Despite the efforts of esteemed Greek grammarians (Huffman 2012, Moulton 1908, Mounce 1993, Nuun 1920, Robertson 1934, Wallace 1996, Young 1994), and like a recurring nightmare, the phrase πορευθέντες οὖν μαθητεύσατε in Matthew 28:19 continues to be misinterpreted as “Therefore, as you go, make disciples.” This misinterpretation, which has significant ramifications on global evangelism, is widespread—in websites (Lassiter 2020), sermons (Elseroad 2020), commencement speeches (Grace 2023), keynote addresses (Kwiyani 2024), books (Brooks 2018), commentaries (Keener 1999), and even in the title of a book (Reid 2013). The exegetes who confront this error experience a fate similar to Cassandra’s in Greek mythology. When exegetes explain the attendant circumstance participle, people’s eyes glaze over, or they glibly cite an erroneous book. What is urgently needed is a researched, robust, readily available, and simple argument that in Matthew 28:19, go means go.
This paper delves into the practice of translating a Greek participle as a finite verb in the Greek grammars (mentioned above). While these grammars provide a solid foundation for the argument, they can be overly technical for the desired straightforwardness. Therefore, the paper focuses on the grammatical construction in Matthew 28:19, Anarthrous Aorist Participle Aorist Imperative (AAPAI). This focus streamlines the argument, avoiding a broad discussion of all cases of the attendant circumstance participle.
The paper traces the use of AAPAI throughout the Septuagint. More than 90 percent of the time, AAPAI in the Septuagint represents two finite, volitional Hebrew verbs (imperatives). The translators of the Septuagint used the AAPAI construction to convey two back-to-back imperatives. This work in the Septuagint contributes to the foundation that go means go, but it still lacks the desired simplicity.
Lastly, this paper examines AAPAI and double imperatives (DI) in the Synoptic Gospels. In four places, one author uses AAPAI. In contrast, a different author uses DI for the parallel phrase: Matt 8:4 (DI)—Mark 1:44 (DI)—Luke 5:14 (AAPAI), Matt 9:6 (AAPAI)—Mark 2:11 (DI), Matt 21:2 (AAPAI)—Mark 11:2 (DI)—Luke 19:30 (AAPAI), and Matthew 28:7 (AAPAI)—Mark 16:7 (DI). This Synoptic use demonstrates that the authors used AAPAI as a DI. The paper will address how the Synoptic problem impacts the argument.
The use of AAPAI as DI by the Synoptic authors presents a straightforward argument for Matthew 28:19. Even for those with a basic understanding of Greek, it is an easy process to use Bible software—even with a phone—to demonstrate the AAPAI construction and the DI in the parallel passage in the four examples above. If the Synoptic writers, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, used AAPAI in these four cases to convey DI, then AAPAI in Matthew 28:19 conveys the DI: Go! Make disciples! This approach offers a robust and simple argument that is readily accessible.