Church and Mission

For the past few months in Sunday morning Bible study, we have examined the five passages that cumulatively flesh out the Dominical Mission for the Church (Matt. 28:16-20; Mark 16:14-20; Luke 24:44-53; John 20:19-31; Acts 1:6-8).

While each of these is distinctive in setting forth the mission of the Church, and each is uniquely suited to its particular writing context, they also share elements of mission. Here are a few of the most important elements:

Authority (of Jesus)
Holy Spirit
Faith/Believe
Scriptures/Testimony
Baptism
Extent (“end(s) of the earth”)

The study has helped clarify for many the framework for understanding Church, Mission, and the New Testament. One particular element of this study has intrigued me, namely Acts 1:6 in relationship to these topics, and specifically the Extent (“end of the earth”).


Acts 1:6 οἱ μὲν οὖν συνελθόντες ἠρώτων αὐτὸν λέγοντες κύριε εἰ ἐν τῷ χρόνῳ τούτῳ ἀποκαθιστάνεις τὴν βασιλείαν τῷ Ἰσραήλ

Acts 1:6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” ESV

Coming from an amillennial perspective, I have found few, if any, theologians in this school who have adequately addressed this verse. That is, concern about the accepting a bifurcation of Israel/Church that is symptomatic of premillennial theology causes many to either ignore or gloss over this verse and “get to the real meat in 1:8”. But what is the proper way to address this verse, in the context of Acts, Luke-Acts, or even broader, the New Testament? An insightful work by David Pao provides the basis for a solution.