Mark 16:14 - 18

The Great Commission

14 Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.

15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.

16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.

17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;

18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

These eleven, the apostles, were together and Jesus appeared to them. He rebuked them for not believing the reports which had been given to them regarding his resurrection.

This passage corresponds to Matthew 28:19 – 20, it is commonly called “the Great Commission,” but the scripture does not name it as so.

“World” is from the word KOSMOS which has a wide range of meanings but usually used as “the inhabitants of the earth.”

“Preach” means to act as a herald, to proclaim in the manner of a herald. Thayer explains "always with a suggestion of formality, gravity, and an authority which must be listened to and obeyed." The primary meaning is to tell something which is new. The apostles had to be inspired because they were spreading a Gospel or “good news” which they would publish, it was not in print yet.

“Creature” comes from the same root word as Paul uses in Colossians 1:23. Paul said the Gospel had been preached to every creature which is under heaven.

Whatever Jesus meant by every creature, Paul says it had been done. Thus “the great commission” was carried out by the apostles. Our spreading of the Gospel, which we as the church are bound to do, is not under the “great commission.”

“He who believes” means to believe what is preached which is the Gospel, “the good news of the death and resurrection of Christ for the sins of mankind.”

Believing must be followed by being baptized. The Greek BAPTIZO is defined as, “to dip in,” to sink, or to immerse.

Saved is from BOZO which is defined as “To rescue from danger or destruction.” It does not mean “once saved always saved. Once a person is baptized they are saved from the consequences of the sins they have already committed. But they may place themselves in jeopardy again by committing sin later in life. Just like being rescued from drowning does not rescue a person if they carelessly fall in the water again.

If a person does not believe the Gospel, it does not matter whether he or she is baptized or not, they are condemned for lack of belief.

These who perform miracles are the believers from the previous verses, it is not restricted to the apostles, but are ones who follow or attend or accompany one and refers to the spiritual gifts which ere given to Christians during the early days of the Gospel age before the Bible became available. (Acts 6:8; 19:6; 1 Corinthians chapters 12, 13, 14: Ephesians 4:8 – 14; James 5:14 – 15)