Matthew 28:19
SPURIOUS
Lacking authenticity or validity in essence or origin; not genuine. Not trustworthy; dubious or fallacious.
In most Bibles, Matthew 28:19 says:
‘...baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.’
These words, sometimes called the trinitarian formula, are thought by some to be later additions to the Bible. This perspective is not based on manuscript evidence, as the words appear in all surviving manuscripts. However, since there are no large enough surviving fragments of Matthew before the 4th century, information from those earlier centuries is limited.
Some internal and historical evidence is interpreted to suggest that these words were added in the early 4th century.
What evidence do proponents of this view present?
Consider these nine reasons:
1. The 4th-century bishop Eusebius quoted this verse several times without the extra words.
In total, he quoted it 18 times between 300 CE and 336 CE. At first, he quotes it as saying, ‘Go ye and make disciples of all the nations in my name, teaching them to observe all things, whatsoever I commanded you.’ As you can see, there no mention of baptism, or of the formula. It is after the Council of Nicaea, at which the Church adopted the Trinity doctrine, that Eusebius's quotations of the verse include the baptism formula.
Eusebius himself may have played a direct or indirect role in the inclusion of these words in the verse. As a highly influential Church historian and bishop, he helped Constantine recognize the benefits of ending Christian persecution and worked to establish Christianity as Rome's official religion. He also took part in organizing the Council of Nicaea. Given Eusebius' status and the timing, it is plausible that he was connected in some way to the adoption of these words—whether through direct action, influence, or association with others involved.
It is notable that only his earlier quotations of Matthew 28:18 offer evidence for the later addition of the trinitarian formula. Some see it as noteworthy that his earlier quotations of Matthew 28:18 omit the additional words, supporting the position held by some Trinitarians that baptisms should only be done in the name of Yehoshua (Jesus). The rest of the cited evidence relates to this view.
2. Luke 24:47 reports the same event and discourse of Yehoshua (Jesus), and makes no mention of these words.
There, it only reports: ‘Then in his name, [the message of] repentance for forgiveness of sins is to be preached in all the nations, starting from Jerusalem.’ There’s no trinitarian formula, and no mention of baptism.
3. Acts 1:8 reports the same event, and still fails to mention the words. It says: ‘However, you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes over you, and you’ll be witnesses of me in Jerusalem, in all of Judea, in Samaria, and to the farthest parts of the earth.’ Again, we see no mention of the trinitarian formula or baptism. Surely, if this was the true and only formula for baptism, then it would not have been forgotten?
4. Acts 2:38 commands baptism in the name of Yehoshua (Jesus) only. It says, ‘Repent, and each of you get baptized in the name of Yehoshua (Jesus) the Anointed One, so your sins can be forgiven. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Breath.’ As seen repeatedly, there is no mention of the trinitarian formula, only baptism in the name of Yehoshua (Jesus), describe the Anointed One.
5. Acts 8:15, 16 reports describe people having been baptized in the name of Yehoshua (Jesus) only:
‘They went [to the Samaritans] and prayed for them to receive the Holy Spirit, because it hadn’t come to any of them yet, although they had been baptized in the name of the Master Yehoshua (Jesus).’
6. Acts 10:48 reports people being commanded only to be baptized in the name of Yehoshua (Jesus):
‘So he commanded that they should be baptized in the name of Yehoshua (Jesus) the Messiah.’
7. Acts 19:5 describes people being baptized in the name of Yehoshua (Jesus) and no one else:
‘When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Yehoshua (Jesus).’
8. Romans 6:3 only mentions that people were baptized into Yehoshua (Jesus) and his death:
‘Don’t you realize that all who were baptized into the Messiah Yehoshua (Jesus) were also baptized into his death?’
9. And finally, Galatians 3:27 mentions people being baptized into the Messiah:
‘All that were baptized into the Messiah have put on the Messiah.
‘...baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Some conclude that these words are spurious later additions, possibly introduced by 4th-century bishops. This situation is reminiscent of other additions, such as words in 1 John 5:7-8, believed to have been added during the 14th or 15th centuries.
By Rabbi HaTzair M. Francisco Arbas