The Resurrection Results in a Commission

It is remarkable to see the various ways in which the disciples responded to being confronted by the risen Jesus. The mysterious nature of the resurrection resulted in some of them expressing doubt, others thinking he's a ghost, and still others not recognizing him at all! This isn't what we would expect, but perhaps neither is what Jesus says them at the end of the Gospel of Matthew. In light of his resurrection, he gives his disciples what is known as the Great Commission, and this charge to them is all about carrying on to others the same message he had been preaching all along before Passion Week. This focus on what they were to do in light of the resurrection is both instructive and a challenge to us . . .