Thy Word Have I Hid in My Heart - Part 620

"For this cause, we also, since the day we heard the [gospel] do not cease to pray for you and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God. Strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, unto all patience and long suffering with joyfulness, giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light, who hath delivered us from the power of darkness." (Colossians 1:9-12)

Therefore, we should willingly desire to be filled with the knowledge of His will. In all wisdom and spiritual understanding, we should desire the "unsearchable riches of our Lord God and Saviour Jesus." Equally important, seek for yourself the revelation that according to the scriptures has been "hidden in the bosom of our Father" from the beginning of time and only revealed in this day so that we could personally experience the fullness of grace and mercy of our Lord God and Saviour Jesus.

Paul writes in the book of Ephesians: "Surely you have heard about the administration of God's grace that was given to me for you. That is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men as it is now revealed." (Ephesians 3:2-21) 

In other words, the new covenant -- the New Testament -- was established so that all men and women are able to understand "the plan of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ." (Ephesians 3:9) So that we would not be ignorant of the mystery that had been concealed in the bosom of God since the beginning. (Romans 11:25) Indeed, God's plan of salvation that had been decided before the world was even formed was hidden within His bosom until the appointed time so that we -- each and every one of us -- could see the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 

Jesus who is "the image of the invisible God, the first born of every creature."  (Colossians 1:15) "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one."(I John 5:7) Philip said to Jesus, "Show us the Father and that will satisfy us." Jesus said "Have I been so long time with you and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? He that has seen Me has seen the Father." (John 14:8-9) In other words, I am the Lord thy God and beside Me, there is no other. 

How often did Jesus state that He and His Father are one? Throughout the New Testament, Jesus is revealed. Not as a triune God but rather as the Word in the flesh. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God ... and the Word became flesh. (John 1:1-14) As a consequence, this mystery of godliness as revealed in I Timothy 3:16 can no longer be concealed or hidden from ordinary people by the scribes and Pharisees of this day.  No longer are the gospel truths given only to a sacred priesthood. In fact, as a result of Jesus sacrifice for our sins on the cross, we are all -- each and every one of us -- privy to the knowledge and truths contained within the Word. Indeed, no man or woman is excluded from the knowledge and understanding that the same God who created us in the beginning loved us so much that He Himself would become flesh and shed His precious blood on the cross for us. 

The apostle Paul was clear on this point. No longer would there be hidden truths or supposed revelations given only to a select few. He wrote: "We speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory, which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory." (I Corinthians 2:7-8)

The scripture Romans 16:25 reiterates this same point: "Now to Him who is of the power to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret since the world began. But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith."

Further, today is the day that the Lord hath made. Therefore, do not become like the foolish Galatians, who were so soon removed from Him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel. Galatians 1:9 states that, "If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that which ye have received, let him be accursed."

So, in this context then, what do we do with Matthew 28:19? Or, for that matter, those religious leaders who refer to the "trinity" or Almighty God as a "tri-une God," particularly when neither terminology or wording is mentioned in the scriptures. We do as we were instructed to do. That is, search the scriptures for the truth. The wisdom and knowledge that was hidden in the bosom of the Father until this time. And if, or when, we find the religious teachings contrary to what God reveals in the scriptures, we ask why.

What follows then here and below this post is a partial list of evidence disputing the authenticity of Matthew 28:19 compiled in "A Collection of Evidence Against the Traditional Wording of Matthew 28:19" written by Clinton D. Willis [CWillis@ipa.net] 

Catholic Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger:(today’s pope ref.) He makes this confession as to the origin of the chief Trinity text of Matthew 28:19. "The basic form of our [Matthew 28:19 Trinitarian] profession of faith took shape during the course of the second and third centuries in connection with the ceremony of baptism. So far as its place of origin is concerned, the text [Matthew 28:19] came from the city of Rome." The Trinity baptism and text of Matthew 28:19 therefore did not originate from the original Church that started in Jerusalem around AD 33. It was rather, as the evidence proves, a later invention of Roman Catholicism -- completely fabricated. Unfortunately, very few know about these historical facts. 

But what we do know is that when the Apostles baptized believers in the Bible -- indeed, every single instance whereby someone was baptized -- they did so in the name of the Lord Jesus. Further, when Peter stood with the other apostles and responded to the question, "What shall we do?" Peter told the three thousand to "Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins ..." (Acts 2:38-42) 

Additional references to the actual origin of Matthew 28:19 follow the conclusion of this post.  There are others as well. However, in the interim, remember that the new covenant was written directly for and to you and I. It was for us that the Word of Salvation was sent -- the Word being Jesus -- God Almighty in the flesh. The only name under heaven whereby we can be saved. Peace be to one and all. Stand in the offering plate.

Additional References:

"The Demonstratio Evangelica" by Eusebius: Eusebius was the Church historian and Bishop of Caesarea. On page 152, Eusebius quotes the early book of Matthew that he had in his library in Caesarea. According to this eyewitness of an unaltered Book of Matthew, it could have been the original book or the first copy of the original book of Matthew. Eusebius informs us of Jesus' actual words to his disciples in the original text of Matthew 28:19: "With one word and voice He said to His disciples: "Go, and make disciples of all nations in My Name, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you." That "Name" is Jesus. 

On page 61 Professor and Church historian Walker, reviles the true origin and purpose of Matthew 28:19. This text is the first man-made Roman Catholic Creed that was the prototype for the later Apocryphal Apostles' Creed. Matthew 28:19 was invented along with the Apocryphal Apostles' Creed to counter so-called heretics and gnostics that baptized in the name of Jesus Christ! Marcion although somewhat mixed up in some of his doctrine still baptized his converts the Biblical way in the name of Jesus Christ. Matthew 28:19 is the first non-Biblical Roman Catholic Creed! The spurious Catholic text of Matthew 28:19 was invented to support the newer triune - Trinity -doctrine. Therefore, Matthew 28:19 is not the "Great Commission of Jesus Christ." Matthew 28:19 is the great Catholic hoax! Acts 2:38, Luke 24:47, and I Corinthians 6:11 give us the ancient original words and teaching of Jesus! Further to this point, is it not also strange that Matthew 28:19 is missing from the old manuscripts of Sinaiticus, Curetonianus and Bobiensis? 

The Catholic University of America in Washington, D. C. 1923, New Testament Studies Number 5: "The Lord's Command To Baptize An Historical Critical Investigation." by Bernard Henry Cuneo. Quoting from page 27, "The passages in Acts and the Letters of St. Paul. These passages seem to point to the earliest form as baptism in the name of the Lord. ... Is it possible to reconcile these facts with the belief that Christ commanded his disciples to baptize in the trine form? Had Christ given such a command, it is urged, the Apostolic Church would have followed him, and we should have some trace of this obedience in the New Testament. No such trace can be found. The only explanation of this silence, according to the anti-traditional view, is this the short christological (Jesus Name) formula was (the) original, and the longer triune formula was a later development."