»Make Disciples of All Nations«

The »Great Commission,« which Jesus gave to his disciples according to Matthew 28:19–20, is seen in Christianity as the origin of the mission and the practice of baptism in the church. This text has undergone a great deal of intensive exegesis. In the last 300 years in particular, it was the basis for the missionary work done by many Western churches in all parts of the world, and apart from its significance for the motivation and validation of religious mission, this text was also used as a means of strengthening colonial ideas and interests in developing countries. This volume deals with aspects of the early Christian mission. The articles, which were presented originally at a symposium which took place from 30 September to 1 October 2014, cover problem areas in New Testament exegesis (Gospels, Acts, Paul and Deutero-Pauline letters) as well as in church history (referring to traditions of mission in Africa and Asia), and together they provide an introduction into possible interpretations and perspectives that emerge when reading selected literature attentively.Beth Langstaff/Loren T. Stuckenbruck/Michael Tilly: Foreword – Loren T. Stuckenbruck: The »Children of the Earth« and »Peoples« in Jewish Apocalyptic Expectation: A Conversation with the Gospel of Matthew – Günter Stemberger: Schüler und Jünger im rabbinischen Judentum – Desta Heliso: A Nation and the Nations: An Understanding of Mission and Authority in Matthew 28:18–20 in the Light of Ethiopian Christian Traditions – Rainer Riesner: Die Mission des Paulus: Territorialität, Universalität und Heilsgeschichte – Hans-Joachim Eckstein: Die glaubenweckende Bezeugung des Evangeliums nach Paulus: ΤΟ ΕΥΑΓΓΕΛΙΟΝ ΕΥΑΓΓΕΛΙΖΕΣΘΑΙ – Korinna Zamfir: Eusebeia, Sōtēria and Civic Loyalty in the Pastoral Epistles – Peter F. Penner: Missionale Hermeneutik als Praxisgrundlage frühchristlicher Jüngerschaft (Lukas 24,44–49) – Gert Steyn: ΚΥΡΙΟΣ ΙΗΣΟΥΣ as Mantra for Miracles (Acts 19:11–20) – Hermann Lichtenberger: Das Spottkruzifix vom Palatin und die Inattraktivität des Christentums in der hellenistisch-römischen Welt – Li Tang: Monastic Movement as a Driving Force in Syriac Christian Missions along the Ancient Silk Road