The "Great Commission," which Jesus gave to his disciples according to Matthew 28:19-20, is seen in Christianity as the origin of the mission and the practice of baptism in the church. This text has undergone a great deal of intensive exegesis. In the last 300 years in particular, it was the basis for the missionary work done by many Western churches in all parts of the world, and apart from its significance for the motivation and validation of religious mission, this text was also used as a means of strengthening colonial ideas and interests in developing countries. This volume deals with aspects of the early Christian mission. The articles, which were presented originally at a symposium which took place from 30 September to 1 October 2014, cover problem areas in New Testament exegesis (Gospels, Acts, Paul and Deutero-Pauline letters) as well as in church history (referring to traditions of mission in Africa and Asia), and together they provide an introduction into possible interpretations and perspectives that emerge when reading selected literature attentively.

Born 1960; BA Milligan College; MDiv and PhD Princeton Theological Seminary; since 2012 Chair of New Testament Studies (with Emphasis on Ancient Judaism) at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Germany.