Quote:
Originally Posted by OBW
Why are you astounded? I've been through this before. What is so incredulous about what I am saying? You seem stuck on the idea that what Matthew 28 is about simply has to be the general "commission" to everyone to preach the gospel. I have reason to think that might not be the case. And once again, I ask for a reason that suggesting that is so incredulous. The wording does seem to suggest it. And I do not find anything except the fact that we have generally thought of this a being generally applicable. I don't find how it is simply true. So back up. Read what I write again. Now respond to what I write, not what I do not write.
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This is what we should be focused on first. Why do you have reason to believe that? Because of the word "go"? I have listed 3 points in order of importance:
The biggest issue I have with this theory is that Ephesians says that the authority that was wrought in Christ when God raised Him from the dead and made Him Lord of all and gave Him as head to the church is the condition on which "Go ye, therefore" is made. You cannot "go" without the head, and it is the church that has the head, not individual apostles.
The second biggest issue I have is that you can argue that these verses are the Lord's commission to the apostles. I think that is a reasonable, fair, and to my mind, accurate representation of these verses. Paul said he was called to be an apostle, so I would therefore argue that he should be included in that, even though he wasn't with the 11. However, Paul also says every believer has been called. To me, this is very similar to saying that every employee has been hired to do a job. Every member of the body has a function. Since the Body has been commissioned, every function of the Body that is under the guidance of the head, is working out that commission.
The third biggest issue is that I see no reason to take the first part and the third part of conversation Jesus had with the 11 and say this applies to everyone, but that the middle part only applies to the 11. I find once you agree that the majority of the conversation applies then the argument that this was not spoken to everyone falls apart. What makes this even more implausible is that the part that you think only applies to the 11 is conditional on the promises made to everyone.