The Study of the Existence and Fulfillment of the Great Commission in the Old Testament from the Perspective of the History of Redemption: A Study of Gen. 18:19 and ‘Shema’ from the Viewpoint of Christian Education

The writer proposes to have uncovered the forgotten ‘Great Commission’ of the Old Testament, which is found in the OT ‘Shema,’ which calls followers to teach their children and make them disciples (Gen. 18:19; Deut. 6:4-9) for the next generation. This contrasts the Great Commission of the NT, which calls followers to go to all the nations to teach them and make them His disciples (Mt. 28:19-20a). If the OT Great Commission of Shema relates to parental ministry of in nurturing children at home, the NT Great Commission relates to the pastoral ministry for church members who have been evangelized through the Church. Moreover, the OT Great Commission prepared for the first coming of Jesus ‘vertically’ by conveying the Word of God on generation after generation, while the NT Great Commission spreads the Gospel of Jesus ‘horizontally’ to all nations. Just as the OT and the NT complement each other, so do the two Great Commissions in both Testaments - the family ministry and the church ministry - complete each other, thus fulfilling God’s plan of redemption. Therefore, in the NT era, both Great Commissions should be obeyed in balance and harmony to make children disciples of Jesus at home, save more Christians in the world, and prepare for the second coming of Jesus Christ.