Click or Tap Icons to Share! Thank you!

Author	: Bill Kochman
Publish	: Jan. 1, 2009
Update	: Jun. 9, 2025
Parts	: 08

Synopsis:



Continuing our discussion from part four, let's return for a moment to the ministry of John the Baptist. We have no idea how long John the Baptist had been baptizing people in the Jordan River prior to Jesus' arrival there to be baptized by him, but it must have been for some time. Now if we consider that Jesus began His earthly ministry at around the age of thirty, and that his cousin John was approximately six months older than Jesus, then perhaps John also began his public ministry at around the same age as Jesus. This means that he may have been baptizing people in the Jordan for that amount of time. That is to say, six months. Of course, this is just speculation on my part. The point is, seeing John perform water baptisms had become a very common sight by that time. He was probably the talk of the town. King Herod certainly knew about John, which is why John eventually ended up dead.

The fact that Jesus was baptized by John may have resulted in the Apostles making the assumption that water baptism was a necessary ritual which they must continue to perform. As we have already seen, for a time, water baptism did serve a very important function. John's baptism of repentance not only was a catalyst for preparing people's hearts to receive the true Messiah when He arrived, but John's ministry was likewise the prophesied vehicle that God used to introduce the Messiah to the world. However, it is my belief that once these tasks had been accomplished, water baptism was no longer necessary; and that is why God took John the Baptist out of the way, through his Graduation to the Heavenly Realm. It was time for the baptism by fire to become a reality -- the Holy Spirit.

It was not until years later, after Jesus' physical presence had been taken from them by His Ascension, and they had time to mature in the Spirit, that His followers began to acquire a deeper understanding of Jesus' teachings. Even after Jesus arose from the dead, they were still in the dark regarding a lot of issues, which He began to explain to them more fully in the final chapters of the Gospels. But it was really the baptism of the Holy Spirit -- the baptism by fire on the day of Pentecost -- which opened their spiritual eyes the most. I believe that is what Paul meant in part by the following verses. He is saying that we must leave some things behind, and move on to the deeper spiritual truths of God's Kingdom:

"For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known."


"For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this will we do, if God permit."


Earlier in this series, I mentioned that the act of Noah and and his family being saved in the Ark from the waters of the Great Flood was a foreshadow of the Salvation to come through Christ in the New Testament. I connected that ancient event to a verse found in Peter's first Epistle. Even though Peter also baptized in the Book of Acts, we later find him stating that true Baptism, and true Salvation has absolutely nothing to do with water. In comparing Spiritual Salvation to Noah and the Flood, Peter writes the following. Please notice the words that are enclosed in parentheses:

"Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:"


Please notice carefully that Peter makes it clear that he is NOT referring to water baptism which cleanses the flesh. He is in fact referring to a Spiritual Baptism through faith in the Resurrected Christ. If we remove Peter's clarification that is found in between the parentheses, we're left with the phrase "The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us by the resurrection of Jesus Christ". If Peter does not mean water baptism, what other baptism can we connect to the Resurrection of Christ? Obviously, the baptism by blood, the sprinkling of blood, which was followed by the Lord's own Resurrection.

As we've already seen several times now, this is the baptism which "doth also now save us", because as Paul wrote, "without shedding of blood is no remission". The baptism by blood is the only thing that will ever result in the remission of sins, Salvation, and eventually, our own resurrection from the dead. In fact, as we discussed earlier in this same series, a type of resurrection occurs on a daily basis when we resist our old man of the flesh, and allow the new man of the Spirit to rise within us to serve the Lord. As Paul wrote, "I die daily."

Even though Peter clearly water baptized Cornelius' family in Acts chapter ten, notice what he states only a chapter later, when he is recounting the vision which he had been given by the Lord on the rooftop in Joppa -- regarding the sheet which contained the unclean animals -- and the baptismal experience that he had experienced with the Gentile believers, to some contentious Jewish believers in Jerusalem. Peter tells them in part:

"And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning. Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost."


Peter was in fact referring back to Jesus' words, which He had shared with them in Acts chapter one, just prior to His Ascension into Heaven. Jesus told them to wait in Jerusalem for the promise of the Holy Spirit, as we see here:

"And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence."


