Light on Water Baptism – 19th verse, of Matthew
water baptism
Questions 56 (COD Page 239)
I do not understand the light on water baptism, in the 28th chapter of… 19th verse, of Matthew. What does this mean?
102 Well, now, maybe it won’t take me but just a minute. And lets have somebody turn with me if you will, to Matthew, the 28th chapter, and the 19th verse. And we’ll find out, just what the person is… twenty-five… Now, This will make you strong if you’ll just stay with It. It’s-It’s good, you see. It isn’t evangelistic, but It’s…
103 Now we’re… Now here’s where people try to say, “There’s a contradiction in the Bible.” Now, I want somebody to turn to… with Matthew 28:19. Or, no, I want somebody… Matthew 28:19. I want somebody to turn to Acts 2:38. You got your Bible there, Brother Neville?
104 And I want you to read for yourselves now. “And I’ll show you a strict contradiction in the Bible. And what the- the Bible… The people say ‘the Bible doesn’t contradict Itself,’ I want you to take this into consideration.”
105 And this makes the professors get gray. But It-It’s simple. Now I’ll read Matthew 28:19, you follow me. And some of you with Acts 2:38, have it ready. I’ll begin unto the 18th verse, this is the closing chapter of Matthew:
And Jesus came and spake unto his disci-… spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. (where’s the Father’s power?)
106 If all the power in Heaven and earth is give to Jesus, God got powerless then didn’t He? Or did He just tell a story? Was He joking? He meant It! Don’t you believe He meant It? Well, if all power is given unto Him, where’s God’s power at then? He was God! That’s exact. That’s the only thing there is to it. That’s just all there was. See, He was God; or either there’s somebody set there, did have some power, don’t have it anymore. See? So you can’t-you can’t confuse It. We’ll get that right in on this same thing here. All right:
… All power in heaven and earth is… in heaven and in earth.
Go ye therefore,… teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:… lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world.
107 Acts 2:38, now somebody read. Wait just a minute. Acts, the 2nd chapter, the 38th verse. Now, listen real close now, and just be patiently, and we’ll see now. Now, this is ten days later after Jesus told them now, Matthew 28:19, “Go therefore, teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”
108 Now, Peter, ten days later… They never preached another sermon. They went up in the upper room of Jerusalem, and waited there (for ten days) for the Holy Ghost to come. How many knows that? In this spot. Here’s Peter, Peter has the keys to the Kingdom. All right, we’ll see what he does. Matthew… or I mean Acts 2, lets take the 36th verse:
Therefore let all the house of Israel know surely, that God has made this same Jesus, whom you… crucified, both Lord and Christ.
“Both Lord and Christ.” No wonder, all power in heavens and earth was given unto Him.
Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and… the rest of the apostles, Man and brethren, what shall we do?
Peter answered… Peter said unto them; Repent, every one of you, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
109 “Now, there’s a contradiction. Matthew said, ‘baptize in name of Father, Son, Holy Ghost,’ and Peter said in the Acts 2:38, ten days later, ‘Repent, and be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ.’”
110 Then the next time repentance was spoke-spoke of… or baptism, in the Bible, it’s Acts the-the 8th chapter, when Philip went down and preached to the… to-to the Samaritans. And they received the Holy Ghost, and they were baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ.
111 Next time it was spoke of, was when the Gentiles received It, Acts 10:49:
And while Peter… spake these words, behold, the Holy Ghost fell upon… them… and heard them. For they heard them speak in tongues, and magnify God. Then said Peter,
Can a man forbid water, seeing that these… have received the Holy Ghost like we did at the beginning? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
112 Now let me have something here, just show you a little something so you won’t forget it; going to make a little illustration. I’m going to put… How many gener-… nationalities of people are there in the world? There’s three: Ham, Shem, and Japheth’s people. How many knows that? We come from those three sons of Noah. Ham’s people, Shem’s people… Japheth’s people is the Anglo-Saxon, Shem’s people is the… The three generations, that’s: Jew, Gentile, and half Jew and Gentile. Now, notice, when that there… and this is Ham… Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
113 Now, the first time baptism was ever spoke of, was spoke of by John the Baptist. How many knows that to be true? All right, I’m going to lay it over here, way over here, John the Baptist. And John baptized the people in the river of Jordan, commanding them that they should repent and get right with God, and sell their goods, and feed the poor, and the soldiers be satisfied with their money, and to get right with God. How many know that? And he baptized them in the river of Jordan, not sprinkled them, not poured them, but immersed them! If you don’t believe It, here’s the lexicon, find out if it isn’t baptizo, which is “baptize, immersed, put under, buried.” Now, the first time baptism was ever spoke of, was there.
