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Ellen G. White on Matthew 28:19

The "Great Commission" text found in Matthew 28:18-20 reads as follows:

  • Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV): And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Historical change. Our commentary on the historical change to Matthew 28:19 is discussed in Matthew 28:18-20 - The Great Commission. The history of the change to Matthew 28:19 was apparently not known to EGW or the Adventist pioneers. As least, nothing is written by her or the pioneers that gives any hint of them knowing anything about this change.

Her non-trinitarian understanding of Matthew 28:19. EGW routinely quoted and commented on Matthew 28:19 in her writings using the KJV wording. One important quote is found below. Please note that the bracketed words are from EGW herself.

  • RH, October 26, 1897 par. 9: Christ gave his followers a positive promise that after his ascension he would send them his Spirit. “Go ye therefore,” he said, “and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father [a personal God], and of the Son [a personal Prince and Saviour], and of the Holy Ghost [sent from heaven to represent Christ]: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.”

Here she says that the Father is a personal God, the Son is a personal Prince and Saviour and the Holy Ghost is sent from heaven to represent Christ. Only one of the three is referred to as "God." For there is one God, one Savior and one Spirit (the Spirit of Christ). In her own words:

  • 9T 189.3: Let them be thankful to God for His manifold mercies and be kind to one another. They have one God and one Saviour; and one Spirit—the Spirit of Christ—is to bring unity into their ranks.

Not three Gods, but one God. This one God is the Father.

No other Biblical support for the Trinity. We do not find EGW giving us any other Biblical support for a trinitarian view. She never used 1 John 5:7 which also has trinitarian wording in the KJV (see Is 1 John 5:7 Trinitarian?). And, as mentioned previously, her use of Matthew 28:19 is not a support for the Trinity but rather support for "the three great powers" in heaven as is discussed below.

Trinitarian wording confined to Matthew 28:19. You will note that whenever you read the seemingly trinitarian wording in her writings, "the three great (powers / dignitaries / authorities)," it is almost always in the context of the Matthew 28:19 baptismal formula. If you take away her quotes specific to the baptismal formula in Matthew 28:19, you will find that Adventist trinitarians have practically nothing else to hang on EGW to support the Trinity. The other common use of the threefold name ("the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit") is when it is referring to divine powers, or attributes, or agencies, not divine persons per se. See Trinitarian terms in EGW Writings for more details.

Centered on Christ's name. According to EGW, Christ's name was to be pervasive among the disciples:

  • AA 28.2: The disciples were to carry their work forward in Christ's name. Their every word and act was to fasten attention on His name, as possessing that vital power by which sinners may be saved. Their faith was to center in Him who is the source of mercy and power. In His name they were to present their petitions to the Father, and they would receive answer. They were to baptize in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Christ's name was to be their watchword, their badge of distinction, their bond of union, the authority for their course of action, and the source of their success. Nothing was to be recognized in His kingdom that did not bear His name and superscription.

Note that all her wording in AA 28.2 is consistently centered on Christ's name, all except for the reference to Matthew 28:19 which uses the threefold-name wording. Had she known of the change and used the correct wording (as we believe), her paragraph would have been completely consistent with stating that everything the disciples did was in the name of Jesus, even baptism.

Lesser light. The question of "How could a prophet like EGW not receive light on this change?" is a legitimate question if this were the only text fitting this category. The fact is, EGW was not given light on at least two other Biblical texts, 1 John 5:7 and Colossians 2:14. In the case of 1 John 5:7, EGW never quoted it. If EGW did receive light on this verse, it was not to use it at all. However, we have the special case of Colossians 2:14.

On Colossians 2:14. This verse reads as follows in the KJV and ESV:

  • Colossians 2:14 (KJV 1900): Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
  • Colossians 2:14 (ESV): by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.

Note that in the KJV this verse speaks of the "handwriting of ordinances" but is now understood and translated as the "record of debt" as is found in the ESV and other modern translations. The Greek word for "handwriting" is cheirographon which we now understand to mean the "record of debt." See It Is Finished for more information on the meaning of cheirographon. The REV Bible has a good commentary on cheirographon in "certificate of indebtedness."

EGW and the Adventist pioneers (e.g. Uriah Smith) did not know this more recent understanding of cheirographon and so went with the KJV translation and the interpretation that we see in their writings. In the Adventist magazine, Ministry, this discrepancy was addressed in their November, 1955 issue (see Ministry Magazine on Colossians 2:14), where an attempt is made to reconcile the difference in interpretation (between the early pioneers and EGW and our modern understanding). Their conclusion is that her use of "handwriting of ordinances" is not inconsistent with the larger context and more accurate reading of this verse.

