"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Matthew 28:19-20).
Anyone who has been around church for any period of time has heard this verse quoted and discussed often. It's a pivotal verse that connects the teaching of Jesus with the evangelistic actions of the first century disciples in the book of Acts and in the epistles as well.
A key to properly understanding this verse is the word "obey." Whereas the Greek word tereo is translated as "obey" in other places also (1 John 2:3,5; 3:22), it is actually the normal word for "keep." It's the same root word used in Ephesians 4:3