114 The second time baptism was ever spoken of, Jesus commissioned it, Matthew 28:19.
115 Next time baptism was spoke of, was Acts 2:38.
116 The next time baptism was spoke of, was in the 8th chapter of Acts.
117 The next time baptism was spoke of, was in the-the 10th chapter of Acts.
118 And then we come from the time where Jesus said, here, “Go ye therefore, teach all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and the Son, Holy Ghost.
119 Now let’s straighten this scripture out, first. I’ve told you that “there’s not one Scripture in the Bible that will contradict another.” I want you to bring it to me. I’ve asked that for twenty-six years, and I haven’t found it yet. There’s no Scripture that contra-… If it contradicts It, then it’s a man-written affair. No, sir, there’s no contradiction in the Bible!
120 Now this you said, “What about that?”
121 Here stands Jesus saying, “Go ye therefore, teach all nations, baptizing them in the Name of Father, Son, Holy Ghost.”
122 And Peter turns right back around, and said, “Repent, every one of you, and be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ.”
123 “There’s your contradiction.” Looks like it. Now, if you’re reading with a carnal mind, and not a open heart, it’ll be a contradiction.
124 But if you’ll read It open-minded, “The Holy Spirit has hid this from the eyes of the wise and prudent,” Jesus said so, and thanked God for it, “and has revealed It to babes such as would learn.” If you got a mind, and not a selfish mind, but a willing heart to learn, the Holy Ghost will teach you these things.
125 Now if it don’t compare… You said, “How do you know you’re right?” Well, it compares with the rest of the Scripture. If you don’t, you got a flat contradiction here.
126 Now I want to ask you a question. This is the last chapter of Matthew. I’ll take it in a little form, so that every one of you… the children will understand It.
127 For instance, if you read a love story, and the back of it said, “And Mary and John lived happy ever after.” Well, you wonder who John and Mary was that lived happy ever after. Now, if you want to know who John and Mary is, you’d better go back to the first of the book and find out who John and Mary is. Then get back here and find out who Mary was, and what family she come from; and who John was, and what family he come from, and what his name was, and how they were married, and all about it. Is that right?
128 Well, that’s the same thing in reading the Bible here. When… Look, Jesus never said, “Go baptize the people in the name of the Father, in the name of the Son, in the name of the Holy Ghost,” the way trinitarian people baptize. There’s no Scripture for that in the Bible. He never said, “In the names (n-a-m-e-s), names” of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
129 He said, “In the (n-a-m-e) name,” singular. Look at your Bible there and find out if that’s right, Matthew 28, “In the Name.”
130 Not “in the name of the Father, in the name of the Son,… ” that’s the way a triune preacher baptizes. “In the name of the Father, in the name of the Son, and in the name of the Holy Ghost.” That’s not even in the Bible.
131 “Then in the name… ” You said, “Well, then in the name of the ‘Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.’” Then there’s a certain name there.
132 Well, is Father a name? How many knows that Father’s not a name. Father’s a title. Son’s not a name. How many know that Son’s not a name? How many fathers is in here? raise your hand. How many sons is in here? raise your hands. Well, which one of you are named “son”? Which one of you named “father”? All right, Holy Ghost is not a name. Holy Ghost is what It is. How many humans is in here? raise your hand. See? There you are, the Holy Ghost is what It is. Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, neither one of them are names; there’s no name to it.
133 Well, then, if He said, “Baptize in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost,” we’d better go back and find out who Father, Son, and Holy Ghost is. Let’s turn back to the 1st chapter of Matthew then, see Who this fellow was that we’re supposed to baptize in what name. And we start out now with Matthew, the 1st chapter, and the 18th verse. Read closely, all of you.
134 Now, you that asked the question, I want to give a little illustration here. Now I’m going to put three things here so that you’ll understand clearly, (make the illustration) these Bibles and books, to make illustration.
135 All right, I want you to watch me closely, and each one follow me now. Now, this here is God the Father. This here is God the Son. This here is God the Holy Ghost. Now, how many understand? You say it after me. Who’s this down here? [Congregation says, “Holy Ghost”-Ed.] Holy Ghost. Who’s this over here? [Congregation says, “Father”-Ed.] Who’s this here? [Congregation says, “Son”-Ed.] Now, that’s the way the trinitarian believe that, See, that makes us heathens, just as raw as it can be.
136 The Jew; that’s the reason you can’t do nothing with a Jew. He said, “You can’t chop God in three pieces and give Him to a Jew.” But, certainly not, you can’t me either. See? No, sir. He’s one God. That’s exactly. Not three Gods. Now notice how-how-how simple It is.
137 Now we’re going to find out. Now, who is… This is who? Some speak out now. God the Son. Is that right? This is the Son. Well, then His father is God. Is that right? How many believes that His father is God, raise up your hand. How many believe that God is the Father of Jesus Christ? All right.
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise:…
138 Now we’re going back to find out who Father, Son, and Holy Ghost is, that Matthew said “baptize in the Name of.” See, the Name; not names now, ’cause they can’t be names, ’cause there no name there.
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When… his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with a child of God theFather. (Does the Bible say that? What does the Biblesay?)… she was found with a child of the Holy Ghost.
139 Then which one of these is His father? Now, the Bible said that this is His father, and Jesus said that this was His father.
Now, which one is His father? Now, if he had two fathers, now what about it? If He had two fathers, He’s a illegitimate child.
140 Now let’s just read on a little further:
Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, was not willingly to make her a publick example, but was minded to put her away privily.
But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the… [Congregation says, “Holy Ghost”-Ed.]
141 The what? The Holy Ghost? Well, how can the Father be his father, and the Holy Ghost be His father at the same time? Now, He had two fathers then, if that be right. No, sir! The Holy Ghost IS God. The Holy Ghost IS GOD. So God and the Holy Ghost is the sameself Person, or He had two fathers.
142 See, we find out who John and Mary is, after while. All right, we find out whether Peter and Matthew was trying to contradict one another or not, see if the Scripture contradicts Itself. It’s a lack of spiritual understanding. That’s right.
But while he thought on these…
143 I got that one, the 20th verse. Now the 21st: And she shall bring forth a son,… (This Person, which was of these? One Person, God.)… and thou shall call his name… (what?) [Congregation answers,
“JESUS”-Ed.]… for he shall save his people from their sins.
… this was all done, that… might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel,… by interpretation, God with us.
144 So who was John and Mary that lived happy ever after? Who was the One who said, “Go ye therefore, teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, the Holy Ghost”? Who was the Father? The Name of the Father, Son, Holy Ghost? [Someone says, “Jesus”-Ed.] Certainly, it was. Sure, no contradiction to that. Not a bit. It just straightens the Scripture out. He was the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. God was (Emmanuel) dwelling with us, tabernacling in a body called “Jesus.”
145 Now, the oneness teaching of the Oneness church, I certainly disagree with that, thinking that Jesus is one like your finger is one. He had to have a father. If He didn’t, how could He be His own father? And if His Father was a man like the trinitarian says, then he was born a illegitimate birth with two fathers. So, you see, you’re both wrong by arguing. See?
146 But the Truth of it is, that both Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, is one Personality. [Blank spot on tape-Ed.]… of dwelling in a tabernacle of flesh, to take sin from the world. That exactly right, “God with us.” Now, therefore, when Matthew 28:19…
147 Now, you search the Scriptures, and when you can find where one person in the Bible… (now think of it, now don’t let this pass over you)… where one person in the Bible was ever baptized in the name of the “Father,” and the “Son,” and the “Holy Ghost,” come back to me and tell me that I’m a hypocrite, and I’ll put a sign on my back and walk through the city. It’s not in the Scriptures, from Genesis to Revelation. But every person in the Bible was baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ!