Nevertheless, although EGW was given much light with regard to the Scriptures, apparently she was not given full light. By this is meant: We cannot rely on EGW having full, complete and correct understanding of every Bible text she used. The perfect example is Colossians 2:14, where more recent research revealed the accurate reading in the Greek and more complete understanding of this verse.

The heavenly trio. EGW used terms like "three highest powers in heaven," "three great powers of heaven," "the three holy dignitaries of heaven" and similar wording. What are we to make of these, besides the fact that they are almost always in connection with Matthew 28:19? The fact is, the heavenly trio is also found in Scripture.

  • 1 Corinthians 12:4-6: Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.
  • 2 Corinthians 13:14: The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
  • Ephesians 2:18: For through him [Jesus] we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.
  • Ephesians 4:4-6: There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
  • 2 Thessalonians 2:13: But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.
  • Hebrews 9:14: how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.
  • 1 Peter 1:2: according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood:

Yet, all of the above Bible verses speak of only one God, who is the Father. In her own words:

  • 9T 189.3: Let them be thankful to God for His manifold mercies and be kind to one another. They have one God and one Saviour; and one Spirit—the Spirit of Christ—is to bring unity into their ranks.

Again, not three Gods, but one God. This one God is the Father.

Doctrine of the perpetuity of spiritual gifts

One EGW quote that is given to claim proof of the authenticity of the orthodox wording of Matthew 28:19 is found in Spiritual Gifts, vol. 3, which reads as follows:

  • 3SG 9.4: This high commission relates to the gospel, to faith, to baptism, to salvation, and to spiritual gifts. The gospel was to be preached as long as there were sinners to hear it. Faith is equally requisite throughout the Christian age. Baptism is a perpetual ordinance in the church, and the ministers of the nineteenth century baptize “In the name of the father, and of the son, and of the Holy Ghost,” Because the original commission requires it. The terms of salvation stated in this commission were to be held out as long as sinners might be saved. Running parallel with all these, we find in the same commission spiritual gifts. In the absence of proof that the gifts were to be restricted to any particular age of the Christian Church, this commission alone is sufficient evidence of their perpetuity.

Note that the "original commission" was a collection of things which included preaching the gospel, faith, baptism, salvation and spiritual gifts. Faith was required just as much as baptism. While baptism was "a perpetual ordinance in the church," it does not follow that the wording needed to be in the threefold name. The evidence from Scripture is clear on this, since not one of the baptisms mentioned in the New Testament ever used this formula. That "the nineteenth century" ministers baptized in the threefold name does not prove anything, unless you believe that Sacred Tradition trumps Sacred Scripture.

Besides, it is spiritual gifts that is the focus of the chapter. As the first paragraph declares,

  • Ibid. 9.1: We present as the ground-work of the scriptural doctrine of the perpetuity of spiritual gifts, the original commission.

This theme (of the perpetuity of the spiritual gifts) runs throughout the chapter and worth reading in its entirety. Some notable quotes:

  • Ibid. 19.1: There is at the present time almost a universal state of unbelief in regard to the operations of the Holy Spirit, especially in the manifestation of the gifts. Unbelief shuts the Spirit of God away from the mind. It quenches the Spirit, and leaves the masses exposed to the delusions of these last days.
  • Ibid. 19.2: Again, those who by unbelief quench the Spirit in these last days will be illy prepared to share in the great blessings which God promises by the prophet Joel, quoted by Peter, Acts 2:17, 18.
  • Ibid. 23.3: The manifestations of the Holy Spirit noted in this prophecy [Joel 2:28-32], are in connection with the signs of the near approach of the great and terrible day of the Lord. In fact, they constitute one of those signs.
  • Ibid. 29.1: The gifts have been superseded in the popular churches by human creeds. . .
  • Ibid. 29.2: But the popular churches have introduced another means of preserving unity, namely, human creeds. . .

Toward the end of this chapter we find this striking quote:

  • Ibid. 30.2: When we consider the great apostasy of the church, the corruption of her pure doctrines, and her sojourn of 1260 years in the wilderness, we are not surprised that we do not find on the pages of her sad history any clearer records of the manifestation of spiritual gifts. . . We do not rely upon the testimony of men as proof of our position; but after being established in the doctrine of the perpetuity of spiritual gifts from the plain testimony of God's word, it is a matter of unspeakable joy to find that on this vital doctrine our faith is in harmony with the good, the humble, and the prudent, ever since Christ said to his first ministers, “These signs shall follow them that believe.”

Thus, no clearer sign of an apostate church can be found than one which elevates human creeds above the "manifestations of the Holy Spirit." The evidence of one being truly baptized is when the believer is baptized in the Spirit—i.e. baptized into Christ, who is the Spirit (Galatians 3:27; 2 Corinthians 3:18)—and manifests the gifts of the Spirit.

  • Matthew 3:11 (REV): I baptize you in water as a symbol of your repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with holy spirit or with fire.

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