Matthew 28:19

“Go you therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

And it is because this authority is to be seen as over the whole earth that His disciples are to go out, not spreading lies like the soldiers did, but in order to make disciples of all nations, baptising them into the Name of the Triune God. ‘Making disciples' involves bringing men and women into long term commitment. There is no room here for ‘being saved' and then just drifting along. All are to be committed to Christ as Teacher, Master and Lord.

‘Make disciples of all nations.' This is the primary command. The baptising and teaching then follow. First we have the bringing to discipleship (repent for the Kingly Rule of Heaven is drawn near), and then the baptising and teaching must follow. There is no point in baptising or teaching those who are not committed to discipleship for they will not benefit by it. Such people rather need to have the Gospel proclaimed to them. (Unlike a participle preceding an imperative, a participle following an imperative, as here, rarely in the New Testament indicates imperative force. It is rather consequential). But once a person has become a disciple, he is then to be baptised and taught.

The idea of going out to ‘all nations' confirms Matthew 24:14 and Matthew 12:18; Matthew 12:21. See also Matthew 8:11. It is the fulfilment of the fact that He is the son of Abraham (Matthew 1:1) through Whom ‘all the nations of the earth are to be blessed' (Genesis 12:3). They are to go to both Jews and Gentiles (in the same way as they will be hated by both Jews and Gentiles - Matthew 24:9; compare Matthew 10:17; Matthew 10:22). And in going they are to baptise them into ‘the Name', that is, the Name above every Name, the Name of YHWH (or ‘LORD') (Philippians 2:9). This is the first mention of baptism in Matthew since the time of John the Baptist. Then it symbolised the drenching with the Holy Spirit that was coming through the Coming One. Now it is an indication that all who receive Him by repenting and believing, will be deluged with the Holy Spirit. Thus they will have responded to the call of the Father, they will have come under the Kingly Rule of the Son, and they will have been drenched with the Holy Spirit. That is why they will be baptised into the Name of all three. It is the indication of a new beginning, a new Spirit endowed Israel responsive to the Father through the Son. We can compare here Matthew 3:16 where the ideas of Father, Son and Holy Spirit are also combined at Jesus' baptism. But the fact that all three have the same Name is an indication of their oneness. We should note that this is not a baptismal formula (the very early church mainly baptised in the Name of Jesus) but simply a statement of what this baptism is to signify in the terms already expressed in Matthew. It sums up the whole message of Matthew and of Jesus Himself, God as ‘My Father' and ‘your Father', and thus taking a personal interest in their lives, Jesus as ‘the Son, the Beloved' (Matthew 3:17; Matthew 11:27; Matthew 17:5; Matthew 21:37; Matthew 22:2) Who has come to save (Matthew 1:21; Matthew 8:17; Matthew 12:17; Matthew 20:28), and promises that He will be with them always (Matthew 28:20), and the Holy Spirit as the Empowerer Who will be bestowed on men by Him Who drenches men with the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:11; Matthew 12:18; Matthew 12:28). All three are clearly closely involved whan a person is baptised.

So, that Jesus should speak of ‘the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit' in this way is in fact merely the culmination of all that His teaching has been pointing to. He has constantly spoken of the Father as ‘My Father' in a very distinctive way, especially in the second part of the Gospel (Matthew 7:21; Matthew 10:32; Matthew 11:27; Matthew 12:50; Matthew 16:17; Matthew 18:10; Matthew 18:19; Matthew 20:23; Matthew 24:36; Matthew 25:34; Matthew 26:29; Matthew 26:39; Matthew 26:42; Matthew 26:53), and sometimes in apposition to Himself as ‘the Son' (Matthew 11:27; Matthew 24:36), and as ‘your Father' when intimating that God takes a detailed interest in their lives. He has spoken of Himself in terms of sonship in Matthew 11:27; Matthew 21:37; Matthew 22:2, and He has in His hearing had witness borne to Him as the Son by the Father in Matthew 3:17 and Matthew 17:5. Furthermore He presses that claim further in Matthew 17:26. Now therefore that His Sonship has been confirmed by His restoration to heavenly glory this was only the natural way for Him to speak. And as the One Who acted continually through the power of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:28) and is now to drench men throughout the world in the Holy Spirit (which is the significance of the idea of baptism and promised in Matthew 3:11), how could He not mention the Holy Spirit? The work of the Holy Spirit is above all what baptism pictured. Having been united with His Father in Heaven therefore the idea of Father, Son and Holy Spirit arises naturally here as expressing the tripartite working of Those Who in Jesus' eyes were active in bringing about salvation.

Some would suggest that the singular ‘name' is to be seen as signifying ‘each of their names'. But, even if that were so, the fact that the Name of Jesus is paralleled with the Names of Father and Holy Spirit in His designation as the Son, and what is more is placed between them, is to indicate quite clearly that He enjoys an equal divine status. He is the equivalent of the Angel of the Lord in Genesis.

Some have suggested that the thought is too advanced, but as we have shown the idea is intrinsic throughout the Gospel which has made clear that activity of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit which is bringing about salvation (Matthew 1:21). If we deny that Jesus ever rose again, that He ever appeared to His disciples, and that He ever ascended to glory, we might take that view. But then it would hardly matter anyway. But if we acknowledge that having risen to His Father Jesus now appeared among men as the One anointed at His ‘right hand' we will expect something special. He has been in the very centre of Truth with the One Who is Truth Himself and where the most advanced thinking that is conceivable (and inconceivable) takes place. The wonder of it is not that He produced wonderful truth, but that it had been so well prepared for beforehand while He was on earth. That is the miracle. And the idea is constantly found throughout the New Testament from the earliest times (Romans 8:11; 1 Corinthians 12:4; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Galatians 4:6: Ephesians 4:4; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Peter 2:2). It must have come from somewhere.

Some would ask why, if Jesus taught them this about the whole world, the Apostles did not immediately go to the Gentiles. But the answer lies in their insular thinking. At first their idea of ‘all nations' was Jews in ‘all nations under Heaven' (Acts 2:5). It was only later, with some prompting, that they remembered all that Jesus had taught and therefore expanded their mission to Gentiles, eventually welcoming all who would come to Him. It is simply another example of the slowness of the disciples' thinking. (As Acts demonstrates, had they in fact been left to themselves they would probably never have left their successful mission in Jerusalem).

‘Baptising them.' This is an unexpected introduction of the idea only found elsewhere in chapter 3. What began there is now coming to greater fulfilment. The time of drenching in the Holy Spirit is now here in the person of the One Who drenches with Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:11). What began as a local movement must now move worldwide. All limits have now been removed. The Holy Spirit must be poured out like rain on all kinds of people (Acts 2:17). And this will be evidenced by their being baptised. That Jesus must have said something like this comes out in the fact that from the earliest record of post-resurrection preaching those who responded were called on to be baptised (Acts 2:38; Acts 2:41). And it was assumed ever after. There is no hesitation anywhere.

‘Into the Name.' The idea is that now they are seen as belonging to Him (Titus 2:14; 1 Peter 2:9) and are sealed by His Spirit (Ephesians 1:13; Ephesians 4:30).