In short, Peter is finally beginning to get the picture. He is getting a crash course in some of the deeper meanings that were behind Jesus' teachings. Up until Acts chapter ten, he held the belief that Salvation was only meant for the Jews. But then God gave him the rooftop vision with the sheet full of unclean animals, and then instructed Peter to go the house of a dirty, filthy Roman -- the very people who had murdered his beloved Master -- and preach Salvation to them. Now as if that was not already enough, not only did the Roman citizens receive Jesus, but then they were filled with the Holy Spirit as well, just by hearing Peter preach to them. So as I said, dear Peter was learning and growing in the Spirit, and was beginning to gain the world vision for souls that the Lord wanted him to have. Salvation, the Holy Spirit and being a Disciple of Christ was no longer just a private little club for Jewish Disciples.

Peter began to understand that the physical baptism of the flesh with water does absolutely nothing for anyone. It is only accepting Christ, being sprinkled with His Blood -- the baptism by blood -- and then being immersed in the baptismal fire of the Holy Spirit, that really counts. When Cornelius and his family received the Gift of the Holy Spirit, even before they were baptized with water, I suspect that this experience really shocked Peter. The entire experience of even going to see a Roman centurion must have shocked dear Peter. I can't help but wonder if perhaps the reason why he even proceeded to baptize them with water, is because he was totally blown away, and really didn't know what to do. As I said, it seems that God was giving Peter a crash course in world evangelism. He was giving Peter a world vision. For as Jesus Himself had said, He would draw all men unto Himself, and not just the Jews.

I can just imagine what may have been going through Peter's mind at the time. "Well, if these people are receiving Jesus without water baptism, and if they are being immersed in the Holy Spirit just by hearing my words, or merely as a result of our laying hands on them, then why are we even continuing to water baptize them? They are already saved, and already filled with the Holy Spirit, so what purpose does the ritual of water baptism continue to serve?" Perhaps that is why Peter wrote what he wrote in his first Epistle, as we saw earlier.

At this point, we are going to change gears in our discussion once again. As we saw in part two of this series, one of the key verses which is often used by baptismal regenerationists, such as Roman Catholics, in their attempts to convince people that water baptism is necessary in order to obtain Salvation, is John 3:5. However, this is by no means the only verse that is used to try to support their misguided doctrine. There is in fact another very controversial verse which has resulted in a considerable amount of debate over the centuries. In an online Roman Catholic test that I discovered while conducting some research for this series, it referred to the following verses as "the clearest biblical warrant for baptism":

"And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen."


As I shared with you in part one of this series, it is based upon the previous verses which are found in Matthew's Gospel, that we find the following paragraphs in the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

----- Begin Quote -----

". . . that the essential rite of Baptism consists in immersing the candidate in water or pouring water on his head, while pronouncing the invocation of the Most Holy Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit . . . present the fruit of Baptism, or baptismal grace, as a rich reality that includes forgiveness of original sin and all personal sins, birth into the new life by which man becomes an adoptive son of the Father, a member of Christ and a temple of the Holy Spirit. By this very fact the person baptized is incorporated into the Church, the Body of Christ, and made a sharer in the priesthood of Christ."

----- End Quote -----

On the surface, it may appear that the Roman Catholics, and other churches which promote water baptism, are right on the mark regarding this issue. But don't be too quick to jump on their band wagon, until you've examined all of the Biblical evidence. As we have already seen, the belief regarding the absolute necessity of water baptism in order that one might obtain forgiveness of sins, and Salvation, or to be anointed with the Holy Spirit, is not quite as solid as it at first appears to be.

As I said, over the centuries, there has been a considerable degree of debate surrounding the previous set of verses. This is particularly true with regard to the nineteenth verse. As you can see, that verse makes a reference to what Christians today refer to as the "Holy Trinity", as well as to what some Christians interpret as being the practice of water baptism.

The fact is that a growing body of Biblical scholars are now convinced that this verse is spurious text which was edited by the so-called "Church Fathers" sometime during the "Great Apostasy". This is the name given by some people to a period of about three hundred years which immediately followed the First Century, when a lot of heretical doctrines crept into the body of Christian beliefs. The truth, however, is that this had begun to occur even before all of the Apostles had died. Just as Jesus continually exposed the false doctrines of the Scribes and the Pharisees, the First Century Apostles and Disciples likewise had to contend with false doctrines creeping into the Early Church, as we can clearly see by the following verses:

"Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees."


