Most people are completely unaware that the only explicit reference to "the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" in the entire Bible is found in Matthew 28:19. This verse, known as the Trinitarian Formula, reads as follows in the traditional Greek text:
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:19-20)
The Trinitarian Formula is a theological expression that encapsulates the false doctrine of the Trinity, which posits what the Bible never does, that God exists as three distinct Persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—yet that they are also somehow one in essence. This concept was invented by—and is central to—Catholic theology since they took power in 325 A.D. That concept was then inherited by the Catholic church's two illegitimate children: the Protestants and the Orthodox. However, the fact that this Trinitarian Formula appears only once in the entire Bible raises significant questions about its authenticity. Given that the New Testament emphasizes monotheism (see Mark 12:29; 1 Cor 8:6), particularly the oneness of God as articulated in the Shema (Deut 6:4; Mark 12:29), the sudden and isolated appearance of this unheard of triadic formula, never used anywhere else in Scripture, warrants closer scrutiny.
The Mashiachim Perspective on Matthew 28:19:
We, the Mashiachim, hold that the Trinitarian Formula found in Matthew 28:19 is a later addition to the text, not part of the original Gospel written by the apostle Matityahu (a.k.a. Matthew). Our belief is grounded in both textual and historical evidence, including the significant variance found in Shem Tob’s Hebrew Gospel of Matthew (HM), the absence of any corresponding practice by the apostles in the New Testament, and the absence of any further mention of this Trinitarian Formula throughout the rest of the Bible.
Shem Tob’s Hebrew Gospel of Matthew:
Shem Tob ben Isaac ibn Shaprut was a 14th-century Jewish scholar who composed a polemical treatise called Evan Bohan during the Spanish Inquisition. This treatise was designed to defend Jewish beliefs against the accusations of the Catholic Church, which sought to convert, expel, or execute Jews who refused to submit to the authority of the Church. Attached to this work was a copy of the Hebrew Gospel of Matthew, which Shem Tob included to help his fellow Jews counter Christian arguments and defend their faith.
Given the high stakes of life and death during the Inquisition, it is highly unlikely that Shem Tob would have included a text he believed to be erroneous or fabricated. His inclusion of this Hebrew Gospel suggests that he considered it a trustworthy source, free from later Christian interpolations that were designed to support doctrines such as the Trinity.
In Shem Tob’s Hebrew Gospel of Matthew, the Trinitarian Formula found in the Greek text is conspicuously absent. Instead, the text reads:
Hebrew Text (Shem Tob's Matthew): לכו והיו מלמדים אותם לעשות כל מה שצויתי אתכם לעולם
Transliteration: Lekhu vehayu melamdim otam la'asot kol ma shetzivitikhem le'olam.
Translation: "Go and teach them to carry out all the things that I have commanded you forever."
This version emphasizes the importance of teaching and obedience to the Lord Yeshua’s commandments, without any reference to baptizing in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This aligns more consistently with the monotheistic teachings of Yeshua and the broader scriptural narrative as a whole—Especially when we consider that this Father, Son, and Holy Spirit formula is never mentioned anywhere else in the entire Bible.
Historical Evidence of Matthew’s Hebrew Gospel:
The idea that Matthew originally wrote his Gospel in Hebrew is well-supported by early Christian writers. Eusebius of Caesarea, in his Ecclesiastical History, notes:
"Matthew had first preached to Hebrews, and when he was about to go to others also, he transmitted his Gospel in writing in his native tongue, and thus compensated those whom he was obliged to leave for the loss of his presence." (Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History 3.24.6)
Jerome, writing in the late 4th century, also attested to the existence of a Hebrew version of Matthew, stating:
"Matthew, who is also Levi, and from a tax collector came to be an apostle first of all wrote a Gospel of Christ in Judea in the Hebrew language and characters, for the benefit of those of the circumcision who had believed. Who it was who afterwards translated it into Greek is not sufficiently ascertained. Furthermore, the Hebrew itself is preserved to this day in the library at Caesarea, which the martyr Pamphilus so diligently collected." (Jerome, De Viris Illustribus 3)
Jerome's account highlights the existence of a Hebrew Matthew in the Library of Caesarea, suggesting that this Hebrew version was considered authentic and authoritative by early Christians. This historical context provides a plausible explanation for how the Trinitarian Formula might have been introduced during the translation process or in subsequent manuscript transmission.
