Mar 16:15, Col 1:23, 1Pe 2:13 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 15. Into all the world . To the Gentiles as well as the Jews. This was contrary to the opinions of the Jews, that the Gentiles should be admitted to the privileges of the Messiah's kingdom, or that the partition wall between them should be broken down. See . It was long before the disciples could be trained to the belief that the gospel was to be preached to all men; and it was only by special revelation, even after this command, that Peter preached to the Gentile centurion, . Jesus has graciously ordered that the preaching of the gospel shall be stopped by no barriers. Wherever there is man, there it is to be proclaimed. To every sinner he offers life; and all the world is included in the message of mercy, and every child of Adam offered eternal salvation. Preach. Proclaim: make known: offer. To do this to every creature, is to offer pardon and eternal life to him on the terms of the plan of mercy--through repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus. The Gospel . The good news. The tidings of salvation. The assurance that the Messiah is come, and that sin may be forgiven, and the soul saved. To every creature . To the whole creation. That is, to every human being. Man has no right to limit this offer to any class of men. God commands his servants to offer the salvation to all men. If they reject it, it is at their peril. God is not to blame if they do not choose to be saved. His mercy is manifest; his grace is boundless in offering life to a creature so guilty as man. (b) "creature"

Mark 16:15

Verse 15. Into all the world. To the Gentiles as well as the Jews. This was contrary to the opinions of the Jews, that the Gentiles should be admitted to the privileges of the Messiah's kingdom, or that the partition wall between them should be broken down. See Acts 22:21,22. It was long before the disciples could be trained to the belief that the gospel was to be preached to all men; and it was only by special revelation, even after this command, that Peter preached to the Gentile centurion, Acts 10:1. Jesus has graciously ordered that the preaching of the gospel shall be stopped by no barriers. Wherever there is man, there it is to be proclaimed. To every sinner he offers life; and all the world is included in the message of mercy, and every child of Adam offered eternal salvation.

Preach. Proclaim: make known: offer. To do this to every creature, is to offer pardon and eternal life to him on the terms of the plan of mercy--through repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus.

The Gospel. The good news. The tidings of salvation. The assurance that the Messiah is come, and that sin may be forgiven, and the soul saved.

To every creature. To the whole creation. That is, to every human being. Man has no right to limit this offer to any class of men. God commands his servants to offer the salvation to all men. If they reject it, it is at their peril. God is not to blame if they do not choose to be saved. His mercy is manifest; his grace is boundless in offering life to a creature so guilty as man.

(b) "creature" Rom 10:18, Col 1:23

Colossians 1:23

Verse 23. If ye continue in the faith. In the belief of the gospel, and in holy living. If this were done, they would be presented unblamable before God; if not, they would not be. The meaning is, that it will be impossible to be saved unless we continue to lead lives becoming the gospel.

Grounded. On a firm foundation. Eph 3:17, where the same word occurs.

And settled. Gr., firm; as a building is that is founded on a rock. Mt 7:25.

And be not moved away from the hope of the Gospel. By the arts of philosophy, and the allurements of sin.

Which was preached to every creature which is under heaven. It cannot be supposed that it was literally true that every creature under heaven had actually heard the gospel. But this may mean,

(1.) that it was designed to be preached to every creature, or that the commission to make it known embraced every one, and that, so far as the provisions of the gospel are concerned, it may be said that it was a system proclaimed to all mankind. See Mk 16:15. If a vast army, or the inhabitants of a distant province, were in rebellion against a government, and a proclamation of pardon were issued, it would not be improper to say that it was made to every one of them, though, as a matter of fact, it might not be true that every one in the remote parts of the army or province had actually heard of it.

(2.) The gospel, in the time of Paul, seems to have been so extensively preached, that it might be said that it was proclaimed to everybody. All known countries appear to have been visited; and so zealous and laborious had been the heralds of salvation, that it might be said that the message had been proclaimed to all the world. Col 1:6. Comp. Mt 24:14.

Whereof I Paul am made a minister. Eph 3:1 and Eph 3:2-7. Paul here pursues the same train of thought which he does in the epistle to the Ephesians, where, having shown the exalted nature of the Redeemer, and the design of the gospel, he adverts to his own labours and sufferings in making it known. The object seems to be, to show that he regarded it as the highest honour to be thus entrusted with the message of mercy to mankind, and considered it as a privilege to suffer in that cause.

1 Peter 2:13

Verse 13. Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man. Gr., "to every creation of man," (ανθρωπινηκτισει.) The meaning is, to every institution or appointment of man; to wit, of those who are in authority, or who are appointed to administer government. The laws, institutes, and appointments of such a government may be spoken of as the creation of man; that is, as what man makes. Of course, what is here said must be understood with the limitation everywhere implied, that what is ordained by those in authority is not contrary to the law of God. Acts 4:19. On the general duty here enjoined of subjection to civil authority, Rom 13:1-7. For the Lord's sake. Because he has required it, and has intrusted this power to civil rulers. Rom 13:6. Comp. Eph 6:7. Whether it be to the king. It has been commonly supposed that there is reference here to the Roman emperor, who might be called king, because in him the supreme power resided. The common title of the Roman sovereign was, as used by the Greek writers, αυτοκρατωρ, and among the Romans themselves, imperator, (emperor;) but the title king was also given to the sovereign. Jn 19:15, "We have no king but Cesar." Acts 17:7, "And these all do contrary to the decrees of Cesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus." Peter undoubtedly had particular reference to the Roman emperors, but he uses a general term, which would be applicable to all in whom the supreme power resided, and the injunction here would require submission to such authority, by whatever name it might be called. The meaning is, that we are to be subject to that authority whether exercised by the sovereign in person, or by those who are appointed by him.

As supreme. Not supreme in the sense of being superior to God, or not being subject to him, but in the sense of being over all subordinate officers.

(a) "yourselves" Mt 22:21, Rom 13:1-7