thus believers are said to be “in” God (Col 3:3; 1 Thess 1:11;1 John 4:15,16), “in” Christ (Rom 8:1; 1 Cor 1:30; Gal :28), and “in” the Spirit (Rom 8:9; Gal 3:3; 5:25). This is the oneness for which Jesus prayed (John 17:21,23). Until this union has been experienced, the promised benefit cannot be realized. Matthew also adds the ongoing nature of preaching the Gospel to every creature: “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen” (Matt 28:20). This has to do with continuing in the faith (Acts14:22; Col 1:23).
SHALL BE SAVED. The word “saved” has the following lexical meaning: “keep safe and sound, rescue from danger of destruction . . . preserve.” THAYER This has to do with deliverance from the guilt and power of sin (Rom 6:7), the devil (Acts 26:18), the world (Gal 1:4), and the wrath to come (1 Thess 1:10). Where enslavement to sin, the devil, and the world continues, salvation has not been realized. If that is the case, an evil heart of unbelief is present (Heb 3:12).
HE THAT BELIEVETH NOT. The person who does not believe the Gospel is the one who does not act upon it (Rom 10:16). It is the one who hears that word and does not understand it (Matt 13:19). According to John, this condition results from Divinely imposed darkness because of the hardness of their hearts (John 12:38-40; Isa 29:10-14). Men have not been given the liberty to not believe the Gospel – the record God has given of His Son!
SHALL BE DAMNED. Other versions read, “condemned,” NKJV and “judged.” BBE The word “damned” means “judged worthy of punishment.” THAYER In this case, that means having “their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death” (Rev 21:8).