Spread the Word

As followers of Christ, disciples are expected to deliberately be fruitful. That is, as disciples hear the word and respond obediently to it, the outcome is that they spread the word, reproducing the same in others, yielding much fruit – more disciples (John 15:5 – 8). Why “spread” instead of “share”? To spread the word suggests expansion, increase, enlargement, advancement, and so on; whereas, to share the word suggests division, fraction, ration, parcel, proportion, and so on. Thus, it can be conjectured then that Jesus wants believers to spread the Word as opposed to sharing it. Spreading the word allows all of it to be given fully to all. The scope of spreading the Word of God is the fulfillment of Acts 1:8 and Matthew 28:19. Believers are admonished to carry the message of the Good News of Jesus Christ (Mark 1:16) to the ends the earth (John 15:7 – 8; Luke 8:15).