THE WORDS OF JESUS – What Are You To Do With Them?, “But, Some Doubted”, Part 64

 THE WORDS OF JESUS

Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional – Part 64

“But Some Doubted.”

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them,

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”  

The Words of Jesus, Matthew 28:16-20

“They worshiped Him, but some doubted”. These words should both confound and amaze. It is confounding to think that any of these men, Peter, James, John, Andrew, Bartholomew or Nathanael, James, the Lesser or Younger, Jude or Thaddeus, Matthew or Levi, Philip, Simon the Zealot and Thomas, after spending so much time with Jesus and after seeing the miracles, including seeing Him resurrected, doubt?

Doubted: Distázō, “two, double” and Stásis, “stance, standing” – properly, going two ways, shifting between positions; choosing “a double-stance” and hence vacillate (waver); (figuratively) uncertain at a crossroad because refusing to choose one way over the other – “wanting to have our cake and eat it too”; to halt between two opinions (views, beliefs).

And, it is amazing, that despite some of the disciples doubting, Jesus still gives them (and us) the great commission and sends them ALL!

If the Jewish high priest, the Pharisees and the Sadducees had been present to hear this greatest of Jesus’ proclamations, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me”, they may have shredded their clothing and pulled out every last strand of hair from their heads (as they were in the habit of doing when hearing the words of Jesus).

Jesus has not only been given (and assumed) all authority in heaven and on earth, He informs us that He will be exercising that complete authority over the heavens and the earth through his disciples until the end of the age with these words: “I am with you always, to the end of the age.”  (The word Jesus uses, “always’, is the Greek word, ‘pas’, which signifies ‘the highest degree, the maximum’ and means ‘before all things, above all things, in respect to all things, in all things and in all ways.’)

Note: It is always Jesus doing His Works through his disciples – which includes you and me!

When Jesus tells us that “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father”, we can now understand that it is Jesus who is doing His works through a yielded, obedient and submitted disciple, and not us, of and by ourselves.

These are the final words in the book of Matthew. But nothing has changed regarding God’s Word. These words are breathed by God and written by a man through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. They continue to be creative, causative, prophetic and instructional. IT SHALL COME TO PASS.

There may be times when you or I have doubt. But it is in the obedient ‘going and doing’ that we overcome our doubts and build and strengthen our faith.

Read it. Meditate on it. Pray about it. Receive it. Embrace it. Allow Him To Do it!

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

NEXT:  THE WORDS OF JESUS – What Are You To Do With Them?, “What Are You Seeking?”, Part 65

PREVIOUS:  THE WORDS OF JESUS – What Are You To Do With Them?, “But Some Doubted”, Part 63