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Matthew 28:19-Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
There are at least two amazing and profound truths regarding the importance of baptism that we may learn about from Jesus’ words in this passage of Scripture. These lessons are for sinners considering baptism and looking forward to salvation, and for baptized Christians looking backward at their immersion into Christ. The lessons come from the meaning of the phrase “in the name of.”
You see, this phrase had a special significance in Hebrew/Aramaic (the language that Jesus likely spoke), and another amazing significance in Greek (the language in which the New Testament is written). Ferguson has this for us:
“The Greek phrase “into the name of ” (εἰς τò ὄνoμα) occurs mainly in commercial or legal documents and carries the idea of “into the ownership or possession” of someone. The Hebrew phrase “into the name of ” ( ) carries the idea of “with reference to,” defining the intention or purpose of the act, or even in some instances “in worship to.” 446 A Hebrew background has greater probability with reference to Matthaean usage, but the practical results may not have been greatly different. Something done by a person as an act of worship toward another brought the first person into a relationship of belonging to the object of the act, and someone to whom a person belonged or was obligated received acts of homage from that person.” (Everett Ferguson, Baptism in the Early Church: History, Theology, and Liturgy in the First Five Centuries, 3005-3012 (Kindle Edition): Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company)
Cottrell writes:
“In the Biblical world a person’s name was not just an arbitrary means of identification but was considered to be intrinsically related to the person himself, representing his qualities and his character and his very nature. Thus “the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (only one name) represents the very persons of the Trinity. Being baptized into the name of the Trinity is no less than being baptized into the Trinity as such. What this means can be more precisely explained when we understand how the expression “into the name” was used in New Testament times. Many feel that Jesus probably spoke the Aramaic language; thus the phrase should be understood in its Semitic sense. The basic Semitic equivalent had a quite general meaning, viz., “with respect to or with regard to.” In Rabbinic usage, though, it commonly had the more specific final sense. In this sense an action done “in the name” of something was done for a certain end or intention relating to it. Thus Jesus commissioned us to baptize people for a specific purpose relating to the Trinity, or into a specific relationship with the Trinity. 1 The precise nature of this relationship can be learned from the usage of the Greek phrase chosen by Matthew (and approved by the Holy Spirit via inspiration) to translate whatever Semitic original may have preceded it. The phrase is “eis to onoma,” which was a technical term used in the world of Greek business and commerce. It was used to indicate the entry of a sum of money or an item of property into the account bearing the name of its owner. 2 Its use in Matthew 28: 19 indicates that the purpose of baptism is to unite us with the Triune God in an ownership relation; we become his property in a special, intimate way. 3 As M.J. Harris says, since the phrase denotes transference of ownership, in Matthew 28: 19 it means that “the person being baptized passes into the possession of the Triune God.” 4 From this specific meaning of the phrase we can see why we are baptized “into the name of” the entire Trinity. God the Father paid the price to acquire us as his property, namely, the blood of God the Son (I Cor. 6: 19-20; I Pet. 1: 18-19). He also applies the seal which marks us as his own, namely, God the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1: 13). All of this comes into sharp focus in baptism, where the purchase price—Christ’s blood—is applied to us (Rom. 6: 3-4; Col. 2: 12) and the mark of ownership—the Holy Spirit—is given to us (Acts 2: 38). Thus we are baptized “into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”; we become God’s own special possession in the act of baptism. No wonder it is singled out in the commission as having a unique importance!” (Jack Cottrell, Baptism: A Biblical Study, 156-180 (Kindle Edition): Joplin, MO: College Press)
Let’s think about some ways that these things relate to us.
First of all, Matthew 28:19 clearly teaches us about the essentiality of baptism in the plan of salvation. It is in this action that we are literally purchased by the Godhead and enter into full relationship with the Trinity. This is based simply on the linguistic study and application of Jesus’ words as they would have been interpreted in His time. Our sincere and well-meaning religious friends and neighbors who deny that baptism is part of God’s plan for redeeming sinful man are not arguing with the church of Christ: they are arguing with the Christ of the church.
