19 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,
Go therefore
By the “therefore” here, Jesus connects His authority to the Great Commission. Jesus’ authority enables the disciples to execute the commission.
The word “go” is in the emphatic position of the three functions to (1) go, (2) baptize, and (3) teach. The idea is to be active, not inert. The thrust is to cross any boundary to spread the gospel, geographical or otherwise.
The Greek indicates that “go” means “when you have gone” (aorist participle). Jesus assumes that believers will go to those without Christ.
PRINCIPLE:
The Great Commission is not the Great Option.
APPLICATION:
Christians are not to wait for non-believers to come to them. We are to take the initiative to go to them. This is no option; the Great Commission is a great commandment.
Could you comment on the passive voice connected with “when you have gone”.
Could it indicative God’s sovereign activity in the steps we take?
Steve, the word “go” is aorist passive participle. The reason “go” is in the passive voice is that it is a deponent verb. in other words “go” is passive in form because there exists no active form for a particular principle part in Hellenistic Greek, but whose meaning is active (i.e., there is no passive force to the verb’s meaning).