"That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:"


"Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein."


"As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine, Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do."


"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;"


"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;"


So in truth, the doctrinal corruption which occurred during the so-called "Great Apostasy" was merely a continuation of what had already begun to occur before all of the Apostles were dead. At any rate, it has been speculated that Matthew 28:19 may have been altered as early as the Second Century. The corruption, assuming that it really is corrupted text, is that the middle phrase "baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost" was inserted into the verse.

The general belief is that the text was changed in order to promote the doctrines of the "Holy Trinity" and water baptism which would eventually be espoused and forcefully promoted by the still-nascent Roman Catholic Church. As I point out in a number of other BBB articles, Catholicism -- or the "universal church" -- was adopted as a recognized religion of the Roman Empire during the reign of Emperor Constantine in the Fourth Century. This was a result of the Edict of Milan, which was a document that was signed by Constantine I in the eastern half of the Roman Empire, and by Licinius in the western half of the Roman Empire. This document declared the already-corrupt Christian faith a "religio licita". That is to say, a "legal religion". Not the only religion, but yet still a legal one.

This historic event occurred around the year 313 AD. If you wish to learn more about this event, and what effects it had on our Christian faith, I encourage you to read the following articles. You will find links for them at the end of this same series:

Book Of Enoch: Truth Or Heresy?
Gargoyles: Satan Loves Church Buildings
Have You Read The New Scriptures Yet?
History Of The Authorized King James Bible
Our Pagan World: The Easter Myth Exposed
Pontifex Maximus: Pagan High Priest to Roman Catholic Pope
Where Are The First Century Churches?

As I said, the idea that Matthew 28:19 contains spurious text is not a recent development. It is a debate which has raged for centuries. In fact, a number of historical sources state that during the early Fourth Century, the Greek historian and bishop of Caesarea, Eusebius Pamphilius, repeatedly warned of the dangerous corruption that is found in this verse. While conducting my research for this series, I discovered that in multiple copies of his writings, Eusebius Pamphilius quoted from Matthew in the following manner:

"Go ye and make disciples of all the nations in my name, teaching them to observe all things, whatsoever I commanded you." Matthew 28:19 Eusebius Version

My research has revealed that Eusebius Pamphilius quoted the verse from Matthew in this fashion eighteen different times. As you can see, the entire phrase regarding baptism and the "Holy Trinity" is not present in Eusebius' rendition of the verse, and he has used the phrase "in my name" in its place. As the bishop of Caesarea, Eusebius had direct access to an extensive library of documents, manuscripts and books which he had inherited from his predecessor and mentor, Pamphilius. It makes perfect, logical sense that the reason why Eusebius would write Matthew 28:19 in this fashion, is because that's the way he found it written in the many documents which were at his disposal. This issue is confirmed for us by British theologian, Frederick Cornwallis Conybeare, who in the 1902 edition of the Hibbert Journal, a magazine published by the Hibbert Trust -- a.k.a. Anti-Trinitarian Fund -- wrote as follows:

----- Begin Quote -----

"It is evident that this was the text found by Eusebius in the very ancient codices collected fifty to a hundred and fifty years before his birth by his great predecessors. Of any other form of text he had never heard, and knew nothing until he had visited Constantinople and attended the Council of Nice."

----- End Quote -----

Seven years later, in his 1909 work entitled "History Of New Testament Criticism", in the fifth chapter entitled "Textual Criticism", Conybeare reaffirms his belief in the corruption that is found in Matthew 28:19 when he states:

----- Begin Quote -----

"It is clear, therefore, that the MSS which Eusebius inherited from his predecessor, Pamphilus, at Caesarea in Palestine, some at least preserved the original reading, in which there was no mention either of Baptism or of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost."

