The phrase “teaching them to observe" is an expansion of the earlier “teach all nations," rather than a point about further teaching after baptism.
The simple form of the Commission is Mark 16:15:
And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature
The Matthew version can also read like this:
Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all nations… teaching them to observe…
Who does the going, the teaching, and the making disciples? The disciples. And what happens then? These become disciples themselves. And they then join the process. So it doesn’t seem to me that we should apply the “teaching them” to some period after but as a process of making them disciples.
Hebrews indicates that those reading should by then have already been teachers.
“12For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.13For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.14But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” Hebrews 5:12-14
Then the readers are urged to move on from the basics.
“1Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,2Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.” Hebrews 6:1, 2
This forms another part of how I view that progression from student to teacher. When we move past the basics including baptism we are moving into the call to be the teachers of the next generation of believers.
Now some thoughts from the SOP.
“In the commission to His disciples, Christ not only outlined their work, but gave them their message. Teach the people, He said, “to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.” DA 826:1
Here, the second reference to teaching is an expansion of the commission to teach - it is an explanation of the message that the disciples are to teach, resulting in the ingathering of souls in baptism.
“The Saviour’s commission to the disciples included all the believers. It includes all believers in Christ to the end of time.” DA 822:2
The commission is not referring to some believers teaching other believers, but to all believers reaching out to unbelievers.
“It is to be given to Israel first, and then to all nations, tongues, and peoples. It is to be given to Jews and Gentiles. All who believe are to be gathered into one church.” DA 821:1
The commission results in all being gathered into one church - including from the ranks of the Jews, who have some form of belief in the truth but are not joined to the church of Christ.
The Lord calls for decided efforts to be put forth in places where the people know nothing of the truth. Singing and prayer and Bible readings are needed in the homes of the people. Now, just now, is the time to obey the commission, ‘Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you’ (Matthew 28:20).” UL 58:2
The commission to teach those who know nothing of the truth is what is referred to in “teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.”
“God forbid that our churches and institutions shall be content to leave untouched the fields that are still unworked. The Saviour is saying to us, ‘All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.’ ‘Teaching them,’—not merely preaching a discourse now and then, but teaching them how to find the way to heaven*.*
“In every age, but never so much as now, this has been the work of the church. Dare any one of us to withhold a jot of the influence that should be exerted for the recovery of the souls that are out of Christ?” RH December 30, 1902, par. 9
Another statement where the association is made clearly without separating the latter reference to teaching from the first reference.
“The commission has been given to us. Upon us is laid a sacred charge. Go then, Christ says to them. Make disciples of all nations, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded, and baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” 6MR 28:2
This statement reorders the wording to place the teaching to observe all things before baptism.
All of this is in relation to a minor point made in the articles on vegetarianism as a test, but should be analysed on its own merits and is a separate discussion to the other points. 
I’ve done some further research into this verse, and here’s what I found. In Matthew 28:19–20, Jesus gives one main command and surrounds it with two participles:
Main verb (imperative):
- mathēteúsate — “Make disciples”
Participles:
-
baptízontes — “baptizing”
-
didáskontēs — “teaching”
In English, it can look like these actions happen in a strict sequence:
-
Make disciples
-
Baptize
-
Teach
But Greek grammar does not necessarily imply a timeline here. The main command is: “Make disciples”. Everything else describes how disciple-making is carried out. The participles (baptizing and teaching) explain the process.
So the command could be paraphrased:
“Go make disciples — and do that by baptizing them and by teaching them.”
This does not automatically mean Jesus is giving a chronological order (first baptize, then teach). Could there still be an implied sequence? Yes, but only loosely - and not enough to make dogmatic claims. Even if someone insisted on a sequence, the Greek would suggest something like:
When someone becomes a disciple, they would naturally receive some teaching before baptism. And then ongoing teaching after baptism (“teaching them to observe” implies continued learning and practice).
So:
- The text does not prove all teaching happens after baptism.
- The text also does not spell out how much teaching happens before baptism.
- It presents baptizing and teaching as interrelated parts of the same mission - making disciples.
The thought expressed in my article is:
“In the commission to the church, Christ showed that some teaching would be necessary prior to conversion and baptism, and some after”
I believe this is in harmony with the intent of Jesus’ words?
The commission is not referring to some believers teaching other believers, but to all believers reaching out to unbelievers.
If disciple-making is meant to follow the pattern Jesus used with His own disciples, wouldn’t that naturally include ongoing instruction? And if Jesus taught His disciples progressively throughout His ministry, why wouldn’t believers today also teach new disciples further truths as they grow and be fulfilling the same great commission?
The commission to teach those who know nothing of the truth is what is referred to in “teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.”
That is true, but that SOP statement should not be understood as excluding the teaching of people (whether inside or outside the fold) who know some truth right?
The SOP statements you quoted appear to be in full harmony with the understanding of the commission I’ve mentioned in my Biblical response to your earlier comment.
Thanks for those thoughts.
Of course instruction, encouragement and exhortation would continue instead of ceasing altogether after baptism.
But I was observing what I think is the main intent of what Jesus said.
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