@ half banana:
The terminology used at Matthew 28:19 ("in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the
holy spirit") which appears in most Bible translations, is not only a solitary phrase, but also extremely
questionable as to its rightful inclusion in the Holy Scriptures.
When viewed in the overwhelming 'light' of the following inspired verses, two conclusions must be
confronted and reasoned upon: either this one verse is correct and all the others simply forgot to
mention the small fact that people must also be baptised in God's name, (and the Spirit's) or, the
three-name-baptism is a spurious insertion. (wasn't Luke supposed to be a meticulous writer?)
Acts 2:38; Acts 4:10,12; Acts 8:16; Acts 10:48; Acts 19:5; Rom. 6:3;1 Cor. 1:12-14;1.
The Insight book makes the following statements; “They were then baptized correctly in the name of Jesus and received holy spirit.”
“....and be baptized in water in the name of Jesus Christ.”
External
evidence (if
needed) is
provided by the ancient Church historian Eusebius in his earliest
writings in which he appears to have quoted this verse as saying something quite different.
Eighteen times between the years 300 and 336 C.E., he cited Matthew 28:19, 20 as saying: 'Go ye and make disciples of all the nations in my name, teaching them to observe all things, whatsoever I commanded you.'
There was no mention of being baptised in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Why the change? The traditional trinitarian reading of Matthew 28:19 does not appear in Eusebius' writings until after the Council of Nicaea, where the trinity began to be formally held as official doctrine.
Until the Council of Nicaea, Eusebius was in full agreement with Arianism, the belief that Jesus was not God, but created by God.
However, the persecution and/or loss of position which was subsequently inflicted on people with such views, probably motivated Eusebius to 'soften' his beliefs.
The evidence strongly indicates that a corruption of Matthew 28:19 was later inserted by trinitarians.