The Apostolic Practice of Baptism:
One of the most compelling reasons to question the authenticity of the Trinitarian Formula in Matthew 28:19 is the complete absence of its practice by the apostles themselves. Throughout the New Testament, particularly in the Acts of the Apostles, the practice of baptism is consistently recorded as being done in the name of Yeshua HaMashiach alone. There is no record of the apostles ever baptizing in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit:
- Acts 2:38: "Then Peter said to them, 'Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Yeshua HaMashiach for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'"
- Acts 8:16: "For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Yeshua."
- Acts 10:48: "And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord."
- Acts 19:5: "When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Yeshua."
This consistent pattern of baptizing solely in the name of the Lord Yeshua raises serious doubts about the originality of the Trinitarian Formula found in Matthew 28:19. If Yeshua had indeed commanded His disciples to baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, it is difficult to understand why the apostles, who were closest to Him and responsible for carrying out His teachings, would entirely and completely disregard this command.
Furthermore, if baptizing in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit was truly the last commandment given by Yeshua to His apostles before departing into Heaven, we must ask not only why it was never actually practiced, but also why this Triadic Formula is not mentioned in the other Gospels (Mark, Luke, and John). These Gospels, which also recount the teachings and final instructions of Yeshua, are completely silent on this so-called crucial commandment. This omission is particularly glaring if we consider the significance that is typically attributed to the last words of a Someone whose followers consider Him to be the Incarnate God of the universe.
Moreover, if this Triadic Formula was indeed a divine mandate from Yeshua, why is it never again mentioned by any apostle or writer anywhere else in the entire Bible? Not a single apostolic letter, sermon, or epistle reiterates or even references this formula. The complete absence of any further mention or reinforcement of this command throughout the rest of Scripture strongly suggests that it was not part of the original teaching of Yeshua.
This overwhelming silence on the Trinitarian Formula in the rest of the New Testament—both in narrative and in practice—compels us to conclude that it is a later addition to the text of Matthew 28:19. If it had been genuinely instituted by Yeshua, it would have been foundational to the teachings and practices of the early Church, yet the evidence shows the opposite. The Mashiachim therefore affirm that the original command of Yeshua, as preserved in the Shem Tob Hebrew Matthew, did not include the Trinitarian Formula, but rather emphasized obedience to His teachings alone.
Manuscript Evidence and Historical Context:
While it is true that the Trinitarian Formula appears in the majority of extant Greek manuscripts, including important early manuscripts such as Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus (both from the 4th century), the earliest complete manuscripts of Matthew we possess were written at least a full century after the original text was penned by Matthew. The process of textual transmission during these centuries was not immune to theological influences or bias, especially as the doctrine of the Trinity was invented by men and became more formally defined.
The earliest known complete manuscript of Matthew that contains the Trinitarian Formula dates to the 4th century. However, the gap between the time of Yeshua and the earliest manuscripts we have leaves room for the possibility of interpolations. Furthermore, the absence of this formula in earlier writings and the consistent practice of the apostles to baptize only in Yeshua’s name provides compelling evidence that the Trinitarian Formula may have been added to support the developing Trinitarian doctrine.
Conclusion:
The Trinitarian Formula found in Matthew 28:19, as it appears in the Greek text, is likely a later addition rather than the original words of Yeshua. The Shem Tob's Hebrew Matthew offers a version that aligns more closely with the teachings of Yeshua and the practices of His apostles. Historical and textual evidence, coupled with the apostolic practice of baptizing exclusively in the name of Yeshua, leads us, the Mashiachim, to reject the Trinitarian Formula as part of the original Great Commission. Instead, we affirm the simplicity and purity of Yeshua’s true command as preserved in the Hebrew tradition:
"Go and teach them to carry out all the things that I have commanded you forever." (the real Matthew 28:19-20)