And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
that.
Daniel 9:24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
Matthew 3:2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Matthew 9:13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
among.
Genesis 12:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
Psalm 22:27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.
Psalm 67:2-4,7 That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations…
beginning.
Luke 13:34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!
Isaiah 5:4 What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?
Hosea 11:8 How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together.
repentance and forgiveness of sins
Repentance involves a sincere turning away from sin and turning towards God. It is a central theme in the teachings of both John the Baptist (Matthew 3:2) and Jesus (Mark 1:15). Forgiveness of sins is a core aspect of the New Covenant, promised in Jeremiah 31:34, where God declares He will forgive iniquity and remember sin no more. This dual message of repentance and forgiveness is foundational to the Gospel, highlighting the need for a change of heart and the gracious provision of God's mercy through Christ's atoning sacrifice.
will be proclaimed
The proclamation of this message is a divine mandate, echoing the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20). The use of "will be" indicates a future certainty, underscoring the unstoppable spread of the Gospel. This proclamation is not just a suggestion but a command, reflecting the urgency and importance of sharing the message of salvation with the world.
to all nations
The inclusion of "all nations" signifies the universal scope of the Gospel. This fulfills the Abrahamic promise that all nations would be blessed through his seed (Genesis 12:3). It also reflects the breaking down of ethnic and cultural barriers, as seen in the early church's mission to the Gentiles (Acts 10:34-35). The global mission is a testament to God's love for all humanity and His desire for all to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).
beginning in Jerusalem
Jerusalem holds significant historical and theological importance as the city where Jesus was crucified and resurrected. It is the birthplace of the church, where the Holy Spirit descended at Pentecost (Acts 2). The choice of Jerusalem as the starting point fulfills the prophecy in Isaiah 2:3, where the word of the Lord is said to go forth from Jerusalem. This starting point also underscores the continuity of God's redemptive plan, beginning with the Jews and extending to the Gentiles (Romans 1:16).
Jesus places His own name at the center of the gospel message.
• Acts 4:12 affirms, “Salvation exists in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”
• John 14:13 shows the authority He grants: “Whatever you ask in My name, I will do it.”
• Philippians 2:9-11 declares that every knee will bow at His name.
Because the name of Jesus embodies His person, work, and authority, proclamation must point people directly to Him—not to a system, a ritual, or human merit.
Repentance is a change of mind and direction toward God.
• When Peter preaches at Pentecost he echoes Luke 24:47: “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins” (Acts 2:38).
• Paul later insists that “God commands all people everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30).
• Second Peter 3:9 reminds us that the Lord is patient, “not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.”
True repentance involves turning from sin and self-rule to trust and obey Christ.
Repentance is inseparably linked to divine pardon.
• Ephesians 1:7 declares, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses.”
• Acts 10:43 promises, “Everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.”
• First John 1:9 reassures believers that, when confessed, sins are forgiven and cleansed.
God does not merely overlook sin; He removes it on the basis of Christ’s finished work.
The message is to be actively announced, not passively assumed.
• Romans 10:14-15 asks how people can believe unless someone “preaches.”
• Matthew 28:19-20 commands, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.”
• Acts 1:8 promises power from the Holy Spirit so that believers “will be My witnesses.”
Proclamation is the appointed means by which God spreads the saving truth of Christ.
The scope of the gospel is global.
• Genesis 12:3 forecast that all nations would be blessed through Abraham’s seed—fulfilled in Christ.
• Romans 1:16 says the gospel “is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, then to the Greek.”
• Revelation 7:9 pictures a countless multitude “from every nation and tribe and people and tongue” around the throne.
No ethnic, cultural, or geographic barrier limits the reach of Christ’s salvation.
God chose a specific historical starting point.
• Acts 1:8 sets the pattern: Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, to the ends of the earth.
• Pentecost (Acts 2) demonstrates the plan in action as the Spirit empowers the first gospel sermon in Jerusalem.
• Isaiah 2:3 predicted that the word of the Lord would go out from Jerusalem.
Beginning where Jesus was crucified and raised highlights continuity with Old Testament prophecy and underscores the reality of the resurrection witnessed there.
Luke 24:47 unfolds the heart of the Great Commission. Salvation rests solely on the name of Jesus; genuine response requires repentance that leads to forgiveness; this message must be boldly proclaimed, crossing every border and culture, yet it launched from Jerusalem exactly as foretold. God’s plan moves from a precise moment in history to a worldwide mission, ensuring that every person has the opportunity to hear, repent, and receive the forgiveness Christ secured.
(47) And that repentance and remission of sins . . .--Here also we have a point of contact with St. John's narrative. Though St. Luke did not know the special form in which the commission had been given, he had, at least, learnt that forgiveness of sins had occupied a prominent place in what had been said on that evening, and that that forgiveness was not limited to the children of Abraham.Beginning at Jerusalem.--There is a manifest break and condensation of the narrative at this point. St. Luke has no personal reminiscences. The second appearance, when Thomas was present, those on the mountain or by the lake in Galilee, are unrecorded by him, and were probably not known. He has before him the plan of his second book, and he is content to end his first with what will serve as a link leading on to it. Assuming his chief informants to have been, not the disciples, but the company of devout women, we have a natural explanation of this comparative vagueness. In Acts 1:8, words that closely resemble these are placed at the end of the forty days, which are there distinctly recognised.
Verse 47. - And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his Name among all nations. This is more definitely expressed in Matthew 28:19 and Mark 16:15, where the universality of his message, here summarized, is found in the form of a definite command. Beginning at Jerusalem. St. Luke enlarges the thought contained in these words in his Acts (Acts 1:8). Psalm 110:2, contains the prophecy that from Zion should first proceed the proclamation.