Second, this passage teaches us that another valid reason for being baptized into Christ is to honor and worship the Lord. In truth, there are some forty blessings attached to believers baptism in the New Testsment. Misunderstanding or ignorance of these reasons does not invalidate a person’s baptism, since the baptized individuals who thus misunderstood some important element of baptism are still identified as saved individuals (cf. Romans 6:3-4; Galatians 3:26-29; Colossians 2:11-15, etc). I have worked with individuals over the years who have told me that their primary desire to be baptized was to honor the Lord by obeying Him. They wanted to be like Jesus and fulfill all righteousness (Matthew 3:15). They desired to lovingly obey the Lord’s command (John 14:15; Acts 10:48). I can think of no higher motive for a person to obey God’s command than for a simple desire to lovingly obey Him.
Finally, this passage reminds us that the true importance of the phrase “into the name of” is not about a religious phrase that a person utters when he baptizes another. Those who contend that there is a magical phrase that a baptizer must recite in order to make baptism effectual are missing the significance of the phrase “into the name of.” Some religious groups contend that a precise verbal formula must be pronounced over a convert to make their baptism valid. This simply is not the case. As one former Oneness Pentecostal has detailed:
“The Oneness Pentecostals are right about one aspect of their interpretation of Matthew 28: 19: namely, that there is no indication that Jesus intended his baptismal command to be taken as a precise liturgical formula. To perform an act “in the name of” someone (or something), we have seen, does not mean that one must verbally repeat the name of this person (or thing) when doing the act. Oneness Pentecostals fail, however, to apply this same insight to their interpretation of the baptismal passages of Acts. Because the Semitic phrase “in the name of” could have such a wide variety of meanings, there is no more reason to take the Acts phrase “in the name of Jesus” as an audible liturgical formula than there is to think that the Matthean formula was to be taken like this. When Paul says that the Christian is to do everything “in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Col. 3: 17), does he mean that we must pronounce his name before each and every one of our activities? Of course not. Consistent with this, there are actually a great number of Scriptures that speak of a person’s doing something “in the name of” another. Hence, for example, we read in Matthew that Jesus said: “He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. He who receives a prophet in the name [eis onoma] of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. And whoever in the name of a disciple gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink, truly I say to you he shall not lose his reward.” [10: 40–42 NASB] Here the phrase “in the name of” clearly only means something like “on behalf of” or “by the authority of.” It has nothing to do with a magical formula said during an act. So it is in a multitude of other passages and, indeed, so it most likely is in Acts. When it is said that certain believers were baptized “in the name of the Lord Jesus,” this need mean nothing more than what is meant by giving a cup of cold water to someone “in the name of a disciple.” It merely means that baptism “for the forgiveness of sins” derives its significance and beauty from the person of Jesus Christ to whom it centrally points. Further evidence that we are not dealing with a rigid formula invested with saving significance in the Book of Acts is to be found in the flexibility with which the supposed “formula” is identified. Literally, Acts 2: 38 has “on [epi] the name of Jesus Christ”; Acts 8: 16 and 19: 5 have “into [eis] the name of the Lord Jesus”; and Acts 10: 48 has “in [en] the name of the Lord,” with some manuscripts adding “Jesus Christ” or simply “Jesus.” This hardly sounds like a fixed formula upon which all eternity hangs![ 3] There is simply no evidence before the fourth century that the words spoken over a candidate at baptism were any big deal. Thus, to take the phrases in Acts and make them into a magical incantation upon which God’s forgiveness rests is to grossly misunderstand the phrase and, consequently, grossly misportray the kind of God whom Scripture reveals.” (Gregory A. Boyd, Oneness Pentecostals and the Trinity: A World-Wide Movement Assessed By A Former Oneness Pentecostal, 142-145 (Kindle Edition): Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books)
People baptized into Christ are accepted by Him whether their baptizer says “in the name of the Father, Son, and Spirit” or “in the name of the Lord Jesus.” It isn’t about the verbal formula: it is about the motivation of the person seeking Jesus. Are they seeking to honor/worship the Lord in their baptism? Are they seeking to obey Him in humble submission? Are they pleading for His acceptance and forgiveness?
Let’s not miss the forest for the trees.
Father, thank You for the beauty of baptism. Thank You for saving us and making us Your own. We praise You Father; we praise You Jesus; we praise You Holy Spirit. Guide us and help us live in the joy of our relationship with You. Amen.