Just some information that i pulled from my files you might find interesting regarding that verse in
Mat 28:19....for what it's worth.
The writings of Eusebius 260-340 A.D, the Bishop of Caesarea is called the father of Church History due to his extensive writings on the subject. Eusebius quotes from Matthew a number of times in his writings. He quotes
Mat 28:19 as
"Go disciple ye all the nations in my name” 17 times including an oration in Praise of Constantine.
Eusebius was present at the council of Nicaea and was involved in the debates about Arian teaching whether Christ was God or a creation of God. If the manuscripts that he had in front of him were written as
in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…. Eusebius never would have quoted it as saying
“in my name”
Oration in Praise of Constantine
"What king or prince in any age of the world, what philosopher, legislator, or prophet, in civilized or barbarous lands, has attained so great a height of excellence, I say not after death, but while living still, and full of mighty power, as to fill the ears and tongues of all mankind with the praises of his name? Surely none save our only Savior has done this, when, after his victory over death, he spoke the word to his followers, and fulfilled it by the event, saying to them, 'Go ye, and make disciples of all nations in my name.' The Oration in Praise of Constantine, Chap. 16, page 907-908 of The Master Christian Library, Version 6.02 (
CHURCH FATHERS: Oration in Praise of Constantine (Eusebius))
I used to have the names of the earlier manuscripts that quoted “
in my name” but I don’t know what I did with it…
However, the big problem with “
in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” It does not explain the deliberate disobedience of the Apostles ….since there is not a single occurrence of them baptizing anyone by that formula. All the records in the NT have them baptizing
in the name of Jesus Christ.
I believe Mat 28:19 was an early alteration to give credence to the trinitarian doctrine along with a few others in the NT that have taken place over the years.