148 You say, “Wait a minute, preacher. What about John? He didn’t baptize in any name at all!”
149 All right, we find out what happened; let’s turn over to-to the-the Acts, the 19th chapter. That’s where we find John’s disciples. Every person was all baptized in the Name of Jesus
Christ, on up now till we find this group over here. Acts, the 19th chapter. And let’s begin the reading now, and we find John’s disciples:
And it came to pass,… while Apollos (which was a lawyer, converted) was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts of… Ephesus: he finds certain disciples, (they were followers of Jesus)
150 If you just noticed the previous chapter before there, they were having such a great time till they were shouting and rejoicing. How many knows that true? And Aquila and Priscilla were attending the meeting. And Paul and Silas were beaten and stripped and put into jail. Is that right? And they come over here and found Aquila and Priscilla. And they were having a revival up there by a Baptist preacher, by the name of Apollos, who was proving by the Scriptures that “Jesus was the Christ.” Now Paul finds him:
… Paul having passed through the upper coasts of… Ephesus:… finds certain disciples, He said unto them, Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed?…
151 Now, you dear Baptist friend, if that don’t knock the-the props out from under your theology when you said you “received the Holy Ghost when you believed.”
152 But Paul wanted to ask these Baptists, “Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed?” Now watch what they said:
… And they said unto him, We know… whether there be any Holy Ghost.
And he said unto them, Unto what… (now, if you want to get the Greek lexicon here, it’ll show you, “Unto how were you baptized?”)… Unto what… were you baptized? And they said unto him, Under John back here. John baptized us.
153 Now I want to ask: If you had that baptism, would you be satisfied with it? The same man that walked Jesus out in the river, and baptized Jesus Christ, that same man had baptized these people. That’s a pretty good baptism: not sprinkling, not pouring, but immersing in the old muddy Jordan at the same place Jesus was baptized. Think of that.
154 Paul said, “Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed?” They… he…
They said, “We know… whether there be any Holy Ghost.”
He said, “How was you baptized?”
They said, “We been baptized.”
“How was you baptized?”
“Unto John!”
155 Now watch what Paul said. Watch here: And he said unto them,… were you bap-… Unto John… And they… And then said Paul, John verily baptized… the
bap-… unto repentance, saying unto… people,… they should believe on him who’s come after him, that is, on Jesus Christ.
156 See, John only baptized unto repentance, but the water baptism in Jesus’ Name is for the remission of sins. The atonement wasn’t made then, sins could not be remitted. Now… It was just a answer of a conscience, like under the law. Luke 16:16, said, “The law and prophets were until John since then the Kingdom’s been preached.” Now watch.
And… Watch.
And Paul said un-… (now watch)… Have you received…
157 The 5th-5th verse: And when they heard this, they were baptized (again) in the name of… Jesus Christ.
158 That right? Then these people, the people in Acts 2, were baptized in Jesus’ Name. The Jews were baptized in Jesus’ Name. The Gentiles were baptized in Jesus’ Name. And every person in the entire Bible was baptized in Jesus’ Name.
159 Now find one place that anybody else was ever baptized any other way, and I’ll go right back here and show you where the Catholic church admits it, and say that you bow to it. And said, “There might be some Protestants saved because they have a few of the Catholic doctrines, such as the baptism in the name of ‘Father, Son, and Holy Ghost’; that the holy Catholic Church has a right to change that solemnity from the Name of Jesus to the ‘Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,’ and the Protestant church admits it.” This one don’t, I stay with the Bible. I believe in the Bible.
160 You say, “Brother Branham, do you commission people to be baptized over?” Absolutely! Paul did, here.
161 Now watch, let’s get the Galatians 1:8, and find out what Paul said:
… though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you… let him be accursed.
162 There you are, “If we or an angel.” And Paul, the same man, commissioned the people to be baptized over again that had a lot better baptism than what you have had, my brother; ’cause John the Baptist was Jesus’ own cousin, second cousin; baptizing his own cousin in the river of Jordan, and turned right around and baptized John’s disciples.
And Jesus said, “That won’t work!” or Paul said It, and commissioned them to be baptized over again in the Name of Jesus Christ before they could receive the Holy Ghost; after they had been shouting and praising God and having a big-time, having a great-great revival, and proving by the Bible (with their theology) that Jesus was the Christ. How many knows that’s the Scripture? The 18th chapter. Certainly, it is. There you are. So there’s no question to It.
163 Now let me give you a little keynote. Now, he never went out of the order, but in Luke… Matthew, the 16th chapter. Jesus, when they come down off the mount, He says, “Who do man say I the Son of man am?”
164 “Some say You’re ‘Elijah,’ and some say You’re the ‘prophets,’ and some say You’re ‘this, that.’”
165 He said, “But who do you say?”
166 Peter said, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
167 Watch! “Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona (the son of Jonas), flesh and blood never revealed this to you.” Amen!
