THE MANDATE

It is recorded in all four Gospels that after the crucifixion of Christ, and His Resurrection that He appeared to the Disciples with instructions that they were to follow in continuing to carry out the work that He had started.

Chapter 28 of Matthew, verses 18-20 reads “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, all power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.”

Chapter 24 of Luke, verses 36-49 gives greater detail regarding the preparing of His followers for things to come; “And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And he said unto them, why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.

And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of a honeycomb. And he took it, and did eat before them. And he said unto them, these are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, and said unto them, thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.”

The previous passage is lengthy but add needed context to this meeting and dialogue between a Risen Savior the disciples some of whom still had doubt.

In the book of John, chapter 20 we see that the disciples are assembled in a locked room when Jesus appeared to them apparently by walking through the wall. Interestingly, He showed them, too, the scars on His hands. “Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, receive ye the Holy Ghost: Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained” (vs. 21-23). Basically, to remit is to forgive and to retain is to not forgive. It appears that He provided this group a precursor of that which was to come in the way of the Holy Ghost.

Further instructions were given to them in Acts chapter 1, verses 6-8 where they were told to wait in Jerusalem where He said “ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

In the book of Mark, chapter 16 and verses 17 and 18 it is recorded that the Lord said this to the Disciples: “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.”

“They shall speak with new Tongues.”