Does the baptismal formula in Matthew 28:19 prove the Trinity Doctrine is right?
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
In the name of something refers to the authority of something. E.g If I say in the name of the Law, then I am invoking the authority of the Law. If I am saying something in the name of Jesus, then it is his authority rather than the pronunciation that I am invoking and we know his authority comes from God and God sent his Spirit to the Church. Hence a possible interpretation of the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
So at best we cannot say that Matthew 28:19 teaches a Trinity and in the light of what we have read so far, we simply cannot throw away all the scriptures that say that God is the Father and he has a son, who is called the son of God.
In addition to the meaning of this verse, there is great speculation and some would say strong evidence that this verse like 1 John 5:7 was actually added in later and is not part of the original book of Matthew. But whether this speculation is true or not, one certainly cannot derive a Trinity understanding from this verse on its own, as it doesn’t teach that all 3 are 1 God. The evidence for a possible alteration or addition is below:
Encyclopedia Britannia, the 11th edition vol 3, page 365-366
“The baptismal formula was changed from the name of Jesus Christ to the words Father, Son and Holy Ghost by the Catholic church in the second century.
Encyclopedia Britannia, vol 3, page 82
“Everywhere in the oldest sources it states that baptism took place in the name of Jesus Christ.”
Canney Encyclopedia of Religion, page 53
The early church baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus until the second century.
Hastings Encyclopedia of Religion, Volume2
Christian baptism was administered using the words, “in the name of Jesus”. page 377.
The use of the trinitarian formula of any sort was not suggested in the early Church’s history.page 378
“Go ye therefore and teach all nations, in my name” … the latter form being the more frequent.page 380.
Baptism was always in the name of Jesus until time of Justin Martyr, when the triune formula was used. page 389.
Catholic Encyclopedia, vol 2, page 377,
Catholics acknowledge that baptism in Jesus’ name was changed by the Catholic church.
Schaff-Herzog Religious Encyclopedia, Volume 1, page 435
The New Testament knows only the baptism in the name of Jesus.
Hastings Dictionary of Bible, page 88
It must be acknowledged that the three fold name of Matthew 28:19 does not appear to have been used by the primitive church, but rather in the name of Jesus, Jesus Christ, or Lord Jesus.
The Canney Encyclopedia of Religion, page 53 states,
The early Church always baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus until the developement of the trinity doctrine in the 2nd Century.
Whatever we may believe about the validity of Matthew 28:19 we must remember that the Apostles were taught and discipled by Jesus directly and they administered baptism in the name of Jesus, just as they did all things in the name of Jesus. In scripture we see no record of the Apostles baptizing or repeating the words ” In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and the Holy Ghost”.
We know that the earliest Believers continued steadfastly in the Apostles doctrine (Acts 2 : 42) and we read in Acts 2:38:
Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
The New Testament clearly shows us that the Father of Jesus is Jesus God and our God. Remember, Jesus is the mediator between God and mankind. This is why Jesus speaks for God and it is only in the New Testament that the distinction between the Father and Son is made clear. This is because Jesus paid the penalty for our sins and now God himself can fellowship with redeemed man as a result of Christ’s sacrifice. We are living in the season for this mystery to be understood.
Scripture points to Jesus being the Word of God and while all things were made through him, it seems fitting that all things are redeemed through him too. We cannot save ourselves and God himself cannot save us directly, as he cannot fellowship with sin. “He is too pure to look upon evil”. This is the mystery revealed to us in 1 Corinthians 15:24-28 that he sent his Son.
24 Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.
25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.
26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
27 For he has put everything under his feet. Now when it says that everything has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ.
28 When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.
So the New Testament is a greater revelation of God, whereas the Old Testament only hints of the existence of God’s Son. This is why the Jews were confused when Jesus claimed to be God’s Son. They thought he was saying that he was either the Most High God or that he was equal to him. They were expecting the Messiah, but they didn’t know that the Messiah is also God’s Son and that he would come as a servant before coming as a reigning king. Yet if the Jews had known the Old Testament scriptures, then they would have known who Jesus was. Because the Old Testament speaks of him, but the New Testament reveals him.
Matthew 13:16-17
16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.
17 For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.
Finally I leave you with John 17:21 again, which shows us that the scriptures do not teach a Trinity, rather a family. We like Christ will partake of the nature of God, but that doesn’t mean we are God or Jesus is God.
that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
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