168 See, It has to come spiritual revelation. Flesh and blood never told Abel that he was wrong (Cain, that he was wrong), never told Abel that “Cain was wrong.” But It was a revelation that Abel had, “It was blood!” We’re coming into that question in a few minutes.
It was blood, not fruits, that took us from the Garden of Eden. “It was blood,” and Abel, by spiritual revelation… was revealed of God that it was blood. And he, “By faith,” Hebrews 11:1 says, “he offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain. Which, God accepted his sacrifice.” There you are. See, he offered it by faith, by revelation.
169 Now watch, “Flesh and blood have not revealed this to you,” (plumb over to the Lord Jesus) “but my Father which is in Heaven has revealed This to you. And upon this rock (the revelation of Jesus Christ)… Upon this rock, I’ll build My Church, and the gates of hell can’t prevail against It.” That’s what He said. Spiritual rev-…
“And I say that you are Peter, and I’ll give to you the keys of the Kingdom. And whatever… Because you’ve got a spiritual open channel between here and Heaven. Flesh and blood: you never took in a seminary, you never took schooling, you never took an a-a-a course of theology. But you depended on God, and God revealed it to you, and it’s absolutely the clear Scriptures that tie It together. I say you’re Peter, that’s right, and I’ll give to you the keys; and what you bind on earth, I’ll bind it in Heaven; what you loose on earth, I’ll lose it in Heaven.”
170 And Peter was the spokesman on the Day of Pentecost when they were all scared to speak, he spoke up and said, “Ye man of Judaea and you that dwell in Jerusalem, let this be unto you and hearken to my words. These are not drunk as you suppose, seeing it’s the third hour of the day, but this is that which was spoken of the prophet Joel.
‘It’ll come to pass in the last days,’ saith God, ‘I’ll pour out My Spirit upon all flesh. Your sons and daughters shall prophesy. And upon My handmaid, the maidservant, will I pour out of My Spirit. And I’ll show signs in the heavens above and in the earth below, and pillars of smoke and vapor. It shall come to pass before the great and terrible Day of the Lord shall come, that whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved.’” There you are. Oh, my.
171 “Let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David,” he said, “he’s both dead and buried, and his sepulcher’s with us unto this day. Therefore, being a prophet, he saw… foresaw Him at His right hand, ‘And I’ll not be moved. Moreover, My flesh will rest in hope because He’ll not leave My soul in hell, neither will suffer Thy Holy One to see corruption.’”
172 “And David is both dead,” he said, “and buried, and his sepulcher’s with us this day. But being a prophet, he foresaw the coming of the Just One, whom God has made both Lord and Christ.” Oh, my. There are your Scriptures. There’s the thing. That’s it.
173 Now we find out here, then, that the correct way, and the real way, and the only way that was ever ordained… And Peter had the keys, and on the day when he preached, they said…
Now watch, here’s the first Church. You Catholics listen to This. You Campbellites listen to This. You Baptists and Methodists listen to This. And you Pentecostals listen to This. Church of God, Nazarene, Pilgrim Holiness, listen to This.
174 Peter had the keys, and he had the authority, or Jesus lied. And it’s impossible for Him to lie, “two immutable things, it’s impossible for God to lie.” He had the keys. Jesus give him the keys. When He rose on the-on the third day like that, He had the keys of death and, hell, but not the keys to the Kingdom. Peter had them! It’s exactly right.
175 And now watch, Peter, you got the keys hanging on your side, and you are preaching. The question comes, the first converts of the new church. The early Christian Church. Now Catholic, now Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, are you on New Church doctrine? Find out if you are.
… Man and brethren, what can we do?
… Peter stood up and said… Repent,… every one of you… (lookout, boy; the way you place those keys here, Christ will place it in Heaven)… Repent, every one of you, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ… (that’s how you get into This)… for the remission of your sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
176 The keys went “click” here, and it went “click” There. That’s the reason John’s disciples had to come and be rebaptized, again, in the Name of Jesus Christ (before they could go into Heaven), get the Holy Ghost. He kept His Word. So it doesn’t confuse you now, does it? See? Certainly, Matthew 28:19 was titled, not Name.
177 All right, how much is more time we got? Can we have fifteen more minutes to answer a couple of more questions real quick? Can we? All right, we’ll hurry right quick. I got two down here at the bottom, I wanted to get quickly, joined right in with this, if I could. Then I can get the rest of the Sunday morning.
