What a wild, emotional few days for the disciples and the authorities. Jesus is arrested, Jesus is crucified, Judas hangs himself, the disciples are scared and wonder why they followed someone who died, then… they see Jesus!
My less spiritual eyes see that right away this has to be a legitimate history. Why? Because the Roman soldiers were terrified of the angels and fell down as if dead. But the women? Well…they engaged the scary angels. If it was a fabrication, it would be the other way around. 🙂
But yes. I was struck by the emotions of all of it. Deep sadness and despair that Jesus ahd died. Wondering what next? And how? And what happened? Then Jesus rose. Just as the Old Testament said he would. Just like Jesus said he would. And there he was. Oh the joy! But then he was to leave. What?! But before that he had something to say.
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.”
For those who ever wonder where Jesus in the Bible ever speaks of the trinity. Well, here it is. Father, Son and Holy Spirit and says “in the name” not “in the names.”
But more than that is the commission. We are all as believers in Christ part of this commission. Everyone needs to hear so that everyone can have a free choice. Whether they accept the gospel or not is between them and God. But everyone needs to know. Let’s all be a part of that. Let’s in fact, get it done.