“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.”
My Notes
What Does Matthew 28:18 Mean?
The risen Jesus makes the most sweeping authority claim in the Bible: all power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Not some power. Not regional authority. All power — in every domain, visible and invisible.
The word "power" (exousia) means authority — the right to rule, to command, to direct. Jesus does not just have strength. He has authority — legitimate, total, recognized dominion over everything.
"In heaven and in earth" covers every conceivable realm. There is no space where Jesus' authority does not reach. No spiritual realm, no physical place, no hidden corner is outside his jurisdiction.
This verse is the foundation for the Great Commission that follows (v.19-20). The command to go and make disciples is backed by the most comprehensive authority statement imaginable. You are not sent in your own power. You go under the authority of someone who owns everything.
Reflection Questions
- 1.How does Jesus' claim to 'all power' change how you approach your biggest challenge today?
- 2.What area of your life feels outside of God's authority right now?
- 3.How does this authority statement make the Great Commission (go and make disciples) more possible?
- 4.What would change if you truly believed no realm is outside Jesus' jurisdiction?
Devotional
All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Jesus says this after rising from the dead — the ultimate proof that his claim is not empty. Death could not hold him. And now he holds everything.
In heaven and in earth. There is no place his authority does not reach. The spiritual realm? His. The physical world? His. The powers and systems that seem to run things? Under his authority. The chaos that feels ungoverned? Governed by him.
This is the sentence that backs every act of faith you will ever take. When you pray, you are speaking to the one who holds all power. When you obey, you are following the one whose authority cannot be overruled. When you step out in faith, you step under the umbrella of total sovereignty.
Whatever you face today — whatever feels bigger than you, stronger than you, more powerful than your capacity to handle — it is under the authority of someone who holds all power. All of it. In heaven and in earth.
You do not need more power. You need to remember whose power you are operating under.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
And Jesus came and spake unto them,.... To the eleven disciples and apostles; for though there might be so large a…
All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth - The “Son of God,” as “Creator,” had an original right to all things,…
The Last Charge to the Apostles
18. came Rather, came up to them, near to them.
power Rather, authority.
is given…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture