Matthew 28:18
"And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth."
We are studying Matthew’s final four verses. These capture Jesus’ last moments with His eleven disciples, the core group chosen to receive His parting instructions. Their journey to Galilee fulfills His earlier command and was the heart of His ministry and a familiar place for them. The disciples rightly worshiped Jesus—prostrating in homage and acknowledging His divine authority—yet some doubted. They wavered or hesitated, not outright disbelief in the resurrection, but uncertainty. Jesus had conquered death and descended to hell and back—it’s a lot to process!
Remarkably, worship and doubt coexisted here, showing that faith isn’t the absence of questions. Even His closest followers wrestled with understanding, yet Jesus immediately entrusted them with the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18–20). This affirms that doubt does not disqualify you from encountering and serving the risen Lord—then or now.
Today’s verse is Jesus's profound claim to universal sovereignty. The Greek word "exousia" means "authority" or "ruling power," indicating rightful dominion, not just raw power (dunamis).
This authority was "given" by God the Father, affirming the unity and order within the Godhead (cf. Philippians 2:9–11; Ephesians 1:20–22).
His Authority is absolute and comprehensive—over all spiritual realms ("heaven") and all earthly powers, nations, and creation ("earth").
The Basis for His Authority is the results from Christ’s obedient life, sacrificial death, and victorious resurrection, which conquered sin and death.
Because Jesus is Lord of all, His followers are commissioned with divine authority to make disciples globally. The verse establishes Jesus not merely as a teacher or prophet, but as the divine, exalted King over all creation.
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