16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. 17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.
This passage prepares for the Great Commission (28:16-17). It is the climax of the entire book of Matthew.
28:16
Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee,
Matthew for the first time refers to the disciples as “the eleven.” Eleven is the number because Judas committed suicide (27:5). These disciples left Jerusalem to go to Galilee. Galilee is where Jesus’ ministry began. The timing may have been a couple weeks after the resurrection. The journey from Jerusalem to Galilee to the north would have taken about a week.
to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them.
Jesus’ choice of the mountain as the location for their meeting underlines the importance of the event about to take place, for it was where Jesus first appointed them to ministry. It was the place where Jesus first appointed them to ministry. They were at the location where the Lord told them to be. They would receive personally the Great Commission because of this.
28:17
When they saw Him, they worshiped Him;
Like the women at the tomb, the disciples worshiped Jesus. The word “worship” means to prostrate. Their entire focus was on the Lord. The core of worship is concentration on the person and work of the Savior. They worshiped because Jesus verified Himself to them.
Philippians 1:21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Philippians 3:10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,
but some doubted.
The multitude had to assimilate a lot of information in a short time. It is natural that some would hesitate to believe what they saw. They were in a state of uncertainty. This statement makes the general text more credible.
The “some” here are not the eleven but other believers on the mountain. Jesus met first with the eleven then later with a larger group referred to here. This occasion on the mountain may have been the location where 500 people saw the resurrected Jesus at one time.
1 Corinthians 15:6 After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep.
PRINCIPLE:
Worship is at the heart of mission.
APPLICATION:
God’s central purpose for our lives is for us to glorify God. When we adequately worship, mission will flow from a heart of appreciation for who and what God is.
Few Christians think seriously about their mission in life. That is why it is important to have occasional special meetings to remind us of our mission. God calls each of us to be a means of that mission.
Many churches today occupy themselves with trivialities. A good check is to evaluate the lifestyle and evangelism of our churches. Where we spend money on the church reveals the true priorities of our church.
