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 … Continue reading Matthew 28:19