Journal: Southeastern Theological Review
Volume: STR 09:2 (Fall 2018)
Article: Why The Great Commission Should Be Translated “Go!” And Not “As You Go”
Author: Benjamin L. Merkle

STR 9:2 (Fall 2018) p. 21

Why The Great Commission Should Be Translated “Go!” And Not “As You Go”

Benjamin L. Merkle

Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

There has long been a debate as to whether the participle πορευθέντες in the Great Commission is best translated as an imperative (“go”) or as a temporal adverbial participle (“as you go”). The goal of this essay is to demonstrate that the participle should be understood with an imperatival force by looking at other uses of the same participle in similar constructions in both the Septuagint and the New Testament, especially the Gospel of Matthew. What we discover is that this term is used consistently as an imperative but that stylistically in Greek it was often preferred to use one participle and one imperative instead of two consecutive imperatives. This does not mean, however, that “go” is the main focus of the passage. The main idea of the passage is still “make disciples,” though the imperatival function of πορευθέντες suggests certain implications that will also be explored.

Key Words: adverbial, as you go, attendant circumstance, Great Commission, imperative, make disciples, participle, πορευθέντες, temporal

There is virtually unanimous agreement that the main command of the Great Commission is to “make disciples” (μαθητεύσατε). But how should we understand the participle πορευθέντες? Is it best understood as a temporal participle and translated “as you go” or as a command, “Go!” In other words, are we to understand the verse as stating that our disposition as we go about our daily routine should be to make disciples? Or, is this verse stating imperatively that believers are commanded to leave their homes and go to a foreign land for the express purpose of making disciples? The goal of this essay is to demonstrate that the participle should be understood with an imperatival force by looking at other uses of the same participle in similar constructions in both the Septuagint and the New Testament, especially the Gospel of Matthew. What we discover is that it was common, even preferable (at least with certain verbs), to use a participle imperatively instead of using two consecutive imperatives.

The Evidence For “As You Go”

Some maintain that the aorist participle πορευθέντες should be

STR 9:2 (Fall 2018) p. 22

viewed as a temporal (adverbial) participle and should therefore be translated “as you go.” Grammatically, this is certainly possible and shoul...