The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 640

propagation of the gospel 11 11 work for all Gholt. Our veniion follows the Vnlgate, ,,. in their aeveral apheres. Te11ch ; dooeUJ nomine, which does not give the right foroe (Vulgale). These are unfortunate render- to the expression. The phrase does not ings of the verb µa.811.,.,6,,.a.,,.,, which means, mean merely invoking the Name, nuder the "make dieoiplea." Te1LOhing is expressed in sanction of the great Na.me, but something ver. 20, o.s one t'fthe elements or components more tha.n this. It signifies into the power of full disoipleship, The imperative aorist and influence of the Holy Trinity, into faith µaJJ11,,.•6ua.n is, as it were, decomposed by in the three Persona of God, and the duties the two following present pa.rticiplcs, and privileges consequent on that faith, "ha.ptizing" and "tea.ohing." In the case into the family of God and obedience nnto of infants the process is exactly what is its Head. The "into " shows the end a.nd here represented; they are admitted into aim of the oonsecration of baptism. The tile Christian society by baptism, and then " Ne.me " of God is that by which he is instruoted in faith and duty. Adults have known to us-that which connotes his bein@I' to be instructed before baptism ; but they and his attributes, that by which there form a small minority in most Christian exists e. conscions connection between God oommunitles, where, generally, infant bo.p- and ourselves (comp. eh. xviii. 20). So tism is tile rnlo, and would be regarded being baptized into the Name of God im• rather as exceptions. Teaching alone is plies being placed in subjection to and not stated by the Lord to be the only thing communion with God himself, admitted necessary to convert an unbeliever into a into covenant with him. It is to be ob- Chrilltian ; this is effected by the grace of served that the term is "name," noi God applied o.s Christ proceeds to expla.in. "names," thus denoting the unity of the All nations (1rdna .,.a tev11, all the nations). Godhead in the trinity of Persons. The The a.pasties were no longer to go only to Lord's words he.ve e.lways been taken e.s "the lost sheep of the house of I.rael " ( eh. the formula of baptism, a.nd have in a.ll x. 6); they were to Christianize all the ages been used in its e.dministration. The na.tions of the world, Jew and Gentile alike. three Divine Persons were revealetl at the The gospel is adapted to all the varying baptism of Jesus (eh. iii. 16, 17); they are minds and habits of men, barba.rous and invoked at every Christie.n baptism. It is civilized, near and remote, ignoro.nt or true the.t we read,- in the early Cti nrch, of onltivated ; and it is the duty and privilege persons being baptized "in the Name of of Christ's ministers to make it known o.nd the Lord Jesus,'' antl "in the Name of the acceptable in o.11 quarters of the globe. Lord" (Aot.s viii 16; L 48); bnt this ex- lla.ptizing them; i.e. inilividna.le of all the pression by no mee.ns assumes that the nations. The present participle denotes names of the other Divine Persons were the mode of initiation into disoipleship. not used; it denotes that the converts were- Make them disciples by baptizing them. admitted into the religion which Jesus Christ tllus expla.ins his mysterioUB an- instituted, in fact, were ma.de Christian"- nouncement to Nicodemus (John iii. 5), The a.hove formula has from primitive times "Except a ma.n be boru of wo.ter and the been considered indispensable for the valid Spirit, he oanuot enter into the kingdom of administration of tlliJ:J sacrament (see God." To the disciples the notion of 'A post. Can.,' 41; Tertull., 'De BL\pt.,' xiii.; baptism wo.s no now thing. Aa a rite Justin Martyr,' Apo!.,' i. 79). "From this typifying tho cleansing of the heart and sacred form of baptism,'' says Bishop tile purpose of leading a new life, it had Pearson, •• did the Cllurch derive the rule been long practised in the case of proselytes of fo.ith, requiring the profession of belief to the Jewish faith; they had seen it em- in the Father, Son, an,! Holy Ghost, before ployed by John the Baptist (oh. iii. 6), they oould be baptize<l in their Name"(' On and be.d used it themselves (John iv. 1, the Creed,' art. i.). 2). Christ adopts the old rite, gives it a Ver. 20.-Teaohing (5,5.fu,covTu) them new solemnity, a must 1111,ored formula (i.e. oJl the na.tions) to observe all things, of administration., 11 new meaning, new etc. The word for "teaching" is quite 1piritual effect&. The persous to whom different from thot DS(·d in ver. l 9, a.nd and in whose presence he spoke would tllere wrongly transloted. Instruction is understand his injunction as applicable to the seoond necessary conditio.1 for disciple- all who were capable of its reception, ship. Iu the case of adults, I\S was said, children and adults, the subjects of the above, some teaching must precede th0 initiatory oeremony of proselytism. There initiation; but this hllS to be supplemented was no need of oloser specification. Or, if subsequeutly in order to build up the con- any suoh instruotion was needo,I, the rules vert in the faith and muke him perfoct ; oonoerning circumoision would be a while infants wust be to.ught "as soou a11 1ufflcit,nt guide. In (•lr, into) the Name of they are able to learn, wha.t a solelllD vow, the l!'ather, and of tho Son, and of the Holy proLUise, and profea,iou they have hera  646 ·THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. [ou. xxvm. 1-20.