Matthew 28:19

Matthew 28:19

Matthew 28:19 says: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” This text is probably used more than any other verse in the Bible to try to prove that Elohim is a triune being or trinity. This text is typically understood to mean that when an apostle or minister baptizes someone, he is supposed to baptize them using the formula “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”

 But what is the record of the apostles who directly heard Yehushua?

 

Acts 2:38 records the first time this command was carried out. Peter said, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus(Yehushua) Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” Peter instructed these people to be baptized in the name of Yehushua Christ rather than in the names of three separate persons.

 In Acts 10:48, Peter “commanded [Cornelius and his brethren] to be baptized in the name of the Lord.”

 From these verses it is plain that Peter didn’t understand Christ to have commanded him to baptize into a Trinity. Peter must have understood the command of Yehushua differently than most

Trinitarians understand it today. 

As we continue in the book of Acts, we find that Peter was not alone in his understanding of this command. When Peter and John came to Samaria they found a group of people who

had been “baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus (Acts 8:16).”

Let us also consider Paul, who claimed he received the gospel directly from Yehushua Christ. When he visited Ephesus and met some brethren who had only been baptized with John’s baptism, he instructed them about  Christ, and the Bible says “when they heard this, they were baptized in the

name of the Lord Jesus (Acts 19:5).”

There is no record in the Bible of anyone baptizing in three separate names of three individual persons. There are a few possibilities that could explain why the disciples always baptized in the name of Yehushua:

1) The disciples may have been in direct rebellion against Yehushua.

2) They may have misunderstood what he said.

3) Matthew 28:19 may be a gloss ( an added explanation or a margin). Perhaps Yehushua never gave this command.

4) The disciples understood the command of Yehushua differently than most Trinitarians understand it today.

 We cannot accept any of the first three possibilities, but the fourth statement offers a reasonable solution. Yehushua was not trying to teach us that Elohim is a Trinity or he would have been contradicting other statements he had made and many statements made by other Bible writers.

This verse says nothing about Elohim being three persons. However, Ephesians 4:6 says that there is “One God (Elohim) and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” 

The Bible uses the phrase “God (Elohim) the Father” thirteen times, but it never says “God (Elohim) the Son” or “God (Elohim) the Holy Spirit.” To literally baptize someone in the name of a person we must know the person’s name. Yahweh (Yehovah or other similar spellings) is the personal name of the Father. Jesus (Yehshua or some other similar spellings) is the personal name of the Son, but the Scripture nowhere gives a name for the Holy Spirit. The Bible does not even hint that such a name exists, so we can see that Yehushua was not giving a specific formula of words for the preacher to recite at a baptism. We know this first of all because all the recorded examples of people baptizing after this command was given show that it was done in the name of Jesus (Yehushua) and, secondly, because it would not be possible to literally baptize in the proper name of the Holy Spirit because the Bible makes no mention of such a name.

The word “name” in the Bible often refers to a person’s character. Jacob’s name was changed to Israel because his character had changed. The word “name” in Matthew 28:19 has reference to the character rather than the proper names of individuals. Once we realize that Christ was commissioning

his disciples to baptize into the character of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, it is easier for us to understand his words. This command is closely connected with the command to teach. Christ wants his disciples to understand the truth about Elohim, His Son, and His Holy Spirit. All three of these are vital in a Christian’s life. The Father loves us so much that he gave his Son to die for our sins, and he gives his Spirit (Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. Joh.14:23) ,  to guide us in our lives.  If a person lacks the knowledge and experience of any of these aspects, his relationship with Elohim will suffer. This is why Christ specifically mentioned all three. Elohim and His Son come in their nature which is spirit to dwell in us. The Holy Spirit is the Father and Son. In Revelation Yehushua tells John to write letters to the seven churches, then He says: "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches." Rev.2:7.  Please note Yehushua is the dictator of the letters, it is He who is talking to the churches, meaning He is the Spirit according to the text quoted above.

From this we can see that Matthew 28:19 certainly does not prove a Trinity nor does it prove that the Holy Spirit is a separate being from the Father and his Son. If we are to find proof of these doctrines in the Bible, we must look somewhere else. Interestingly, there is evidence that a portion of this

verse, like portions of 1 John 5:7, 8 is a gloss. What a blessing that even if there are legitimate concerns about these verses they have not been distorted so as to teach error.

Elohim Bless You !