If There Was No Book of Matthew, What Would You Do?

On the subject of water baptism, the Trinitarian immediately runs to the book of Matthew to prove his point on the trinity baptism. I have even heard it said, “I would rather believe Jesus than Peter”. I will deal with that statement a little later.

My dear reader, what would you do if there was no book of Matthew? What scripture would you use to prove your Trinitarian baptism? You know that you couldn’t go to Acts because there in Acts it clearly states that all the converts were baptized in Jesus name.

In my Dake Bible it states that Matthew was actually written in 37 AD. Other Bible historians say that Matthew was written as far out as 70 to 90 AD! Let us use the shorter time period in our discussion. If Matthew was written in 37 AD, what did all the believers use for baptismal proof for those 37 years? If the church was baptizing in the triune formula during those 37 years what were they using to substantiate their position on water baptism?

It would seem to make sense that because the history of the book Acts is not even 37 years old, we would need to go to Acts to find out how the church at that time was baptizing.

From the death and resurrection of Jesus to at least 37 full years passed, no one could turn to Matthew 28:19 and try to prove their Trinitarian baptism! There was no book of Matthew! There was no reference for the “trinity” baptism. If you did not have that passage in Matthew, what honestly would you do? How would you baptize or how would you be baptized?

Can you imagine tens of thousands of new believers and they had no scripture to turn to that they could use for their baptism. What did they do? Who did they listen to? How were they baptized?

Acts 2:37-38
37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

This passage of scripture is the first mention of water baptism after Jesus’ final words to his disciples before his ascension. As you can see, the first mention of water baptism is by Peter and his command is that water baptism is to be done in the name of “Jesus”. In reading this chapter you will find the 120 people that were in the upper room were baptized in Jesus name. Later that same day 3,000 more people totalling 3,120 new believers were baptized in the name of Jesus, just 50 day after Jesus’ ascension!

When Peter made this command of baptism in Jesus’ name on that day of Pentecost in Acts two, where was Matthew? Was Matthew there? Was Matthew with the other Apostles and the crowd listening to Peter that day? There is no doubt in my mind that Mathew was right by Peter’s side as he preached that everyone should be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins! Is there any record of Mathew standing up and interrupting Peter and saying “No, stop! Baptism should be done in the trinity formula! Water baptism should be done in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit!” My friend, there is no record of anything like that happening. Matthew was there and was in full agreement with Peter and the rest of the Apostles that water baptism should be administered in the name of Jesus.

By studying history on the subject, you will see that the triune baptism did not even exist until over 200 years after the death of Jesus. It was in 325 AD at the Nicene counsel that the trinity baptism was made dogma by the Catholic Church and by Pope Constantine.

The fact about Matthew is that he by every indication was baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins along with all of the other Apostles.

If you are going to do it, do it Biblically! Water baptism is not an option. It was commanded by Jesus, and his Apostles throughout the book of Acts also commanded water baptism in the name of Jesus Christ.  The Apostle Paul went as far as re-baptizing twelve believers in Acts 19:5. In that passage you will learn that the timing was about 20 years after Jesus’ death and Paul commands that these believers converted under John the Baptist be re-baptized! What would you do, get mad or would you obey and be re-baptized in the name of Jesus Christ? Do you get it? There was no trinity baptism yet, it did not exist. Matthew had not written the book of Matthew and the Bible does NOT give us one person that was baptized in the trinity formula, not one. There is no mention in the Bible of one preacher that baptized using the titles Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

Here is the reference of Paul re-baptizing the twelve believers.

Acts 19:1, 3-5
19:1 And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,
3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.
4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

My dear reader, don’t follow tradition, don’t follow the crowds. Don’t follow the Popes of Rome. Find an Apostolic church and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins!