There Is No Contradiction On Baptismal Instruction In The New Testament

St. John The Baptist

A common criticism leveled against the New Testament is that it gives the reader contradictory instructions on Baptism. This is often used by atheists and Muslims. The two instructions are baptism in the name of Jesus or baptism in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. The second one comes from the lips of Christ Himself.

At the end of the Gospel of Matthew He says:

Going therefore, teach ye all nations; baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

It seems pretty clear what our Lord was trying to tell us. However, several verses in Acts seem to contradict this, at least on the surface. It’s baptism in the name of Jesus Christ.

But Peter said to them: Do penance, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins: and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

–Acts 2:38

For he was not as yet come upon any of them; but they were only baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid their hands upon them, and they received the Holy Ghost.

–Acts 8:16-17

A couple more verses could be given but this should suffice for now. On the surface we seem to have a contradiction. What do we do?

When we look closer at the NT we notice that Jesus and his followers were not the only ones engaging in baptism. John the Baptist engaged in baptism as well. In fact, in Acts 13:24 we read:

John first preaching, before his coming, the baptism of penance to all the people of Israel.

John the Baptist had his own baptism ministry. If we read the book of Acts, we realize that there are some who have only received the baptism of John and have not upgraded to the full baptism of Christ. In the first seven verses of Acts 19 we read:

And it came to pass, while Apollo was at Corinth, that Paul having passed through the upper coasts, came to Ephesus, and found certain disciples. And he said to them: Have you received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? But they said to him: We have not so much as heard whether there be a Holy Ghost. And he said: In what then were you baptized? Who said: In John’ s baptism. Then Paul said: John baptized the people with the baptism of penance, saying: That they should believe in him who was to come after him, that is to say, in Jesus. Having heard these things, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had imposed his hands on them, the Holy Ghost came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. And all the men were about twelve.

We see from this passage that there was also widespread knowledge of John’s baptism and that some who had been baptized by John had not upgraded to the baptism of Jesus. In other words, baptism in the name of Jesus Christ is baptism in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. It’s only referred to as baptism in the name of Jesus to differentiate it from John’s baptism or possibly other versions of baptism that were used at the time. This is not contradictory at all since Jesus is the Son. The whole phrase is simply and abbreviation.

In the book of Acts, when it says that they were baptized in the name of Jesus, the baptismal formula would have been: “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” There is no New Testament contradiction on how to baptize new members. We just look to the ending of the Gospel of Matthew.