Last week I shared my second discipling insight: We – the
people of God – are commanded by our Lord to disciple others. Today we take a look
at who those “others” are.
The standard translation of Matt 28:19 is “disciple all
nations.” But what does that mean?
The word translated “nations” is εθνη (ethnē). It’s a plural noun that can be translated nations, multitudes, people, etc. Specifically in Jesus’
context, it referred to non-Jews (for lots of detail, see https://www.missionfrontiers.org/issue/article/the-meaning-of-ethne-in-matthew-2819).
We get our English word “ethnic” from ethnē. And so I (not a Greek scholar!) like to translate it,
“disciple all the peoples (or ethnicities) of the world.”
You see, the modern concept of nation-state (like Germany or
China or the United States) didn’t exist in the first century. And so there’s
no way that Jesus meant “all nations” in the sense that you and I understand
“nations.” There was no Italy, or Thailand, or Canada, or Mexico; not in
the sense that we know! So I’m convinced that what Jesus meant was:
“Disciple all the peoples of the world!”
Every tribe and tongue and culture and family and ethnic
group.
Every one of ‘em!
Period.
The command to reach all peoples, from the particularity of the Israelites/Abraham's race to what was the original plan, universality the human race, all peoples.
ReplyDeleteI could continue Dan's theme above and say that this idea goes back to the book of Genesis, but is evident even before Abraham. Genesis 1:26 tells us that God created Adam, which is the Hebrew word for humankind, "In our image, according to our likeness" (NRSV). Certainly the concept of humankind would include all nations (ethnic groups), so it is not even a stretch of the imagination for us to understand that Jesus's command was and is for us to make disciples of all nations (ethnic groups). All were created by God, and the gospel applies to all.
ReplyDeleteI believe you are exactly with the original meaning. Abraham was blessed to be a blessing to the world. Jesus tells us as we go disciplining to do so to the world.
ReplyDeleteI think that's right on. I've come to appreciate the term "people-groups" in recent years. The Joshua Project has some neat analysis of the different people groups across the world. http://joshuaproject.net/
ReplyDeleteReaching the nations is something that I'm newly interested in and newly interested in figuring out how to do well. I appreciate that the calling is for all Nations- the chosen people and "everyone else"
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