----- End Quote -----

Subtle hints exist in the writings of Christian leaders who lived prior to Eusebius Pamphilius, which also suggest that they too were only familiar with Matthew 28:19, as Eusebius would later write it. For example, Justin Martyr, who wrote during the middle of the Second Century, states as follows in a work commonly known as the "Dialogue With Trypho":

----- Begin Quote -----

"God hath not yet inflicted, nor inflicts the judgment, as knowing of some that still even today are being made disciples in the name of his Christ, and are abandoning the path of error, who also do receive gifts each as they be worthy, being illumined by the name of this Christ."

----- End Quote -----

Justin Martyr's "Dialogue With Trypho" is only preserved in a collection of excerpts of early Christian writers known as the "Sacra Parallela". This anthology, or "florilegium", may possibly date to around the Sixth Century. The name "Trypho" may possibly be a reference to Jewish philosopher, priest and rabbi, Tarfon Tryphon Zarezan. The previous dialog dealt with Justin Martyr's attempts to convince Trypho of the validity of the Christian faith from the Old Testament Scriptures, or Tanakh. Please notice that Justin Martyr twice emphasized the name of Christ in the previous quote, in direct reference to making Disciples. Martyr does not mention anything regarding baptizing them in the name of the "Holy Trinity". This is in perfect agreement with the form of Matthew 28:19, as promoted by Eusebius.

Another example of Matthew 28:19 being used in a form similar to that promoted by Eusebius, can be found in the writings of one of Eusebius' 4th Century contemporaries, Aphraates. Known also as Aphrahat in the Syriac language, and referred to as the "Persian Sage", he was an Assyrian Christian who was born in Persia in the final quarter of the Third Century. Found in a collection of his twenty-three writings, which are known as "The Demonstrations", or "The Homilies", is this line:

"Make disciples of all nations, and they shall believe in me."

In commenting on this text, theologian Frederick Cornwallis Conybeare stated the following in the Hibbert Journal:

----- Begin Quote -----

"The last words appear to be a gloss on the Eusebius reading 'in my name.' But in any case they preclude the Textus Receptus with its injunction to baptise in the triune name. Were the reading of Aphraates an isolated fact, we might regard it as a loose citation, but in presence of the Eusebian and Justinian text this is impossible."

----- End Quote -----

The previous quotations from early Christian writers is not the only evidence which strengthens Eusebius' rendition of Matthew 28:19. There were others who opposed the intentions of the nascent Roman Catholic Church to create the so-called "Holy Trinity" doctrine out of thin air. One such group were the followers of Macedonius, who was a Greek, and the Bishop of Constantinople during the latter half of the 4th Century. Known as the Macedonians, they followed in the footsteps of Arius. Based upon the clear evidence that is found within the New Testament, they refused to accept the position held by Athanasius and other bishops, who promoted the false belief that the Holy Spirit is a third person in a so-called "Holy Trinity". Neither did they accept that Jesus Christ is equal to God the Father, as I likewise point out in a number of my articles. Under the protection of Constantius II, the son of Emperor Constantine I, Macedonius and his followers prospered in Constantinople for a time, but not without much bloodshed and controversy.

Please keep in mind that these events occurred only a few decades after the 325 AD adoption of the Nicene Creed, and there was still a lot of heated doctrinal debate occurring as a result of Arianism, and other doctrines. It was a time when various religious factions were attempting to maintain control over the church. Of course, we know that the false doctrines of Roman Catholicism would eventually prevail, and both the necessity of water baptism and the "Holy Trinity", would become established doctrines, along with a number of other false beliefs and practices. At any rate, Macedonius fell from grace when he decided to disinter the remains of Constantine I, in order to repair his sepulchre, and he was eventually deposed in 360 AD. The Macedonians were likewise eventually branded as heretics in 381 AD, when Theodosius I called the First Council of Constantinople.

While Eusebius Pamphilius is likewise believed to have been a Trinitarian -- meaning that he did embrace the doctrine of the Holy Trinity -- nevertheless, he also possessed a strong desire to preserve the integrity as well as the purity of the original Gospel manuscripts, as they had been written by the Lord's Apostles. Thus, he was strongly opposed to the changes which had been made to verse nineteen in the twenty-eighth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew.

