You make an important point when you interpret the post-resurrection commission in Matthew with the same in the other gospels, which is precisely what Westminster taught (WCF 1:9). Two other brief points might strengthen your observation.
Contextually, “disciple the nations” is qualified by the two partiples that follow, one of which says, “baptizing them (Greek αὐτούς)…”, which can hardly be a reference to a geo-political entity, which could not be baptized.
Also, when the third pledge to Abraham was translated into Greek, and repeated several times to his descendants, “nation” (ἔθνη) and “family/tribe” (φυλή) are used interchangeably, indicating that, though ἔθνη can, in some places be employed to refer to a geopolitical nation, it can also refer to an ethnic identity, and in these passages it can only mean the latter.
Genesis 12:3 … and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed (πᾶσαι αἱ φυλαὶ τῆς γῆς).”
Genesis 18:18 …seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth (πάντα τὰ ἔθνη τῆς γῆς) shall be blessed in him.
Genesis 22:18 and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth (πάντα τὰ ἔθνη τῆς γῆς) shall be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.”
Genesis 26:4 And in your offspring all the nations of the earth (πάντα τὰ ἔθνη τῆς γῆς) shall be blessed.
Genesis 28:14 … and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth (πᾶσαι αἱ φυλαὶ τῆς γῆς) be blessed.
When the NT authors (esp. Paul in Galatians 3) view the blessings pledged to Abraham as now having arrived in Christ, we either make the realities of Mat. 28 something different from the blessedness-in-Christ of Gal. 3, or we assume that both Jesus and Paul were referring to the same thing that was pledged to Abraham, to wit that God would all the peoples of the earth descended from Adam, regardless of their geo-political status.
Well, Matthew Henry would be shocked to learn that his own exegesis of Matthew 28 was Christian Nationalist "spin":
"Christianity should be twisted in with national constitutions, that the kingdoms of the world should become Christ's kingdoms, and their kings the church's nursing-fathers."
The interpretation of "commissions" here is tendentious: Matthew 18 is interpreted in the light of other commissions, against Christian Nationalism, as if Christian Nationalists (among others) could not justly understand those other "commission" in terms of Matthew 28.
One need not be a Christian Nationalist, as I am not (except in the same sense Kevin DeYoung is also) to see this as little more than anti-Christian Nationalism axe-grinding.
Brad,
You make an important point when you interpret the post-resurrection commission in Matthew with the same in the other gospels, which is precisely what Westminster taught (WCF 1:9). Two other brief points might strengthen your observation.
Contextually, “disciple the nations” is qualified by the two partiples that follow, one of which says, “baptizing them (Greek αὐτούς)…”, which can hardly be a reference to a geo-political entity, which could not be baptized.
Also, when the third pledge to Abraham was translated into Greek, and repeated several times to his descendants, “nation” (ἔθνη) and “family/tribe” (φυλή) are used interchangeably, indicating that, though ἔθνη can, in some places be employed to refer to a geopolitical nation, it can also refer to an ethnic identity, and in these passages it can only mean the latter.
Genesis 12:3 … and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed (πᾶσαι αἱ φυλαὶ τῆς γῆς).”
Genesis 18:18 …seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth (πάντα τὰ ἔθνη τῆς γῆς) shall be blessed in him.
Genesis 22:18 and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth (πάντα τὰ ἔθνη τῆς γῆς) shall be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.”
Genesis 26:4 And in your offspring all the nations of the earth (πάντα τὰ ἔθνη τῆς γῆς) shall be blessed.
Genesis 28:14 … and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth (πᾶσαι αἱ φυλαὶ τῆς γῆς) be blessed.
When the NT authors (esp. Paul in Galatians 3) view the blessings pledged to Abraham as now having arrived in Christ, we either make the realities of Mat. 28 something different from the blessedness-in-Christ of Gal. 3, or we assume that both Jesus and Paul were referring to the same thing that was pledged to Abraham, to wit that God would all the peoples of the earth descended from Adam, regardless of their geo-political status.
T. David Gordon
Not being a Greek scholar I attempted no such explanation. Thanks for this.
Well, Matthew Henry would be shocked to learn that his own exegesis of Matthew 28 was Christian Nationalist "spin":
"Christianity should be twisted in with national constitutions, that the kingdoms of the world should become Christ's kingdoms, and their kings the church's nursing-fathers."
The interpretation of "commissions" here is tendentious: Matthew 18 is interpreted in the light of other commissions, against Christian Nationalism, as if Christian Nationalists (among others) could not justly understand those other "commission" in terms of Matthew 28.
One need not be a Christian Nationalist, as I am not (except in the same sense Kevin DeYoung is also) to see this as little more than anti-Christian Nationalism axe-grinding.
Instead of micro-chewing about Christian Nationalism - https://www.garynorth.com/public/22828.cfm - for perspective. Long read, but well worth it!