When Jesus appeared to His disciples in His resurrected form, He told them, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
All authority has been given to Jesus, who was from the Father, and was accompanied by the Holy Spirit from the beginning. But it is the name of Jesus that authority has been granted, by the works of grace presented in the completion of His gospel story. While still breathing, Jesus said, "It is finished!" He then died and was buried, but He was raised up on the third day and ascended to be at the right hand of the Father.
By the authority given to Him by the Father, Jesus told His disciples to go make disciples of all nations. His authority is handed down from heaven to those who receive His gospel. He commands His authority to be handed down to those of all nations, through the disciples He handed down His authority to, calling all nations to Himself, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit⎯the Godhead, in completion, immersing the saints being drawn to Himself.
He instructs His disciples, the eyewitnesses of His ministry, to teach others to observe all that He commanded them. The final gospel scriptures reveal many of these commands including the great commandments from the book of Deuteronomy: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might;" and from the book of Leviticus, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
While these commandments are a summary of the law that was handed down by God centuries earlier, Jesus says, "and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” This is a promise that exists beyond the law that was handed down, that Jesus is present with us to the end of the age. The complete gospel story is handed down to those Jesus calls to Himself for the completion of His bride which is to be revealed at the end of the age⎯His second coming. His completion is revealed for our completion unto Him. Hallelujah!
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