So we must ask ourselves the following question: If Eusebius Pamphilius is correct, and his version of Matthew 28:19 is in fact the original, inspired form of the verse, as written by the Apostle Matthew, then exactly who is responsible for the so-called "inspired" version which has been popularized in so many Bibles all these years? It seems to me that the obvious answer is those early, so-called "Church Fathers". Eusebius felt so strongly concerning this issue, that in a number of his commentaries, such as "Demonstratio Evangelica", he said the following regarding why Jesus said "in my name" in that verse, and not "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost":

----- Begin Quote -----

"For he did not enjoin them 'to make disciples of all nations' simply and without qualification, but with the essential addition 'in his name.' For so great was the virtue attached to his appellation that the Apostle says, God bestowed on him the name above every name, that in the name of Jesus every knee shall bow of things in heaven and on earth and under the earth. It was right therefore that he should emphasize the virtue of the power residing in his name but hidden from the many, and therefore say to his Apostles, Go ye and make disciples of all nations in my name."

----- End Quote -----

Eusebius wasn't even aware of the corrupt version of the text in the Gospel of Matthew, until he participated in the First Council of Nicaea, that was called by Emperor Constantine in 325 AD, in the northwestern region of Asia Minor, then known as Bithynia. Today, this region is a part of Turkey. Ancient Nicaea, which in our modern times is now known as the Turkish city of Iznik, was located approximately seventy miles to the southeast of Byzantium. This city later acquired the name of Constantinople when Emperor Constantine set up his eastern capital there. Today, the city is known as Istanbul.

As I explain in other articles, the First Council of Nicaea was attended by over three hundred bishops who had gathered from throughout the Roman Empire, in order to establish the formal doctrines of the Fourth Century Roman Catholic Church. As I noted earlier, by this time, about three hundred years had passed since the time of Jesus Christ and the Apostles. As a result, their original teachings had been corrupted by many heretical doctrines during this dark period of doctrinal turmoil commonly known as the "Great Apostasy".

Now one of the more significant results of the gathering in Nicaea was the acceptance of the Nicene Creed as a symbol of the fundamental beliefs of the Roman Catholic Church. As you may know, to this day the various tenets of the Nicene Creed are accepted by a variety of churches to varying degrees. It should be noted, however, that there's more than one version of the Creed, such as the 325 AD version, the 381 AD version, the Athanasius version, etc.

While a number of churches do recognize the authority of the Nicene Creed -- such as the Roman Catholic Church and some of its derivatives -- not all churches, and not all Christians are of this persuasion. One of the reasons for this rejection by some Christians, is that the Nicene Creed establishes the so-called "Holy Trinity" doctrine; which, as we have already discussed, finds its only support in the rather questionable rendition of Matthew 28:19. It appears that a large part of the blame for the corruption that is found in the verse, and for the formalization of the "Holy Trinity" in the Nicene Creed, is cast upon none other than Athanasius, who was the bishop of Alexandria, and also a contemporary of Eusebius.

Athanasius' notoriety is due primarily to his conflicts with Arius, who was a Fourth Century Christian priest, and also a resident of Alexandria, like Athanasius. The basis for the powerful conflict between Athanasius and Arius, was that the former was a Trinitarian --or firm believer in the doctrine of the "Holy Trinity" -- while the latter was not. Arius was not convinced that Jesus Christ is equal to God the Father, and questioned whether or not Jesus had existed eternally with the Father. He in fact posited that Jesus may have been created by God the Father, and did not accept the existence of a physical "trinity" as is expounded by the Trinitarians. It was in fact this conflict which resulted in Constantine evoking the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD. As I said earlier, the result was the establishment of the Nicene Creed as the symbol of orthodox Roman Catholic beliefs at that time.

With the acceptance of the Nicene Creed, Athanasius had won the doctrinal battle. Arianism was condemned, and Arius was ruled a heretic at the Council of Nicaea. Let me also point out, however, that Athanasius was eventually condemned and exiled by Emperor Constantine, during a synod in 335 AD, at which Eusebius of Caesarea was present. Athanasius had in fact refused to attend two synods called by Eusebius during the previous years.

Please go to part six for the continuation of this series.

⇒ Go To The Next Part . . .

Click or Tap Icons to Share! Thank you!

---

---

Please avail yourself of other areas of the BBB Bible website. There are many treasures for you to discover.