A surgical instrument that includes: an elongate shaft assembly having a proximal firing shaft portion, a proximal rotation shaft portion, and an articulation shaft portion, a drive system that is configured to generate and apply a plurality of rotary control motions to the elongate shaft assembly, and an articulation joint comprising: a proximal joint portion coupled to the elongate shaft assembly; a distal joint portion movably coupled to the proximal joint portion and configured to interface with a surgical end effector; a distal firing shaft portion; a first gear train operably interfacing with the proximal firing shaft portion of the elongate shaft assembly and the distal firing shaft portion operably interfacing with the surgical end effector for transmitting a rotary firing motion from the proximal firing shaft portion to the surgical end effector while facilitating articulation of the distal joint portion relative to the proximal joint portion; and a second gear train operably interfacing with the proximal rotation shaft portion of the elongate shaft assembly for transmitting a distal rotational control motion to the surgical end effector to cause the surgical end effector to rotate relative to the elongate shaft assembly while facilitating articulation of the distal joint portion relative to the proximal joint portion; wherein the distal joint portion is configured to interface with the articulation shaft portion of the elongate shaft assembly and configured to pivot relative to the proximal joint portion upon application of rotary articulation motions to the articulation shaft portion of the elongate shaft assembly and the articulation joint being characterized in that it comprises an articulation drive link threadably engaging the articulation shaft portion and operably coupled to the distal joint portion, the articulation drive link interfacing with the articulation shaft portion and being constrained to move axially relative to the articulation joint in response to the application of the rotary articulation motions to the articulation shaft portion. an elongate shaft assembly having a proximal firing shaft portion, a proximal rotation shaft portion, and an articulation shaft portion, a drive system that is configured to generate and apply a plurality of rotary control motions to the elongate shaft assembly, and an articulation joint comprising: a proximal joint portion coupled to the elongate shaft assembly; a distal joint portion movably coupled to the proximal joint portion and configured to interface with a surgical end effector; a distal firing shaft portion; a first gear train operably interfacing with the proximal firing shaft portion of the elongate shaft assembly and the distal firing shaft portion operably interfacing with the surgical end effector for transmitting a rotary firing motion from the proximal firing shaft portion to the surgical end effector while facilitating articulation of the distal joint portion relative to the proximal joint portion; and a second gear train operably interfacing with the proximal rotation shaft portion of the elongate shaft assembly for transmitting a distal rotational control motion to the surgical end effector to cause the surgical end effector to rotate relative to the elongate shaft assembly while facilitating articulation of the distal joint portion relative to the proximal joint portion; a proximal joint portion coupled to the elongate shaft assembly; a distal joint portion movably coupled to the proximal joint portion and configured to interface with a surgical end effector; a distal firing shaft portion; a first gear train operably interfacing with the proximal firing shaft portion of the elongate shaft assembly and the distal firing shaft portion operably interfacing with the surgical end effector for transmitting a rotary firing motion from the proximal firing shaft portion to the surgical end effector while facilitating articulation of the distal joint portion relative to the proximal joint portion; and a second gear train operably interfacing with the proximal rotation shaft portion of the elongate shaft assembly for transmitting a distal rotational control motion to the surgical end effector to cause the surgical end effector to rotate relative to the elongate shaft assembly while facilitating articulation of the distal joint portion relative to the proximal joint portion; wherein the distal joint portion is configured to interface with the articulation shaft portion of the elongate shaft assembly and configured to pivot relative to the proximal joint portion upon application of rotary articulation motions to the articulation shaft portion of the elongate shaft assembly and the articulation joint being characterized in that it comprises an articulation drive link threadably engaging the articulation shaft portion and operably coupled to the distal joint portion, the articulation drive link interfacing with the articulation shaft portion and being constrained to move axially relative to the articulation joint in response to the application of the rotary articulation motions to the articulation shaft portion.