Matthew's final paragraph picks up the loose ends in the Gospel, and prepares for the life and work of the Church. The promise of Jesus to go before them to Galilee, and the words of the angel at the tomb, are now fulfilled. So also the various hints throughout the Gospel that Jesus would eventually send his disciples to the Gentiles are now endorsed by the explicit command to go to all nations. The disciples are at last told to teach what Jesus had commanded them; and he promises to be with them until the end of the age, when he will come in glory to judge and to reward.

16 the eleven disciples: See 27:5 for the death of Judas.

Galilee: In Chapter 2 Joseph was directed to Galilee because of the unbehef of Herod and Archelaus in Judea; that situation has now been repeated in the unbehef of the Jews in Jerusalem, and the mission to the Gentiles from Galilee. Notice also the prophecy in 4:15f of a great light for the people in Galilee of the Gentiles. It is almost certain that in fact the Church began in Jerusalem, not in Galilee; and that is what Luke says: stay in the city, until you are clothed with power from on high (Luke 24:49). Matthew's placing of this final scene in Galilee is due partly to his following hints in Mark 14:28, 16:7, partly to his use of Galilee as the symbol for the Gentile world; but it is probably not historical.

to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them: This is probably the right translation, rather than 'to the mountain where Jesus had appointed them'. But Matthew has not recorded the direction of Jesus to a particular mountain; possibly he means the mountain mentioned at 5:1.

17 they worshipped him: See 28:9.

but some doubted: Presumably some of the eleven disciples. It is not at all clear why Matthew says this, though we may compare the resurrection stories in Luke and John, which in each case contain references to doubt and unbelief (Luke 24:22ff., 16ff , John 20:8ff., 11ff., 24ff.).

18 Cf. what is said of the Son of man in Dan. 7:14, To him was given dominion and glory and kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. Contrast Jesus' limited mission, to Israel only, 15:24. Jesus' saying here fulfils his promise in 26:64, You will see the Son of man seated at the right hand of Power. has been given to me = 'God has given to me'.

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations: Contrast the limited mission of the disciples, to Israel alone, in 10:6. It is improbable that Jesus said this, in view of the hesitation of the first disciples over preaching to Gentiles, as this is recorded in Acts (N.B. Acts 11:1ff and 11:19).

baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: This is the only explicit command of Jesus to baptize. The first disciples baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, and not in the threefold name -e.g. Acts 2:38.

20 teaching them: The work of Jesus was described as teaching, preaching, and healing in 4:23, 9:35; he commanded the disciples to heal in 10:1, 8 and to preach in 10:7; the command to teach has been reserved till the end of the Gospel, perhaps because Matthew regarded the teacher's office as the highest in the Church.

all that I have commanded you: Matthew thinks of Jesus as the second Moses, giving the final laws of God; see, for example, 5:17-48.

I am with you always: Cf 1:23, Emmanuel . . . God with us; 18:20, there am I in the midst of them.

the close of the age is Matthew's characteristic expression for the end; see 13:39f, 49b, 24:3.