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NASB | Matthew 7:13 ¶ "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Matthew 7:13 ¶ "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad and easy to travel is the path that leads the way to destruction and eternal loss, and there are many who enter through it. |
Bible Question:
Greetings : Noland One morinig while I was on the road to work I was listing to John McArthur on Grace to You. He was Baptizing someone while on the air. I noticed he was using Matt28:19 instead of Jesus Christ. My Question why, when in every instance of Baptism in the Book of Acts was in Jesus Name. In Jesus Name Ezekiel: |
Bible Answer: Hello again Ezekiel! In Matthew 28:19, we see Jesus commanding His disciples to "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit," after stating that "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth." After this, He goes even further to say, "teaching them to observe all that I commanded you;"... Here we see "baptizing them in the 'name'".. Now, just who's name is this? Are we only to baptize "in the name of Jesus" (Acts 2:38) and not in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit? No. This idea is based on a misinterpretation of Acts 2:38. It is important to understand that the phrase 'in the name of' in biblical times carried the meaning "by the authority of." Seen in this light, the phrase in Acts 2:38 cannot be interpreted to be some kind of a magic baptismal formula. This verse simply indicates that people are to be baptized according to the authority of Jesus Christ. The verse does not mean that the words "in the name of Jesus" must be liturgically pronounced over each person being baptized. If we were consistent in using the strict "baptism only in the name of Jesus" logic, we'd have to pronounce the words "in the name of Jesus" over everything we did. For, indeed, Colossians 3:17 instructs us, "Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father". Clearly the words "in the name of Jesus" are not intended as a formula. I believe that a baptism "in the name of Jesus" makes good sense in the context of Acts 2, because the Jews ("men of Judea" [verse 14], "men of Israel" [verse 22]), to whom Peter was preaching, had rejected Christ as the Messiah. It is logical that Peter would call on them to repent of their rejection of Jesus the Messiah and become publicly identified with Him via baptism. Hope this helps, Ezekiel. Your brother in Christ, Nolan |