Is the gospel of the kingdom that John the Baptist, Jesus Christ and the twelve apostles preached exclusively to Israel during the first coming exactly the same message as what is preached as part of the great commission? When John the Baptist burst onto the scene in the wilderness of Judea, he began saying, ‘Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand’ (Mt 3:2; NKJV). Christ’s mission began as follows: ‘From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”’ (Mt 4:17). During his first coming, the Messiah preached the gospel of the kingdom only to Israel, for as He said, ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel’ (Mt 15:24). Jesus sent the twelve apostles not to the Gentiles or to the Samaritans, but only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, preaching, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near’ (Mt 10:5-7).
If not already hinted at in Matthew 9:34, then Matthew 11 clearly shows that the majority of Israelites living at that time did not accept the Messiahship of Jesus. Jesus was rejected—even cities refused to repent despite the miracles performed in them (cf. Mt 11:11-24). When the religious leaders of Israel committed the unpardonable sin, the die was cast and the offer of the kingdom to Israel was withdrawn until such time as a future generation of Jews will bring forth the fruits of repentance (Mt 12:22-32; 21:43). In this context, Jesus told the parables of Matthew 13, revealing mysteries of the kingdom of heaven to his disciples (cf. Mt 13:11). Given Israel’s rejection of the King and his kingdom, what will happen between the Messiah’s first and second coming?
If the Jews had accepted their Messiah, Christ would still have died on the cross and experienced resurrection and ascension in fulfilment of many Old Testament prophecies. The Gospel of Matthew indicates how the cross came to the forefront: ‘From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day’ (Mt 16:21). This is the content of the gospel preached today (cf. 1 Cor 15:1-4). In the same Matthean context, Jesus spoke of a future time when He will build his Church (Mt 16:18). After His resurrection, Jesus commanded his disciples with these words: “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 of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Mt 28:18-20).
The great commission is a universal mission (not to Israel only). It started in Jerusalem, and then moved to Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth (cf. Acts 1:8). In Matthew 10 the twelve apostles were sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, but in Acts 2 the twelve serve as apostles of (and to) the Church. It appears the great commission was given to the Church, not to Israel.
If the gospel of the great commission focuses on Christ’s death, burial and resurrection (cf. Mt 16:21; 1 Cor 15:1−4), who will in future preach the gospel of the kingdom and when will it occur? Because it is required that a Jewish generation call on the Son of David to return and establish the kingdom (Mt 23:39; cf. Hos 5:15-6:3), it is submitted that during the seven-year Tribulation Period the gospel of the kingdom must be preached by Jewish messengers authorised to do so by the King of the Jews (cf. Mt 10; Rev 7:1-9).
There are two commissions. The first commission started during Christ’s first coming when gospel of the kingdom was preached. The establishment of that kingdom was postponed when that generation in Israel rejected the Messiah King. Since Acts 2, the Church must obey the great commission, making disciples of all the nations (Mt 28:18-20). But the first commission will be resumed during the seven-year Tribulation Period, the time immediately preceding the coming of the King in glory. At that time, the gospel of the kingdom will again be preached, not only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, but to all the nations (cf. Mt 24:14).
Relevant sources:
Fazio, J.I., 2015, Two commissions: Two missionary mandates in Matthew’s Gospel, Southern California Seminary Press, El Cajon.
Scholtz, J.J., 2014, ‘The kingdom of heaven and Matthew 10’, In die Skriflig 48(1), Art. #1782, 8 pages. http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/ids.v48i1.1782
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